IP Library Granted Patent US 11,756,910
Granted Patent B2
US 11,756,910 · App. 17/557,322 · Granted Sep 12, 2023

Package for power electronics

Inventors: Brice McPherson (Fayetteville, AR); Daniel Martin (Fayetteville, AR); Jennifer Stabach (Fayetteville, AR)
Assignee: WOLFSPEED, INC.
H01L24/09H01L24/49H01L25/072H01L22/14H01L22/30H01L22/32H01L23/49541H01L23/49548H01L23/49558H01L23/49562H01L23/49575H01L2224/04042H01L2924/13055H01L2924/13091H01L2924/30101
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,756,910
App. No.
17/557,322
Granted
Sep 12, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

A package for power electronics includes a power substrate, a number of power semiconductor die, and a Kelvin connection contact. Each one of the power semiconductor die are on the power substrate and include a first power switching pad, a second power switching pad, a control pad, a semiconductor structure, and a Kelvin connection pad. The semiconductor structure is between the first power switching pad, the second power switching pad, and the control pad, and is configured such that a resistance of a power switching path between the first power switching pad and the second power switching pad is based on a control signal provided at the control pad. The Kelvin connection pad is coupled to the power switching path. The Kelvin connection contact is coupled to the Kelvin connection pad of each one of the power semiconductor die via a Kelvin conductive trace on the power substrate.

Claims (77)

1. A package for power electronics comprising:

a power substrate;

a power switching conductive trace on the power substrate;

at least one power semiconductor die on the power switching conductive trace, the at least one power semiconductor die comprising:

a first power switching pad and a second power switching pad;

a control pad;

a semiconductor structure configured such that a resistance of a power switching path between the first power switching pad and the second power switching pad is based on a control signal provided at the control pad; and

a Kelvin connection pad coupled to the second power switching pad on the at least one power semiconductor die;

a Kelvin conductive trace on the power substrate;

a Kelvin connection contact coupled to the Kelvin connection pad via the Kelvin conductive trace; and

a control conductive trace coupled to the control pad, wherein the control conductive trace is arranged on the power substrate and between the power switching conductive trace and the Kelvin conductive trace.

2. The package of claim 1 , wherein:

the Kelvin connection pad of the at least one power semiconductor die is coupled to the Kelvin conductive trace via one or more wirebonds; and

the Kelvin conductive trace is coupled to the Kelvin connection contact via one or more wirebonds.

3. The package of claim 1 , wherein the at least one power semiconductor die is a power metal-oxide semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET) semiconductor die such that:

the first power switching pad is coupled to a drain region of the semiconductor structure;

the second power switching pad and the Kelvin connection pad are coupled to a source region of the semiconductor structure; and

the control pad is coupled to a gate region of the semiconductor structure.

4. The package of claim 1 , wherein the at least one power semiconductor die is a power insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) semiconductor die such that:

the first power switching pad is coupled to a collector region of the semiconductor structure;

the second power switching pad and the Kelvin connection pad are coupled to an emitter region of the semiconductor structure; and

the control pad is coupled to a gate region of the semiconductor structure.

5. The package of claim 1 , wherein:

the power substrate is rectangular; and

the Kelvin conductive trace includes at least one edge that is not parallel to an edge of the power substrate.

6. The package of claim 5 , wherein:

the power switching conductive trace includes at least one edge that is not parallel to an edge of the power substrate; and

the at least one edge of the power switching conductive trace is parallel to the at least one edge of the Kelvin conductive trace.

7. The package of claim 1 , further comprising:

a first power switching contact coupled to the first power switching pad of the at least one power semiconductor die;

a second power switching contact coupled to the second power switching pad of the at least one power semiconductor die; and

a control contact coupled to the control pad of the at least one power semiconductor die.

8. The package of claim 7 , wherein the first power switching contact, the second power switching contact, the control contact, and the Kelvin connection contact are located on a same side of the package.

9. The package of claim 8 , wherein the package is a leadframe package.

10. The package of claim 7 , wherein at least one of the first power switching contact, the second power switching contact, the control contact, and the Kelvin connection contact are located on a different side of the package from other contacts.

11. The package of claim 7 , wherein:

the at least one power semiconductor die is provided on the power switching conductive trace such that the first power switching pad is directly coupled to the power switching conductive trace;

the power switching conductive trace is coupled to the first power switching contact via one or more wirebonds;

the control pad of the at least one power semiconductor die is coupled to the control conductive trace via one or more wirebonds;

the control conductive trace is coupled to the control contact via one or more wirebonds;

the Kelvin connection pad of the at least one power semiconductor die is coupled to the Kelvin conductive trace via one or more wirebonds;

the Kelvin conductive trace is coupled to the Kelvin connection contact via one or more wirebonds; and

the second power switching contact is coupled to the second power switching pad of the at least one power semiconductor die via one or more wirebonds.

12. The package of claim 7 , wherein:

the at least one power semiconductor die is provided on the power switching conductive trace such that the first power switching pad is directly coupled to the power switching conductive trace;

the first power switching contact is directly attached to the power switching conductive trace;

the control pad of the at least one power semiconductor die is coupled to the control conductive trace via one or more wirebonds;

the control conductive trace is coupled to the control contact via one or more wirebonds;

the Kelvin connection pad of the at least one power semiconductor die is coupled to the Kelvin conductive trace via one or more wirebonds;

the Kelvin conductive trace is coupled to the Kelvin connection contact via one or more wirebonds; and

the second power switching contact is directly attached to the second power switching pad of the at least one power semiconductor die.

13. The package of claim 1 , further comprising a control contact coupled to the control pad of the at least one power semiconductor die via the control conductive trace on the power substrate.

14. The package of claim 13 , wherein:

the Kelvin connection pad of the at least one power semiconductor die is coupled to the Kelvin conductive trace via one or more wirebonds;

the Kelvin conductive trace is coupled to the Kelvin connection contact via one or more wirebonds;

the control pad of the at least one power semiconductor die is coupled to the control conductive trace via one or more wirebonds; and

the control conductive trace is coupled to the control contact via one or more wirebonds.

15. The package of claim 1 , wherein the at least one power semiconductor die includes at least three power semiconductor die.

16. A package for power electronics comprising:

a power substrate;

a power switching conductive trace on the power substrate;

at least one power semiconductor die on the power switching conductive trace, the at least one power semiconductor die comprising:

a first power switching pad and a second power switching pad;

a control pad; and

a semiconductor structure configured such that a resistance of a power switching path between the first power switching pad and the second power switching pad is based on a control signal provided at the control pad;

a first power switching contact coupled to the first power switching pad of the at least one power semiconductor die;

a second power switching contact coupled to the second power switching pad of the at least one power semiconductor die;

a Kelvin connection contact coupled to the second power switching pad via a Kelvin conductive trace on the power substrate; and

a control conductive trace coupled to the control pad, wherein the control conductive trace is arranged on the power substrate and between the power switching conductive trace and the Kelvin conductive trace.

17. The package of claim 16 , wherein the second power switching contact is coupled to the second power switching pad of the at least one power semiconductor die by a first interconnect, and the Kelvin connection contact is coupled to the second power switching pad by a second interconnect that is separate from the first interconnect.

18. The package of claim 16 , wherein the Kelvin conductive trace includes at least one edge that is not parallel to an edge of the power substrate.

19. The package of claim 16 , wherein:

the power switching conductive trace includes at least one edge that is not parallel to any edge of the power substrate; and

at least one edge of the Kelvin conductive trace is parallel to the at least one edge of the power switching conductive trace that is not parallel to any edge of the power substrate.

20. The package of claim 16 , wherein

the power switching conductive trace includes at least one edge that is not parallel to any edge of the power substrate; and

at least one edge of the control conductive trace is parallel to the at least one edge of the power switching conductive trace that is not parallel to any edge of the power substrate.

Assignments (7)
NOTICE OF GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY Recorded Mar 26, 2026
From: WOLFSPEED, INC.
To: U.S. BANK TRUST COMPANY, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 075280/0919 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY COLLATERAL AT REEL/FRAME NO. 64185/0755 Recorded Sep 30, 2025
From: U.S. BANK TRUST COMPANY, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: WOLFSPEED, INC.
Reel/Frame 072989/0001 →
NOTICE OF GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY Recorded Sep 30, 2025
From: WOLFSPEED, INC.
To: U.S. BANK TRUST COMPANY, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 072992/0113 →
NOTICE OF GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY Recorded Sep 30, 2025
From: WOLFSPEED, INC.
To: U.S. BANK TRUST COMPANY, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 072992/0467 →
NOTICE OF GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY Recorded Sep 30, 2025
From: WOLFSPEED, INC.
To: U.S. BANK TRUST COMPANY, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 072992/0588 →
NOTICE OF GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY Recorded Sep 30, 2025
From: WOLFSPEED, INC.
To: U.S. BANK TRUST COMPANY, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 072992/0381 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 30, 2023
From: WOLFSPEED, INC.
To: U.S. BANK TRUST COMPANY, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 064185/0755 →
Continuity (3)
Continuation 17352965 · Jun 21, 2021
Division 16441925 · Jun 14, 2019
Related Publication 20220115346A1 · Apr 14, 2022
Cited By (1)
US 12,400,986