SEMICONDUCTOR MODULE COMPRISING A HOUSING

Abstract

A semiconductor module includes a housing, a pin arranged in the housing and including a first contact region which has a press-fit connection, a semiconductor component arranged in the housing and electrically conductively connected to the pin, and a first substrate arranged in the housing and clamped in the housing via the pin by a non-positive locking connection, which, when formed, causes the press-fit connection to be deformed elastically and/or plastically with the first substrate. The first substrate has a first recess which is open and at least in part encompasses the pin in the first contact region. A metallic coating is applied to the first substrate at least in a region of the first recess so as to electrically conductively connect the first substrate to the semiconductor component, and a second substrate is in contact with the pin and connected within the housing in a non-releasable manner.

Claims

1.-15. (canceled)

16. A semiconductor module, comprising: a housing; a pin arranged in the housing and including a first contact region which has a press-fit connection; a semiconductor component arranged in the housing and electrically conductively connected to the pin; a first substrate arranged in the housing and clamped in the housing via the pin by a non-positive locking connection, which, when formed, causes the press-fit connection to be deformed elastically and/or plastically with the first substrate, said first substrate having a first recess which is open and at least in part encompasses the pin in the first contact region; a metallic coating applied to the first substrate at least in a region of the first recess so as to electrically conductively connect the first substrate to the semiconductor component; and a second substrate in contact with the pin and connected within the housing in a non-releasable manner.

17. The semiconductor module of claim 16, wherein the pin is configured in the first contact region with the first substrate in an oversized manner with an elastically and/or plastically yielding region so as to produce the non-positive locking connection.

18. The semiconductor module of claim 16, wherein the first recess is configured to encompass the pin by a maximum of half in the first contact region.

19. The semiconductor module of claim 16, wherein the pin is arranged in the first recess in such a manner that an essentially linear pressure distribution is provided.

20. The semiconductor module of claim 16, wherein the first recess is configured as a bore segment.

21. The semiconductor module of claim 16, wherein the second substrate has a metal coated second recess via which the pin is electrically conductively connected in a non-positive locking and/or material-bonded manner to the second substrate.

22. The semiconductor module of claim 21, wherein the second recess has a diameter which is smaller than a diameter of the first recess.

23. The semiconductor module of claim 16, wherein the second substrate is electrically conductively connected to the semiconductor component via the pin.

24. The semiconductor module of claim 16, wherein the pin is configured as a free-standing pin and includes an elastic section.

25. The semiconductor module of claim 16, wherein the pin is arranged such as to extend at least in part in the housing.

26. The semiconductor module of claim 16, wherein the semiconductor component includes a driver connection, and further comprising: a sensor having a sensor connection; and a common pin configured to electrically conductively connect the sensor connection and the driver connection.

27. A converter, comprising a semiconductor module, said semiconductor module comprising a housing, a pin arranged in the housing and including a first contact region which has a press-fit connection, a semiconductor component arranged in the housing and electrically conductively connected to the pin, a first substrate arranged in the housing and clamped in the housing via the pin by a non-positive locking connection, which, when formed, causes the press-fit connection to be deformed elastically and/or plastically with the first substrate, said first substrate having a first recess which is open and at least in part encompasses the pin in the first contact region, a metallic coating applied to the first substrate at least in a region of the first recess so as to electrically conductively connect the first substrate to the semiconductor component, and a second substrate in contact with the pin and connected within the housing in a non-releasable manner;

28. A method for producing a semiconductor module, said method comprising: connecting a first substrate in a non-positive locking manner to a pin by clamping in a housing; and subsequently connecting a second substrate to the pin.

29. The method of claim 28, further comprising: arranging a semiconductor component in the housing and electrically conductively connecting the semiconductor component to the pin; applying a metallic coating to the first substrate at least in a region of a first recess of the first substrate so as to electrically conductively connect the first substrate to the semiconductor component; and connecting the second substrate within the housing in a non-releasable manner.

30. The method of claim 28, further comprising oversizing the pin in a first contact region with the first substrate with an elastically and/or plastically yielding region so as to produce the non-positive locking connection.

31. The method of claim 30, further comprising configuring the first recess to encompass the pin by a maximum of half in the first contact region.

32. The method of claim 29, further comprising arranging the pin in the first recess in such a manner that an essentially linear pressure distribution is provided.

33. The method of claim 28, further comprising applying a metal coating to the second substrate in a region of a second recess of the second substrate for electrically conductively connecting the pin in a non-positive locking and/or material-bonded manner to the second substrate.

34. The method of claim 29, further comprising electrically conductively connecting the second substrate to the semiconductor component via the pin.

35. The method of claim 28, further comprising arranging the pin such as to extend at least in park in the housing.

Description

[0030] The invention is further described and explained below with the aid of the exemplary embodiments that are illustrated in the figures.

[0031] In the drawings:

[0032] FIG. 1 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of a section of a first embodiment of a semiconductor module,

[0033] FIG. 2 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of a section of a second embodiment of a semiconductor module,

[0034] FIG. 3 shows an enlarged longitudinal sectional view of the first embodiment of a semiconductor module in the first contact region,

[0035] FIG. 4 shows an enlarged cross-sectional view of the first embodiment of the semiconductor module in the first contact region,

[0036] FIG. 5 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of a section of a third embodiment of a semiconductor module,

[0037] FIG. 6 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of a section of a fourth embodiment of a semiconductor module,

[0038] FIG. 7 shows a schematic view of a part of a circuit of the semiconductor module and

[0039] FIG. 8 shows a schematic view of a converter having a semiconductor module.

[0040] The exemplary embodiments explained below are preferred embodiments of the invention. In the case of the exemplary embodiments, the described components of the embodiments each represent individual features of the invention that are to be considered independently of one another and which each also develop the invention independently of one another and consequently are also to be regarded individually or in a combination other than the illustrated combination as a component of the invention. Furthermore, the described embodiments can also be supplemented by further features of the invention that have already been described.

[0041] Identical reference characters have the same meaning in the different figures.

[0042] FIG. 1 illustrates a schematic cross-sectional view of a section of a first embodiment of a semiconductor module 2 which has a housing 4 that is manufactured from a synthetic material. The housing 4 has an open underside and encompasses a DCB ceramic substrate 6 which comprises, for example, aluminum oxide and/or aluminum nitride and has on both sides an at least in part structured metal coating which comprises, for example, copper. The housing 4 and the DCB ceramic substrate 6 lie on a metal base plate 8 and are connected thereto in particular in a material-bonded manner. The base plate 8 is configured in particular as a cooling body, which comprises, for example, aluminum and/or copper, wherein the metal coating of the DCB ceramic substrate 6, said coating facing the base plate 8, is electrically and thermally conductively connected to the base plate 8. On the metal coating of the DCB ceramic substrate 6, said coating being remote from the base plate 8, a semiconductor component 10 is connected in a material-bonded manner to the metal coating of the DCB ceramic substrate 6. The semiconductor component 10 is electrically conductively connected via a bond wire 12 to a pin 14 which is embedded in the housing 4. The pin 14 is oversized with an elastically and/or plastically yielding region in a first contact region 16, wherein the first contact region 16 protrudes out of the housing 4. The pin 14 has a press-fit connection, for example, in the first contact region 16. A first substrate 18 which comprises, for example, at least one driver circuit, signal processing and/or a snubber circuit, is connected in a non-positive locking manner via the pin 14 in the housing by clamping, wherein the pin 14 is deformed in an elastic and/or plastic manner in the first contact region 16. The first substrate 18 has a first recess 20 in which the pin 14 is received in part. Furthermore, the first substrate 18 has on both sides an at least in part structured metal coating, in particular a surface metal coating, and said first substrate is produced from a fiberglass reinforced epoxy resin, in particular FR4. In the region of the first recess 20, the first substrate 18 has a vertical metal coating 22 which is electrically conductively connected to the surface metal coating, with the result that the first substrate 18 is electrically conductively connected to the semiconductor component 12 via the pin 14. In particular, the metal coated first recess 20 encompasses the pin 14, in particular by a maximum of half, in the first contact region 16, wherein the first recess 20 is configured, for example, as a bore segment. Alternatively, the first recess 20 is milled and/or has at least one corner. On at least an opposite-lying side of the semiconductor module 2, which is not illustrated for reasons of clarity, the first substrate 18 is contacted via at least one further pin 14 or via the housing 4 itself so as to produce the non-positive locking connection.

[0043] Furthermore, essentially directly below the first contact region 16, the housing 4 has a contact surface 24, with the result that the first substrate 18 lies in an essentially horizontal manner on the housing 4. Below the contact surface 24, the semiconductor module 2 comprises a casting mass 26 which encompasses the semiconductor component 10 and the bond wire 12. A cover 28 which is produced, for example, from a synthetic material is arranged on the first substrate 18, wherein the first substrate 18 is pressed optionally through the cover 28 onto the housing 4. The pin 14 extends outside the housing 4 through the cover 28 and a second substrate 30, wherein the second substrate 30 has on both sides an at least in part structured metal coating, in particular surface metal coating, and is produced from a fiberglass reinforced epoxy resin, in particular FR4. The pin 14 is received in a second contact region 32 in an, in particular cylindrical, second recess 34 which completely encompasses the pin 14. In the region of the second recess 34, the second substrate 30 has a vertical metal coating 22 which is electrically conductively connected to the surface metal coating, In particular, the vertical metal coating 22 completely covers the cylindrical first recess 20. Alternatively, the recess 20 has a square or other shape.

[0044] The pin 14 is electrically and mechanically connected to the metal coating of the second substrate 30, for example, in a material-bonded manner via a solder connection, with the result that the second substrate 30 is electrically conductively connected to the semiconductor component 10 via the pin 14. The second substrate 30 which has for example an interface and/or a controller is fixed to the pin 14 in the semiconductor module 2 via the connection. Optionally, the second substrate 30 is connected to the housing 4 via further attachment means, for example screws, which are not illustrated for reasons of clarity.

[0045] FIG. 2 illustrates a schematic cross-sectional view of a section of a second embodiment of a semiconductor module 2. The first substrate 18 has on both sides an at least in part structured metal coating, in particular surface metal coating, and an, in particular cylindrical, first recess 20 that completely encompasses the pin 14 in a first contact region 16. In the region of the first recess 20, the first substrate 18 has a vertical metal coating 22 which is electrically conductively connected to the surface metal coating. In particular, the vertical metal coating 22 completely covers the cylindrical first recess 20. In the first contact region 16, the pin 14 is oversized with an elastically and/or plastically yielding region which is configured by way of example as a press-fit connection. By pressing in the first substrate 18, the pin 14 is elastically and/or plastically deformed in the first contact region 16.

[0046] A first diameter d1 of the first recess 20 is larger than a second diameter d2 of the second recess 34, with the result that during the manufacture of the semiconductor module 2 initially the first substrate 18 having the first recess 20 is moved over the second contact region 32 of the pin 14 and is connected in a non-positive locking manner in the region of the first contact region 16. Subsequently, the cover 28 is placed on and the second substrate 30 is connected to the pin 14. The further embodiment of the semiconductor module 2 in FIG. 2 corresponds to the embodiment in FIG. 1.

[0047] FIG. 3 illustrates an enlarged longitudinal sectional view of the first embodiment of a semiconductor module 2 in the first contact region 16. The pin 14 is arranged in the metal coated first recess 20 and is connected in a non-positive locking manner to the first substrate 18 in such a manner that an essentially linear pressure distribution P is provided. Optionally, the pin 14 contacts the housing 4 so as to form the non-positive locking connection. The further embodiment of the semiconductor module 2 in FIG. 3 corresponds to the embodiment in FIG. 1.

[0048] FIG. 4 illustrates an enlarged cross-sectional view of the first embodiment of a semiconductor module 2 in the first contact region 16, wherein the pin 14 has a press-fit connection which is deformed in an elastic and/or plastic manner as the non-positive locking connection to the first substrate 18 is formed. The further embodiment of the semiconductor module 2 in FIG. 4 corresponds to the embodiment in FIG. 1.

[0049] FIG. 5 illustrates a schematic cross-sectional view of a section of a third embodiment of a semiconductor module 2, wherein the pin 14 is configured as a free-standing press-in contact having a first contact region 16 and a second contact region 32 and wherein in the second contact region 32 the pin 14 has a press-fit connection which is connected in a non-positive locking manner to the second recess 34 of the second substrate 30. The free-standing pin 14 is arranged outside the housing 4, which encompasses the DCB ceramic substrate 6, and can be freely positioned on the DCB ceramic substrate 6. Furthermore, the pin 14 has an elastic section 36 and is connected in a material-bonded manner, in particular by soldering or sintering, to the metal coating of the DCB ceramic substrate 6, said metal coating being remote from the base plate 8.

[0050] The first substrate 18 has an, in particular square, groove 38 having a metal coating 22 that extends at least in part in the vertical direction. In the first contact region 16, the pin 14 is oversized with an elastically and/or plastically yielding region that is embodied, for example, as a press-fit connection. The first substrate 18 has in the groove 38 at least one first recess 20 in which the vertical metal coating 22 is provided and is electrically conductively connected to the surface metal coating. For example, the second substrate 30 can be connected directly to the DCB ceramic substrate 6 via the groove 38. The pin 14 is received in part in the first recess 20 and is connected thereto in a non-positive locking manner, with the result that the first substrate 18 is electrically conductively connected to the semiconductor component 12 by the pin 14. In particular, the metal coated first recess 20 encompasses the pin 14 by a maximum of half in the first contact region 16, wherein the first recess 20 is configured, for example, as a bore segment. Alternatively, the first recess 20 is milled with at least one corner. The pin 14 is arranged in the metal coated first recess 20 and connected to the first substrate 18 in a non-positive locking manner in such a manner that an essentially linear pressure distribution P is provided. The further embodiment of the semiconductor module 2 in FIG. 5 corresponds to the embodiment in FIG. 1.

[0051] FIG. 6 illustrates a schematic cross-sectional view of a section of a fourth embodiment of a semiconductor module 2. The first substrate 18 has on both sides an at least in part structured metal coating, in particular a surface metal coating, and an, in particular cylindrical, first recess 20 which completely encompasses the pin 14 in a first contact region 16. The pin 14 is connected to the first substrate 18 in a non-positive locking manner, as a result of which the pin 14 is elastically and/or plastically deformed in the first contact region 16. A first diameter d1 of the first recess 20 is larger than a second diameter d2 of the second recess 34, with the result that during the manufacture of the semiconductor module 2 initially the first substrate 18 having the larger first recess 20 is moved over the second contact region 32 of the pin 14 and is connected in a non-positive locking manner in the region of the first contact region 16. Subsequently, the second substrate 30 is connected to the smaller second recess 34 in the second contact region 32 of the same pin 14. The further embodiment of the semiconductor module 2 in FIG. 6 corresponds to the embodiment in FIG. 5.

[0052] FIG. 7 illustrates a schematic view of a part of a circuit 40 of the semiconductor module 2 which has a semiconductor component 10, which is configured as an IGBT, having a sensor 42. Alternatively, the sensor 42 is arranged outside the semiconductor component 10 and is connected to the semiconductor component 10. For example, the sensor 42 is configured as a temperature sensor which is thermally connected to the semiconductor component 10. The sensor has a first sensor connection 44 and a second sensor connection 46. The semiconductor component 10 has a first driver connection 48 and a second driver connection 50, wherein the second sensor connection 46 and the second driver connection 50 are in a short circuit and are connected to an, in particular negative, supply voltage Vn of the semiconductor component 10. A pin 14 is allocated to the first sensor connection 44 and the first driver connection 48 respectively, wherein for example the pin 14 of the first driver connection 48 is shorter than the pin 14 of the first sensor connection 44, with the result that the first driver connection 48 can be connected to the first substrate 18 and the first sensor connection 44 can be connected to the second substrate 30. The connections 46, 50 in a short circuit are connected to a common pin 52 which has a first contact region 16 so as to connect to the first substrate 18 or has a second contact region 32 so as to connect to the second substrate 30. The pins 14, 52 are illustrated in a symbolically abstracted manner in FIG. 7, wherein the common pin 52, as illustrated in the FIGS. 1 to 4, can be configured as a pin 14 that is integrated at least in part in the housing 4 or, as illustrated in the FIGS. 5 to 6, said pin can be configured as a free-standing pin 14.

[0053] FIG. 8 illustrates a schematic view of a converter 54 having a semiconductor module 2. Depending upon the architecture, the converter 54 has at least one further semiconductor module 2.

[0054] Summarizing, the invention relates to a semiconductor module 2 having a housing 4, at least one semiconductor component 10, a first substrate 18 and a second substrate 30. In order to specify a semiconductor module 2 which is more compact in comparison to the prior art it is proposed that at least the semiconductor component 10 and the first substrate 18 are arranged in the housing 4, wherein the semiconductor component 10 is electrically conductively connected to at least one pin 14, wherein the at least one pin 14 is in contact with the second substrate 18 and is connected within the housing 4 in a non-releasable manner, wherein the first substrate 18 is connected via the at least one pin 14 in a non-positive locking manner in the housing 4.