Power semiconductor module

Abstract

A power semiconductor module, including a housing and a substrate having at least one conductive path is located, at least one power semiconductor device arranged on said conductive path at least one contact, a self-sustaining system for detecting a physical parameter or a chemical substance, a device for wireless transmitting data provided by the sensor, and an energy source. The sensor detects at least one of current, voltage magnetic fields, mechanical stress, and humidity. The power semiconductor module may be part of an electronic device.

Claims

1. A power semiconductor module, comprising: a housing, a substrate being arranged inside the housing, at least one conductive path located on the substrate, at least one power semiconductor device arranged inside the housing and arranged on said conductive path and electrically connected to said conductive path, at least one contact externally contacting said semiconductor device, and a self-sustaining sensor system arranged inside the housing, the sensor system having a sensor configured to detect a physical parameter and/or a chemical substance, a transmission device configured to wireless transmit data provided by the sensor to a recipient outside the module, and an energy source configured to provide all required energy to the sensor system, and wherein the sensor has at least one sensor configured to detect current, at least one sensor configured to detect voltage magnetic fields, at least one sensor configured to detect mechanical stress, and at least one sensor configured to detect humidity.

2. The module according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the at least one sensors is designed to provide an electrically contact-free measurement.

3. The module according to claim 1, wherein the sensor system is free of any electric contact to current carrying parts of the module.

4. The module according to claim 1 wherein the sensor further comprises at least one sensor configured to detect temperature.

5. The module according to claim 1, wherein the module comprises a power source and the power source includes at least one of a thermoelectric device, a piezoelectric device, a pyroelectric device, or a radiofrequency waves activated device.

6. The module according to claim 5, wherein the thermoelectric device is located aside a main temperature path of the module.

7. The module according to claim 1, wherein the sensor system further comprises a receiving unit configured to receive data demands, the receiving unit being connected to at least one of the at least one sensors and the transmission unit.

8. A module arrangement, comprising: at least one power semiconductor having: a housing, a substrate being arranged inside the housing, at least one conductive path located on the substrate, at least one power semiconductor device arranged inside the housing and arranged on said conductive path and electrically connected to said conductive path, at least one contact externally contacting said semiconductor device, and a self-sustaining sensor system arranged inside the housing, the sensor system having a sensor configured to detect a physical parameter and/or a chemical substance, a transmission device configured to wireless transmit data provided by the sensor to a recipient outside the module, and an energy source configured to provide all required energy to the sensor system, and wherein the sensor has at least one sensor configured to detect current, at least one sensor configured to detect voltage magnetic fields, at least one sensor configured to detect mechanical stress, and at least one sensor configured to detect humidity.

9. The module arrangement according to claim 8, wherein the arrangement includes a control unit being configured to control the at least one power semiconductor module based on the data provided by the sensor.

10. An electrical device, comprising: a module having a housing, a substrate being arranged inside the housing, and at least one conductive path located on the substrate, said module further having: at least one power semiconductor device arranged inside the housing and arranged on said conductive path and electrically connected to said conductive path, at least one contact externally contacting said semiconductor device, and a self-sustaining sensor system arranged inside the housing, the sensor system having a sensor configured to detect a physical parameter and/or a chemical substance, a transmission device configured to wireless transmit data provided by the sensor to a recipient outside the module, and an energy source configured to provide all required energy to the sensor system, and wherein the sensor has at least one sensor configured to detect current, at least one sensor configured to detect voltage magnetic fields, at least one sensor configured to detect mechanical stress, and at least one sensor configured to detect humidity.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Additional features, characteristics and advantages of the subject-matter of the invention are disclosed in the subclaims, the FIGURE and the following description of the respective FIGURE and example, whichin an exemplary fashionshow one embodiment and example of a semiconductor module according to the invention.

(2) In the FIGURE:

(3) FIG. 1 shows a sectional side view of an embodiment of a module according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(4) In FIG. 1, an arrangement of a power module 10 is schematically shown. In detail, the internal structure of said power module 10 is described. The power module 10 comprises a housing 12, such as a plastic casing, in which at least one power semiconductor device 14 is arranged. The semiconductor device 14 may in an exemplary manner be an insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT), a diode, a metal oxide semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET), or the like. According to FIG. 1, a diode and an IGBT are provided. The semiconductor device 14 or the plurality of semiconductor devices 14 is connectable via contacts such as terminals 16, for example as connections to bus bars, and preferably via a gate terminal 18, wherein the semiconductor device 14 is preferably bonded by aluminium bond wires 20.

(5) The semiconductor device 14 may further be arranged on a substrate 24. The substrate 24 may be formed in non-limiting examples as an aluminium nitride ceramic insulator or it may be formed of aluminium oxide or of silicon nitride. The semiconductor device 14 is further connected to the substrate via a conductive path 15, such as a metallization, and a solder 17. The terminals 16 as well as the auxiliary terminal, or gate terminal 18, respectively, are connected to the substrate 24 via a metallization 26, in particular a copper metallization, and a solder 28, or lot, respectively. However, comparable connections, such as ultrasonic welding, may be applied. Additionally, the substrate 24 is connected to a further metallization 30, in particular a copper metallization, at its bottom side. The remaining volume inside the housing 12 is filled e.g. with an insulating gel 32, such as silicon gel and a further isolator, such as a layer of epoxy 22 may be arranged in the housing 12, or it may be part of the housing 12.

(6) During operation, a power module 10 generates thermal energy, or heat, respectively, due to the resistances in the electric conductors. Consequently, the generated heat has to be dissipated from the internal of the power module 10 to its outside. For this purpose, the power module 10 comprises a base plate 34. The base plate 34 is in thermal contact to the semiconductor device 14 on its upper side via the metallization 30 and a solder 31, and is furthermore thermally connected to a cooling fin, or heat sink 36, respectively.

(7) The module 10 further comprises a self-sustaining sensor system, the sensor system comprising a sensor particularly for detecting a physical parameter or a chemical substance, a transmission device for wireless transmitting data provided by the sensor to a recipient outside the module, and an energy source for providing energy to the sensor system. The at least one sensor may be designed for an electrically contact-free measurement. Further, the sensor system may be free of any electric contact to current carrying parts of the module 10. The sensor preferably comprises at least one of a sensor for detecting temperature, current, voltage magnetic fields, mechanical stress, and humidity. According to FIG. 1, a temperature sensor 38 may be provided on the surface of a chip, or a semiconductor device 14, respectively, and a humidity sensor 40 is provided in the silicon gel 32. Further, a voltage magnetic fields sensor 42 may be provided in vicinity to a terminal 16, for example powered by a thermoelectric element 44 located on the surface of a power semiconductor device 14. Alternative power sources may comprise one of a pyroelectrical device, a piezoelectric device, and a radiofrequency waves activated device.

(8) However, due to heat generation in power semiconductor modules 10, thermoelectric devices basing on the Seebeck-effect are a useful choice for power generation inside the module 10. A first side of the thermoelectric device 44 has to be placed on a hot, or at least comparably warm side and a second side of the thermoelectric element 44 is placed on a cold, or at least comparably cold side. In an autonomous sensor system, the device could be placed with the hot side on different locations such as hot places, for example on surfaces of the power semiconductor device 14, or on a substrate surface, and a comparably colder part may be located at or thermally connected to a cooler position, such as inside the insulating gel 32.

(9) Apart from the above, the sensor system further may comprise a receiving unit for receiving data demands, the receiving unit being connected to at least one of the sensor and the transmission unit.

(10) The data transmission based on data provided by the sensor may thereby occur actively, by permanently sending signals, or stimulated from the external recipient in the case of demand of data reading.

(11) A module 10 like described above thus allows a flexible and low cost solution of sensor integration for supervision of qualification and operation of power semiconductor modules. The corresponding sensors are optionally mounted or introduced during module production, or thereafter. No major modification of the power module design is required.

(12) While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, such illustration and description are to be considered illustrative or exemplary and not restrictive; the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. Other variations to the disclosed embodiments can be understood and effected by those skilled in the art in practicing the claimed invention, from a study of the drawings, the disclosure, and the appended claims. In the claims, the word comprising does not exclude other elements or steps, and the indefinite article a or an does not exclude a plurality. The mere fact that certain measures are recited in mutually different dependent claims does not indicate that a combination of these measures cannot be used to advantage. Any reference signs in the claims should not be construed as limiting the scope.