TOLERANCE COMPENSATION ELEMENT FOR CIRCUIT CONFIGURATIONS

Abstract

A tolerance compensation element is for circuit configurations having a DCB (direct copper bonded) substrate and a PCB (printed circuit board). A circuit configuration further includes the tolerance compensation element. A tolerance compensation element is positioned in a targeted manner between the DCB substrate and PCB in a gap A for the contact-connection of components on the DCB substrate via additive manufacturing and is formed so as to close the gap.

Claims

1. A tolerance compensation element for circuit configurations with a DCB (Direct Copper Bonded) substrate and a PCB (Printed Circuit Board), the tolerance compensation element being set between the DCB substrate and the PCB in a gap for contacting of components on the DCB substrate via additive manufacturing, and being formed in a gap-closing manner.

2. The tolerance compensation element of claim 1, wherein the DCB substrate includes a copper-aluminum-copper arrangement.

3. The tolerance compensation element of claim 1, wherein the DCB substrate includes a copper-ceramic-copper arrangement.

4. The tolerance compensation element of claim 1, wherein the tolerance compensation element is applied in the gap, either to the PCB or the DCB substrate, and melted in a punctiform manner.

5. The tolerance compensation element of claim 4, wherein the tolerance compensation element is meltable in the gap via a laser beam.

6. The tolerance compensation element of claim 3, wherein a component to be electrically contacted is a semiconductor component.

7. The tolerance compensation element of claim 6 the gap between the PCB and the DCB substrate is produced with an undersize in a manufacturing process of the PCB, and such that a specified distance is formed between the DCB substrate and the PCB.

8. The tolerance compensation element claim 6, wherein dimensions of the gap for the electrical contacting of the semiconductor component are formed in a closely toleranced range both for another gap B, on an upper side of the semiconductor component and a further gap, on an underside of the semiconductor component.

9. The tolerance compensation element of claim 6, wherein the tolerance compensation element is formed from a material or an alloy, wettable for solder materials.

10. The tolerance compensation element of claim 1, wherein a distance in the gap is determinable directly in a production process and is set workpiece-specifically for a respective pairing of DCB substrate and PCB via of a closed control loop.

11. A circuit configuration comprising the tolerance compensation element of claim 1.

12. The tolerance compensation element of claim 2, wherein the tolerance compensation element is applied in the gap, either to the PCB or the DCB substrate, and melted in a punctiform manner.

13. The tolerance compensation element of claim 12, wherein the tolerance compensation element is meltable in the gap via a laser beam.

14. The tolerance compensation element of claim 3, wherein the tolerance compensation element is applied in the gap, either to the PCB or the DCB substrate, and melted in a punctiform manner.

15. The tolerance compensation element of claim 14, wherein the tolerance compensation element is meltable in the gap via a laser beam.

16. The tolerance compensation element of claim 4, wherein a component to be electrically contacted is a semiconductor component.

17. The tolerance compensation element of claim 16 the gap between the PCB and the DCB substrate is produced with an undersize in a manufacturing process of the PCB, and such that a specified distance is formed between the DCB substrate and the PCB.

18. The tolerance compensation element of claim 5, wherein a component to be electrically contacted is a semiconductor component.

19. The tolerance compensation element of claim 18, the gap between the PCB and the DCB substrate is produced with an undersize in a manufacturing process of the PCB, and such that a specified distance is formed between the DCB substrate and the PCB.

20. The tolerance compensation element of claim 2, wherein a distance in the gap is determinable directly in a production process and is set workpiece-specifically for a respective pairing of DCB substrate and PCB via of a closed control loop.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011] Further embodiments and advantages of the invention are explained below on the basis of an example embodiment and on the basis of the drawing,

[0012] in which:

[0013] FIG. 1 shows a circuit arrangement with a tolerance compensation element according to an embodiment of the invention in a schematic representation.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS

[0014] According to at least one embodiment of the invention, a tolerance compensation element is usable for circuit configurations, in particular electronic circuit configurations, with a DCB (Direct Copper Bonded) substrate and a PCB (Printed Circuit Board) circuit board. At least one embodiment of the invention may be distinguished by the fact that a tolerance compensation element is specifically set between the DCB substrate and the PCB circuit board in a gap A for the contacting of components on the DCB substrate by means of additive manufacturing and is formed in a gap-closing manner.

[0015] In at least one embodiment, in order to ensure the gap dimensions for reliable contacting of the electrical component, in particular the semiconductor component, both on the upper side and on the underside, in a closely toleranced range, a gap A between the PCB circuit board and the DCB substrate is initially produced with an undersize in the manufacturing process of the PCB circuit board, and so there is a defined distance between the DCB substrate (Direct Copper Bond) and the PCB (Printed Circuit Board) circuit board.

[0016] At least one embodiment of the invention includes that this distance is set in a defined manner in the gap A and closed by means of a tolerance compensation element, in particular an AM layer, by means of an additive manufacturing process. In this case, it is provided that the tolerance compensation element, that is to say the AM layer, is applied either to the PCB circuit board or the DCB substrate, preferably in the form of a powder, and is melted in a punctiform manner, in particular by means of a laser beam. It is of advantage if the tolerance compensation element is manufactured from a material or an alloy that can be wetted for conventional solder materials, in order that this tolerance compensation element can be attached in a material-bonding manner in the subsequent soldering process. The distance between the DCB substrate and the PCB circuit board may be determined directly in the implemented production process and be set workpiece-specifically for the respective pairing of DCB substrate and PCB circuit board by means of a closed control loop.

[0017] A continuation of the concept according to at least one embodiment of the invention may reside in that the DCB substrate comprises a copper-aluminum-copper arrangement (dielectric).

[0018] A specific refinement of this concept according to at least one embodiment of the invention may reside in that the DCB substrate comprises a copper-ceramic-copper arrangement.

[0019] An advantageous refinement of the concept according to at least one embodiment of the invention may reside in that the tolerance compensation element is applied in gap A either to the PCB circuit board or the DCB substrate and melted in a punctiform manner.

[0020] A continuation of the concept according to at least one embodiment of the invention may reside in that the tolerance compensation element can be melted in the gap A by means of a laser beam.

[0021] A specific refinement of this concept according to at least one embodiment of the invention may reside in that a component to be electrically contacted is a semiconductor component.

[0022] An advantageous refinement of the concept according to at least one embodiment of the invention may reside in that the gap A between the PCB circuit board and the DCB substrate is produced with an undersize in the production process of the PCB circuit board, and so a specific distance is formed between the DCB substrate and the PCB circuit board.

[0023] A continuation of the concept according to at least one embodiment of the invention may reside in that the gap dimensions for the electrical contacting of the semiconductor component are formed in a closely toleranced range both for a gap B on the upper side and in a gap C on the underside of the semiconductor component.

[0024] A specific refinement of this concept according to at least one embodiment of the invention may reside in that the tolerance compensation element is formed from a material or an alloy that can be wetted for solder materials.

[0025] An advantageous refinement of the concept according to at least one embodiment of the invention may reside in that the distance in the gap A can be determined directly in the production process and is set material-specifically for the respective pairing of DCB substrate and PCB circuit board by means of a closed control loop.

[0026] At least one embodiment of the invention is further directed to a circuit configuration according to at least one embodiment of the invention with a tolerance compensation element having the properties described above or below.

[0027] The tolerance compensation element according to at least one embodiment of the invention is arranged between a DCB (Direct Copper Bonded) substrate and a PCB (Printed Circuit Board) circuit board. The PCB circuit board forms over the DCB substrate a cavity in which a component, in particular a semiconductor component, can be positioned. For the case where the electronic component is a semiconductor component, the DCB substrate is formed in a three-layered manner in the composition copper-ceramic-copper. Other components that accept a dielectric as the DCB substrate with a composition copper-aluminum-copper are also conceivable.

[0028] The semiconductor component has an upper side, which forms a gap B in relation to the PCB circuit board. Moreover, the semiconductor component has an underside, which is positioned over a gap C in relation to the DCB substrate.

[0029] In order to ensure the gap dimensions for reliable contacting of the electrical component, in particular the semiconductor component, both on the upper side (gap B) and on the underside (gap C), in a closely toleranced range, the gap A between the PCB circuit board and the DCB substrate is initially produced with an undersize in the manufacturing process of the PCB circuit board, and so there is a defined distance between the DCB substrate (Direct Copper Bond) and the PCB (Printed Circuit Board) circuit board. It is provided that this distance is set in a defined manner in the gap A and closed by means of a tolerance compensation element, in particular an AM layer, by means of an additive manufacturing process. In this case, it is also provided that the tolerance compensation element, that is to say the AM layer, is applied either to the PCB circuit board or the DCB substrate, preferably in the form of a powder, and is melted in a punctiform manner, in particular by means of a laser beam.

[0030] FIG. 1 shows a circuit arrangement with a tolerance compensation element according to an embodiment of the invention, which is arranged between a DCB (Direct Copper Bonded) substrate 1 and a PCB (Printed Circuit Board) circuit board 2 in a gap A 3. The PCB circuit board 2 forms over the DCB substrate 1 a cavity 4, in which an electronic component 5, in particular a semiconductor component 6, can be positioned. In the case where the electronic component 5 is a semiconductor component 6, the DCB substrate 1 is formed in a three-layered manner, preferably in the composition copper-ceramic-copper. Other components 5 that accept a dielectric as the DCB substrate 1 with a composition copper-aluminum-copper are also conceivable.

[0031] The semiconductor component 6 has an upper side 7, which forms a gap B 8 in relation to the PCB circuit board 2. The semiconductor component 6 also has an underside 9, which is positioned over a gap C 10 in relation to the DCB substrate 1.

[0032] In order to ensure the gap dimensions for reliable contacting of the electrical component 5, in particular the semiconductor component 6, both on the upper side (gap B, 8) and on the underside (gap C, 10), in a closely toleranced range, the gap A 3 between the PCB circuit board 2 and the DCB substrate 1 is initially produced with an undersize in the manufacturing process of the PCB circuit board 2, and so there is a defined distance between the DCB substrate (Direct Copper Bond) 1 and the PCB (Printed Circuit Board) circuit board 2. It is provided that this distance is set in a defined manner in the gap A 3 and closed by means of a tolerance compensation element, in particular an AM layer, by means of an additive manufacturing process. In this case, it is also provided that the tolerance compensation element, that is to say the AM layer, is applied either to the PCB circuit board 2 or the DCB substrate 1, preferably in the form of a powder, and is melted in a punctiform manner, in particular by means of a laser beam.

[0033] The tolerance compensation element according to an embodiment of the invention for electronic circuit configurations is distinguished by the fact that it can be designed and manufactured in an easy, individual way in an additive manufacturing process for closing the gap between a DCB substrate and a PCB circuit board.

[0034] Although the invention has been illustrated and described in greater detail by the example embodiment, the invention is not limited by the disclosed examples, and other variations can be derived therefrom by a person skilled in the art without departing from the scope of protection of the invention.

LIST OF DESIGNATIONS

[0035] 1 DCB (Direct Copper Bonded) substrate [0036] 2 PCB (Printed Circuit Board) circuit board [0037] 3 Gap A [0038] 4 Cavity [0039] 5 Electronic component [0040] 6 Semiconductor component [0041] 7 Upper side [0042] 8 Gap B [0043] 9 Underside [0044] 10 Gap C