Power module with enhanced thermal conductivity
By introducing thermally conductive packaging into the power module, heat is transferred from the semiconductor die to the heat sink, solving the problem of high interconnection loss between the semiconductor die and the inductor in the prior art, and achieving low loss and excellent thermal performance.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- ANALOG DEVICES INC
- Filing Date
- 2025-12-05
- Publication Date
- 2026-06-09
AI Technical Summary
Existing power modules face challenges in terms of thermal performance, especially due to high interconnection losses between semiconductor dies and inductors, making it difficult to effectively transfer heat to the heat sink.
Thermally conductive packaging is used to surround the inductor assembly, transferring heat from the semiconductor die to the cold plate or heat sink. The thermally conductive packaging is directly soldered to the circuit board to reduce thermal resistance and absorbs heat directly through metal connections.
It achieves low interconnect loss and excellent thermal performance, effectively transferring heat from the semiconductor die to the heat sink and improving the thermal management efficiency of the power module.
Smart Images
Figure CN122178662A_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] Embodiments of the present invention relate to electronic systems, and more specifically, to power modules for providing power regulation. Background Technology
[0002] A power module may include one or more switching regulators that operate in combination with one or more inductors to provide power regulation. For example, the switching regulator may employ a switch (e.g., a power transistor) coupled in series and / or parallel to an output terminal that provides an output voltage to the load via an inductor. Furthermore, the controller turns the switch on and off to control current pulses transmitted through the inductor to the output terminal, which converts the switching pulses into a stable load current.
[0003] A power module may include a semiconductor die on which metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs) and drivers are formed. Such a semiconductor die is referred to as a driver and MOSFET (DrMOS) die or an integrated circuit (IC). Summary of the Invention
[0004] This document discloses a power module with enhanced thermal conductivity. In some embodiments, the power module includes a circuit board, an inductor assembly attached to a first side or top side of the circuit board, and a semiconductor die attached to a second side or bottom side of the circuit board opposite the first side. The power module also includes a thermally conductive package that at least partially surrounds the inductor assembly with a dielectric material. The thermally conductive package is used to transfer heat from the semiconductor die to a cold plate or heat sink, which may be attached to the inductor assembly opposite the circuit board. By implementing the power module in this way, low interconnection losses are achieved between the semiconductor die and the inductor assembly. Simultaneously, excellent thermal performance is achieved because the thermally conductive package can effectively transfer heat to the cold plate and / or heat sink.
[0005] In one aspect, the power module includes a circuit board having a first side and a second side opposite to the first side. The power module also includes an inductor assembly attached to the first side of the circuit board, the inductor assembly having a dielectric. The power module further includes: a semiconductor die attached to the second side of the circuit board; and a thermally conductive package at least partially surrounding the dielectric of the inductor assembly, the thermally conductive package including a first portion between the dielectric and the circuit board.
[0006] On the other hand, the power conditioning system includes a client board and a power module attached to the client board. The power module also includes a circuit board having a first side and a second side opposite to the first side. The power module also includes an inductor assembly attached to the first side of the circuit board, the inductor assembly having a dielectric. The power module further includes: a semiconductor die attached to the second side of the circuit board; and a thermally conductive package at least partially surrounding the dielectric of the inductor assembly, the thermally conductive package including a first portion between the dielectric and the circuit board.
[0007] In another aspect, a method for assembling a power module is provided. The method includes at least partially wrapping a thermally conductive package around a dielectric material of an inductor assembly. The method further includes attaching the inductor assembly to a first side of a circuit board, the thermally conductive package including a first portion between the dielectric material and the circuit board. The method also includes attaching a semiconductor die to a second side of the circuit board opposite the first side. Attached Figure Description
[0008] Figure 1A This is a front view of a power module according to one embodiment.
[0009] Figure 1B yes Figure 1A Side view of the power module.
[0010] Figure 1C Depicting Figure 1A The power module is attached to the customer's circuit board and cold plate / heat sink.
[0011] Figure 2A This is a perspective view of a power module according to another embodiment.
[0012] Figure 2B It is attached to the customer's circuit board and cold plate / heat sink. Figure 2A Side view of the power module.
[0013] Figure 3A This is the first part of a method for assembling a power module according to one embodiment.
[0014] Figure 3B This is the second part of the method for assembling power modules.
[0015] Figure 3C This is the third part of the method for assembling power modules.
[0016] Figure 3D This is the fourth part of the method for assembling power modules.
[0017] Figure 3E This is the fifth part of the method for assembling power modules.
[0018] Figure 4 This is a perspective view of a power module according to another embodiment.
[0019] Figure 5A yes Figure 4 A perspective view of the power module's circuit board, with the lead frame removed.
[0020] Figure 5B yes Figure 4 A perspective view of the power module's circuit board, with the lead frame attached, but before the tie rod is removed.
[0021] Figure 6 This is a perspective view of another embodiment of a power module attached to a customer's circuit board.
[0022] Figure 7 This is a circuit diagram of a power module according to one embodiment.
[0023] Figure 8A This is a perspective view of another embodiment of the power module, in which the inductor assembly is removed from the circuit board.
[0024] Figure 8B yes Figure 8A A perspective view of the power module, in which the inductor assembly is attached to the circuit board.
[0025] Figure 8C yes Figure 8B Cross-section of the medium power module along the 8C-8C line.
[0026] Figure 8D yes Figure 8B A plan view of the power module. Detailed Implementation
[0027] The following detailed description of embodiments presents various descriptions of specific embodiments of the invention. However, the invention can be embodied in many different ways. In this specification, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, wherein the same reference numerals may denote the same or functionally similar elements. It should be understood that the elements shown in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. Furthermore, it should be understood that some embodiments may include more elements and / or a subset of the elements shown in the figures than are shown in the figures. In addition, some embodiments may combine any suitable combination of features from two or more figures.
[0028] Existing power module packaging technologies present challenges to thermal performance. For example, a power module may include an inductor and a semiconductor die (e.g., a DrMOS die) that regulates the current flowing through the inductor. To reduce thermal resistance, it is desirable to place the semiconductor die as close as possible to the heatsink. However, positioning the semiconductor die in this way results in higher interconnect losses between the semiconductor die and the inductor.
[0029] This document discloses a power module with enhanced thermal conductivity. In some embodiments, the power module includes a circuit board, an inductor assembly attached to a first side or top side of the circuit board, and a semiconductor die attached to a second side or bottom side of the circuit board opposite the first side. The power module also includes a thermally conductive package that at least partially surrounds the inductor assembly with dielectric material. The thermally conductive package is used to transfer heat from the semiconductor die to a cold plate or heat sink, which may be attached to the inductor assembly opposite the circuit board.
[0030] By implementing the power module in this way, low interconnection losses are achieved between the semiconductor die and the inductor assembly. Simultaneously, excellent thermal performance is achieved because the thermally conductive packaging effectively transfers heat to the cold plate and / or heat sink.
[0031] In some embodiments, the thermally conductive package is at least partially metallic. For example, the thermally conductive package may correspond to a copper package that at least partially surrounds the dielectric of an inductor assembly. Therefore, the thermally conductive package can absorb heat directly from the semiconductor die via a metallic connection. In some embodiments, the thermally conductive package also carries electrical signals or ground or power. Thus, the thermally conductive package can be multifunctional.
[0032] An inductor assembly may include a dielectric (e.g., a ferrite core) and one or more inductors (e.g., copper windings) extending through the dielectric. In some embodiments, each inductor is electrically connected to a corresponding output of a semiconductor die. The number of inductors included in the inductor assembly may correspond to the number of phases required for power regulation. In a first example, one inductor is included to provide a single-phase power module. In another example, two inductors are included to provide a two-phase (2-phase) power module.
[0033] In some implementations, the thermally conductive package is soldered directly to the circuit board, eliminating the need for thermal interface material (Tim). Including a solderable interface between components improves thermal conductivity. For example, when the thermally conductive package is soldered directly to the circuit board, heat can be drawn from the semiconductor die through metal vias in the circuit board into the package and then transferred to a heatsink and / or cold plate with low thermal resistance. This effectively removes heat from the power module.
[0034] In addition to including one or more semiconductor dies (such as DrMOS dies), other components can be attached to the circuit board using surface mount technology (SMT). In one example, surface mount components, such as capacitors, are included next to the semiconductor die.
[0035] A semiconductor die is used to regulate the current through one or more inductors formed by the dielectric of an inductor assembly. In some implementations, the semiconductor is a DrMOS die.
[0036] In some implementations, the semiconductor die is packaged (e.g., in a quad flat no lead (QFN) package, a pad grid array (LGA) package, or other suitable package) and attached to a circuit board.
[0037] In one example, a semiconductor die and an SMT assembly are attached to a circuit board, and a leadframe is placed above the semiconductor die and the SMT assembly. The leadframe is then molded and the pins are decoupled (e.g., by cutting the tie rods). In this implementation, the pins of the leadframe can be used as pins for interfacing the power module with the customer's circuit board.
[0038] In another example, the semiconductor die is attached to the circuit board using a flip-chip process and encapsulated together with SMT components and pads using molding compound. In this implementation, the back side of the package can be ground to expose the pads and / or a portion of the semiconductor die.
[0039] Figure 1A This is a front view of a power module 30 according to one embodiment. Figure 1B yes Figure 1A Side view of power module 30. Figure 1C Depicting Figure 1A The power module 30 is attached to the customer circuit board 21 and the cold plate and / or heat sink (cold plate / heat sink) 22.
[0040] Reference Figure 1A-1C The power module 30 includes a circuit board 1, a semiconductor die 3, a vertical interconnect 5, an inductor assembly 15, and a thermally conductive package 16. The inductor assembly 15 includes a dielectric 17 (e.g., a ferrite core) and an inductor 18 (e.g., a copper winding) formed through the dielectric 17.
[0041] Figure 1A-1C The power module 30 depicts an example of a single-phase power module. However, the teachings herein apply to power modules with different numbers of phases.
[0042] In the illustrated embodiment, the bottom surface of the inductor assembly 15 is attached to the first side or top side 6a of the circuit board 1. Furthermore, the first portion or bottom 16a of the thermally conductive package 16 is positioned between the dielectric 17 and the circuit board 1.
[0043] In some embodiments, the thermally conductive package 16 is directly soldered to the top side 6a of the circuit board 1. Therefore, the first portion 16a of the thermally conductive package 16 can be connected to the circuit board 1 via solder without any intermediate contact. By soldering the thermally conductive package 16 to the circuit board 1, heat can be drawn from the semiconductor die 3 through the metal vias 7 of the circuit board 1 to the package 16, and then transferred with low thermal resistance to the heat sink / cold plate 22. Therefore, heat can be effectively removed from the power module 30.
[0044] In the illustrated embodiment, the thermally conductive package 16 further includes a second or top 16b opposite the circuit board 1, which can be attached to the cold plate / heat sink 22. In this embodiment, a third or right-side portion 16c of the thermally conductive package 16 connects the bottom 16a to the top 16b along the right side of the inductor assembly 15, while a fourth or left-side portion 16d of the thermally conductive package 16 connects the bottom 16a to the top 16b along the left side of the inductor assembly 15.
[0045] Therefore, the thermally conductive package 16 serves as an effective conduit for heat transfer from the semiconductor die 3 to the cold plate / heat sink 22.
[0046] Although an example is shown where the thermally conductive package 16 completely surrounds the dielectric 17, the teachings of this document also apply to configurations where the thermally conductive package only partially surrounds the dielectric of the inductor assembly.
[0047] Continue to refer to Figure 1A-1C The semiconductor die 3 and the vertical interconnect 5 are attached to the second side or bottom side 6b of the circuit board 1. In some embodiments, the semiconductor die 3 corresponds to a packaged semiconductor die and may include various components (e.g., capacitors) within the package.
[0048] Semiconductor die 3 can be operated to regulate the current through inductor 18. For example, semiconductor die 3 can correspond to DrMOS, with its output electrically connected to the first terminal of inductor 18, while the second terminal of inductor 18 can be connected to the corresponding output voltage (VOUT) terminal of customer circuit board 21.
[0049] In the illustrated embodiment, the vertical interconnect 5 is attached to the bottom side 6b of the circuit board 1 and can be connected to corresponding terminals of the customer circuit board 21. The vertical interconnect 5 can be used to carry various power supplies and ground power supplies, as well as signals. Therefore, the vertical interconnect 5 is used to provide electrical connections to larger electronic systems.
[0050] Figure 2A This is a perspective view of a power module 50 according to another embodiment. Figure 2B It is attached to the customer's circuit board 21 and the cold plate / heat sink 22. Figure 2A Side view of the power module 50.
[0051] Reference Figure 2A-2B The power module 50 includes a circuit board 1, a package 8, an inductor assembly 15, and a thermally conductive package 16. The inductor assembly 15 includes a dielectric 17 (e.g., a ferrite core) and inductors 18a / 18b (e.g., copper windings) formed through the dielectric 17. The inductor assembly 15 is attached to the top surface 6a of the circuit board 1, with the thermally conductive package 16 encasing the inductor assembly 15. Furthermore, the package 8 is formed above the bottom surface 6b of the circuit board 1.
[0052] Figure 2A-2B The power module 50 is similar to Figure 1A-1C The power module 30, in addition to the power module 50, depicts an example of a multiphase inductor assembly, wherein the power module 50 includes a package 8.
[0053] For example, in the illustrated embodiment, inductor assembly 15 includes two inductors 18a / 18b to provide a two-phase power module. However, the teachings herein apply to power modules that include more or fewer phases.
[0054] Furthermore, package 8 is included above the bottom surface 6b of circuit board 1. Package 8 is formed on the semiconductor die, SMT assembly, and vertical interconnect ( Figure 2A-2B (Not shown in the image) above, to form an overlay.
[0055] therefore, Figure 2A-2B The power module 50 depicts an example in which a power module comprising a semiconductor die is packaged. An example of the assembly process of the packaged power module will now be described.
[0056] Figures 3A-3E A method for assembling a power module according to one embodiment is described. Although one embodiment of assembling a power module is shown, the power module can also be assembled in other ways. Therefore, other implementations are also possible.
[0057] Reference Figure 3A The method first involves attaching various structures to the back of circuit board 1. In this example, the attached structures include inductor pins 58a / 58b, other pins 59, semiconductor die 63, and surface mount assembly 64.
[0058] After assembly, the pins shown serve as the electrical interface for the customer's circuit board. The pins include a first inductor pin 58a for connection to a first terminal of the inductor and a second inductor pin 58b for connection to a second terminal of the inductor. The pins also include other pins 59, which can carry signals, power, ground, and / or provide other electrical connections as needed.
[0059] Surface mount assembly 64 may include capacitors and / or other passive and / or active components required for a particular application.
[0060] like Figure 3A As shown, in this embodiment, the semiconductor die 3 includes a die pad 65. The die pad 65 can provide a variety of functions, including helping to transfer heat from the power module and / or carrying ground voltage. Therefore, in some embodiments, the die pad 65 is at least partially used as a ground pin.
[0061] Reference Figure 3BPackage 8 has been formed on top of circuit board 1 and then ground to expose pins 58a / 58b / 59 and die pads 65.
[0062] exist Figure 3C The top side of circuit board 1 is shown. The top side includes a first inductor terminal pad 78a, a second inductor terminal pad 78b, and a thermal interface pad 79. The first inductor terminal pad 78a is electrically connected to a first inductor pin 58a, while the second inductor terminal pad 78b is electrically connected to a second inductor pin 58b. The thermal interface pad 79 serves as a pad for soldering inductor components within the package and can therefore also be referred to as a solderable thermal interface pad 79. The solderable thermal interface pad 79 is thermally coupled to a semiconductor die 63 within the package 8. In some embodiments, the depicted pad is formed by metallization (e.g., copper) of circuit board 1.
[0063] Reference Figure 3D and 3E The inductor assembly 15 is soldered to the top surface of the circuit board 1. For example, the electrical terminals of the inductor assembly 15 are soldered to inductor terminal pads 78a / 78b, while the thermally conductive package 16 is soldered to a solderable thermal interface pad 79. The inductor assembly 15 includes an inductor that passes through a dielectric 17 (for clarity, ...). Figure 3D and 3E (Not shown in the image). Inductor terminal pads 78a / 78b correspond to the terminals of the inductor.
[0064] Figure 4 This is a perspective view of a power module 100 according to another embodiment. The power module 100 includes a circuit board 1, a lead frame 91, and an inductor assembly 15. The inductor assembly 15 includes a first inductor 18a and a second inductor 18b formed through a dielectric 17. Figure 5A yes Figure 4 A perspective view of the circuit board 1 of the power module 100, in which the lead frame 91 has been removed. Figure 5B yes Figure 4 A perspective view of the circuit board 1 of the power module 100, in which the lead frame 91 is attached, but before the tie rod 92 is removed.
[0065] Reference Figures 4 to 5BThe leadframe 91 includes various pins for connection to a customer board. For example, the pins include a first switch output pin VSWa, a first input voltage pin VINa, a second switch output pin VSWb, a second input voltage pin VINb, a ground voltage pin GND, an output voltage pin VOUT, and various other pins for carrying signals and / or providing other required electrical connections. The first switch output pin VSWa can be electrically connected to a first terminal of the first inductor 18a, while the output voltage pin VOUT can be electrically connected to a second terminal of the first inductor 18a. Furthermore, the second switch output pin VSWb can be electrically connected to a first terminal of the second inductor 18b, while the second terminal of the second inductor 18b can be electrically connected to the output voltage pin VOUT.
[0066] When the lead frame 91 is initially attached to the circuit board 1, the tie rod 92 may be present. However, the lead frame 91 can then be molded and the leads separated by cutting the tie rod 92.
[0067] Figure 6 This is a perspective view of another embodiment of the power module 120 attached to the customer circuit board 21. Various other components 131 are also attached to the customer circuit board 21.
[0068] Figure 6 The power module 120 is similar to Figure 3E The power module shown, except Figure 6 The thermally conductive packaging 116 does not completely wrap around the power module 120.
[0069] Figure 7 This is a circuit diagram of a power module 620 according to one embodiment. The power module 620 includes two-phase DrMOS dies 603a that regulate current through a first inductor 608a and a second inductor 608b. While an example of a two-phase power module is depicted, the power module may include more or fewer phases depending on the needs of a particular application.
[0070] In the illustrated embodiment, the DrMOS die 603a includes a first high-side power MOSFET 611a, a first low-side power MOSFET 612a, a first high-side driver 613a, a first low-side driver 614a, a first driver logic circuit 615a, a second high-side power MOSFET 611b, a second low-side power MOSFET 612b, a second high-side driver 613b, a second low-side driver 614b, and a second driver logic circuit 615a.
[0071] While an example of a DrMOS die has been shown, DrMOS chips can be implemented in other ways. Therefore, other implementations are also possible. Furthermore, although some components of a DrMOS die have been depicted, DrMOS chips may include additional circuitry and / or other pin configurations.
[0072] In the illustrated embodiment, an input control signal INa is provided to logic 615a. Logic 615a controls driver signals sent to high-side driver 613a and low-side driver 614a, which control high-side power MOSFET 611a and low-side power MOSFET 612a, respectively. High-side power MOSFET 611a and low-side power MOSFET 612a are coupled to the first terminal VSWa of inductor 608a to form a half-bridge circuit for a switching regulator (such as a buck converter). MOSFETs 612a / 612b are turned on and off to control the current supplied to inductor 608a. The second terminal of inductor 608a is electrically connected to the output voltage pin VOUT of the customer circuit board.
[0073] Continue to refer to Figure 7 The input control signal INb is provided to logic 615b. Logic 615b controls the driver signals to high-side driver 613b and low-side driver 614b, which control high-side power MOSFET 611b and low-side power MOSFET 612b, respectively. High-side power MOSFET 611b and low-side power MOSFET 612b are coupled to the first terminal VSWb of inductor 608b and are turned on and off to control the current supplied to ground of inductor 608b. The second terminal of inductor 608b is electrically connected to the output voltage pin VOUT.
[0074] Figure 8A This is a perspective view of another embodiment of the power module 800, in which the inductor assembly 815 is removed from the circuit board 801. Figure 8B yes Figure 8A A perspective view of the power module 800, in which the inductor assembly 815 is connected to the circuit board 801. Figure 8C yes Figure 8B The power module 800 has a cross-section along line 8C-8C. Figure 8D yes Figure 8B A plan view of the 800 power module.
[0075] In the illustrated embodiment, after assembly, the inductor assembly 815 is attached to the top side of the circuit board 801, while the first semiconductor die 803a, the second semiconductor die 803b, and the vertical interconnect 805 are connected to the bottom side of the circuit board 801. Although one example of the circuit board is shown, the circuit board 801 can be implemented in other ways, such as using packaging techniques and / or lead frames.
[0076] and Figure 1A-6 Compared to embodiments where the dielectric shape of the inductor assembly is a rectangular prism, the inductor assembly 815 in the illustrated embodiment has a more complex shape. For example, the dielectric of the inductor assembly 815 includes a first outer region 817a1, a second outer region 817a2 parallel to the first outer region 817a1, and inner regions 817b1 / 817b2 connecting the first outer region 817a1 to the second outer region 817a2. In one embodiment, the dielectric of the inductor assembly 815 (e.g., a ferrite core) corresponds to an E core and an I core placed together. In another embodiment, the dielectric of the inductor assembly 815 corresponds to a U core and an I core placed together.
[0077] The inductor assemblies described herein may include dielectrics shaped in various ways, for example, depending on the needs of a particular power module and / or power regulation application. In addition to having various shapes, the dielectrics of the inductor assemblies may also include recesses, trenches, ridges and / or other structures to help achieve the desired inductance characteristics.
[0078] In the illustrated embodiment, a first thermally conductive package 816a surrounds a first internal region 817b1, and a second thermally conductive package 816b surrounds a second internal region 817b2. The thermally conductive packages 816a / 816b are used to transfer heat from semiconductor dies 803a / 803b to a cold plate or heat sink, which may be attached to an inductor assembly 815 opposite to the circuit board 801.
[0079] like Figures 8A-8C As shown, the first thermally conductive package 816a only partially covers the first internal region 817b1, and the second thermally conductive package 816b only partially covers the second internal region 817b2. In this embodiment, the first thermally conductive package 816a and the second thermally conductive package 816b also serve as inductors, thus only partially covering the dielectric of the inductor assembly, such that each end of the package serves as a terminal of the inductor. In some embodiments, the packages 816a / 816b may be coated with an insulating coating.
[0080] The thermally conductive packages 816a / 816b can be used as inductors for power regulation. For example, in some embodiments, a first terminal of the first thermally conductive package 816a is electrically connected to the switching output VSWa of the first semiconductor die 3a, a second terminal of the first thermally conductive package 816a is electrically connected to the regulated output voltage terminal VOUT, a first terminal of the second thermally conductive package 816b is electrically connected to the switching output VSWb of the second semiconductor die 3b, and a second terminal of the second thermally conductive package 816b is electrically connected to the output voltage terminal VOUT.
[0081] application
[0082] Devices employing the above-described solutions can be implemented in various electronic devices across a wide range of applications, including but not limited to bus converters, high-current distributed power supply systems, telecommunications systems, data communication systems, storage systems, and automotive systems. Therefore, examples of electronic devices that can be implemented using the power modules described herein include, but are not limited to, communication systems, consumer electronics, electronic testing equipment, communication infrastructure, servers, and automobiles.
[0083] in conclusion
[0084] The above description may refer to elements or features as “connected” or “coupled” together. As used herein, unless otherwise expressly stated, “connected” means that one element / feature is directly or indirectly connected to another element or feature, and is not necessarily a mechanical connection. Similarly, unless otherwise expressly stated, “coupled” means that one element / feature is directly or indirectly coupled to another element or feature, and is not necessarily a mechanical coupling. Therefore, although the various schematic diagrams shown in the figures depict exemplary arrangements of elements and components, additional intervening elements, devices, features, or components may be present in actual embodiments (assuming that the function of the depicted circuit is not adversely affected).
[0085] While certain embodiments have been described, these embodiments are presented by way of example only and are not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure. In fact, the novel apparatuses, methods, and systems described herein can be embodied in a variety of other forms; furthermore, various omissions, substitutions, and changes can be made to the form of the methods and systems described herein without departing from the spirit of this disclosure. For example, while the disclosed embodiments are presented with a given arrangement, alternative embodiments may perform similar functions using different components and / or circuit topologies, and some elements may be deleted, moved, added, subdivided, combined, and / or modified. Each of these elements can be implemented in a variety of different ways. Any suitable combination of elements and actions of the various embodiments described above can be combined to provide further embodiments. Therefore, the scope of the invention is defined only by reference to the appended claims.
[0086] Although the claims presented herein were filed with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office in a single-dependency format, it should be understood that any claim may depend on any prior claim of the same type unless it is clearly not technically feasible.
Claims
1. A power module, comprising: A circuit board having a first side and a second side opposite to the first side; An inductor assembly is attached to a first side of the circuit board, the inductor assembly having a dielectric. A semiconductor die is attached to the second side of the circuit board; and A thermally conductive package at least partially surrounds the dielectric of the inductor assembly, the thermally conductive package including a first portion between the dielectric and the circuit board.
2. The power module of claim 1, wherein the thermally conductive package includes a second portion opposite to the first portion, and a third portion connecting the first portion to the second portion along one side of the dielectric.
3. The power module of claim 1, wherein the thermally conductive package is at least partially metallic.
4. The power module of claim 1, wherein the thermally conductive package completely surrounds the dielectric of the inductor assembly.
5. The power module of claim 1, wherein the thermally conductive package partially surrounds the dielectric of the inductor assembly, and the thermally conductive package functions as an inductor.
6. The power module according to claim 1 further includes a lead frame located above the semiconductor die on the second side of the circuit board.
7. The power module of claim 6, wherein the plurality of pins of the lead frame serve as electrical interfaces to a customer circuit board.
8. The power module of claim 1 further includes a package formed over a semiconductor die on a second side of the circuit board.
9. The power module of claim 8 further includes a plurality of pins passing through the package to form an electrical interface with the customer circuit board.
10. The power module of claim 1, wherein the thermally conductive package is directly soldered to the first surface of the circuit board.
11. The power module of claim 10, wherein the circuit board includes a plurality of metal through-holes for transferring heat from the semiconductor die to the thermally conductive package.
12. The power module of claim 1, wherein the inductor assembly includes a first inductor formed through the dielectric, wherein a first terminal of the inductor is electrically connected to the output of the semiconductor die.
13. The power module according to claim 1, wherein the dielectric comprises a ferrite core.
14. A power regulation system, comprising: Customer board; and A power module attached to the client board, the power module comprising: The circuit board has a first side and a second side opposite to the first side; An inductor assembly is attached to a first side of the circuit board, the inductor assembly having a dielectric material; A semiconductor die is attached to the second side of the circuit board; and A thermally conductive package at least partially surrounds the dielectric of the inductor assembly, the thermally conductive package including a first portion between the dielectric and the circuit board.
15. The power regulation system of claim 14, further comprising at least one of a heat sink or cold plate attached to the inductor assembly opposite to the customer board.
16. The power regulation system of claim 14, wherein the thermally conductive package is at least partially metallic.
17. The power regulation system of claim 14, wherein the thermally conductive package completely surrounds the dielectric of the inductor assembly.
18. A method for assembling a power module, the method comprising: The thermally conductive packaging is at least partially wrapped around the dielectric of the inductor assembly; The inductor assembly is attached to a first side of the circuit board, and the thermally conductive package includes a first portion between the dielectric and the circuit board; and The semiconductor die is attached to the second side of the circuit board opposite the first side.
19. The method of claim 18, wherein attaching the inductor assembly to a first side of the circuit board comprises soldering the thermally conductive package directly to a first surface of the circuit board.
20. The method of claim 18, wherein wrapping the thermally conductive package at least partially around the dielectric of the inductor component includes completely wrapping copper around the dielectric of the inductor assembly.