Semiconductor modules and vehicles

Abstract

When the input terminal of the semiconductor module is connected to the capacitor, the capacitor generates heat, thereby reducing the overall cooling efficiency. In the semiconductor module with a semiconductor device and a cooling device of the present invention, the semiconductor device includes: an input terminal; a wiring portion, the wiring portion having a first end and a second end, extending in one direction, and the first end connected to the input terminal; a circuit substrate, the circuit substrate having an upper surface and a lower surface, a first circuit board and a second circuit board are arranged on the upper surface side along one direction, and the lower surface is arranged on the upper surface of the cooling device; a metal body connected between the wiring portion and the upper surface of the first circuit board; a semiconductor chip, the semiconductor chip having a top electrode and a bottom electrode, the top electrode is connected to the second end, and the bottom electrode is connected to the upper surface of the second circuit board.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a semiconductor module and a vehicle. Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, there is known a semiconductor module including a semiconductor element such as a power semiconductor chip (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 to 5).

[0003] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2014-67902

[0004] Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2010-103222

[0005] Patent Document 3: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2017-17195

[0006] Patent Document 4: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2011-160519

[0007] Patent document 5: WO2016 / 204257 Summary of the invention

[0008] Technical problem to be solved by the invention

[0009] When the input terminal of the semiconductor module is connected to a capacitor, the capacitor generates heat, thereby reducing the overall cooling efficiency.

[0010] Technical solutions adopted to solve technical problems

[0011] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, in a first embodiment of the present invention, a semiconductor module having a semiconductor device and a cooling device is provided. The semiconductor device may include an input terminal. The semiconductor device may include a wiring portion, the wiring portion having a first end and a second end, extending in one direction, and the first end is connected to the input terminal. The semiconductor device may include a circuit substrate, the circuit substrate having an upper surface and a lower surface, a first circuit board and a second circuit board are arranged on the upper surface side along one direction, and the lower surface is arranged on the upper surface of the cooling device. The semiconductor device may include a metal body connected between the wiring portion and the upper surface of the first circuit board. The semiconductor device may include a semiconductor chip, the semiconductor chip having a top electrode and a bottom electrode, the top electrode is connected to the second end, and the bottom electrode is connected to the upper surface of the second circuit board.

[0012] The metal body may be connected to the wiring portion on a side closer to the input terminal than the semiconductor chip.

[0013] In a plan view, the first circuit board may have an area larger than an area in contact with the metal body.

[0014] The input terminal may be an N terminal. The circuit substrate may also be provided with a third circuit board. The semiconductor device may have a P terminal. The semiconductor device may have a second wiring portion, the second wiring portion having a third end and a fourth end, extending in one direction and connecting the third end to the P terminal. The semiconductor device may have a second metal body connected between the second wiring portion and the upper surface of the third circuit board. The semiconductor device may have a second semiconductor chip, the second semiconductor chip having a top electrode and a bottom electrode, the bottom electrode being connected to the upper surface of the third circuit board.

[0015] When viewed from above, the second circuit board and the third circuit board may respectively have an L-shaped pattern including a long side and a short side. The long sides may respectively extend in one direction. The long sides of the second circuit board and the short sides of the third circuit board may be arranged facing each other and separated by a gap extending in one direction, and the short sides of the second circuit board and the long sides of the third circuit board may be arranged facing each other and separated by a gap extending in one direction. The semiconductor chip and the second semiconductor chip may be respectively connected to the short sides of the second circuit board and the short sides of the third circuit board, and overlap each other when viewed from one direction.

[0016] The second metal body may be located on a long side of the third circuit board and on a side closer to the P terminal than the second semiconductor chip.

[0017] In a plan view, the second circuit board may have an area larger than an area in contact with the semiconductor chip. The third circuit board may have an area larger than an area in contact with the second semiconductor chip and the second metal body.

[0018] The metal body and the second metal body may both be substantially rectangular parallelepipeds. The bottom area of ​​the metal body may be smaller than the bottom area of ​​the second metal body.

[0019] The long side of the bottom surface of the metal body may be shorter than the long side of the bottom surface of the second metal body. The long side of the bottom surface of the metal body may be orthogonal to one direction, and the long side of the bottom surface of the second metal body may be parallel to one direction.

[0020] The cooling device may include a top plate having a front side and a back side. The cooling device may include a refrigerant circulation portion arranged on the back side of the top plate. The cooling device may include a heat sink arranged from the back side toward the refrigerant circulation portion. The cooling device may include an inlet connected to the refrigerant circulation portion for introducing refrigerant. The cooling device may include a discharge port connected to the refrigerant circulation portion for discharging refrigerant. When viewed from above, the metal body may be arranged at a position corresponding to a fin area provided with the heat sink.

[0021] The cooling device may include a top plate having a front side and a back side. The cooling device may include a refrigerant circulation portion arranged on the back side of the top plate. The cooling device may include a heat sink arranged from the back side toward the refrigerant circulation portion. The cooling device may include an inlet connected to the refrigerant circulation portion for introducing the refrigerant. The cooling device may include a lead-out port connected to the refrigerant circulation portion for leading out the refrigerant. When viewed from above, the metal body and the second metal body may be arranged at a position corresponding to a fin area provided with the heat sink.

[0022] In a plan view, the circuit substrate may have a first end on the input terminal side and a second end on the opposite side of the first end. In a plan view, the fin region may have a first boundary on the input terminal side and a second boundary on the opposite side of the first boundary. In a plan view, the distance between the first end and the first boundary may be greater than the distance between the second end and the second boundary.

[0023] According to a second embodiment of the present invention, a vehicle including the semiconductor module according to the first embodiment is provided.

[0024] In addition, the above-mentioned summary of the invention does not list all the necessary features of the present invention. In addition, the modification of these feature groups can also become the present invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0025] Figure 1 It is a schematic perspective view showing an example of the inverter 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0026] Figure 2 It is a schematic perspective view showing an example of the semiconductor module 100 according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0027] Figure 3 It is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an example of the semiconductor module 100 according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0028] Figure 4 The diagram shows an example of arrangement of circuit elements and the like provided on a circuit board 76 of a semiconductor device 70 and a flow direction of a refrigerant.

[0029] Figure 5 It is a diagram showing an example of arrangement of the fin region 95 and the semiconductor device 70 .

[0030] Figure 6 The diagram shows an example of arrangement of the fin region 95 in the cooling device 10 , the shape of the heat sink 94 , and the flow direction of the refrigerant.

[0031] Figure 7 The diagram shows an example of arrangement of the fin region 95 and the semiconductor device 70 in the cooling device 10 , and the flow direction of the refrigerant.

[0032] Figure 8 It is a schematic perspective view showing an example of the inverter 2 according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

[0033] Fig. 9 It is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an example of a semiconductor module 101 according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

[0034] Fig.10 It is a diagram showing an example of arrangement of the fins 94 , the first refrigerant flow path 30 - 1 , and the second refrigerant flow path 30 - 2 on the xy plane.

[0035] Fig.11 It is a perspective view schematically showing the refrigerant flow portion 92 .

[0036] Fig.12 It is a diagram schematically showing a vehicle 200 according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

[0037] Fig.13 This is a main circuit diagram of an inverter 1 (2) according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0038] The present invention is described below by way of the embodiments of the invention, but the following embodiments do not limit the invention involved in the claims. In addition, the combination of all the features described in the embodiments is not necessarily required for solving the technical problem of the invention.

[0039] Figure 1 1 is a perspective view schematically showing an example of an inverter 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. The inverter 1 may include a semiconductor module 100 and a capacitor device 150. The semiconductor module 100 includes a semiconductor device 70 and a cooling device 10. The semiconductor module 100 of this example includes a semiconductor device 70 having three sets of input terminals (P terminal 82, N terminal 81), output terminals 83U, 83V, 83W, and the semiconductor module 100 functions as a device constituting a three-phase AC inverter. The semiconductor device 70 of this example is mounted on the cooling device 10. In this specification, the surface of the cooling device 10 on which the semiconductor device 70 is mounted is referred to as an xy plane, and the surface perpendicular to the xy plane is referred to as the z axis. The xyz axis constitutes a right-handed coordinate system. In this specification, the direction from the cooling device 10 toward the semiconductor device 70 in the z-axis direction is referred to as the upper direction, and the opposite direction is referred to as the lower direction, and the upper and lower directions are not limited to the direction of gravity. In this specification, the upper surface of each member is called an upper surface, the lower surface is called a lower surface, and the surface between the upper and lower surfaces is called a side surface. In this specification, a plan view means viewing the semiconductor module 100 from the positive z-axis direction.

[0040] The semiconductor module 100 can be connected to an external capacitor device 150. The capacitor device 150 includes three sets of terminals (153-1, 153-2), an internal capacitor, and a power supply terminal 155. The N terminal 81 and the P terminal 82 of the semiconductor module 100 are electrically connected in parallel with the internal capacitor of the capacitor device 150 via the terminal 153. In addition, the output terminals 83U, 83V, and 83W in the semiconductor device 70 can be electrically connected to a load, such as a motor of a vehicle.

[0041] The cooling device 10 of the semiconductor module 100 can be connected to an external refrigerant supply source by means of two pipes 90. The refrigerant is input into the cooling device 10 from one pipe 90, and the refrigerant circulates inside the cooling device 10 and is then output from the cooling device 10 to the other pipe 90.

[0042] The capacitor device 150 includes: a housing 151 that accommodates circuit elements such as an internal capacitor; three sets of terminals 153-1 and 153-2 that protrude from the housing 151 to the outside; a negative power terminal 155-1 that is electrically connected to the negative electrode of an external power source; and a positive power terminal 155-2 that is electrically connected to the positive electrode of an external power source. The terminals 153-1 and 153-2 and the power terminals 155-1 and 155-2 are electrically connected to each other in the capacitor device 150. The negative power terminal 155-1 and the positive power terminal 155-2 can be connected to electrodes of an external power source such as a battery.

[0043] The three terminals 153 - 1 may be electrically connected to the three N terminals 81 of the semiconductor module 100 , respectively. In addition, the three terminals 153 - 2 may be electrically connected to the P terminals 82 of the semiconductor module 100 , respectively.

[0044] In inverter 1, capacitors inside capacitor device 150 generate heat due to the operation of inverter 1, and the heat generated by the capacitors is conducted to semiconductor module 100. Semiconductor module 100 of inverter 1 of this embodiment dissipates the heat of the capacitors to cooling device 10 via semiconductor device 70, thereby cooling inverter 1 as a whole.

[0045] Figure 2 and Figure 3 1 is a schematic perspective view and a cross-sectional view showing an example of a semiconductor module 100 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. Figure 1 The inverter 1 described may also be Figure 2 and Figure 3 An example of application of the semiconductor module 100 is shown.

[0046] As shown in the figure, the semiconductor module 100 includes: a semiconductor device 70 (70-1, 70-2, 70-3) and a cooling device 10. The semiconductor device 70 is placed on the upper surface of the cooling device 10. The semiconductor device 70 includes: an input terminal (N terminal 81, P terminal 82), an output terminal (83U, 83V, 83W), a lead frame (wiring portion) 73 (73-1, 73-2, 73-3, 73-4), a circuit substrate 76, a metal body 77, and a semiconductor chip 78.

[0047] The semiconductor device 70 may include three circuit substrates 76. The circuit substrate 76 may also be provided with a circuit board 75. Two semiconductor chips 78 may be mounted on the circuit board 75. The circuit substrate 76, the semiconductor chip 78, the lead frame 73, and the metal body 77 may be accommodated in the storage portion 72. The input terminal (N terminal 81, P terminal 82) and the output terminal (83U, 83V, 83W) may be integrally provided in the storage portion 72.

[0048] The input terminals (N terminal 81, P terminal 82) are electrically connected to the terminals 153-1 and 153-2 of the capacitor device 150, respectively, and thus can be electrically connected to the negative and positive electrodes of the internal capacitor of the capacitor device 150 and the external power supply. The output terminals 83U, 83V, 83W can be electrically connected to, for example, an external motor.

[0049] The lead frame 73 is a plate-shaped wiring formed of a conductive material such as copper, copper alloy or aluminum. A plating film may be formed on the surface of the lead frame 73. The lead frame 73-1 and the lead frame 73-2 have one end (the first end, the third end) and the other end (the second end, the fourth end), extending in one direction, and one end is connected to the input terminal (N terminal 81, P terminal 82). The lead frame 73 is respectively bonded to the upper surface of the semiconductor chip 78, the metal body 77, the circuit board 75, the N terminal 81, the P terminal 82, and the output terminals 83U, 83V, 83W by welding such as solder or laser welding, tungsten inert gas shielded welding or resistance welding. Thus, the lead frame 73 is connected between each circuit element on the circuit substrate 76, and each circuit element on the circuit substrate 76 is connected to the N terminal 81, the P terminal 82, and the output terminals 83U, 83V, 83W.

[0050] The circuit substrate 76 is, as an example, a laminated substrate, which includes: an insulating plate having an upper surface and a lower surface; a circuit layer disposed on the upper surface of the insulating plate; and a metal layer disposed on the lower surface. The circuit substrate 76 has an upper surface and a lower surface, and the lower surface is disposed on the upper surface of the cooling device 10. Figure 3As shown, the circuit substrate 76 can be arranged on the upper surface of the cooling device 10 in a direction away from the capacitor device 150. As an example, the circuit substrate 76 is fixed to the upper surface of the cooling device 10 via a metal layer using solder or the like. In addition, on the upper surface side of the circuit substrate 76, along a direction in which the lead frame 73-1 and the lead frame 73-2 extend, a circuit board 75 (a first circuit board, a second circuit board, and a third circuit board) which is an example of a circuit layer is provided, and two semiconductor chips 78 are fixed via the circuit board 75. The circuit layer may include a plurality of circuit boards 75.

[0051] The circuit substrate 76 may be, for example, a DCB (Direct Copper Bonding) substrate or an AMB (Active Metal Brazing) substrate. The insulating plate may be formed using ceramic materials such as alumina (Al2O3), aluminum nitride (AlN), and silicon nitride (Si3N4). The circuit layer and the metal layer may be plates containing metals such as copper or copper alloys.

[0052] The circuit board 75 is formed of a conductive material such as copper. The circuit board 75 is fixed to the upper surface side of the circuit substrate 76 by welding, soldering, etc. On the upper surface of the circuit board 75, electrical connection, mechanical connection, that is, direct connection in the form of an electrical circuit is made by solder, etc. In addition, the circuit board 75 can be electrically connected to other conductive members by leads, etc.

[0053] The metal body 77 may be a block-shaped member formed of a metal having a higher thermal conductivity than a resin, such as at least one metal such as copper, silver, gold, and aluminum, preferably copper or a copper alloy. The metal body 77 is substantially a rectangular parallelepiped. One end of the metal body 77 is connected to the lead frame 73, and the other end is connected to the upper surface of the circuit substrate 76 via the circuit board 75. In other words, the metal body 77 is connected between the lead frame 73-1 and the lead frame 73-2 and the upper surface of the circuit board 75. The metal body 77 is fixed to the upper surface of the circuit board 75 by solder or the like as an example. The heat generated by the capacitor device 150 moves to the cooling device 10 via the terminal 153-1, the N terminal 81, the lead frame 73-1, the metal body 77-1, and the circuit substrate 76. In addition, the heat generated by the capacitor device 150 can also move to the cooling device 10 via the terminal 153-2, the P terminal 82, the lead frame 73-2, the metal body 77-3, and the circuit substrate 76. Furthermore, the heat generated by the semiconductor chip 78 can also be transferred to the cooling device 10 via a path including the lead frame 73 , the metal body 77 , and the circuit board 76 .

[0054] The two semiconductor chips 78 are vertical semiconductor elements having a top electrode and a bottom electrode. The semiconductor chips 78 include, as an example, insulated gate bipolar transistors (IGBTs), MOS field effect transistors (MOSFETs), and freewheeling diodes (FWDs) formed on a semiconductor substrate such as silicon. Each semiconductor chip 78 can be a reverse conducting IGBT (RC-IGBT) in which the IGBT and the FWD are formed on a semiconductor substrate. In the RC-IGBT, the IGBT and the FWD can be connected in reverse parallel.

[0055] Each semiconductor chip 78 (semiconductor chip, second semiconductor chip) has a top electrode and a bottom electrode, and the bottom electrode is connected to the upper surface of the circuit board 75 (second circuit board, third circuit board). The top electrode of one semiconductor chip 78 (semiconductor chip) is connected to the other end (second end) of the lead frame 73-1. The top electrode of another semiconductor chip 78 (second semiconductor chip) is connected to the output terminal via the lead frame 73-3 and the lead frame 73-4. The top electrode of each semiconductor chip 78 can be an emitter, a source, or an anode electrode, and the bottom electrode can be a collector or a cathode electrode. The semiconductor substrate in each semiconductor chip 78 can be silicon carbide or gallium nitride.

[0056] The semiconductor chip 78 including a switching element such as an IGBT or a MOSFET has a control electrode. The semiconductor module 100 may have a control terminal connected to the control electrode of the semiconductor chip 78. The switching element can be controlled by an external control circuit via the control terminal.

[0057] The storage portion 72 is a frame formed of an insulating material such as a thermosetting resin or an ultraviolet curing resin, and stores the components of the semiconductor device 70. The storage portion 72 has an internal space for storing a semiconductor chip 78, a circuit substrate 76, a circuit board 75, a lead frame 73, a metal body 77, and other circuit elements. The internal space of the storage portion 72 may be filled with a sealing portion 74 for sealing the semiconductor chip 78, the circuit substrate 76, the circuit board 75, the lead frame 73, the metal body 77, and other circuit elements. The sealing portion 74 is an insulating component containing a resin such as silicone or epoxy resin. In addition, in Figure 1 In order to simplify the description, the housing portion 72 and the sealing portion 74 are omitted from the illustration.

[0058] The cooling device 10 has a top plate 20 and a housing 40. The top plate 20 may be a plate-shaped metal plate having an upper surface (front) 22 and a lower surface (back) 24 parallel to the xy plane. The top plate 20 may have two short sides 26 and two long sides 28 relative to each other. The short side 26 is parallel to the x-axis direction, and the long side is parallel to the y-axis direction. As an example, the top plate 20 is formed by a metal containing aluminum. A semiconductor device 70 is placed on the upper surface 22 of the top plate 20. The heat generated in each semiconductor chip 78 and the capacitor device 150 is transferred to the top plate 20. The top plate 20, the circuit substrate 76, and the semiconductor chip 78 are arranged in the order. A component such as solder is used to thermally connect between the top plate 20 and the circuit substrate 76, and between the circuit substrate 76 and the semiconductor chip 78. A component such as a terminal 153, an N terminal 81, a P terminal 82, a lead frame 73, and a metal body 77 may also be used to thermally connect between the top plate 20 and the internal capacitor. The circuit substrate 76 can be directly fixed to the upper surface 22 of the top plate 20 by solder or the like. The storage portion 72 can be provided on the upper surface 22 of the top plate 20 so as to surround the area where the circuit substrate 76 and the like are arranged. The storage portion 72 can be bonded to the upper surface 22 of the top plate 20. In other examples, the semiconductor device 70 can have a substrate exposed on the lower surface of the storage portion 72, the circuit substrate 76 is fixed on the upper surface of the substrate, and the substrate can be fixed to the upper surface 22 of the top plate 20.

[0059] The housing 40 includes a frame portion 62 and a main body portion 64. The frame portion 62 is arranged to surround the main body portion 64 and the refrigerant flow portion 92 on the xy plane. The refrigerant flow portion 92 is defined by the inner surface of the main body portion 64 and the lower surface of the top plate 20. The refrigerant flow portion 92 is arranged on the lower surface 24 side of the top plate 20. The refrigerant flow portion 92 is an area for the refrigerant such as LLC or water introduced into the cooling device 10 to flow. The refrigerant contacts the lower surface 24 of the top plate 20 on which the circuit substrate 76 is arranged, and can cool the semiconductor device 70. The refrigerant flow portion 92 is a closed space connected to the lower surface 24 of the top plate 20. The housing 40 is arranged to be in close contact with the lower surface 24 of the top plate 20 directly or indirectly at the frame portion 62. Thereby, the refrigerant flow portion 92 is sealed. In addition, indirect close contact refers to a state in which the lower surface 24 of the top plate 20 is in close contact with the shell 40 by a sealing material, adhesive, welding material, or other member provided between the lower surface 24 of the top plate 20 and the shell 40. Close contact refers to a state in which the refrigerant inside the refrigerant circulation portion 92 does not leak from the close contact portion. The top plate 20 and the shell 40 are preferably brazed. The top plate 20 and the shell 40 may be formed of a metal of the same composition, and the welding material may be formed of a metal having a melting point lower than that of the top plate 20. A metal containing aluminum may be used as the metal.

[0060] A heat sink 94 is disposed inside the refrigerant circulation portion 92. The heat sink 94 extends in the z-axis direction and has two ends. The upper end of the heat sink 94 is thermally and mechanically connected to the lower surface 24 of the top plate 20, and extends from the lower surface 24 toward the refrigerant circulation portion 92. The lower end 98 of the heat sink 94 can be in contact with the main body 64 or away from it. If there is a gap between the two, even if warping occurs on the main body 64, it is not easy to generate stress between the heat sink 94 and the main body 64. The heat generated by each semiconductor chip 78 and the heat generated inside the capacitor device 150 can be transferred to the refrigerant passing through the vicinity of the heat sink 94. In this way, each semiconductor chip 78 and the capacitor inside the capacitor device 150 can be cooled.

[0061] The heat sink 94 may include a plurality of columnar or plate-shaped elements arranged approximately perpendicularly to the xy plane. The plurality of elements may be arranged in a predetermined pattern on the xy plane. The columnar element may be a pin having a circular, elliptical or polygonal xy cross section. The plate-shaped element may be a straight plate or a wavy (meandering) plate. Another example of the elements of the heat sink 94 may be obtained by stacking plates having a plurality of holes that serve as refrigerant flow paths in the z-axis direction. Figure 3 As shown, the heat sink 94 may be disposed in the housing 40 in a direction away from the capacitor device 150. In addition, the structure of the heat sink 94 is not limited to the above example.

[0062] In this specification, the area where the heat sink 94 is provided is referred to as the fin area 95. When viewed from above (in this example, the figure viewed from the z-axis direction perpendicular to the xy plane), the fin area 95 can be rectangular and can have two opposite short sides parallel to the x-axis direction and two opposite long sides (first boundary and second boundary) parallel to the y-axis direction. The fin area 95 includes the area where the elements of the heat sink 94 are provided and the flow paths between the elements of the heat sink 94.

[0063] In a plan view, the refrigerant flow section 92 is provided with a first refrigerant flow path 30-1 and a second refrigerant flow path 30-2 arranged with a heat sink 94 interposed therebetween. The first refrigerant flow path 30-1 and the second refrigerant flow path 30-2 of this example interpose the heat sink 94 in the x-axis direction. In addition, each refrigerant flow path 30 is arranged to extend in the y-axis direction (long side direction) along the heat sink 94. From the input terminal (N terminal 81, P terminal 82) side, the first refrigerant flow path 30-1, the heat sink 94, and the second refrigerant flow path 30-2 are arranged in this order.

[0064] Openings 42 are provided at positions of the main body 64 corresponding to the first refrigerant flow path 30-1 and the second refrigerant flow path 30-2, respectively. The opening 42-1 connected to the first refrigerant flow path 30-1 functions as an inlet for introducing refrigerant, and the opening 42-2 connected to the second refrigerant flow path 30-2 functions as an outlet for extracting refrigerant. The cooling device 10 can be connected to an external cooling system by using the opening 42-1 as an outlet and the opening 42-2 as an inlet. A pipe 90 for transmitting refrigerant can be arbitrarily connected to each opening 42.

[0065] The refrigerant flow path 30 is a space having a height greater than or equal to a predetermined height (length in the z-axis direction) in the refrigerant flow portion 92. The predetermined height may be the distance between the top plate 20 and the main body 64.

[0066] A direction (x-axis direction) that is parallel to the lower surface 24 of the top plate 20 and perpendicular to the longitudinal direction (y-axis direction) is defined as a width direction of the refrigerant flow path 30 .

[0067] Figure 4 1 is a plan view showing an example of arrangement of circuit elements and the like provided on a circuit substrate 76 of a semiconductor device 70 and the flow direction of a refrigerant. Figure 5 It is a plan view showing an example of arrangement of the fin region 95 and the semiconductor device 70 . Figure 4 Only the U-phase unit 70 - 1 included in the semiconductor device 70 is shown. Figure 5 The figure shows a U-phase unit 70 - 1 , a V-phase unit 70 - 2 , and a W-phase unit 70 - 3 . The U-phase unit 70 - 1 , the V-phase unit 70 - 2 , and the W-phase unit 70 - 3 may have the same structure as each other. The U-phase unit 70 - 1 will be described below.

[0068] The U-phase unit 70-1 includes a circuit substrate 76 and a metal body 77 that are approximately rectangular. Three circuit boards 75-1, 75-2, and 75-3 are provided on the upper surface side of the circuit substrate 76 at predetermined intervals. Metal bodies 77-1, 77-2, and 77-3 are provided on the upper surfaces of the circuit boards 75-1, 75-2, and 75-3, respectively. The U-phase unit 70-1 further includes a semiconductor chip 78-4 disposed on the circuit board 75-2 and a semiconductor chip 78-1 disposed on the circuit board 75-3.

[0069] The circuit board 75-1 is physically connected to the metal body 77-1, that is, it is in contact with the metal body 77-1 directly or indirectly via solder or the like, thereby being thermally connected to the metal body 77-1. When viewed from above, the circuit board 75-1 has an area larger than the contact area with the metal body 77-1. In other words, when viewed from the upper surface side of the circuit substrate 76, the circuit board 75-1 has a larger area than the metal body 77-1. In addition, the circuit board 75-1 is roughly rectangular as an example.

[0070] The circuit board 75-2 is physically, electrically and thermally connected to the metal body 77-2 and the semiconductor chip 78-4, respectively, and when viewed from above, the circuit board 75-2 has an area larger than the contact area with the metal body 77-2 and the semiconductor chip 78-4. In other words, when viewed from the upper surface side of the circuit substrate 76, the circuit board 75-2 has an area larger than the total area of ​​the metal body 77-2 and the semiconductor chip 78-4. The circuit board 75-2 may include a long side portion (L2) and a short side portion (S2). The circuit board 75-2 is obtained by joining the long side portion and the short side portion, so that its outer edge may have a roughly L-shaped pattern when viewed from above. The long side portion may have a roughly rectangular shape, and the short side portion may have a roughly square shape. The long side portion of the circuit board 75-2 may extend along a direction (x-axis direction) in which the lead frame 73-1 and the lead frame 73-2 extend.

[0071] The circuit board 75-3 is physically, electrically and thermally connected to the metal body 77-3 and the semiconductor chip 78-1, respectively. When viewed from above, the circuit board 75-3 has an area larger than the contact area with the metal body 77-3 and the semiconductor chip 78-1. In other words, when viewed from the upper surface side of the circuit substrate 76, the circuit board 75-3 has an area larger than the total area of ​​the metal body 77-3 and the semiconductor chip 78-1. The circuit board 75-3 may include a long side portion (L3) and a short side portion (S3). The circuit board 75-3 is also obtained by joining the long side portion and the short side portion, so its outer edge may have a roughly L-shaped pattern when viewed from above. The long side portion may have a roughly rectangular shape, and the short side portion may have a roughly square shape. The long side portion of the circuit board 75-3 may also extend along a direction (x-axis direction) in which the lead frame 73-1 and the lead frame 73-2 extend.

[0072] The circuit board 75-2 can be arranged on the upper surface of the circuit substrate 76 so that its long side faces the short side of the circuit board 75-3. The long side of the circuit board 75-2 and the short side of the circuit board 75-3 can be arranged with a gap (g) of a predetermined width extending in the x-axis direction. The circuit board 75-3 can be arranged on the upper surface of the circuit substrate 76 so that its long side faces the short side of the circuit board 75-2. The long side of the circuit board 75-3 and the short side of the circuit board 75-3 can be arranged with a gap of a predetermined width extending in the x-axis direction. The patterns of the circuit boards 75-2 and 75-3 can substantially overlap when moving clockwise with respect to any point. As an example, the length of the short side direction of the circuit board 75-1, the length of the short side direction of the long side of the circuit board 75-2, and the length of the short side direction of the long side of the circuit board 75-3 are approximately equal to each other. Furthermore, as an example, the circuit board 75 - 1 , the circuit board 75 - 2 , and the circuit board 75 - 3 are spaced apart from each other by a certain width which is approximately one sixth of the length.

[0073] The metal body 77 (metal body, second metal body) may be a rectangular metal block. The metal body 77 may have at least a bottom surface parallel to the xy plane and a height (thickness) in the z-axis direction. By arranging the metal body 77 having a predetermined volume between the lead frame 73 and the circuit board 75, the lead frame 73 and the circuit board 75 can be electrically coupled, mechanically connected, and thermally coupled. By having the metal body 77 have a predetermined height, the sealing portion 74 can be filled between the lead frame 73 and the circuit board 75 without a gap.

[0074] When viewed from above, the metal body 77-1 has a substantially rectangular shape and is located approximately in the center of the upper surface of the circuit board 75-1, with the long side direction being approximately consistent with the long side direction (y-axis direction) of the circuit board 75-1. When viewed from the upper surface side of the circuit substrate 76, the longitudinal and lateral dimensions of the metal body 77-1 are smaller than the longitudinal and lateral dimensions of the circuit board 75-1. As an example, around the metal body 77-1, there is an area of ​​the circuit board 75-1 that is not in contact with the metal body 77-1.

[0075] When viewed from above, the metal body 77-2 has a substantially rectangular shape and is located approximately in the center of the upper surface of the long side of the circuit board 75-2, and the long side direction is approximately consistent with the long side direction (x-axis direction) of the long side of the circuit board 75-2. When viewed from the upper surface side of the circuit substrate 76, the longitudinal and lateral dimensions of the metal body 77-2 are smaller than the longitudinal and lateral dimensions of the long side of the circuit board 75-2. As an example, around the metal body 77-2, there is an area of ​​the circuit board 75-2 that is not in contact with the metal body 77-2.

[0076] When viewed from above, the metal body 77-3 has a substantially rectangular shape and is located approximately in the center of the upper surface of the long side of the circuit board 75-3, and the long side direction is approximately consistent with the long side direction (x-axis direction) of the long side of the circuit board 75-3. When viewed from the upper surface side of the circuit substrate 76, the longitudinal and lateral dimensions of the metal body 77-3 are smaller than the longitudinal and lateral dimensions of the long side of the circuit board 75-3. As an example, around the metal body 77-3, there is an area of ​​the circuit board 75-3 that is not in contact with the metal body 77-3.

[0077] The semiconductor chip 78-1 and the semiconductor chip 78-4 are connected to the short sides of the circuit board 75-3 and the circuit board 75-2, respectively. The outer shapes of the semiconductor chip 78-1 and the semiconductor chip 78-4 are, for example, roughly rectangular or roughly square. When viewed from the upper surface side of the circuit substrate 76, the longitudinal and lateral dimensions of the semiconductor chip 78-1 and the semiconductor chip 78-4 are smaller than the longitudinal and lateral dimensions of the short sides of the circuit board 75-3 and the circuit board 75-2, respectively. As an example, around the semiconductor chip 78-1 and the semiconductor chip 78-4, there are areas of the circuit board 75-3 and the circuit board 75-2 that are not in contact with the semiconductor chip 78-1 and the semiconductor chip 78-4, respectively.

[0078] Furthermore, when viewed from the direction in which the long sides of the circuit boards 75-2 and 75-3 extend (the x-axis direction), the semiconductor chip 78-1 and the semiconductor chip 78-4 overlap each other only partially. Figure 4 The center lines of the circuit substrate 76 extending along the longitudinal direction of the circuit substrate 76 are staggered so as to be offset in the opposite direction (y-axis direction). When viewed from the x-axis direction, the semiconductor chip 78-1 and the semiconductor chip 78-4 may completely overlap or coincide with each other.

[0079] If the semiconductor module 100 is to be miniaturized, the circuit substrate 76 must also be smaller, and the semiconductor chips on the circuit substrate 76 must be closely arranged with each other. As a result, thermal interference occurs between the semiconductor chips. In response to this, in the semiconductor module 100 of the present embodiment, as described above, the circuit boards 75-3 and 75-2 on which the semiconductor chips 78-1 and 78-4 are arranged have a roughly L-shaped pattern, and are arranged on the upper surface of the circuit substrate 76 with a gap between them so that the long sides face each other in the y-axis direction, and the short sides face each other in the x-axis direction. With this configuration, the area on the smaller circuit substrate 76 can be used without waste. And, as Figure 4As shown, the semiconductor chips 78-1 and 78-4 are staggered relative to the center line of the circuit substrate 76 extending along the long side direction of the circuit substrate 76. In addition, in the cooling device 10 at the bottom of the semiconductor device 70, refrigerant flows in the same direction as the long side direction of the circuit substrate 76, so it is easy for the refrigerant that is relatively unaffected by the heat generated by one semiconductor chip to reach the bottom of another semiconductor chip.

[0080] Metal body 77-3 Figure 4 As shown in FIG. 1 , the metal body 77-3 is arranged on the capacitor device 150 side and is arranged on the same metal pad 75-2 as the semiconductor chip 78-1. With this arrangement, the metal body 77-3 is affected by the heat generated by both the capacitor device 150 and the semiconductor chip 78-1. On the other hand, the metal body 77-1 is Figure 4 As shown, the metal body 77-1 is arranged on the capacitor device 150 side, but is arranged on a metal pad 75-1 different from the metal pad 75-2 on which the semiconductor chip 78-4 is arranged. With this arrangement, the metal body 77-1 is affected by the heat of the capacitor device 150, but is not easily affected by the heat of the semiconductor chip 78-4. As described later Figure 5 As shown, the metal body 77 - 3 is connected to the P terminal 82 via a conductive member, and the metal body 77 - 1 is connected to the N terminal 81 via another conductive member, but as described above, there is a difference in the amount of heat received from the outside by the metal body 77 - 3 and the metal body 77 - 1.

[0081] Therefore, in the metal body 77-3 and the metal body 77-1, the bottom surface area of ​​the metal body 77-3 can be larger than the bottom surface area of ​​the metal body 77-1. In other words, the bottom surface area of ​​the metal body 77-1 can be smaller than the bottom surface area of ​​the metal body 77-3. Preferably, the short side of the bottom surface of the metal body 77-3 is relatively shorter and the long side is relatively longer than that of the metal body 77-1. By adopting the above shape, the heat dissipation efficiency of the metal body 77-3 can be relatively improved.

[0082] In the semiconductor device 70, the long side of the bottom surface of the metal body 77-1 is shorter than the long side of the bottom surface of the metal body 77-3, the long side of the bottom surface of the metal body 77-1 is perpendicular to the x-axis direction, and the long side of the bottom surface of the metal body 77-3 is parallel to the x-axis direction. Thus, by providing the metal bodies 77-1 and 77-3, the device can be miniaturized.

[0083] The metal body 77-3 and the metal body 77-1 may have the same height. In this case, the volume of the metal body 77-3 is relatively large, and thus the heat capacity of the metal body 77-3 is relatively large. Thus, according to the present embodiment, the semiconductor module 100 changes the structure of the metal body 77-3 and the metal body 77-1 according to the difference in heat received from the outside by the metal body 77-3 and the metal body 77-1 respectively connected to the P terminal 82 and the N terminal 81, so that the P terminal 82 and the N terminal 81 can be cooled substantially the same.

[0084] Figure 5 In the figure, four lead frames 73-1, 73-2, 73-3, and 73-4 are shown in each of the U-phase unit 70-1, the V-phase unit 70-2, and the W-phase unit 70-3. In addition, the fin area 95 provided with the heat sink 94 in the lower surface 24 of the top plate 20 of the cooling device 10 is indicated by a dotted line, and the U-phase unit 70-1, the V-phase unit 70-2, and the W-phase unit 70-3 are all arranged inside the fin area 95. The fin area 95 has a first boundary 95a on the input terminal (N terminal 81, P terminal 82) side (x-axis direction), and a second boundary 95b on the output terminal 83 side (x-axis negative side) which is the opposite side of the first boundary 95a. The circuit board 76 has a first end 76a on the input terminal (N terminal 81, P terminal 82) side, and a second end 76b on the output terminal 83 side which is the opposite side of the first end.

[0085] The U-phase unit 70 - 1 , the V-phase unit 70 - 2 , and the W-phase unit 70 - 3 may have the same structure. The structure of the U-phase unit 70 - 1 will be mainly described below, and repeated descriptions of the V-phase unit 70 - 2 and the W-phase unit 70 - 3 will be omitted.

[0086] The lead frame 73-1 has, for example, a strip shape with a substantially constant width, and extends along the long side direction (x-axis direction) of the U-phase unit 70-1 having a substantially rectangular shape. The lead frame 73-1, as an example of a wiring portion, has one end 73-1a and the other end 73-1b, the one end 73-1a being physically, electrically, and thermally connected to the N terminal 81, and the other end 73-1b being physically, electrically, and thermally connected to the upper surface of the semiconductor chip 78-4. The widths of the one end 73-1a and the other end 73-1b in the y-axis direction may be the same or different. The lead frame 73-1 is physically and thermally connected to the metal body 77-1 between the one end 73-1a and the other end 73-1b, approximately in the center of the extension direction. In other words, the metal body 77-1 is connected to the lead frame 73-1 on the N terminal 81 side relative to the semiconductor chip 78-4. The metal body 77-1 is connected to the upper surface of the lead frame 73-1 and the circuit substrate 76. In addition, the metal body 77-1 is arranged at a position corresponding to the fin area 95 on the upper surface of the circuit substrate 76 when viewed from above. With the above structure, the heat generated by the semiconductor chip 78-4 and the internal capacitor of the capacitor device 150 is effectively moved to the heat sink 94 of the cooling device 10 through at least the lead frame 73-1 and the metal body 77-1. The semiconductor chip 78-4 and the internal capacitor of the capacitor device 150 can be effectively cooled. In addition, the heat generated by the semiconductor chip 78-4 is released to the cooling device 10 even on the path through the circuit board 75-2 and the circuit substrate 76.

[0087] The lead frame 73-2 has a strip shape with a substantially constant width and extends along the long side direction (x-axis direction) of the U-phase unit 70-1 having a substantially rectangular shape. The lead frame 73-2, as an example of the second wiring portion, has one end 73-2a and the other end 73-2b, the one end 73-2a being physically, electrically and thermally connected to the P terminal 82, and the other end 73-2b being physically, electrically and thermally connected to the metal body 77-3. The widths of the one end 73-2a and the other end 73-2b in the y-axis direction may be the same or different. The metal body 77-3 is located on the long side of the metal circuit board 75-3, closer to the P terminal 82 side than the semiconductor chip 78-1. The metal body 77-3 is connected to the upper surface of the lead frame 73-2 and the circuit substrate 76. In addition, when viewed from above, the metal body 77-3 is arranged at a position corresponding to the fin area 95 on the upper surface of the circuit substrate 76. With the above arrangement, heat generated by the internal capacitor of capacitor device 150 is transferred to cooling device 10 through lead frame 73-2 and metal body 77-3. The arrangement of lead frames 73-1, 73-2 and metal bodies 77-1, 77-3 can effectively cool the internal capacitor of capacitor device 150.

[0088] The lead frame 73-3 has a strip shape with a substantially constant width and extends along the short side direction (y-axis direction) of the U-phase unit 70-1 having a substantially rectangular shape. One end 73-3a of the lead frame 73-3 is physically, electrically, and thermally connected to the upper surface of the semiconductor chip 78-1, and the other end 73-3b is physically, electrically, and thermally connected to the metal body 77-2. The above structure enables the heat generated by the semiconductor chip 78-1 to be transferred to the cooling device 10 through the lead frame 73-3 and the metal body 77-2, and can effectively cool the semiconductor chip 78-1. In addition, the heat generated by the semiconductor chip 78-1 is released to the cooling device 10 even on the path through the circuit board 75-3 and the circuit substrate 76.

[0089] The lead frame 73-4 has a strip shape with a substantially constant width and extends along the long side direction (x-axis direction) of the substantially rectangular U-phase unit 70-1. One end of the lead frame 73-4 is physically, electrically, and thermally connected to the upper surface of the lead frame 73-3, and the other end is physically, electrically, and thermally connected to the output terminal 83 (83U, 83V, 83W).

[0090] like Figure 5 As shown, in the semiconductor module 100 in the present embodiment, the metal body 77-3 is arranged farther from the first end 76a of the circuit substrate 76 than the metal body 77-1. The long side of the metal body 77-3 is arranged to be parallel to the extension direction of the lead frame 73-2. The width of the lead frame 73-2 can be smaller than the lead frame 73-1 when viewed from above. The above structure can easily bend the lead frame 73-2, and as a result, it is easy to connect the lead frame 73-2, the metal body 77-3 and the P terminal 82. The lead frame 73-2, the metal body 77-3 and the P terminal 82 can be joined by welding, laser welding, tungsten inert gas welding, resistance welding, etc.

[0091] In addition, if Figure 1 As shown, lead frame 73-1, lead frame 73-2, lead frame 73-3 and lead frame 73-4 may each have a multi-stage curved shape in the z-axis direction. In addition, lead frame 73-3 and lead frame 73-4 may be separated from each other, partially overlapped, and physically, electrically and thermally connected, or may be integrated.

[0092] Figure 6 1 is a diagram showing an example of the arrangement of the fin region 95 in the cooling device 10, the shape of the heat sink 94, and the flow direction of the refrigerant. Figure 7The figure shows an example of the arrangement of the fin area 95 and the semiconductor device 70 in the cooling device 10, and the flow direction of the refrigerant. In each figure, the pipe 90 shown on the left side is used as the refrigerant inlet, and the pipe 90 shown on the right side is used as the refrigerant outlet. In addition, the hollow arrow schematically shows that the refrigerant flowing in from the inlet passes through the first refrigerant flow path 30-1, passes through the heat sink 94, and flows out from the outlet through the second refrigerant flow path 30-2.

[0093] like Figure 6 As shown, in the heat sink 94 of the cooling device 10 of the present embodiment, a plurality of plate-shaped structures disposed substantially perpendicularly to the xy plane are arranged in a wave pattern on the xy plane. Figure 6 In FIG. 1 , the x-direction distance from the side wall of the first refrigerant flow path 30-1 located on the left side of the drawing to the first boundary 95a of the fin region 95 is represented by Win, and the x-direction distance from the side wall of the second refrigerant flow path 30-2 located on the right side of the drawing to the second boundary 95b of the fin region 95 is represented by Wout. Figure 7 In the figure, the x-direction distance from the long side (first boundary 95a) of the fin area 95 located on the left side to the first end 76a of the U-phase unit 70-1, the V-phase unit 70-2, and the W-phase unit 70-3 is represented by Din, and the x-direction distance from the long side (second boundary 95b) of the fin area 95 located on the right side to the second end 76b of the U-phase unit 70-1, the V-phase unit 70-2, and the W-phase unit 70-3 is represented by Dout.

[0094] The semiconductor module 100 preferably satisfies (1) the first relationship “Dout>Din”, that is, the heat sink 94 is arranged close to the capacitor device 150 (the P terminal 82 and the N terminal 81 of the semiconductor module 100) relative to the circuit substrate 76. In other words, Figure 7 As shown, the circuit substrate 76 is preferably arranged on the fin region 95 in the x direction in the figure, that is, in a direction away from the capacitor device 150. The semiconductor module 100 satisfies the first relationship, thereby placing the entire metal body 77-1, 77-3 on the heat sink 94, increasing the thermal connection area between the two, thereby fully ensuring the path from the capacitor device 150 to the cooling device 10, and reducing the temperature of the terminal 153 of the capacitor device 150.

[0095] In addition, the semiconductor module 100 is preferably arranged such that (2) the circuit substrate 76 is away from the capacitor device 150 (the P terminal 82 and the N terminal 81 of the semiconductor module 100) relative to the center line of the refrigerant inlet and the refrigerant outlet. With this arrangement, the semiconductor module 100 can obtain the same effect as described above.

[0096] Furthermore, the semiconductor module 100 satisfies (3) the second relationship “Wout>Win”, that is, by making the cross-sectional area of ​​the first refrigerant flow path 30 - 1 on the refrigerant inlet side relatively small, the refrigerant flow under the plurality of circuit boards 76 can be made uniform.

[0097] The semiconductor module 100 preferably satisfies the conditions (1), (2), and (3) in the order described above. As an example, the semiconductor module 100 in this embodiment satisfies any one of (1), (2), and (3) described above.

[0098] According to the inverter 1 of the first embodiment described above, heat energy of the semiconductor device 70 and the capacitor device 150 accompanying the operation of the inverter 1 is efficiently transferred to the cooling device 10 , thereby improving the cooling efficiency of the entire inverter 1 including the capacitor.

[0099] In the inverter 1 of the first embodiment described above, the semiconductor device 70 has a metal body 77-1 between the N terminal 81 and the semiconductor chips 78-4, 78-5, and 78-6, respectively. With respect to the inverter 1, an inverter of a comparative example in which the semiconductor device does not have the metal body 77-1 was prepared, and the temperature rise of the internal capacitor was simulated. As a result, it was confirmed that the temperature rise of the internal capacitor in the inverter of the comparative example was 13.6°C, while the temperature rise of the internal capacitor in the inverter 1 of the first embodiment was 11.7°C, which was 1.9°C lower, thereby reducing the heat generation of the internal capacitor by 15%.

[0100] As a result, the inverter 1 can improve the cooling efficiency of the internal capacitor, and thus can be designed to reduce the electrostatic capacitance of the internal capacitor, thereby reducing the size of the internal capacitor and reducing the cost of the internal capacitor.

[0101] Figure 8 1 is a schematic perspective view showing an example of an inverter 2 according to a second embodiment of the present invention. The inverter 2 according to the second embodiment is mainly different from the inverter 1 according to the first embodiment. Fig. 9 As shown, the cooling device 1 of the semiconductor module 101 has inclined portions 32 extending in the negative direction of the z-axis at both ends in the x-axis direction, and two pipes 91 for guiding the refrigerant to the cooling device 11 are connected to the lower part of the inclined portions 32. In the inverter 2 of the second embodiment, the same reference numerals are used for the same structures as those of the inverter 1 involved in the first embodiment, and the description repeated with the first embodiment is omitted hereinafter.

[0102] Fig. 91 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an example of a semiconductor module 101 according to the second embodiment of the present invention. The first refrigerant flow path 30-1 and the second refrigerant flow path 30-2 of the cooling device 11 in the semiconductor module 101 each have a flow path bottom surface. The flow path bottom surface is a surface that contacts the refrigerant and is a surface facing upward. The flow path bottom surface of this example has an inclined portion 32 (32-1, 32-2) and a bottom portion 34 (34-1, 34-2). In the x-axis direction, the closer the distance between the inclined portion 32 and the central position 96 of the fin area 95 is, the smaller the distance D1 between the inclined portion 32 and the lower end 98 of the heat sink 94 in the z-axis direction. For example, as the position of the inclined portion 32-1 arranged on the negative side of the x-axis and arranged on the negative side of the z-axis relative to the heat sink 94 becomes larger in the positive direction on the x-axis, the position on the z-axis becomes larger in the positive direction. Furthermore, the inclined portion 32 - 2 disposed on the positive side of the x-axis and on the negative side of the z-axis with respect to the heat sink 94 increases in position on the x-axis toward the negative direction and increases in position on the z-axis toward the positive direction.

[0103] In each of the first refrigerant flow path 30-1 and the second refrigerant flow path 30-2, at least a portion of the inclined portion 32 is disposed below the heat sink 94. At least one of the first refrigerant flow path 30-1 and the second refrigerant flow path 30-2 may have the entire inclined portion 32 disposed below the heat sink 94. Each opening 42 is disposed near the lower end of the inclined portion 32 in the z-axis direction.

[0104] By providing the above-mentioned inclined portion 32, the refrigerant introduced from any opening portion 42 can flow toward the lower end 98 of the heat sink 94. Therefore, the refrigerant can effectively flow to the area of ​​the heat sink 94 close to the top plate 20, and each semiconductor chip 78 and the internal capacitor of the capacitor device 150 can be effectively cooled.

[0105] In particular, Fig. 9 As shown, if a space is set between the lower end 98 of the heat sink 94 and the main body 64, the refrigerant flows through the space, and the cooling efficiency of the internal capacitors of the semiconductor device 70 and the capacitor device 150 is reduced. However, according to this example, the refrigerant is circulated to the area close to the top plate 20, so that each semiconductor chip 78 and the internal capacitor of the capacitor device 150 can be effectively cooled.

[0106] In the xz cross section, the straight line 71 obtained by extending each inclined portion 32 can intersect each semiconductor chip 78 and metal body 77. This allows the refrigerant to easily flow toward each semiconductor chip 78 and metal body 77, and each semiconductor chip 78 and the internal capacitor of the capacitor device 150 can be effectively cooled.

[0107] The bottom 34 is a surface connected to the inclined portion 32. The bottom 34 may be inclined relative to the x-axis in a direction opposite to the inclined portion 32, or may be parallel to the x-axis. In addition, the main body 64 may have side walls 36 (36-1, 36-2). The side walls 36 connect the bottom 34 to the frame 62. The side walls 36 may be arranged parallel to the inclined portion 32 on the xz plane. Thus, the refrigerant introduced from the opening 42 can flow toward the lower end 98 of the heat sink 94 more easily. However, the side walls 36 may also be arranged non-parallel to the inclined portion 32 on the xz plane.

[0108] Fig.10 2 is a diagram showing an example of arrangement of the heat sink 94, the first refrigerant flow path 30-1, and the second refrigerant flow path 30-2 on the xy plane. Fig.10 , the first refrigerant flow path 30 - 1 and the second refrigerant flow path 30 - 2 are projected onto a plane parallel to the lower end of the heat sink 94 ( Fig. 9 Figure 1. AA surface in the image. Fig.10 In FIG. 1 , the positions of the inclined portion 32 and the bottom portion 34 in the plane are indicated by dotted lines. In addition, the position of the side wall 36 in the figure is indicated by solid lines. Fig.10 The heat sink 94 shown has a rod-shaped structure that is discretely arranged on the xy plane, but the structure of the heat sink 94 is not limited to this.

[0109] Each refrigerant flow path 30 has two end portions 44 in the y-axis direction. Fig.10 In the figure, the first refrigerant flow path 30-1 has a first end 44-1 and a third end 44-3, and the second refrigerant flow path 30-2 has a second end 44-2 and a fourth end 44-4. The first end 44-1 and the second end 44-2 are ends on the same side, and the third end 44-3 and the fourth end 44-4 are ends on the same side. The same side refers to the relative positions of the two ends 44 in the same refrigerant flow path on the y-axis. For example, the first end 44-1 is arranged on the positive side of the y-axis relative to the third end 44-3, and the second end 44-2 is arranged on the positive side of the y-axis relative to the fourth end 44-4. That is, the first end 44-1 and the second end 44-2 are both arranged on the positive side of the y-axis. In a plan view, the long sides of the first refrigerant flow path 30 - 1 and the second refrigerant flow path 30 - 2 may be parallel to each other in the y-axis direction and may be parallel to the long sides of the fin region 95 and the long sides of the top plate 20 .

[0110] The first opening 42-1 is provided on the first end 44-1 side of the first refrigerant flow path 30-1. The second opening 42-2 is provided on the second end 44-2 side of the second refrigerant flow path 30-2. That is, the two openings 42 are provided on the same side of the refrigerant flow path 30 in the housing 40. Each opening 42 is connected to a pipe 91 for transmitting the refrigerant.

[0111] like Fig. 9 As described above, each refrigerant flow path 30 is arranged to overlap with the heat sink 94. More specifically, each refrigerant flow path 30 is arranged to overlap with the heat sink 94. Fig.10 The fin region 95 is arranged to have a predetermined overlap width W in the x-axis direction over the entire length of the fin region 95 indicated by the dotted line in the y-axis direction. The overlap width W may be constant regardless of the position on the y-axis, or may be different. The overlap width W may be the same in the first refrigerant flow path 30-1 and the second refrigerant flow path 30-2, or may be different.

[0112] Fig.11 92 is a perspective view showing the outline of the refrigerant flow section 92. Fig. 9 and Fig.10 As described in the figure, the refrigerant flow section 92 has refrigerant flow paths 30 extending in the y-axis direction at both ends in the x-axis direction. Each refrigerant flow path 30 has an inclined portion 32, and the position of the inclined portion 32 in the z-axis direction gradually increases from the outside to the inside in the x-axis direction. The outside in the x-axis direction refers to the side away from the center of the refrigerant flow section 92 in the x-axis direction, and the inside refers to the side close to the center of the refrigerant flow section 92. Fig.11 In the example shown in FIG. 1 , each inclined portion 32 is provided over the entire length of the refrigerant flow portion 92 in the y-axis direction.

[0113] The inverter 2 according to the second embodiment can also produce the same effects as those of the inverter 1 according to the first embodiment.

[0114] Fig.12 2 is a diagram showing an overview of a vehicle 200 according to a third embodiment of the present invention. The vehicle 200 is a vehicle that generates at least a portion of its propulsion force using electricity. As an example, the vehicle 200 is an electric vehicle that generates all of its propulsion force using an electric drive device such as an electric motor, or a hybrid vehicle that uses an electric drive device such as an electric motor and an internal combustion engine driven by a fuel such as gasoline.

[0115] The vehicle 200 includes a control device 210 (external device) for controlling an electric drive device such as a motor. The control device 210 includes a semiconductor module 100 (101). The semiconductor module 100 (101) can control the electric power supplied to the electric drive device.

[0116] Fig.13 This is a main circuit diagram of the inverter 1 (2) according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention. As described above, the semiconductor module 100 (101) of the inverter 1 (2) can function as a three-phase AC inverter circuit having output terminals 83U, 83V, and 83W, and can be a part of a vehicle-mounted unit that drives the motor of the vehicle.

[0117] In the semiconductor module 100 (101), the semiconductor chips 78-1, 78-2 and 78-3 can constitute an upper arm, and the semiconductor chips 78-4, 78-5 and 78-6 can constitute a lower arm. A group of semiconductor chips 78-1 and 78-4 constitute a branch (U phase). A group of semiconductor chips 78-2 and 78-5 and a group of semiconductor chips 78-3 and 78-6 also constitute branches (V phase, W phase). In the semiconductor chip 78-4, the emitter electrode can be electrically connected to the input terminal N1 (N terminal 81), and the collector electrode is electrically connected to the output terminal 83U. In the semiconductor chip 78-1, the emitter electrode is electrically connected to the output terminal 83U, and the collector electrode is electrically connected to the input terminal P1 (P terminal 82). Similarly, in semiconductor chips 78-5 and 78-6, emitter electrodes are electrically connected to input terminals N2 (N terminal 81) and N3 (N terminal 81), and collector electrodes are electrically connected to output terminals 83V and 83W, respectively. Also, in semiconductor chips 78-2 and 78-3, emitter electrodes are electrically connected to output terminals 83V and 83W, respectively, and collector electrodes are electrically connected to input terminals P2 (P terminal 82) and P3 (P terminal 82), respectively.

[0118] Each semiconductor chip 78-1 to 78-6 can be switched alternately according to the signal input to the corresponding control terminal. In this example, each semiconductor chip 78 can generate heat when switching. The input terminals P1, P2, and P3 are respectively connected to the positive pole of the external power supply, the input terminals N1, N2, and N3 are respectively connected to the negative pole of the external power supply, and the output terminals 83U, 83V, and 83W are respectively connected to the load. In addition, each semiconductor chip 78-1 to 78-6 is connected in parallel with the internal capacitor 156 of the capacitor device 150. The input terminals P1, P2, and P3 can be electrically connected to each other, and the other input terminals N1, N2, and N3 can also be electrically connected to each other.

[0119] In the semiconductor module 100 (101), each of the plurality of semiconductor chips 78-1 to 78-6 may be a RC-IGBT (reverse conducting IGBT) semiconductor chip. In addition, each of the semiconductor chips 78-1 to 78-6 may include a combination of a transistor such as a MOSFET or an IGBT and a diode.

[0120] The present invention has been described above based on the embodiments, but the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the scope described in the above embodiments. It is obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes or improvements can be made on the basis of the above embodiments. It is clear from the description of the scope of the claims that the method to which such changes or improvements are applied is also included in the technical scope of the present invention.

[0121] It should be noted that the execution order of each process such as actions, sequences, steps, and stages in the devices, systems, programs, and methods shown in the claims, specifications, and drawings can be implemented in any order unless it is specifically and clearly indicated as "before", "previously", etc., and the output of the previous process is not used in the subsequent process. In the action flow in the claims, specifications, and drawings, "first", "then", etc. are used for convenience of explanation, but it does not mean that it must be implemented in such an order.

[0122] Description of symbols

[0123] 1.2 Inverter

[0124] 10, 11 Cooling device

[0125] 20 Top Plate

[0126] 22 Upper surface

[0127] 24 Lower surface

[0128] 26 Short side

[0129] 28 Long side

[0130] 30 Refrigerant flow path

[0131] 32 Inclined part

[0132] 34 bottom

[0133] 36 Sidewall

[0134] 40 Shell

[0135] 42 Opening

[0136] 44 end

[0137] 62 Frame

[0138] 62 Main body

[0139] 70 Semiconductor devices

[0140] 70-1 U phase unit

[0141] 70-2 V phase unit

[0142] 70-3 W phase unit

[0143] 71 Straight Line

[0144] 72 Storage Department

[0145] 73 Lead frame

[0146] 74 Sealing part

[0147] 75 Circuit Board

[0148] 76 Circuit board

[0149] 76a End 1

[0150] 76b End 2

[0151] 77 Metal Body

[0152] 78 semiconductor chips

[0153] 79 Through hole

[0154] 81 N terminal

[0155] 82 P terminal

[0156] 83, 83U, 83V, 83W output terminals

[0157] 90, 91 pipeline

[0158] 92 Refrigerant circulation part

[0159] 94 Heat sink

[0160] 95 fin area

[0161] 95a The 1st Boundary

[0162] 95b Second Boundary

[0163] 96 Central Location

[0164] 98 Lower end

[0165] 100, 101 Semiconductor Module

[0166] 150 Capacitor Device

[0167] 151 Housing

[0168] 153 terminal

[0169] 155 Power Terminal

[0170] 156 Internal capacitors

[0171] 200 vehicles

[0172] 210 Control device.

Claims

1. A semiconductor module comprising a semiconductor device and a cooling device, characterized in that: The semiconductor device comprises: Input terminal; a wiring portion having a first end and a second end and extending in one direction, wherein the first end is connected to the input terminal; A circuit substrate having an upper surface and a lower surface, wherein a first circuit board and a second circuit board are arranged on the upper surface side along the one direction, and the lower surface is arranged on the upper surface of the cooling device; a metal body connected between the wiring portion and the upper surface of the first circuit board; and a semiconductor chip having a top electrode and a bottom electrode, wherein the top electrode is connected to the second end portion and the bottom electrode is connected to the upper surface of the second circuit board, The input terminal is an N terminal, The circuit substrate is also provided with a third circuit board. The semiconductor device further comprises: P terminal; a second wiring portion having a third end portion and a fourth end portion, extending in the one direction and connecting the third end portion to the P terminal; a second metal body connected between the second wiring portion and the upper surface of the third circuit board; and a second semiconductor chip having a top electrode and a bottom electrode, wherein the bottom electrode is connected to the upper surface of the third circuit board, In a plan view, the second circuit board and the third circuit board each have an L-shaped pattern including a long side portion and a short side portion. The second metal body is located on the long side of the third circuit board and is located closer to the P terminal than the second semiconductor chip. The metal body and the second metal body are both substantially rectangular parallelepipeds, The long side of the bottom surface of the metal body is perpendicular to the one direction, and the long side of the bottom surface of the second metal body is parallel to the one direction.

2. The semiconductor module according to claim 1, wherein: The metal body is connected to the wiring portion at a side closer to the input terminal than the semiconductor chip.

3. The semiconductor module according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that In a plan view, the first circuit board has an area larger than an area in contact with the metal body.

4. The semiconductor module according to claim 1, wherein: The second metal body and the semiconductor chip overlap each other in a direction orthogonal to the one direction.

5. The semiconductor module according to claim 1, wherein: The long sides extend respectively along the one direction, The long side of the second circuit board and the short side of the third circuit board are arranged to face each other and to be separated by a gap extending in the one direction, and the short side of the second circuit board and the long side of the third circuit board are arranged to face each other and to be separated by a gap extending in the one direction, The semiconductor chip and the second semiconductor chip are connected to the short side of the second circuit board and the short side of the third circuit board, respectively, and only partially overlap each other when viewed from the one direction.

6. The semiconductor module according to claim 4, characterized in that Also includes a third metal body, The third metal body is formed on the second circuit board. The second semiconductor chip and the third metal body are connected to each other via a metal member in a direction perpendicular to the one direction.

7. The semiconductor module according to claim 6, characterized in that When looking down, The second circuit board has an area larger than the contact area with the semiconductor chip. The third circuit board has an area larger than a contact area with the second semiconductor chip and the second metal body.

8. The semiconductor module according to claim 7, characterized in that The bottom area of ​​the metal body is smaller than the bottom area of ​​the second metal body.

9. The semiconductor module according to claim 8, characterized in that The long side of the bottom surface of the metal body is shorter than the long side of the bottom surface of the second metal body.

10. The semiconductor module according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The cooling device comprises: a top panel having a front side and a back side; a refrigerant flow portion disposed on the back side of the top plate; a heat sink disposed from the back side toward the refrigerant circulation portion; an inlet port for introducing refrigerant and communicating with the refrigerant circulation portion; and a lead-out port connected to the refrigerant circulation portion for leading out the refrigerant, In a plan view, the metal body is arranged at a position corresponding to a fin region where the heat sink is provided.

11. The semiconductor module according to claim 3, wherein: The cooling device comprises: a top panel having a front side and a back side; a refrigerant flow portion disposed on the back side of the top plate; a heat sink disposed from the back side toward the refrigerant circulation portion; an inlet port for introducing refrigerant and communicating with the refrigerant circulation portion; and a lead-out port connected to the refrigerant circulation portion for leading out the refrigerant, In a plan view, the metal body is arranged at a position corresponding to a fin region where the heat sink is provided.

12. The semiconductor module according to any one of claims 4 to 9, characterized in that The cooling device comprises: a top panel having a front side and a back side; a refrigerant flow portion disposed on the back side of the top plate; a heat sink disposed from the back side toward the refrigerant circulation portion; an inlet port for introducing refrigerant and communicating with the refrigerant circulation portion; and a lead-out port connected to the refrigerant circulation portion for leading out the refrigerant, In a plan view, the metal body and the second metal body are arranged at positions corresponding to a fin region where the heat sink is provided.

13. The semiconductor module according to claim 10, wherein: When looking down, The circuit substrate has a first end on the input terminal side and a second end on the opposite side of the first end. The fin region has a first boundary on the input terminal side and a second boundary on the opposite side of the first boundary. A distance between the first end and the first boundary is greater than a distance between the second end and the second boundary.

14. The semiconductor module according to claim 11, wherein: When looking down, The circuit substrate has a first end on the input terminal side and a second end on the opposite side of the first end. The fin region has a first boundary on the input terminal side and a second boundary on the opposite side of the first boundary. A distance between the first end and the first boundary is greater than a distance between the second end and the second boundary.

15. The semiconductor module according to claim 12, wherein: When looking down, The circuit substrate has a first end on the input terminal side and a second end on the opposite side of the first end. The fin region has a first boundary on the input terminal side and a second boundary on the opposite side of the first boundary. A distance between the first end and the first boundary is greater than a distance between the second end and the second boundary.

16. A vehicle, characterized in that: A semiconductor module according to any one of claims 1 to 15 is provided.

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