Transistor package with three-terminal clip
20190074243 ยท 2019-03-07
Inventors
Cpc classification
H01L23/49524
ELECTRICITY
H01L2924/00012
ELECTRICITY
H01L2224/291
ELECTRICITY
H01L2924/13091
ELECTRICITY
H01L2224/8385
ELECTRICITY
H01L2224/2919
ELECTRICITY
H01L2924/00
ELECTRICITY
H01L2924/00
ELECTRICITY
H01L2224/40108
ELECTRICITY
H01L2924/00014
ELECTRICITY
H01L2924/13091
ELECTRICITY
H01L2924/00014
ELECTRICITY
H01L2924/00012
ELECTRICITY
H01L2224/8385
ELECTRICITY
H01L2224/291
ELECTRICITY
H01L2224/48137
ELECTRICITY
International classification
Abstract
A package which comprises an electrically conductive chip carrier, a first chip comprising a first connection terminal, a second connection terminal located on the chip carrier and a control terminal, a second chip comprising a first connection terminal, a second connection terminal located on the chip carrier and a control terminal, wherein the first chip and the second chip are connected to form a half bridge having inlet terminals and an outlet terminal, and a clip having three connection sections connecting the second connection terminal of the first chip with the first connection terminal of the second chip and with the outlet terminal of the half bridge.
Claims
1. A package, comprising: an electrically conductive chip carrier; a first chip with an integrated transistor and comprising a first connection terminal, a second connection terminal located on the chip carrier and a control terminal; a second chip with an integrated transistor and comprising a first connection terminal, a second connection terminal located on the chip carrier and a control terminal, wherein the first chip and the second chip are connected to form a half bridge having inlet terminals and an outlet terminal; a clip having three connection sections connecting the second connection terminal of the first chip with the first connection terminal of the second chip and with the outlet terminal of the half bridge; wherein the three connection sections of the clip are arranged at different height levels, in particularat three different height levels.
2. (canceled)
3. The package according to claim 1, wherein the three connection sections of the clip comprise a curved plate portion and a web portion extending from the curved plate portion, in particular substantially perpendicular from the curved plate portion.
4. The package according to claim 3, wherein the curved plate portion comprises two planar subportions at different height levels connected by a slanted intermediate subportion.
5. The package according to claim 3, wherein the web portion extends up to a lowermost height level of the clip.
6. The package according to claim 3, wherein the curved plate portion is attached to a connection lead of the chip carrier and is attached to the first connection terminal of the second transistor chip.
7. The package according to claim 3, wherein the web portion is attached to a leadframe body of the chip carrier on which leadframe body the first transistor chip is mounted.
8. The package according to claim 1, comprising a further clip connecting the first connection terminal of the first chip with the chip carrier, in particular being at an electric reference potential, more particularly ground potential.
9. The package according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first chip and the second chip is configured for operation with a vertical current flow.
10. The package according to claim 1, wherein the first chip is configured as a low-side switch and the second chip is configured as a high-side switch.
11. The package according to claim 1, comprising a control chip connected to the control terminal of the first chip and to the control terminal of the second chip and being configured for controlling operation of the first chip and the second chip.
12. The package according to claim 11, wherein the control chip is mounted on one of the group consisting of the first chip, the second chip, and a leadframe body of the chip carrier.
13. The package according to claim 1, wherein the control terminals are arranged facing away from the chip carrier.
14. The package according to claim 1, wherein two of the connection terminals, in particular the two first connection terminals, are arranged facing away from the chip carrier and the other two of the connection terminals, in particular the two second connection terminals, are arranged facing the chip carrier.
15. The package according to claim 1, comprising an encapsulant, in particular a mold compound, partially encapsulating the chip carrier, and at least partially encapsulating the first chip and the second chip.
16. The package according to claim 1, comprising one of the following features: the first chip and the second chip have the same shape and dimension; the first chip and the second chip have at least one of different shapes and different dimensions.
17. The package according to claim 1, wherein the chip carrier comprises at least one of the group consisting of a leadframe, a Direct Copper Bonding substrate, and a Direct Aluminum Bonding substrate.
18. A package, comprising: a leadframe-type chip carrier comprising connection leads and leadframe bodies; a first chip with a field effect transistor and being arranged on one of the leadframe bodies; a second chip with a field effect transistor and being arranged on another one of the leadframe bodies; a clip having three connection sections contacting a surface of one of the chips, part of the connection leads and one of the leadframe bodies.
19. The package according to claim 18, wherein the first chip and the second chip are connected to form a half bridge.
20. The package according to claim 18, wherein source terminals and gate terminals of the first chip and of the second chip are facing away from the chip carrier, and drain terminals of the first chip and of the second chip are facing the chip carrier.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0044] The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of exemplary embodiments and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate exemplary embodiments.
[0045] In the drawings:
[0046]
[0047]
[0048]
[0049]
[0050]
[0051]
[0052]
[0053]
[0054]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS
[0055] The illustration in the drawing is schematically.
[0056] Before describing further exemplary embodiments in further detail, some basic considerations of the present invention will be summarized based on which exemplary embodiments have been developed.
[0057] More and more motors in a car are converted to the so called brushless DC (direct current) topology. This topology simplifies the motor construction but increases the electronic control effort. This effort however also pays off in form of improved motor precision and efficiency. In such automotive applications, packages with half bridge functionality are implemented. Also in other applications, for instance domestic appliances such as washing machines and dishwashers, such kind of packages may be used.
[0058] A conventional challenge is to find a cost and space efficient solution for half bridge transistors (such as MOSFETs) for the above and other electronic applications.
[0059] According to an exemplary embodiment, a clip design for a half bridge package is provided which combines a compact design with a higher electric reliability and a simple manufacturability. In an embodiment, a clip design is provided which realizes a half bridge configuration implementing a three-connection-sections-clip. More specifically, such an embodiment provides a special clip design to build up electrical connections between chip terminals and chip carrier terminals which may be at different height levels. An advantage of such embodiments is simplicity. A simple and cost efficient leadframe design may be used for providing a corresponding chip carrier. A half-bridge interconnection may be realized by a specific clip design introducing three connection sections, in particular at multiple (more particularly three) different levels.
[0060] A gist of an exemplary embodiment is the use of a package with splitted leadframe with pin configuration and the use of a specific clip design to build up a half-bridge configuration in one package. Specific for the clip is a sophisticated electrically conductive connection configuration between a chip surface, a connection lead and a leadframe body.
[0061] In the following description of exemplary embodiments referring to the figures, field effect transistors are implemented as first chip 104 and second chip 106. These chips 104, 106 with field effect transistors will be denoted in the following simply as chips 104, 106. However, it will be understood by a skilled person that all embodiments described in the following can also be implemented with other transistor types (such as an insulated gate bipolar transistor). In other words, the mentioned chips 104, 106 can also be realized as chips of different technology.
[0062] Correspondingly, first connection terminals 130, 140 will be denoted in the following as source terminals 130, 140, and second connection terminals 132, 142 will be denoted as drain terminals 132, 142. Accordingly, control terminals 134, 144 will be denoted in the following as gate terminals 134, 144, although they can be configured as other types of control terminals, such as base terminals.
[0063]
[0064] Referring now to
[0065] A first chip 104 with an integrated field effect transistor (more specifically a MOSFET, i.e. metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor) is mounted on the chip carrier 102 and comprises on an upper side a source terminal 130, on a lower side a drain terminal 132 located (for instance soldered directly) on the chip carrier 102 and on the upper side a gate terminal 134. A separate second chip 106 with an integrated field effect transistor (here also embodied as a MOSFET) is also mounted on the chip carrier 102 and comprises on an upper side a source terminal 140, on an lower side a drain terminal 142 located on the chip carrier 102 and on the upper side a gate terminal 144. As can be taken from
[0066] The first chip 104 and the second chip 106 are electrically interconnected with one another to form a half bridge circuit (see also
[0067] Both the first chip 104 and the second chip 106 are configured for operation with a vertical current flow, i.e. with a current propagation direction perpendicular to the paper plane of
[0068] An encapsulant 112, in particular a mold compound, is provided for encapsulating part of the chip carrier 102, the entire first chip 104 and the entire second chip 106. In other embodiments, it is also possible to omit encapsulation or molding.
[0069] As a result of the coupling architecture described in the following in further detail, the first chip 104 and the second chip 106 are connected to form a half bridge having inlet terminals 178, 180 and an outlet terminal 182. Reference is also made to the circuit diagram corresponding to a half bridge configuration shown in
[0070] The clip 170 has three connection sections 172, 174, 176, i.e. three electric clip terminals at which an electric coupling with another electrically conductive portion of the package 100 is established via the clip 170. These connection sections 172, 174, 176 connect the drain terminal 132 of the first chip 104 with the source terminal 140 of the second chip 106 and with the outlet terminal 182 of the half bridge. More specifically, the three connection sections 172, 174, 176 are in contact with and electrically connect an upper surface of the second chip 106, two of the connection leads 186 corresponding to outlet terminal 182 and the leadframe body 192 on which the first chip 104 is mounted. As can be taken from
[0071] Again referring to
[0072] According to the embodiment of
[0073] Thus, the embodiment according to
[0074] According to the design of
[0075] In order to mount a respective chip 104, 106 on a respective leadframe body 192, 188, it is sufficient to simply place the respective chip 104, 106 on the respective leadframe body 192, 188 with a solder paste (for instance based on tin, for example having a thickness of 60 m) in between in a solder oven. Due to the influence of the force of gravity of the respective chip 104, 106 in combination with the surface tension of the solder, the respective chip 104, 106 will be soldered accurately on the respective leadframe body 192, 188. This soldering procedure may be carried out efficiently on batch level, i.e. before singularization of the individual packages 100.
[0076] Advantageously, cumbersome source-down or flip-chip configurations may be omitted in the embodiment according to
[0077]
[0078] In order to properly adapt the functionality of the package 100 to different duty cycles of chips 104, 106, the embodiment of
[0079] Various electric potentials IN.sub.X, V.sub.S.sub._.sub.IC, V.sub.s, GND are indicated in
[0080]
[0081] The embodiment according to
[0082] Although an encapsulant 112 may also be present in the embodiments of
[0083]
[0084] For each phase of a motor 212, a package 100 with half bridge MOS configuration, composed of a high-side MOS (see reference numeral 106) between a supply voltage and phase and a low-side MOS (see reference numeral 104) between phase and ground, is implemented.
[0085] According to
[0086]
[0087] In the leadless configuration according to
[0088]
[0089] The leaded package 100 according to
[0090]
[0091] In particular, the following aspects of the invention are disclosed:
[0092] Aspect 1. A package (100), comprising: [0093] an electrically conductive chip carrier (102); [0094] a first chip (104) with an integrated transistor and comprising a first connection terminal (130), a second connection terminal (132) located on the chip carrier (102) and a control terminal (134); [0095] a second chip (106) with an integrated transistor and comprising a first connection terminal (140), a second connection terminal (142) located on the chip carrier (102) and a control terminal (144), wherein the first chip (104) and the second chip (106) are connected to form a half bridge having inlet terminals (178, 180) and an outlet terminal (182); [0096] a clip (170) having three connection sections (172, 174, 176) connecting the second connection terminal (132) of the first chip (104) with the first connection terminal (130) of the second chip (106) and with the outlet terminal (182) of the half bridge.
[0097] Aspect 2. The package (100) according to aspect 1, wherein the three connection sections (172, 174, 176) of the clip (170) are arranged at different height levels (H1, H2, H3), in particular at three different height levels (H1, H2, H3).
[0098] Aspect 3. The package (100) according to aspect 1 or 2, wherein the three connection sections (172, 174, 176) of the clip (170) comprise a curved plate portion (172, 174) and a web portion (176) extending from the curved plate portion (172, 174), in particular substantially perpendicular from the curved plate portion (172, 174).
[0099] Aspect 4. The package (100) according to aspect 3, wherein the curved plate portion (172, 174) comprises two planar subportions (172, 174) at different height levels (H1, H2) connected by a slanted intermediate subportion (184).
[0100] Aspect 5. The package (100) according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the web portion (176) extends up to a lowermost height level (H3) of the clip (170).
[0101] Aspect 6. The package (100) according to any of aspects 3 to 5, wherein the curved plate portion (172, 174) is attached to a connection lead (186) of the chip carrier (102) and is attached to the first connection terminal (140) of the second transistor chip (106).
[0102] Aspect 7. The package (100) according to any of aspects 3 to 6, wherein the web portion (176) is attached to a leadframe body (192) of the chip carrier (102) on which leadframe body (192) the first transistor chip (104) is mounted.
[0103] Aspect 8. The package (100) according to any of aspects 1 to 7, comprising a further clip (190) connecting the first connection terminal (130) of the first chip (104) with the chip carrier (102), in particular being at an electric reference potential, more particularly ground potential.
[0104] Aspect 9. The package (100) according to any of aspects 1 to 8, wherein at least one of the first chip (104) and the second chip (106) is configured for operation with a vertical current flow.
[0105] Aspect 10. The package (100) according to any of aspects 1 to 9, wherein the first chip (104) is configured as a low-side switch and the second chip (106) is configured as a high-side switch.
[0106] Aspect 11. The package (100) according to any of aspects 1 to 10, comprising a control chip (200) connected to the control terminal (134) of the first chip (104) and to the control terminal (144) of the second chip (106) and being configured for controlling operation of the first chip (104) and the second chip (106).
[0107] Aspect 12. The package (100) according to aspect 11, wherein the control chip (200) is mounted on one of the group consisting of the first chip (104), the second chip (106), and a leadframe body (194), in particular a separate leadframe body (194), of the chip carrier (102).
[0108] Aspect 13. The package (100) according to any of aspects 1 to 12, wherein the control terminals (134, 144) are arranged facing away from the chip carrier (102).
[0109] Aspect 14. The package (100) according to any of aspects 1 to 13, wherein two of the connection terminals (130, 140) are arranged facing away from the chip carrier (102) and the other two of the connection terminals (132, 142) are arranged facing the chip carrier (102).
[0110] Aspect 15. The package (100) according to any of aspects 1 to 14, comprising an encapsulant (112), in particular a mold compound, partially encapsulating the chip carrier (102), and at least partially encapsulating the first chip (104) and the second chip (106).
[0111] Aspect 16. The package (100) according to any of aspects 1 to 15, comprising one of the following features: [0112] the first chip (104) and the second chip (106) have the same shape and dimension; [0113] the first chip (104) and the second chip (106) have at least one of different shapes and different dimensions.
[0114] Aspect 17. The package (100) according to any of aspects 1 to 16, wherein the chip carrier (102) comprises at least one of the group consisting of a leadframe, a Direct Copper Bonding substrate, and a Direct Aluminum Bonding substrate.
[0115] Aspect 18. A package (100), comprising: [0116] a leadframe-type chip carrier (102) comprising connection leads (186) and leadframe bodies (188, 192); [0117] a first chip (104) with a field effect transistor and being arranged on one of the leadframe bodies (192); [0118] a second chip (106) with a field effect transistor and being arranged on another one of the leadframe bodies (188); [0119] a clip (170) having three connection sections (172, 174, 176) contacting a surface of one of the chips (104, 106), part of the connection leads (186) and one of the leadframe bodies (188).
[0120] Aspect 19. The package (100) according to aspect 18, wherein the first chip (104) and the second chip (106) are connected to form a half bridge.
[0121] Aspect 20. The package (100) according to aspect 18 or 19, wherein source terminals (130, 140) and gate terminals (134, 144) of the first chip (104) and of the second chip (106) are facing away from the chip carrier (102), and drain terminals (132, 142) of the first chip (104) and of the second chip (106) are facing the chip carrier (102).
[0122] It should be noted that the term comprising does not exclude other elements or features and the a or an does not exclude a plurality. Also elements described in association with different embodiments may be combined. It should also be noted that reference signs shall not be construed as limiting the scope of the claims. Moreover, the scope of the present application is not intended to be limited to the particular embodiments of the process, machine, manufacture, composition of matter, means, methods and steps described in the specification. Accordingly, the appended claims are intended to include within their scope such processes, machines, manufacture, compositions of matter, means, methods, or steps.