Semiconductor power module comprising graphene

1. A semiconductor power module comprising:

an electrically and thermally conductive base plate,

a semiconductor chip,

a first layer of graphene between the semiconductor chip and the electrically and thermally conductive base plate, where the first layer of graphene is in electrical and thermal contact with a first side of the electrically and thermally conductive base plate,

a first metallic layer with a first low melting point on the first side of the semiconductor chip between the semiconductor chip and first layer of graphene,

a second metallic layer with a second low melting point on a second side of the semiconductor chip opposite the first side of the semiconductor chip, the first and second metallic layers being provided for obtaining a short-circuit failure mode of the semiconductor chip creating an electrically conducting alloy with the semiconductor chip,

an upper base plate on top of the second metallic layer, and

a top electrode on top of the upper base plate.

2. The semiconductor power module according to claim 1 , further comprising a second layer of graphene on a second side of the electrically and thermally conductive base plate opposite the first side of the electrically and thermally conductive base plate.

3. The semiconductor power module according to claim 1 , wherein a thickness of at least the first layer of graphene is in a range 1-10 nm.

4. The semiconductor power module according to claim 1 , wherein the first low melting point is in a range 500-700° C.

5. The semiconductor power module according to claim 4 , wherein the first metallic layer has a thermal conductivity that is above 1.5 W/cm-K.

6. The semiconductor power module according to claim 5 , wherein the thermal conductivity is in a range of 1.5-4.5 W/cm-K.

7. The semiconductor power module according to claim 1 , wherein the first metallic layer includes a metal alloy.

8. The semiconductor power module according to claim 1 , wherein the first metallic layer includes aluminum and/or silver.

9. The semiconductor power module according to claim 7 , wherein the metal alloy is an aluminum silver alloy or an aluminum silicon carbide alloy.

10. The semiconductor power module according to claim 1 , wherein the semiconductor chip is a silicon carbide chip.

11. The semiconductor power module according to claim 1 , wherein the electrically and thermally conductive base plate is of molybdenum.

12. The semiconductor power module according to claim 1 , further comprising a number of additional semiconductor chips, each connected to the electrically and thermally conductive base plate via the first layer of graphene.

13. The semiconductor power module according to claim 1 , wherein a thickness of at least the first layer of graphene is in a range 2-4 nm.

14. The semiconductor power module according to claim 2 , wherein a thickness of at least the first layer of graphene is in a range 1-10 nm.

15. The semiconductor power module according to claim 2 , wherein the first low melting point is in a range 500-700° C.

16. The semiconductor power module according to claim 2 , wherein the first metallic layer includes a metal alloy.

17. The semiconductor power module according to claim 16 , wherein the metal alloy is an aluminum silver alloy or an aluminum silicon carbide alloy.

18. The semiconductor power module according to claim 2 , wherein the semiconductor chip is a silicon carbide chip.

19. The semiconductor power module according to claim 2 , wherein the electrically and thermally conductive base plate is of molybdenum.

20. The semiconductor power module according to claim 1 , wherein the first and second low melting points are the same.