A power semiconductor device

Abstract

The present application provides a power semiconductor device. The power semiconductor device comprises at least one transistor element, wherein the transistor element comprises a high voltage power terminal, a low voltage power terminal and a control terminal, the high voltage power terminal extends out of a package of the power semiconductor device to form a high voltage pin of the power semiconductor device, the low voltage power terminal extends out of the package of the power semiconductor device to form a low voltage pin of the power semiconductor device, and the control terminal extends out of the package of the power semiconductor device to form a control pin of the power semiconductor device; and at least one detection diode unit, wherein a cathode of the detection diode unit is connected to the high voltage power terminal of the at least one transistor element, and an anode of the detection diode unit extends out of the package of the power semiconductor device to form a detection pin of the power semiconductor device.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the technical field of power semiconductor devices, and more particularly to a power semiconductor device integrating a detection diode. Background Technology

[0002] In the application of power semiconductor devices, abnormal states inevitably arise due to factors such as device aging, control circuit malfunctions, heat dissipation issues, and output short circuits, leading to short circuits in the power electronic devices. To protect the power electronic devices and prevent the fault from escalating, short-circuit protection for power semiconductor devices must be considered in practical applications.

[0003] To achieve short-circuit protection for power semiconductor devices, short-circuit detection must first be performed. Common methods for short-circuit detection of power semiconductor devices include diode de-warranty and testing. Please refer to [reference needed]. Figure 1 , Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a fault detection circuit for a conventional power semiconductor device is shown.

[0004] like Figure 1 As shown, in the short-circuit protection of a conventional power semiconductor device 12, the driving circuit (not shown) of the power semiconductor device can first use a detection diode 112 to block the high voltage when the power semiconductor device is turned off, and then the detection circuit 11 uses the detection diode 112 to detect the terminal voltage of the power semiconductor device 12 when the power semiconductor device 12 is turned on, thereby realizing the short-circuit detection of the power semiconductor device 12. In this scheme, the detection diode 112 needs to withstand the turn-off overvoltage and bus voltage of the power semiconductor device 12 during and in the turn-off state. Therefore, the selection and layout of the detection diode 112 is one of the key aspects of the power semiconductor driving circuit design.

[0005] However, existing power semiconductor devices 12 generally do not integrate a detection diode 112, requiring the driver designer of the power semiconductor device 12 to select it during the driver circuit design. The driver designer of the power semiconductor device 12 needs to consider factors such as the withstand voltage, electrical clearance, and creepage distance of the detection diode 112 when selecting and placing the detection diode 112, which is time-consuming and labor-intensive.

[0006] Furthermore, the withstand voltage of existing high-voltage diodes is generally between 1000V and 2000V, while the highest blocking voltage of commercial high-voltage power semiconductor devices 12 is generally 6500V. Therefore, it is necessary to select 4 to 7, or even more, high-voltage diodes in series to form the fault detection diode 112 of the power semiconductor device 12. This results in a complex device structure and a large size, which does not conform to the development direction of miniaturization and high power density of power semiconductor devices.

[0007] Furthermore, the highest blocking voltage of existing power semiconductor devices 12 is generally 6500V. The spacing between the pins corresponding to its high-voltage power terminal 121 and its control terminal 120 and low-voltage power terminal 122 requires electrical isolation of 6500V and anti-creep charging design. Correspondingly, the spacing between the detection interfaces of the grounding detection circuit 11 of existing power semiconductor devices 12 also requires electrical isolation of 6500V and anti-creep charging design. These electrical isolation and anti-creep charging design requirements severely limit the development trend of miniaturization and high power density in power semiconductor device packaging, hindering the further development of power semiconductor devices.

[0008] In order to overcome the above-mentioned defects in the existing technology, there is an urgent need in the field for a structural solution for power semiconductor devices, which can avoid the trouble of selecting and placing detection diodes for drive designers, simplify the device structure of power semiconductor devices, and overcome the electrical isolation requirements and anti-creep design requirements of power semiconductor devices, so as to promote the development of power semiconductor devices towards miniaturization and high power density. Summary of the Invention

[0009] The following provides a brief overview of one or more aspects to offer a basic understanding of them. This overview is not an exhaustive summary of all conceived aspects, nor is it intended to identify key or decisive elements of all aspects, nor to define the scope of any or all aspects. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts of one or more aspects in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed descriptions that follow.

[0010] In order to overcome the above-mentioned defects in the prior art, the present invention provides a power semiconductor device that can avoid the trouble of selecting and laying out detection diodes for drive designers, simplify the device structure of power semiconductor devices and their detection circuits, and overcome the electrical isolation requirements and anti-creep design requirements of power semiconductor devices and / or grounding detection circuits, so as to promote the development of power semiconductor devices towards miniaturized packaging and high power density.

[0011] Specifically, the power semiconductor device provided by the present invention includes: at least one transistor element, wherein the transistor element includes a high-voltage power terminal, a low-voltage power terminal, and a control terminal, the high-voltage power terminal extending out of the package of the power semiconductor device to form a high-voltage pin of the power semiconductor device, the low-voltage power terminal extending out of the package of the power semiconductor device to form a low-voltage pin of the power semiconductor device, and the control terminal extending out of the package of the power semiconductor device to form a control pin of the power semiconductor device; and at least one detection diode unit, wherein the cathode of the detection diode unit is connected to the high-voltage power terminal of the at least one transistor element, and the anode of the detection diode unit extends out of the package of the power semiconductor device to form a detection pin of the power semiconductor device.

[0012] Furthermore, in some embodiments of the present invention, the distance from the detection pin to the low-voltage pin and / or the control pin may be less than the electrical isolation distance and / or creepage distance corresponding to the blocking voltage of the corresponding transistor element.

[0013] Furthermore, in some embodiments of the present invention, the low-voltage power terminal extends beyond the package of the power semiconductor device to form a potential reference pin of the power semiconductor device. The distance from the detection pin to the potential reference pin may be less than the electrical isolation distance and / or creepage distance corresponding to the blocking voltage of the corresponding transistor element.

[0014] Furthermore, in some embodiments of the present invention, the detection diode unit comprises a plurality of diode elements connected in series. The sum of the reverse blocking voltages of the plurality of diode elements connected in series is greater than or equal to the blocking voltage of at least one transistor element corresponding to the detection diode unit.

[0015] Furthermore, in some embodiments of the present invention, the power semiconductor device includes a plurality of transistor elements connected in parallel and a detection diode unit. The high-voltage power terminals of the plurality of parallel transistor elements extend out of the package of the power semiconductor device to form a plurality of high-voltage pins of the power semiconductor device. The low-voltage power terminals of the plurality of parallel transistor elements extend out of the package of the power semiconductor device to form a plurality of low-voltage pins of the power semiconductor device. The control terminals of the plurality of parallel transistor elements uniformly extend out of the package of the power semiconductor device to form the control pins of the power semiconductor device. The cathode of the detection diode unit is connected to the high-voltage power terminal of the first transistor element. The anode of the detection diode unit extends out of the package of the power semiconductor device to form the detection pins of the power semiconductor device.

[0016] Further, in some embodiments of the present invention, the power semiconductor device includes a plurality of transistor elements connected in series and a plurality of the aforementioned detection diode units. The high-voltage power terminal of the first transistor element extends out of the package of the power semiconductor device to form a high-voltage pin of the power semiconductor device. The low-voltage power terminal of the first transistor element is connected to the high-voltage power terminal of the second transistor element to form a bridge arm circuit. The low-voltage power terminal of the second transistor element extends out of the package of the power semiconductor device to form a low-voltage pin of the power semiconductor device. The control terminals of the first transistor element and the second transistor element respectively extend out of the package of the power semiconductor device to form a plurality of the aforementioned control pins of the power semiconductor device. The cathode of the first detection diode unit is connected to the high-voltage power terminal of the first transistor element. The anode of the first detection diode unit extends out of the package of the power semiconductor device to form a first detection pin of the power semiconductor device. The cathode of the second detection diode unit is connected to the high-voltage power terminal of the second transistor element. The anode of the second detection diode unit extends out of the package of the power semiconductor device to form a second detection pin of the power semiconductor device.

[0017] Further, in some embodiments of the present invention, the power semiconductor device includes a plurality of bridge arm circuits. The high-voltage power terminals of the first transistor elements of each bridge arm circuit extend out of the package of the power semiconductor device to form a plurality of high-voltage pins of the power semiconductor device. The low-voltage power terminals of the second transistor elements of each bridge arm circuit extend out of the package of the power semiconductor device to form a plurality of low-voltage pins of the power semiconductor device. The control terminals of the first transistor elements of each bridge arm circuit uniformly extend out of the package of the power semiconductor device to form a first control pin of the power semiconductor device. The second transistor elements of each bridge arm circuit uniformly extend out of the package of the power semiconductor device to form a second control pin of the power semiconductor device. The cathode of the first detection diode unit is connected to the high-voltage power terminal of the first transistor element of each bridge arm circuit. The cathode of the second detection diode unit is connected to the high-voltage power terminal of the second transistor element of each bridge arm circuit.

[0018] Furthermore, in some embodiments of the present invention, the transistor element includes an IGBT, wherein the high-voltage power terminal of the IGBT is its collector, the low-voltage power terminal of the IGBT is its emitter, the control terminal of the IGBT is its gate, and the potential reference pin of the IGBT is its auxiliary emitter. Even further, in these or other embodiments, the transistor element includes a MOSFET, wherein the high-voltage power terminal of the MOSFET is its drain, the low-voltage power terminal of the MOSFET is its source, the control terminal of the MOSFET is its gate, and the potential reference pin of the MOSFET is its auxiliary source. Attached Figure Description

[0019] The above-described features and advantages of the present invention will be better understood after reading the following detailed description of embodiments of the present disclosure in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, components are not necessarily drawn to scale, and components having similar related characteristics or features may have the same or similar reference numerals.

[0020] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a fault detection circuit for a conventional power semiconductor device is shown.

[0021] Figure 2A A circuit package schematic diagram of a power semiconductor device provided according to some embodiments of the present invention is shown.

[0022] Figure 2B A schematic diagram of the package structure of a power semiconductor device provided according to some embodiments of the present invention is shown.

[0023] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of a detection circuit provided according to some embodiments of the present invention is shown.

[0024] Figure 4 A circuit package schematic diagram of a power semiconductor device provided according to some embodiments of the present invention is shown.

[0025] Figure 5 A circuit package schematic diagram of a power semiconductor device provided according to some embodiments of the present invention is shown.

[0026] Figure 6 A schematic diagram of a detection circuit provided according to some embodiments of the present invention is shown.

[0027] Figure 7 A circuit package schematic diagram of a power semiconductor device provided according to some embodiments of the present invention is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0028] The following specific embodiments illustrate the implementation of the present invention. Those skilled in the art can easily understand other advantages and effects of the present invention from the content disclosed in this specification. Although the description of the present invention is presented in conjunction with preferred embodiments, this does not mean that the features of the invention are limited to these embodiments. On the contrary, the purpose of describing the invention in conjunction with embodiments is to cover other options or modifications that may be derived based on the claims of the present invention. To provide a thorough understanding of the invention, many specific details will be included in the following description. The invention may also be implemented without using these details. Furthermore, to avoid confusion or obscuring the focus of the invention, some specific details will be omitted in the description.

[0029] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "linking" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection of two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0030] Furthermore, the terms "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "top," "bottom," "horizontal," and "vertical" used in the following description should be understood as the orientations shown in the relevant paragraphs and accompanying drawings. These relative terms are for illustrative purposes only and do not imply that the described apparatus must be manufactured or operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as limiting the invention.

[0031] It is understood that although terms such as "first," "second," and "third" may be used herein to describe various components, regions, layers, and / or parts, these components, regions, layers, and / or parts should not be limited by these terms, and these terms are only used to distinguish different components, regions, layers, and / or parts. Therefore, the first components, regions, layers, and / or parts discussed below may be referred to as second components, regions, layers, and / or parts without departing from some embodiments of the present invention.

[0032] As mentioned above, existing power semiconductor devices 12 generally do not integrate a detection diode 112, requiring the selection of this diode by the driver designer during the driver circuit design process. The driver designer of the power semiconductor device 12 needs to consider factors such as the voltage rating, electrical clearance, and creepage distance of the detection diode 112 when selecting and placing it, which is time-consuming and labor-intensive. Furthermore, existing high-voltage diodes typically have a voltage rating between 1000V and 2000V, while the highest blocking voltage of commercially available high-voltage power semiconductor devices 12 is generally 6500V. Therefore, 4 to 7, or even more, high-voltage diodes need to be selected in series to form the fault detection diode 112 of the power semiconductor device 12, resulting in a complex device structure and large size, which does not conform to the trend of miniaturization and high power density in power semiconductor device packaging. Furthermore, the highest blocking voltage of existing power semiconductor devices 12 is generally 6500V. The spacing between the pins corresponding to its high-voltage power terminal 121 and its control terminal 120 and low-voltage power terminal 122 requires an electrical isolation of 6500V and anti-creep design requirements. Correspondingly, the spacing between the detection interfaces of the grounding detection circuit 11 of existing power semiconductor devices 12, as well as the spacing from each detection interface to ground, also requires an electrical isolation of 6500V*n and anti-creep design requirements, where n is the number of spacing levels between the detection interfaces and from each detection interface to ground. These electrical isolation and anti-creep design requirements severely limit the development trend of miniaturized and high-power-density power semiconductor devices, hindering their further development.

[0033] In order to overcome the above-mentioned defects in the prior art, the present invention provides a power semiconductor device that can avoid the trouble of selecting and placing detection diodes for drive designers, simplify the device structure of power semiconductor devices, and overcome the electrical isolation requirements and anti-creep design requirements of power semiconductor devices, so as to promote the development of power semiconductor devices towards miniaturized packaging and high power density.

[0034] Please refer to the reference. Figure 2A and Figure 2B . Figure 2A A circuit package schematic diagram of a power semiconductor device provided according to some embodiments of the present invention is shown. Figure 2B A schematic diagram of the package structure of a power semiconductor device provided according to some embodiments of the present invention is shown.

[0035] like Figure 2AAs shown, in some embodiments of the present invention, the power semiconductor device is a high-current-capacity insulated-gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) device, comprising multiple IGBT elements connected in parallel. This power semiconductor device includes multiple transistor sub-units 21-23, each containing one IGBT element. Specifically, the IGBT element in transistor sub-unit 21 includes a collector, an emitter, and a gate. The collector is used to connect to a high-voltage bus, serving as the high-voltage power terminal of the IGBT element. The emitter is used to ground or connect to the collector of another lower-level IGBT element, serving as the low-voltage power terminal of the IGBT element. The gate is used to connect to a drive circuit, serving as the control terminal of the IGBT element. Similarly, the IGBT elements in transistor sub-units 22 and 23 also include a collector, an emitter, and a gate, and have the same function, which will not be described further here. By connecting multiple IGBT elements in parallel, this high-current-capacity IGBT device can carry several times the current of a conventional IGBT element.

[0036] like Figure 2A and Figure 2B As shown, the collectors of the IGBT elements housed in transistor subunits 21-23 extend out of the power semiconductor device package to form multiple high-voltage pins 205, 207, and 209 of the power semiconductor device. The emitters of the IGBT elements housed in transistor subunits 21-23 extend out of the power semiconductor device package to form multiple low-voltage pins 204, 206, and 208 of the power semiconductor device. The control terminals of the IGBT elements housed in transistor subunits 21-23 are connected to the transistor subunit 21 inside the power semiconductor device, and then extend out of the power semiconductor device package through the pin subunit 25 to form the control pin 202 of the power semiconductor device.

[0037] Furthermore, such as Figure 2A As shown, the power semiconductor device also includes a detection diode subunit 24 and a lead subunit 25. The detection diode subunit 24 houses one or more diode elements. The cathode of the diode element is connected to the collector of the IGBT element in the transistor subunit 21, while its anode extends out of the power semiconductor device package through the lead subunit 25 to form the detection lead 203 of the power semiconductor device. Typically, the short-circuit detection current of the IGBT element is between 10µA and 100mA. In some embodiments, the current capacity of the diode element is generally selected to be 1 to 2A, leaving sufficient margin to fully meet the short-circuit detection requirements of the detection circuit for the high current capacity IGBT devices in each transistor subunit 21 to 23.

[0038] In some embodiments, for IGBT elements with a maximum blocking voltage of 6500V, the detection diode subunit 24 may accommodate one or more diode elements connected in series. The sum of the reverse blocking voltages of these multiple series-connected diode elements should be greater than or equal to the maximum blocking voltage (e.g., 6500V) of the corresponding IGBT element in each transistor subunit 21-23, to meet the high voltage requirement of the detection circuit when blocking the power semiconductor device from being turned off, and to protect the fault detection circuit and each detection pin 201-203 from high voltage damage.

[0039] Furthermore, such as Figure 2A As shown, the aforementioned pin subunit 25 further connects to the emitters of the IGBT elements of each transistor subunit 21-23 in the transistor subunit 21, leading the emitters of these IGBT elements out of the power semiconductor device package from the pin subunit 25 to form the voltage reference pin 201 of the power semiconductor device. This voltage reference pin 201 can serve as an auxiliary emitter of the IGBT element. The detection circuit of the power semiconductor device can perform short-circuit detection on the power semiconductor device through the voltage reference pin 201, control pin 202, and detection pin 203 of the pin subunit 25.

[0040] It is worth noting that by integrating diodes with appropriate blocking voltage and current capacity into the package of power semiconductor devices, the drive designers of power semiconductor devices only need to configure signal processing circuits to realize short-circuit detection of power semiconductor devices, without having to select and place diodes based on factors such as the withstand voltage, electrical clearance, and creepage distance of the detection diodes. This can overcome the time-consuming and labor-intensive shortcomings of existing technologies.

[0041] Furthermore, by integrating one or more series-connected diode elements into the package of a power semiconductor device, it is beneficial to optimize the spatial arrangement of these multiple diode devices, simplify the device structure of the detection circuit of the power semiconductor device, and reduce its spatial volume, which is in line with the development direction of miniaturization and high power density of power semiconductor device packages.

[0042] Furthermore, since the detection diode subunit 24 is further integrated into the package of the power semiconductor device, it has a voltage blocking effect on the collector terminals of the IGBT elements housed in each transistor subunit 21-23, thus blocking the potential V on the detection pin 203. 203 The voltage will not rise to the kV level with the potential of high-voltage pins 205, 207, and 209, but will remain around 5V under normal operating conditions driven by the detection circuit, not exceeding 100V. Therefore, Figure 2BThere will be no potential difference exceeding 100V between the detection pin 203 and the potential reference pin 201, control pin 202, and low-voltage pins 204, 206, and 208. Therefore, when designing the package and pin arrangement of power semiconductor devices, it is not necessary to comply with the existing limitations of kV-level electrical isolation distances and creepage distances.

[0043] For example, in some preferred embodiments, since there is no potential difference of more than 100V between the detection pin 203 and the potential reference pin 201 and the control pin 202, the spacing between the detection pin 203 and the potential reference pin 201 and the control pin 202 can overcome the limitations of the electrical isolation distance and / or creepage distance corresponding to the 6.5kV blocking voltage of a single-stage IGBT element. Extremely small spacing of less than 10mm, less than 5mm, or even less than 1mm can be selected to promote the development of power semiconductor devices towards miniaturization and high power density.

[0044] For example, there will be no potential difference exceeding 100V between the detection pin 203 and each low-voltage pin 204, 206, and 208. The spacing between the detection pin 203 and each low-voltage pin 204, 206, and 208 can also overcome the limitations of the electrical isolation distance and / or creepage distance corresponding to the 6.5kV blocking voltage of a single-stage IGBT element, allowing for extremely small spacing of less than 10mm, less than 5mm, or even less than 1mm, to promote the development of power semiconductor devices towards miniaturized packaging and high power density. Furthermore, there is no longer a need for a gap between the detection pin 203 and each low-voltage pin 204, 206, and 208. Figure 2B The anti-creep step shown reduces the vertical dimensions of power semiconductor devices, thus promoting their development towards miniaturization and high power density. It also reduces the difficulty of the packaging process and lowers packaging costs.

[0045] In addition, this paper also provides a detection circuit for detecting... Figure 2A and Figure 2B Does the high-current-capacity IGBT device shown have a short-circuit fault? Please refer to [reference needed]. Figure 3 , Figure 3 A schematic diagram of a detection circuit provided according to some embodiments of the present invention is shown.

[0046] like Figure 3 As shown, in some embodiments of the present invention, Figure 2A and Figure 2BThe detection circuit 31 of the high-current capacity IGBT device shown includes only one detection interface 311. This detection interface 311 is directly connected to the detection high-voltage pin 203 of the high-current capacity IGBT device to detect whether there is a short circuit fault in the IGBT elements housed in each transistor subunit 21 to 23 of the high-current capacity IGBT device. Its detection process and principle are basically the same as those of the prior art, and will not be described in detail here.

[0047] It is important to note that since the detection interface 311 of the detection circuit 31 determines short-circuit faults by connecting to the detection pin 203 of the aforementioned high-current-capacity IGBT device, and the detection pin 203 integrates a detection diode subunit 24 between itself and the collector of the IGBT element housed in each transistor subunit 21-23, providing voltage blocking for these collector terminals, the detection interface 311 does not pose a risk of high bus voltage or IGBT turn-off overvoltage. Therefore, power semiconductor device drive designers do not need to configure additional detection diodes for the detection interface 311 of the detection circuit 31. This overcomes the time-consuming and labor-intensive drawbacks of existing technologies and simplifies the device structure of the power semiconductor device's detection circuit, reducing its size and conforming to the trend of miniaturization and high power density in detection circuits.

[0048] Furthermore, since the detection diode subunit 24 is further integrated into the package of the power semiconductor device, it has a voltage blocking effect on the collector terminals of the IGBT elements housed in each transistor subunit 21-23, thus blocking the potential V on the detection pin 203. 203 It will not change with the voltage V of high-voltage pins 205, 207, and 209. 209 The voltage rises to the kV level, while under normal operating conditions, it remains around 5V, not exceeding 100V, driven by the detection circuit. Therefore, Figure 3 The distance from the detection interface 311 of the detection circuit 31 to the low-voltage pins 204, 206, 208 and / or control pins 202 of the corresponding transistor subunits 21 to 23 of the aforementioned high-current capacity IGBT device can overcome the limitations of the electrical isolation distance and / or creepage distance corresponding to the 6.5kV blocking voltage of a single-stage IGBT element. Extremely small spacing of less than 10mm, less than 5mm, or even less than 1mm can be selected to make the drive circuit design layout more compact and to make the entire power electronic device smaller and more power-density.

[0049] Those skilled in the art will understand that Figure 2A and Figure 2BThe IGBT device with high current capacity shown, including three transistor sub-units 21-23, is only a non-limiting embodiment provided by the present invention. It is intended to clearly demonstrate the main concept of the present invention and provide a specific solution that is easy for the public to implement, rather than to limit the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0050] Optionally, in other embodiments, the power semiconductor device provided by the present invention may also be composed of a single silicon-based metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (Si-MOSFET), a silicon carbide-based MOSFET (SiC-MOSFET), a silicon-based IGBT (Si-IGBT), or a silicon carbide-based IGBT (SiC-IGBT). Please refer to... Figure 4 , Figure 4 A circuit package schematic diagram of a power semiconductor device provided according to some embodiments of the present invention is shown.

[0051] like Figure 4 As shown, in these embodiments, a single-transistor power semiconductor device may include a transistor subunit 41, a detection diode subunit 42, and a pin subunit 43. The single transistor (e.g., IGBT) element housed in the transistor subunit 41 includes a collector, an emitter, and a gate. The collector is used to connect to a high-voltage bus to serve as the high-voltage power terminal of the IGBT element. The emitter is used to ground or connect to the collector of a lower-level IGBT element to serve as the low-voltage power terminal of the IGBT element.

[0052] Furthermore, the collector of the IGBT element extends out of the power semiconductor device package to form the high-voltage pin 405 of the power semiconductor device. The emitter of the IGBT element extends out of the power semiconductor device package to form the low-voltage pin 404 of the power semiconductor device. The control terminal of the IGBT element extends out of the power semiconductor device package through the pin subunit 43 to form the control pin 402 of the power semiconductor device. The detection diode subunit 42 houses one or more diode elements. The cathode of the diode element is connected to the collector of the IGBT element in the transistor subunit 41, while its anode extends out of the power semiconductor device package through the pin subunit 43 to form the detection pin 403 of the power semiconductor device.

[0053] Furthermore, the pin subunit 43 is also connected to the emitter of the IGBT element in the transistor subunit 41, and the emitter is led out of the power semiconductor device package from the pin subunit 43 to form the potential reference pin 401 of the power semiconductor device. This voltage reference pin 401 can serve as an auxiliary emitter of the IGBT element. The detection circuit of the power semiconductor device can perform short-circuit detection on the power semiconductor device through the potential reference pin 401, control pin 402, and detection pin 403 of the pin subunit 43.

[0054] As mentioned above, by integrating diodes with appropriate blocking voltage and current capacity into the package of power semiconductor devices, the drive designers of power semiconductor devices only need to configure signal processing circuits to realize short-circuit detection of power semiconductor devices, without having to select and arrange diode devices based on factors such as the withstand voltage, electrical clearance, and creepage distance of the detection diodes. This overcomes the time-consuming and labor-intensive shortcomings of existing technologies.

[0055] Furthermore, by integrating multiple series and / or parallel diode devices into the package of a power semiconductor device, it is beneficial to optimize the spatial arrangement of these multiple diode devices, simplify the device structure of the detection circuit of the power semiconductor device, and reduce its spatial volume, which is in line with the development direction of miniaturization and high power density of power semiconductor device packages.

[0056] Furthermore, since the detection diode subunit 42 is further integrated into the package of the power semiconductor device, it has a voltage blocking effect on the collector terminal of the IGBT element housed in the transistor subunit 41, thus blocking the potential V on the detection pin 403. 403 The voltage will not rise to the kV level with the high-voltage pin 405, but will remain around 5V under normal operating conditions driven by the detection circuit, not exceeding 100V. Therefore, Figure 4 There will be no potential difference exceeding 100V between the detection pin 403 and the potential reference pin 401, control pin 402, and low-voltage pin 404. When designing the package and pin arrangement of power semiconductor devices, it is not necessary to follow the limitations of existing kV-level electrical isolation distances and creepage distances. The limitations of electrical isolation distance and / or creepage distance corresponding to the 6.5kV blocking voltage of a single-stage IGBT element can be overcome, and extremely small pitches of less than 10mm, less than 5mm, or even less than 1mm can be selected to promote the development of power semiconductor devices towards miniaturization and high power density.

[0057] Understandable, Figure 4The single-transistor power semiconductor device shown only involves the terminal voltage of a single-stage transistor element, requiring only a detection interface configured through its detection pin 403 to detect the presence of a short-circuit fault. In some embodiments, a technician may select... Figure 3 The fault detection circuit 31 shown connects its detection interface 311 directly to the detection pin 403 of the power semiconductor device of the single transistor to detect whether there is a short circuit fault in the IGBT element housed in the transistor sub-unit 41 of the power semiconductor device of the single transistor. Its detection process and principle are basically the same as those of the prior art, and will not be described in detail here.

[0058] Optionally, in other embodiments, the transistor subunit of the power semiconductor device provided in the first aspect of the present invention may further accommodate a plurality of transistor devices connected in series. Please refer to Figure 5 , Figure 5 A circuit package schematic diagram of a power semiconductor device provided according to some embodiments of the present invention is shown.

[0059] like Figure 5 As shown, in some embodiments of the present invention, the power semiconductor device may include a transistor subunit 51, a detection diode subunit 52, and a pin subunit 53. Two series-connected transistor (e.g., IGBT) elements 511 and 512 housed in the transistor subunit 51 form a single-phase bridge arm circuit (i.e., a half-bridge circuit). IGBT elements 511 and 512 each include a collector, an emitter, and a gate. The collector of IGBT element 511 is connected to a high-voltage bus to serve as the high-voltage power terminal of the IGBT element 511. The emitter of IGBT element 511 is connected to the collector of a lower-level IGBT element 512 to serve as the low-voltage power terminal of the IGBT element 511. The collector of IGBT element 512 is connected to the emitter of a higher-level IGBT element 511 to serve as the high-voltage power terminal of the IGBT element 512. The emitter of IGBT element 512 is grounded to serve as the low-voltage power terminal of the IGBT element 512.

[0060] Furthermore, the collector of IGBT element 511 extends out of the power semiconductor device package to form the high-voltage pin 505 of the power semiconductor device. The emitter of IGBT element 512 extends out of the power semiconductor device package to form the low-voltage pin 504 of the power semiconductor device. The control terminal of IGBT element 511 extends out of the power semiconductor device package through pin subunit 53 to form the high-level control pin 5021 of the power semiconductor device. The control terminal of IGBT element 512 extends out of the power semiconductor device package through pin subunit 53 to form the low-level control pin 5022 of the power semiconductor device. The detection diode subunit 52 houses multiple detection diode units 521, 522. The cathode of detection diode unit 521 is connected to the collector of IGBT element 511 in transistor subunit 51, while its anode extends out of the power semiconductor device package through pin subunit 53 to form the detection pin 5031 of the power semiconductor device. The cathode of the detection diode unit 522 is connected to the collector of the corresponding IGBT element 512 in the transistor subunit 51, while its anode extends out of the package of the power semiconductor device through the pin subunit 53 to form the detection pin 5032 of the power semiconductor device.

[0061] Furthermore, the pin subunit 53 is also connected to the emitters of each IGBT element 511 and 512 in the transistor subunit 51, respectively. These emitters are led out of the power semiconductor device package from the pin subunit 53 to form the potential reference pins 5011 and 5012 of the power semiconductor device. The voltage reference pins 5011 and 5012 can serve as auxiliary emitters of the IGBT elements 511 and 512, respectively. The detection circuit of the power semiconductor device can perform short-circuit detection on the power semiconductor device through the potential reference pins 5011 and 5012, control pins 5021 and 5022, and detection pins 5031 and 5032 of the pin subunit 53.

[0062] As mentioned above, by integrating diodes with appropriate blocking voltage and current capacity into the package of power semiconductor devices, the drive designers of power semiconductor devices only need to configure signal processing circuits to realize short-circuit detection of power semiconductor devices, without having to select and arrange diode devices based on factors such as the withstand voltage, electrical clearance, and creepage distance of the detection diodes. This overcomes the time-consuming and labor-intensive shortcomings of existing technologies.

[0063] Furthermore, by integrating multiple series and / or parallel diode devices into the package of a power semiconductor device, it is beneficial to optimize the spatial arrangement of these multiple diode devices, simplify the device structure of the detection circuit of the power semiconductor device, and reduce its spatial volume, which is in line with the development direction of miniaturization and high power density of power semiconductor device packages.

[0064] Furthermore, since the power semiconductor device package further integrates a detection diode subunit 52, it has a voltage blocking effect on the collector terminals of each IGBT element 511, 512 housed in the transistor subunit 51, thus blocking the potential V on the detection pins 5031, 5032. 5031 and V 5032 It will not rise to the kV level with the potential of the high-voltage pin 505, but will remain at around 5V under normal operating conditions, driven by the detection circuit, not exceeding 100V. Therefore, Figure 5 There will be no potential difference exceeding 100V between the detection pins 5031 and 5032 and the potential reference pins 5011 and 5012, the control pins 5021 and 5022, and the low-voltage pin 504. When designing the package and pin arrangement of power semiconductor devices, it is not necessary to adhere to the existing limitations of kV-level electrical isolation distances and creepage distances. The limitations of the electrical isolation distance and / or creepage distance corresponding to the 6.5kV blocking voltage of a single-stage IGBT element can be overcome, allowing for the use of extremely small pitches of less than 10mm, less than 5mm, or even less than 1mm. This will promote the development of power semiconductor devices towards miniaturized packaging and high power density.

[0065] Correspondingly, this paper also provides a detection circuit for detecting... Figure 5 Check if the shown half-bridge device has a short-circuit fault. Please refer to... Figure 6 , Figure 6 A schematic diagram of a detection circuit provided according to some embodiments of the present invention is shown.

[0066] like Figure 6 As shown, in some embodiments of the present invention, Figure 5 The detection circuit 61 of the half-bridge device shown includes two detection interfaces 611 and 612. Detection interface 611 is directly connected to the detection pin 5031 of the half-bridge device to detect whether there is a short circuit fault in the IGBT element 511 housed in the transistor sub-unit 51 of the half-bridge device. Detection interface 612 is directly connected to the detection pin 5032 of the half-bridge device to detect whether there is a short circuit fault in the IGBT element 512 housed in the transistor sub-unit 51 of the half-bridge device. The detection process and principle of the detection circuit 61 are basically the same as those in the prior art and will not be described in detail here.

[0067] It is important to note that since the detection interfaces 611 and 612 of the detection circuit 61 determine short-circuit faults by connecting to the detection pins 5031 and 5032 of the aforementioned half-bridge device, and since a detection diode subunit 52 is integrated between the detection pins 5031 and 5032 and the collectors of the IGBT elements 511 and 512 housed in the transistor subunit 51, a voltage blocking effect is provided to these collector terminals, the detection interfaces 611 and 612 do not pose a risk of high bus voltage or IGBT turn-off overvoltage. Therefore, power semiconductor device drive designers do not need to configure additional detection diodes for the detection interfaces 611 and 612 of the detection circuit 61. This overcomes the time-consuming and labor-intensive drawbacks of existing technologies and simplifies the device structure of the power semiconductor device detection circuit, reducing its size and conforming to the trend of miniaturization and high power density in detection circuits.

[0068] Furthermore, since the detection diode subunit 52 is further integrated into the package of the power semiconductor device, it has a voltage blocking effect on the collector terminals of each IGBT element 511, 512 housed in the transistor subunit 51, and the potential V on each detection pin 5031, 5032 is thus blocked. 5031 V 5032 It will not rise to the kV level with the potential of the high-voltage pin 505, but will remain at around 5V under normal operating conditions, driven by the detection circuit, not exceeding 100V. Therefore, Figure 6 The distance between the detection interfaces 611 and 612 of the detection circuit 61 and the low-voltage pins 504 and / or control pins 5021 and 5022 of the transistor subunit 21 of the aforementioned half-bridge device can overcome the limitations of the electrical isolation distance and / or creepage distance corresponding to the 6.5kV blocking voltage of a single-stage IGBT element. Extremely small spacing of less than 10mm, less than 5mm, or even less than 1mm can be used to make the drive circuit design layout more compact and to make the entire power electronic device smaller and with higher power density. Furthermore, Figure 6 The distance between the detection interfaces 611 and 612 of the detection circuit 61 can also break through the limitations of the electrical isolation distance and / or creepage distance corresponding to the 6.5kV blocking voltage of a single-stage IGBT element. Extremely small gaps of less than 10mm, less than 5mm, or even less than 1mm can be selected to make the drive circuit design layout more compact and make the entire power electronic device smaller and more power-density.

[0069] Optionally, in other embodiments, the power semiconductor device provided by the present invention may further include a multiphase bridge device having multiple bridge arm circuits, including but not limited to H-bridge devices and three-phase bridge devices. Please refer to Figure 7 , Figure 7 A circuit package schematic diagram of a power semiconductor device provided according to some embodiments of the present invention is shown.

[0070] like Figure 7 As shown, in some embodiments of the present invention, the multiphase bridge device may include multiple transistor subunits 71-73, a detection diode subunit 74, and a pin subunit 75. Each transistor subunit 71-73 contains two series-connected transistor (e.g., IGBT) elements 711-712, 721-722, and 731-732 to form a bridge arm circuit. Each IGBT element 711-712, 721-722, and 731-732 includes a collector, an emitter, and a gate. The collectors of IGBT elements 711, 721, and 731 are connected to a high-voltage bus to serve as the high-voltage power terminals of each IGBT element 711, 721, and 731. The emitters of IGBT elements 711, 721, and 731 are connected to the collectors of the corresponding lower-level IGBT elements 712, 722, and 732 to serve as the low-voltage power terminals of each IGBT element 711, 721, and 731. The collectors of IGBT elements 712, 722, and 732 are connected to the emitters of their respective high-level IGBT elements 711, 721, and 731, serving as the high-voltage power terminals for each IGBT element 712, 722, and 732. The emitters of IGBT elements 712, 722, and 732 are grounded, serving as the low-voltage power terminals for each IGBT element 712, 722, and 732.

[0071] Furthermore, the collectors of IGBT elements 711, 721, and 731 extend from the corresponding transistor sub-units 71-73 into the power semiconductor device package to form multiple high-voltage pins 705, 707, and 709 of the power semiconductor device. The emitters of IGBT elements 712, 722, and 732 extend from the corresponding transistor sub-units 71-73 into the power semiconductor device package to form multiple low-voltage pins 704, 706, and 708 of the power semiconductor device. The control terminals of IGBT elements 711, 721, and 731 in each transistor sub-unit 71-73 are connected internally within the transistor sub-unit 71 and extend from the power semiconductor device package through the pin sub-unit 75 to form the high-level control pin 7021 of the power semiconductor device. The control terminals of IGBT elements 712, 722, and 732 in each transistor subunit 71-73 are connected internally within transistor subunit 71 and extend out of the power semiconductor device package through pin subunit 75 to form the low-level control pin 7022 of the power semiconductor device. The detection diode subunit 74 houses multiple detection diode units 721 and 722. The cathode of detection diode unit 721 is connected to the collector of the corresponding IGBT element 711 in transistor subunit 71, while its anode extends out of the power semiconductor device package through pin subunit 75 to form the detection pin 7031 of the power semiconductor device. The cathode of detection diode unit 722 is connected to the collector of the corresponding IGBT element 712 in transistor subunit 71, while its anode extends out of the power semiconductor device package through pin subunit 75 to form the detection pin 7032 of the power semiconductor device.

[0072] Furthermore, pin subunit 75 is also connected to the emitters of IGBT elements 711, 721, and 731 in each of transistor subunits 71-73, leading these emitters out of the power semiconductor device package from pin subunit 75 to form a high-level potential reference pin 7011 for the power semiconductor device. This voltage reference pin 7011 can serve as an auxiliary emitter for IGBT elements 711, 721, and 731. In addition, pin subunit 75 is also connected to the emitters of IGBT elements 712, 722, and 732 in each of transistor subunits 71-73, leading these emitters out of the power semiconductor device package from pin subunit 75 to form a low-level potential reference pin 7012 for the power semiconductor device. This voltage reference pin 7012 can serve as an auxiliary emitter for IGBT elements 712, 722, and 732. The detection circuit of the power semiconductor device can perform short circuit detection on the power semiconductor device through the potential reference pins 7011 and 7012, control pins 7021 and 7022 and detection pins 7031 and 7032 of the pin subunit 75.

[0073] As mentioned above, by integrating diodes with appropriate blocking voltage and current capacity into the package of power semiconductor devices, the drive designers of power semiconductor devices only need to configure signal processing circuits to realize short-circuit detection of power semiconductor devices, without having to select and arrange diode devices based on factors such as the withstand voltage, electrical clearance, and creepage distance of the detection diodes. This overcomes the time-consuming and labor-intensive shortcomings of existing technologies.

[0074] Furthermore, by integrating multiple series and / or parallel diode devices into the package of a power semiconductor device, it is beneficial to optimize the spatial arrangement of these multiple diode devices, simplify the device structure of the detection circuit of the power semiconductor device, and reduce its spatial volume, which is in line with the development direction of miniaturization and high power density of power semiconductor device packages.

[0075] Furthermore, since the power semiconductor device package further integrates a detection diode subunit 74, it has a voltage blocking effect on the collector terminals of the IGBT elements 711-712, 721-722, and 731-732 housed in each transistor subunit 71-72, thus blocking the potential V on the detection pins 7031 and 7032. 7031 and V 7032 The voltage will not rise to the kV level with the high-voltage pin 709, but will remain around 5V under normal operating conditions driven by the detection circuit, not exceeding 100V. Therefore, Figure 7 There will be no potential difference exceeding 100V between the detection pins 7031 and 7032 and the potential reference pins 701, control pins 7021 and 7022, as well as the low-voltage pins 704, 706, and 708. When designing the package and pin arrangement of power semiconductor devices, it is not necessary to adhere to the existing limitations of kV-level electrical isolation distances and creepage distances. The limitations of the electrical isolation distance and / or creepage distance corresponding to the 6.5kV blocking voltage of a single-stage IGBT element can be overcome, allowing for the use of extremely small pitches of less than 10mm, less than 5mm, or even less than 1mm. This will promote the development of power semiconductor devices towards miniaturized packaging and high power density.

[0076] Understandable, Figure 7 The multiphase bridge device shown involves the terminal voltages of two stages of transistor elements, requiring two detection interfaces to detect short-circuit faults via their detection pins 7031 and 7032. In some embodiments, a technician may select... Figure 6The fault detection circuit 61 shown connects its detection interfaces 611 and 612 to the detection pins 7031 and 7032 of the multiphase bridge device, respectively, to detect whether there is a short circuit fault in each IGBT element 711-712, 721-722, 731-732 contained in each transistor subunit 71-73 of the multiphase bridge device. Its detection process and principle are basically the same as those of the prior art, and will not be described in detail here.

[0077] The prior description of this disclosure is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make or use this disclosure. Various modifications to this disclosure will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be applied to other variations without departing from the spirit or scope of this disclosure. Therefore, this disclosure is not intended to be limited to the examples and designs described herein, but should be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A power semiconductor device, characterized in that, include: At least one transistor element, wherein the transistor element includes a high-voltage power terminal, a low-voltage power terminal, and a control terminal, the high-voltage power terminal extending out of the package of the power semiconductor device to form a high-voltage pin of the power semiconductor device, the low-voltage power terminal extending out of the package of the power semiconductor device to form a low-voltage pin of the power semiconductor device, the low-voltage power terminal further extending out of the package of the power semiconductor device to form a potential reference pin of the power semiconductor device, and the control terminal extending out of the package of the power semiconductor device to form a control pin of the power semiconductor device; and At least one detection diode unit, wherein the cathode of the detection diode unit is connected to the high-voltage power terminal of the at least one transistor element, the anode of the detection diode unit extends out of the package of the power semiconductor device to form a detection pin of the power semiconductor device, the control pin and the detection pin are both located on the side of the low-voltage pin away from the high-voltage pin, and the distance from the detection pin to the potential reference pin is less than the electrical isolation distance and / or creepage distance corresponding to the blocking voltage of the corresponding transistor element.

2. The power semiconductor device as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The distance from the detection pin to the low-voltage pin and / or the control pin is less than the electrical isolation distance and / or creepage distance corresponding to the blocking voltage of the corresponding transistor element.

3. The power semiconductor device as described in any one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that, The detection diode unit includes a plurality of diode elements connected in series, and the sum of the reverse blocking voltages of the plurality of diode elements connected in series is greater than or equal to the blocking voltage of at least one transistor element corresponding to the detection diode unit.

4. The power semiconductor device as described in any one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that, include: A plurality of parallel-connected transistor elements, wherein the high-voltage power terminals of the plurality of parallel-connected transistor elements extend out of the package of the power semiconductor device to form a plurality of high-voltage pins of the power semiconductor device, the low-voltage power terminals of the plurality of parallel-connected transistor elements extend out of the package of the power semiconductor device to form a plurality of low-voltage pins of the power semiconductor device, and the control terminals of the plurality of parallel-connected transistor elements uniformly extend out of the package of the power semiconductor device to form a control pin of the power semiconductor device; as well as A detection diode unit, wherein the cathode of the detection diode unit is connected to the high-voltage power terminal of the first transistor element, and the anode of the detection diode unit extends out of the package of the power semiconductor device to form the detection pin of the power semiconductor device.

5. The power semiconductor device as described in any one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that, include: A plurality of transistor elements connected in series, wherein the high-voltage power terminal of a first transistor element extends out of the package of the power semiconductor device to form a high-voltage pin of the power semiconductor device; the low-voltage power terminal of the first transistor element is connected to the high-voltage power terminal of a second transistor element to form a bridge arm circuit; the low-voltage power terminal of the second transistor element extends out of the package of the power semiconductor device to form a low-voltage pin of the power semiconductor device; and the control terminals of the first transistor element and the second transistor element respectively extend out of the package of the power semiconductor device to form a plurality of control pins of the power semiconductor device; and The plurality of detection diode units, wherein the cathode of the first detection diode unit is connected to the high-voltage power terminal of the first transistor element, the anode of the first detection diode unit extends out of the package of the power semiconductor device to form a first detection pin of the power semiconductor device, the cathode of the second detection diode unit is connected to the high-voltage power terminal of the second transistor element, and the anode of the second detection diode unit extends out of the package of the power semiconductor device to form a second detection pin of the power semiconductor device.

6. The power semiconductor device as described in claim 5, characterized in that, include: The multiple bridge arm circuits include a plurality of such circuits, wherein the high-voltage power terminals of the first transistor elements of each bridge arm circuit extend out of the package of the power semiconductor device to form a plurality of high-voltage pins of the power semiconductor device; the low-voltage power terminals of the second transistor elements of each bridge arm circuit extend out of the package of the power semiconductor device to form a plurality of low-voltage pins of the power semiconductor device; the control terminals of the first transistor elements of each bridge arm circuit uniformly extend out of the package of the power semiconductor device to form a first control pin of the power semiconductor device; and the second transistor elements of each bridge arm circuit uniformly extend out of the package of the power semiconductor device to form a second control pin of the power semiconductor device. The cathode of the first detection diode unit is connected to the high-voltage power terminal of the first transistor element of each of the bridge arm circuits, and the cathode of the second detection diode unit is connected to the high-voltage power terminal of the second transistor element of each of the bridge arm circuits.

7. The power semiconductor device as described in any one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that, The transistor element includes an IGBT, wherein the high-voltage power terminal of the IGBT is its collector, the low-voltage power terminal of the IGBT is its emitter, the control terminal of the IGBT is its gate, and the potential reference pin of the IGBT is its auxiliary emitter, and / or The transistor element includes a MOSFET, wherein the high-voltage power terminal of the MOSFET is its drain, the low-voltage power terminal of the MOSFET is its source, the control terminal of the MOSFET is its gate, and the potential reference pin of the MOSFET is its auxiliary source.

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