Power module

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a power module comprising: a first substrate formed by stacking a plurality of layers in a first axis direction; a semiconductor chip electrically connected to the first substrate; a printed circuit board connected to the semiconductor chip and including at least one step portion having a reduced thickness smaller than a thickness of the surrounding region in the first axis direction; and at least one metal block mounted on the at least one step portion in the first axis direction and electrically connected to the first substrate.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a power module with improved manufacturing convenience and performance. Background Art

[0002] With the increasing concern for the environment, there is an increasing trend of environmentally friendly vehicles equipped with electric motors as a power source. Environmentally friendly vehicles are also called electrified vehicles, including electric vehicles (EV) and hybrid electric vehicles (HEV).

[0003] In an electrified vehicle, an inverter may be equipped to convert a DC power source into an AC power source for motor operation, and the inverter is generally composed of one or more power modules including semiconductor chips that perform a switching function.

[0004] In some examples, such power modules are manufactured through a process of stacking and bonding multiple components, which involves various steps including guiding and fixing the position of each component and finally removing certain parts that may be unnecessary.

[0005] As the manufacturing process becomes more and more complicated, it may increase the production time of the power module or restrict the design flexibility of the power module. Therefore, it is necessary to simplify the manufacturing process of the power module.

[0006] The description of the background art provided above is intended to enhance the understanding of the background of the present disclosure and should not be construed as an admission of the prior art known to those skilled in the art. Summary of the invention

[0007] An object of the present disclosure is to provide a power module having a structure capable of simplifying a manufacturing process and improving performance by molding a printed circuit board and mounting a metal block on the printed circuit board.

[0008] The purpose of the present disclosure is not limited to the above contents, and those skilled in the art can clearly understand other purposes not described herein from the following description.

[0009] According to one aspect of the subject matter described in the present application, a power module includes: a first substrate formed by stacking a plurality of layers along a first axis direction; a semiconductor chip electrically connected to the first substrate; a printed circuit board connected to the semiconductor chip and including at least one step portion having a thickness reduced compared to a surrounding area along the first axis direction; and at least one metal block mounted on the at least one step portion along the first axis direction and electrically connected to the first substrate.

[0010] For example, at least one step portion may have a shape corresponding to a planar shape of at least one metal block.

[0011] For example, at least one step portion and a planar shape of at least one metal block may form a coupling structure that restricts positional change of at least one metal block along a second axis direction intersecting the first axis direction.

[0012] For example, the metal block may have a planar shape along the second axis direction in which one side is wider than the other side, and the step portion may have a shape along the second axis direction in which a central portion of the printed circuit board corresponds to one end of the metal block and an outer portion of the printed circuit board corresponds to the other end of the metal block.

[0013] For example, the step portion may be formed on a side of the printed circuit board facing the first substrate, and the metal block is located between the first substrate and the printed circuit board.

[0014] For example, the first substrate may include at least one step portion having a reduced thickness along the first axis direction compared to a surrounding area.

[0015] For example, the step portion of the printed circuit board may have a shape corresponding to one side of the metal block along the first axis direction, and the step portion of the first substrate may have a shape corresponding to the other side of the metal block along the first axis direction.

[0016] For example, at least one metal block may be positioned to be spaced apart with respect to the semiconductor chip therebetween along a second axis direction intersecting the first axis.

[0017] For example, in some embodiments, the power module may further include a second substrate, which is formed by stacking multiple layers along a first axis direction and is separated from the first substrate, wherein the semiconductor chip is located between the first substrate and the second substrate, and wherein at least one metal block can be connected to at least one of the first substrate and the second substrate.

[0018] For example, the printed circuit board may include at least one step portion on one side and the other side along the first axis direction.

[0019] For example, at least one step portion formed on one side of the printed circuit board and at least one step portion formed on the other side may at least partially overlap in a plan view.

[0020] For example, the printed circuit board may include a through hole that allows a spacer extending in the first axis direction to be inserted between the first substrate and the second substrate and connected to the semiconductor chip.

[0021] For example, the through hole may have an area corresponding to a cross-sectional area of ​​the partition along the first axis direction.

[0022] For example, the first substrate, the semiconductor chip, and the at least one metal block may be stacked along the first axis direction and sequentially combined.

[0023] For example, the metal block may protrude from the printed circuit board in a second axis direction intersecting the first axis direction to be connected with the external terminal.

[0024] As described above, the advantages of the power module in various embodiments of the present disclosure are that the convenience of power module manufacturing is improved by using a structure that allows metal blocks to be mounted on a printed circuit board, which eliminates the process of aligning and fixing the assembly position with a guide fixture and the process of removing certain parts that may be unnecessary after assembly.

[0025] Furthermore, the increased design flexibility achieved through this structure can ensure additional heat dissipation area within the power module, or create a current path with reduced parasitic inductance, thereby improving the performance of the power module.

[0026] Furthermore, this structure allows the separator to be pressed into the printed circuit board, making it possible to expand the range of choices for the material forming the current path and improve the heat dissipation performance.

[0027] The advantages of the present disclosure are not limited to the above contents, and those skilled in the art may clearly understand other advantages not described herein from the following description. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0028] Figure 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a power module.

[0029] Figure 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a printed circuit board.

[0030] Figure 3 is a diagram showing an example of a first substrate and a second substrate.

[0031] Figure 4 : is a diagram showing an example of the shape of a step portion. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0032] The specific structural or functional descriptions of the embodiments of the present disclosure disclosed in this specification or the patent application are illustrative examples intended to describe the embodiments of the present disclosure, which may be implemented in various forms and should not be construed as being limited to the embodiments described in this specification or the application.

[0033] In some embodiments, while introducing a printed circuit board having a structure capable of serving as a guide fixture and a metal block capable of serving as a power lead for electrical connection to the outside, the power module can improve the convenience of power module manufacturing while improving the performance of the power module.

[0034] In the following, refer to Figures 1 to 4 A power module according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure is described.

[0035] Figure 1 is a diagram showing a power module of the present disclosure, Figure 2 is a diagram showing a printed circuit board of the present disclosure, Figure 3 is a diagram showing a first substrate and a second substrate of the present disclosure, Figure 4 2 is a diagram showing the shape of a step portion of the present disclosure.

[0036] Reference Figures 1 to 4 , the power module of the present disclosure may include a first substrate 110, a second substrate 120, a semiconductor chip 130, a printed circuit board 140, a separator 150 and a metal block 160. However, it should be noted that Figures 1 to 4 Components important to the description of the embodiments of the present disclosure are primarily shown, and an actual power module may be implemented using more or fewer components.

[0037] In some embodiments, the first substrate 110 may be formed by stacking a plurality of layers 111 , 112 , and 113 along a first axis direction, and the second substrate 120 may be formed by stacking a plurality of layers 121 , 122 , and 123 along the first axis direction.

[0038] In some embodiments, the power module may be implemented in a structure having only the first substrate 110 or in a structure having both the first substrate 110 and the second substrate 120, and the embodiment having only the structure having the first substrate 110 may be referred to as a single-side cooling method, while the embodiment having both the structure having the first substrate 110 and the second substrate 120 may be referred to as a double-side cooling method. In these two methods, Figure 1 An embodiment of a power module using a double-side cooling method is shown.

[0039] The multiple layers 111, 112, 113, 121, 122, and 123 constituting the first substrate 110 and the second substrate 120 may include insulating layers 111 and 121 and metal layers 112, 113, 122, and 123, and the metal layers 112 and 113 of the first substrate 110 and the metal layers 122 and 123 of the second substrate 120 may be respectively disposed on both sides of the insulating layers 111 and 121. Although in the above and below descriptions, the first substrate 110 and the second substrate 120 are distinguished for the convenience of explanation, the first substrate 110 and the second substrate 120 are not limited in position or connection relationship, and in particular, in the following description, the description of the first substrate 110 is also applicable to the second substrate 120.

[0040] The semiconductor chip 130 is at least electrically connected to the first substrate 110. Figure 1In the case where both the first substrate 110 and the second substrate 120 are provided as shown, the semiconductor chip 130 may be electrically connected to both the first substrate 110 and the second substrate 120 .

[0041] Reference Figure 2 The printed circuit board 140 is connected to the semiconductor chip 130 and may have at least one step portion S having a reduced thickness compared to a surrounding area along the first axis direction.

[0042] The metal block 160 may be provided as at least one or more and may be mounted on at least one step portion S along the first axis direction. In addition, the metal block 160 protrudes from the printed circuit board 140 along a second axis direction intersecting the first axis direction, thereby allowing connection with an external terminal to form a current path.

[0043] In this case, at least one step portion S may have a shape corresponding to a planar shape of at least one metal block 160. That is, each step portion S may be formed to correspond to a planar shape of the metal block 160 to be mounted thereon.

[0044] By adopting such shapes of the step portion S and the metal block 160 , during the manufacturing process, the step portion S of the printed circuit board 140 can replace the role of the guide jig, thereby positioning the metal block 160 at a desired assembly position without a separate guide jig.

[0045] In particular, the planar shape of the step portion S and the metal block 160 can form a joint structure that limits the position change of the metal block 160 along the second axis direction (i.e., the left-right direction in the figure) that intersects the first axis direction. Therefore, the metal block 160 can be maintained in a desired assembly position during the manufacturing process without deviating from the allowable range of the position guided by the step portion S.

[0046] In more detail, referring to the specific shape of the step portion S Figure 4 The metal block 160 may have a planar shape with one side wider than the other side along the second axis direction, and the step portion S is formed in the following manner to form the above-mentioned joining structure: the central portion of the printed circuit board 140 corresponds to one end of the metal block 160 along the second axis direction, and the outer portion of the printed circuit board 140 corresponds to the other end of the metal block 160.

[0047] In some examples, at least one step portion S may be formed on a side of the printed circuit board 140 facing the first substrate 110, and at least one metal block 160 may be disposed between the first substrate 110 and the printed circuit board 140. This structure may allow the metal block 160 to be connected to the first substrate 110 to form a current path, while limiting the position change of the metal block 160 along the first axis direction through the first substrate 110 and the printed circuit board 140.

[0048] In this case, the metal block 160 is effectively fixed by the first substrate 110 and the printed circuit board 140 along the first axis direction and by the step portion S of the printed circuit board 140 along the second axis direction, so that the metal block 160 is maintained in a desired assembly position during the manufacturing process.

[0049] Reference Figure 3 In addition to the printed circuit board 140, the first substrate 110 may also have a step portion S having a thickness reduced along the first axial direction compared to the surrounding area in the plane. In this case, the first substrate 110 may also limit the position change of the metal block 160 along the second axial direction by the step portion S formed on the first substrate 110.

[0050] In particular, when both the first substrate 110 and the printed circuit board 140 are provided with a step portion S, the step portion S on the printed circuit board 140 corresponds to the shape of one side of the metal block 160 along the first axis direction, and the step portion S on the first substrate 110 can correspond to the shape of the other side of the metal block 160.

[0051] In some examples, at least one metal block 160 may be positioned to be spaced apart from the semiconductor chip 130 along a second axis direction intersecting the first axis direction. Figure 1 , the metal block 160 may be positioned to be spaced left and right from the semiconductor chip 130. The arrangement of the metal block 160 is not limited to any particular configuration but may be changed in various ways, and in particular may be determined to properly set a current path.

[0052] like Figure 1 As shown, in addition to the first substrate 110 focused on in the above description, the power module of the present disclosure may also include a second substrate 120, which is formed by stacking multiple layers along the first axis direction and is positioned apart from the first substrate 110, and a semiconductor chip 130 is arranged between the first substrate 110 and the second substrate 120.

[0053] In this case, at least one metal block 160 may be electrically connected to both the first substrate 110 and the second substrate 120 , and each metal block 160 may be connected to the first substrate 110 or the second substrate 120 .

[0054] For example, Figure 1 As shown, four metal blocks 160 can be respectively arranged at the upper left, lower left, upper right and lower right of the printed circuit board 140, the metal blocks 160 arranged at the upper left and upper right are connected to the bottom surface of the second substrate 120, and the metal blocks 160 arranged at the lower left and lower right are connected to the top surface of the first substrate 110.

[0055] In this case, the printed circuit board 140 may form a step portion S in at least some portions of each of one side and the other side in the first axis direction, thereby guiding and restricting position variation of the up-and-down positioned metal block 160 .

[0056] In particular, the step portion S formed on one side of the printed circuit board 140 and the step portion S formed on the other side may at least partially overlap in a plan view, thereby allowing the metal blocks 160 placed on each side of the printed circuit board 140 to also overlap in a plan view.

[0057] When the metal blocks 160 overlap in a plan view, ie, when the metal blocks 160 are arranged vertically rather than horizontally spaced apart, the current path may be shortened, which increases the current superposition effect, thereby improving the electrical performance of the power module, such as reducing parasitic inductance.

[0058] In addition, Figure 1 Different from what is shown, the two metal blocks 160 can be arranged at the top or bottom of the left side or right side of the printed circuit board 140, and the metal blocks 160 can also be arranged at both the top and the bottom of the printed circuit board 140, thereby improving the design flexibility of the patterns for forming the current path on the first substrate 110 and the second substrate 120.

[0059] In some examples, reference Figures 1 to 4 The printed circuit board 140 may have a through hole P that allows the spacer 150 extending in the first axis direction to be inserted between the first substrate 110 and the second substrate 120 and connected to the semiconductor chip 130. The number and formation position of the through hole P may be determined according to the arrangement of the spacer 150.

[0060] In addition, the through hole P may have an area along the first axis direction corresponding to the cross-sectional area of ​​the separator 150. For example, the area of ​​the through hole P may be equal to or slightly smaller than the cross-sectional area of ​​the separator 150, so that the inserted separator 150 may be pressed into the through hole P, thereby fixing the printed circuit board 140 and the separator 150 together.

[0061] In some examples, the first substrate 110, the semiconductor chip 130, and the at least one metal block 160 may be stacked along the first axis direction and then sequentially bonded, or may be bonded after the second substrate 120 is added to the stack. That is, in a structure in which the metal block 160 is fixed in place on the first substrate 110, the second substrate 120, and the printed circuit board 140, each component may maintain its correct assembly position until the stacking is completed without bonding each time the components are stacked, so that the power module may be manufactured by performing only one bonding process on the entire assembly after the final stacking.

[0062] As described above, the advantages of the power module in various embodiments of the present disclosure are that the convenience of power module manufacturing is improved by utilizing a structure that allows metal blocks to be mounted on a printed circuit board, which eliminates the process of aligning and fixing the assembly position with a guide fixture and the process of removing certain parts that may be unnecessary after assembly.

[0063] Furthermore, the increased design flexibility achieved through this structure can ensure additional heat dissipation area within the power module, or create a current path with reduced parasitic inductance, thereby improving the performance of the power module.

[0064] In addition, the structure allows the separator to be pressed into the printed circuit board, thereby expanding the range of choices for materials forming the current path and improving heat dissipation performance.

[0065] While the present disclosure has been shown and described in connection with the specific embodiments, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made without departing from the scope of the disclosure as defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A power module, comprising: a first substrate, the first substrate comprising a plurality of layers stacked along a first axis direction; a semiconductor chip electrically connected to the first substrate; a printed circuit board connected to the semiconductor chip, the printed circuit board including at least one step portion that is recessed in the first axis direction and has a reduced thickness in the first axis direction that is smaller than a thickness of a region of the printed circuit board surrounding the at least one step portion; as well as At least one metal block is disposed at the at least one step portion and is electrically connected to the first substrate.

2. The power module according to claim 1, wherein: The at least one metal block has a planar shape facing the at least one step portion along the first axis direction, and The at least one step portion has a shape corresponding to a planar shape of the at least one metal block.

3. The power module according to claim 2, wherein: The shape of the at least one step portion and the planar shape of the at least one metal block define a joint structure configured to restrict positional change of the at least one metal block along a second axis direction intersecting the first axis direction.

4. The power module according to claim 3, wherein: The at least one metal block has a first side and a second side spaced apart from each other along the second axis direction, the first side is wider than the second side along the second axis direction, and The at least one step portion has: a first area disposed at a central portion of the printed circuit board and corresponding to one end of the first side of the at least one metal block, and A second region is disposed at an outer portion of the printed circuit board and corresponds to one end of the second side of the at least one metal block.

5. The power module according to claim 1, wherein: The at least one step portion is defined on a side of the printed circuit board facing the first substrate, and The at least one metal block is positioned between the first substrate and the printed circuit board.

6. The power module according to claim 5, wherein: The first substrate includes at least one substrate step portion along the first axis direction, the at least one substrate step portion is recessed away from the printed circuit board, and the at least one substrate step portion has a reduced thickness along the first axis direction that is smaller than the thickness of an area of ​​the first substrate surrounding the at least one substrate step portion.

7. The power module according to claim 6, wherein: The at least one metal block has a first side and a second side spaced apart from each other along the first axis direction, The step portion of the printed circuit board has a shape corresponding to the shape of the first side of the at least one metal block, and The step portion of the first substrate has a shape corresponding to a shape of the second side of the at least one metal block.

8. The power module according to claim 1, wherein: The at least one metal block includes a plurality of metal blocks, the plurality of metal blocks are spaced apart from each other along a second axis direction intersecting the first axis direction, and The semiconductor chip is disposed between the plurality of metal blocks along the second axis direction.

9. The power module according to claim 1, further comprising: a second substrate spaced apart from the first substrate along the first axis direction, the second substrate comprising a plurality of layers stacked along the first axis direction, The semiconductor chip is disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate, and The at least one metal block is connected to at least one of the first substrate and the second substrate.

10. The power module according to claim 9, wherein: The printed circuit board has a first side and a second side opposite to the first side along the first axis direction. The at least one step portion of the printed circuit board includes: (i) a first step portion defined on the first side of the printed circuit board; and (ii) a second step portion defined on the second side of the printed circuit board.

11. The power module according to claim 10, wherein: The first step portion and the second step portion at least partially overlap each other along the first axis direction.

12. The power module according to claim 9, further comprising: a separator extending along the first axis and arranged inside the printed circuit board, The printed circuit board defines a through hole between the first substrate and the second substrate for accommodating the spacer, and the spacer is connected to the semiconductor chip.

13. The power module according to claim 12, wherein: An area of ​​the through hole along the first axis direction corresponds to a cross-sectional area of ​​the partition.

14. The power module according to claim 1, wherein: The first substrate, the semiconductor chip, and the at least one metal block are stacked along the first axis direction and coupled to each other.

15. The power module according to claim 1, wherein: The at least one metal block protrudes from the printed circuit board in a second axis direction intersecting the first axis direction, and is configured to be connected to an external terminal.

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