SECURING POWER SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS TO CURVED SURFACES

Abstract

The invention relates to an arrangement for a power converter (12) comprising at least one power module (1) comprising power semiconductor components (5) and a cooler (10), wherein the cooler (10) has a curved surface and the power module (1) is arranged on the surface and is connected in a positive fit to the cooler (10). The invention also relates to an associated manufacturing method as well as to a power converter with said type of arrangement and to a vehicle with a power converter.

Claims

1. An arrangement for a power converter, the arrangement comprising: at least one power module that includes power semiconductor components; and a cooler, wherein the cooler has a curved surface, and the at least one power module is arranged on the curved surface and is connected to the cooler in a cohesive manner.

2. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein the cohesive connection is formed by a connecting layer.

3. The arrangement of claim 2, wherein the connecting layer is an insulating film, a solder, or an adhesive.

4. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein the power semiconductor components are bent with same curvature as the at least one power module.

5. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein the at least one power module has conductor tracks curved in a same way as the curved surface that contacts the power semiconductor components and in which cavities for receiving the power semiconductor components are formed such that the power semiconductor components are arranged in a planar manner.

6. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein the at least one power module has a ceramic carrier curved in a same way as the at least one power module, the power semiconductor components being arranged on the ceramic carrier.

7. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein the at least one power module has a thick copper substrate, and wherein a side of the thick copper substrate facing away from the power semiconductor components is configured to be curved to correspond to the curved surface of the cooler.

8. A method for producing an arrangement for a power converter, the arrangement comprising at least one power module that includes power semiconductor components and a cooler, wherein the cooler has a curved surface, and the at least one power module is arranged on the curved surface and is connected to the cooler in a cohesive manner, the method comprising: stacking an insulating film, conductor tracks, first solder layers, the power semiconductor components, second solder layers, and a second circuit carrier on the curved surface of the cooler; and pressure laminating the stack.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the at least one power module has the conductor tracks curved in a same way as the curved surface that contacts the power semiconductor components and in which cavities for receiving the power semiconductor components are formed such that the power semiconductor components are arranged in a planar manner, and wherein the stacking and the pressure laminating of the stack comprises: stacking the insulating film and the conductor tracks on the curved surface of the cooler; pressure laminating the stack of the insulating film and the conductor tracks on the curved surface of the cooler; forming the cavities in the conductor tracks; arranging a first solder layer of the first solder layers and the power semiconductor components in the cavities; stacking second solder layers and the second circuit carrier on the power semiconductor components; and pressure laminating the stack.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the at least one power module has a thick copper substrate, and a side of the thick copper substrate facing away from the power semiconductor components is configured to be curved to correspond to the curved surface of the cooler, and wherein the method further comprises: modifying an underside of the thick copper substrate into a shape of the curved surface of the cooler; and stacking the insulating film and the power module on the curved surface of the cooler, and wherein pressure laminating the stack comprises pressure laminating the stack of the insulating film and the power module on the curved surface of the cooler.

11. A power converter comprising: an arrangement comprising: at least one power module that includes power semiconductor components; and a cooler, wherein the cooler has a curved surface, and the at least one power module is arranged on the curved surface and is connected to the cooler in a cohesive manner.

12. A vehicle comprising: a power converter for an electric or hybrid electric drive, the power converter comprising: an arrangement comprising: at least one power module that includes power semiconductor components; and a cooler, wherein the cooler has a curved surface, and the at least one power module is arranged on the curved surface and is connected to the cooler in a cohesive manner.

13. The vehicle of claim 12, wherein the vehicle is an aircraft.

14. The vehicle of claim 13, wherein the aircraft is an airplane.

15. The vehicle of claim 14, further comprising: an electric motor that is supplied with electrical energy via the power converter; and a propellor that is settable in rotation by the electric motor.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0035] FIG. 1 shows a sectional view of an arrangement of a first exemplary embodiment;

[0036] FIG. 2 shows a further sectional view of an arrangement of the first exemplary embodiment;

[0037] FIG. 3 shows a further sectional view of an arrangement of the first exemplary embodiment;

[0038] FIG. 4 shows a sectional view of an arrangement of a second exemplary embodiment;

[0039] FIG. 5 shows a further sectional view of an arrangement of the second exemplary embodiment;

[0040] FIG. 6 shows a further sectional view of an arrangement of the second exemplary embodiment;

[0041] FIG. 7 shows a sectional view of an arrangement of a third exemplary embodiment;

[0042] FIG. 8 shows a further sectional view of an arrangement of the third exemplary embodiment;

[0043] FIG. 9 shows a sectional view of an arrangement of a fourth exemplary embodiment;

[0044] FIG. 10 shows a further sectional view of an arrangement of the fourth exemplary embodiment;

[0045] FIG. 11 shows a further sectional view of an arrangement of the fourth exemplary embodiment;

[0046] FIG. 12 shows a block diagram of one embodiment of a power converter with a power module; and

[0047] FIG. 13 shows an embodiment of an aircraft with an electrical thrust generation unit.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0048] FIGS. 1-3 show sectional views of a power module 1 of a first exemplary embodiment. FIG. 1 shows an initial state before a pressure lamination; FIG. 2 shows the state after pressure lamination; and FIG. 3 shows a filled power module 1. The following components of the power module 1 are arranged in a stacked manner on a cooler 10 with a one-dimensional curved surface: an insulating film 2.1 (e.g., B-stage material, pre-crosslinked polymer); a first circuit carrier 3 with conductor tracks 3.1 (e.g., made of ductile copper or aluminum); a first solder layer 4 (e.g., solder preforms); power semiconductor components 5; a second solder layer 6; and a second circuit carrier 7 (e.g., a printed circuit board (PCB) with ductile copper).

[0049] As a result of soldering under pressure (indicated by the arrow P) and heat, as shown in FIG. 2, all components are laminated in a bent manner on the cooler 1 and harden under pressure (e.g., in the case of B-staging materials) or solidify (e.g., solder). A final filling using an insulating material 8 (also referred to as “underfill”), as represented in FIG. 3, provides the insulation and an additional mechanical fixing.

[0050] FIGS. 4 to 6 show cross sections of a power module 1 in a second exemplary embodiment, where pressure laminating the first circuit carrier 3 (e.g., below the power semiconductor components 5) onto the one-dimensional curved cooler 10 first takes place by the connecting layer 2, as indicated in FIGS. 4 and 5 with the arrow P.

[0051] Cavities 9 are subsequently milled in the first circuit carrier 3 with conductor tracks 3.1 of the first circuit carrier 3, as represented in FIG. 5, which have the advantage that a corresponding lower boundary lies on a planar, non-curved plane. It is therefore provided that the overlying, partially not represented layers, such as the first solder layer 4, power semiconductor components 5, the second solder layer 6, and the second circuit carrier 7, may be pressure laminated on a planar plane in a second act, as shown in FIG. 6, and the power semiconductor components 5 do not have to be bent.

[0052] This approach reduces the risk of possible semiconductor damage that is caused by the curvature being too high.

[0053] For the sake of clarity, the insulating material 8 is not drawn in this exemplary embodiment but is configured analogous to FIG. 3.

[0054] FIGS. 7 and 8 show cross sections of a third exemplary embodiment of a power module 1, where FIG. 7 shows the initial state before a pressure lamination and FIG. 8 shows the state afterwards. A power module 1 with Si.sub.3N.sub.4 ceramic carrier 11 and planar construction and connection technology is placed above the cooler 10 with a one-dimensional curved surface. A connecting layer 1 (e.g., a solder or an adhesive) is applied in between. As a result of soldering under pressure, as indicated in FIG. 7 by the arrow P, the ceramic carrier 11 is bent and the overlying power semiconductor components 5 with planar construction and connection technology are also bent.

[0055] FIGS. 9 to 11 show a cross section of a fourth exemplary embodiment of a power module 1 with an organic thick copper substrate 13 (e.g., insulation, organic material) that is arranged on a cooler 10 with a one-dimensional curved surface. The organic substrate 13 consists of a plurality of millimeter-thick Cu parts 13.1 (e.g., >250 μm thick) that are embedded in a mold material 13.2. The power semiconductor components 5 are already located on the thick copper substrate 13 (e.g., soldered, sintered, glued, etc.) and are additionally contacted with a planar construction and connection technology.

[0056] A subtractive process (e.g., grinding, milling, etc.), as indicated in FIG. 10 by the arrow S, eliminates the topography to be molded later. Molding the topography may take place both before and after applying the power semiconductor components 5. The thick copper substrate 13 is subsequently connected to the cooler 10 by an electrically insulating material (e.g., insulating film 2.1) via a pressure lamination process, as represented in FIG. 11. The insulating film 2.1 may be made of epoxy with ceramic particles, for example.

[0057] FIG. 12 shows a block diagram of a power converter 12 (e.g., a converter) with a power module 1 that, according to the present embodiments, is joined to a cooler 10 according to the representations from FIGS. 1 to 11.

[0058] FIG. 13 shows an electric or hybrid electric aircraft 14 (e.g., an airplane) with a power converter 12 according to FIG. 12 that supplies an electric motor 15 with electrical energy. The electric motor 15 drives a propellor 16. Both are part of an electrical thrust generation unit.

[0059] Despite the fact that the invention has been illustrated and described in greater detail by way of the exemplary embodiments, the invention is not limited by the examples disclosed, and other variations may be derived from this by the person skilled in the art, without departing from the scope of protection of the invention.

[0060] The elements and features recited in the appended claims may be combined in different ways to produce new claims that likewise fall within the scope of the present invention. Thus, whereas the dependent claims appended below depend from only a single independent or dependent claim, it is to be understood that these dependent claims may, alternatively, be made to depend in the alternative from any preceding or following claim, whether independent or dependent. Such new combinations are to be understood as forming a part of the present specification.

[0061] While the present invention has been described above by reference to various embodiments, it should be understood that many changes and modifications can be made to the described embodiments. It is therefore intended that the foregoing description be regarded as illustrative rather than limiting, and that it be understood that all equivalents and/or combinations of embodiments are intended to be included in this description.