Electronic component

Abstract

The invention relates to an electronic assembly (2) having at least one electronic component (4) and at least one printed circuit board (8), the component (4) and the printed circuit board (8) extending horizontally relative to one another in different planes (E1, E2,..., En) in the assembly (2), and contacts (10) of the electronic component (4) extending vertically in the assembly. The invention is characterized in that-the glass plate (12) is introduced into the assembly in a horizontal mounting position,-the glass plate has a horizontal recess (14) through which at least one part of the contact is guided,-the optical waveguide (16) is formed in the glass plate, and-the glass plate has two optical connection points (32, 34) for the waveguide, by means of which the optical waveguide (16) is connected to the glass plate (12). The polarized laser light (20) can be coupled into and out of the waveguide (16), and-a glass plate having a recess is arranged between the carrier plate (6) and the component (4).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to an electronic component according to the present invention. Background Technology

[0002] In electronic components, particularly in power electronic devices—that is, components installed within power electronic modules—it is desirable to measure the current flowing through them at the chip level for targeted control of the component or module. To date, current has been measured, for example, through external components or modules using so-called shunt resistors or Hall effect converters. The possibility of measuring the current on individual components within a module or assembly is not yet known. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide an electronic component and a power electronic module that enables the measurement of current flowing through the component at a location immediately adjacent to the chip, i.e. the component.

[0004] The solution to the above-mentioned technical problem lies in an electronic component having the features of the present invention.

[0005] The described electronic assembly here has at least one electronic component and at least one circuit board, wherein the component and the circuit board extend horizontally relative to each other in different planes within the assembly. Furthermore, contacts for the electronic component are provided, extending vertically within the assembly. The invention is characterized in that a glass plate is introduced into the assembly in a horizontally mounted manner, the glass plate having a horizontal groove through which at least a portion of the contacts is guided. Furthermore, an optical waveguide is constructed into the glass plate, wherein the glass plate has optical connector positions for the optical waveguide, by means of which polarized laser light can be coupled into and out of the waveguide, wherein the grooved glass plate is arranged between a support plate for the component and the component itself. Preferably, a contact plane is introduced between the support plate and the component, which also occupy a plane within the assembly, and this contact plane can extend vertically to such an extent that the groove of the glass plate is filled with the contacts.

[0006] This invention enables a contact extending vertically through a groove in a glass plate to induce a magnetic field around the contact when current flows through it, i.e., when current flows through the component itself. This causes a laser beam, polarized using the optical Faraday effect and operating through a waveguide integrated into the glass plate, to deflect in its polarization. The strength of the electrical contact extending through the groove in the glass plate within the assembly can be inferred by measuring, for example, the change in laser polarization using an optical detector. Because the glass plate can be designed to be very small and very thin, typically between 200 µm and 1 mm thick, it can be integrated into a plane of the assembly without significant technical overhead, allowing it to be directly positioned between a (typically ceramic) support plate and the component, with only a slight increase in the structural space of the assembly.

[0007] Therefore, measurements of current flow in individual components, such as transistors and / or diodes, can be performed near the chip, i.e., near the element, within the component, particularly within a power electronic assembly in which power electronic components, such as power transistors or diodes, are mounted. Furthermore, the component can be part of a larger electronic system, such as a power electronic system like an inverter.

[0008] Here, the component is preferably designed such that it has at least two current-guiding contacts. In the case of a diode, there are typically two current-guiding contacts, while in the case of a transistor, there are at least three current-guiding contacts. Preferably, at least one of the current-guiding contacts extends through a groove in the glass plate. Preferably, this could be a so-called drain contact in the case of a transistor, particularly in the case of a field-effect transistor, because a higher voltage is applied here.

[0009] Another advantageous embodiment of the invention is that the contacts are designed at least partially in the form of pins arranged on the component and guided vertically through the circuit board. These vertically designed pins are particularly well-suited for being guided through grooves in the glass plate.

[0010] In another embodiment of the invention, a laser diode is provided for coupling polarized laser light into the waveguide. This laser diode can, in principle, also be positioned very close to the component itself or even as part of the component; however, it can also supply light to multiple components, and thus to waveguides in different glass plates. For example, a laser diode can be provided for a larger power electronic module, where the laser light is distributed in the introduced (outside the component) waveguide and distributed to each component and the glass plate disposed thereon.

[0011] Also suitable is the inclusion of a polarizer and a photodiode for measuring the intensity of the laser output from the waveguide coupling. As already mentioned, the magnetic field induced by the current-carrying contacts alters the polarization of the laser introduced into the waveguide via the laser diode. The degree of polarization change in the coupled-input laser can be measured by the photodiode, thus inferring the current flow. In principle, the photodiode is particularly well-suited for this purpose.

[0012] The glass plate and the waveguide extending therein are preferably designed such that the waveguide travels the longest possible path within the glass plate to allow for the most accurate measurement of the Faraday effect induced by the current. Here, it is preferable that the waveguide is guided within the glass plate to circle a groove at least once. This can also be done more times to further extend the path. Vertical turning in multiple planes of the glass plate is also suitable for extending the path of the waveguide within the glass plate. Suitable techniques exist for constructing the waveguide also in deeper planes of the glass plate.

[0013] Furthermore, it is preferable to have an external waveguide positioned at the junction. This waveguide serves to connect the glass plate to laser diodes and / or photodetectors, which may be located at a considerable distance.

[0014] Therefore, it is particularly suitable that the external waveguide partially extends into the pin provided for this purpose. This allows the external waveguide to be well guided from the glass plate to extend further into the circuit board. It is also particularly suitable that the external waveguide is integrated into the pin in the form of a glass body. In this case, it is equally advantageous that the pin extends through the circuit board, and the waveguide extends through or within the circuit board. Attached Figure Description

[0015] Other embodiments and features of the invention will be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. These embodiments are purely illustrative and are not intended to limit the scope of protection. Herein, features having the same reference numerals in the various drawings and different embodiments are given the same reference numerals.

[0016] Here, in the attached diagram:

[0017] Figure 1 A cross-sectional view of an electronic component in the form of a power electronic component with a thin glass plate in which waveguides are constructed;

[0018] Figure 2a A top view of a glass plate, i.e. a thin glass plate, with grooves and a constructed waveguide is shown;

[0019] Figure 2b The cross-sectional view shows the results according to Figure 2a glass plate;

[0020] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the electrical Faraday effect used when measuring current in electronic components is shown;

[0021] Figure 4 It shows the relationship with Figure 1 Similar components have guidance via an external waveguide replaced by pins; and

[0022] Figure 5 It shows according to Figure 4 A magnified diagram of the possible pins. Detailed Implementation

[0023] exist Figure 1 The diagram schematically shows a cross-sectional view of component 2 for a power electronic module. Here, a common structure for such a component includes a member 4, which is typically fixed to the ceramic support plate 6 by means of a metallization layer 36 and a weld connection 38 located between the member 4 and the ceramic support plate 6. The metallization layer 36 and the weld connection 38 also serve as contacts. Furthermore, a circuit board 8 is provided, which, according to… Figure 1 In this example, the design is in the form of an intermediate layer, where the intermediate layer is a rewired circuit board. Contacts in component 4 to circuit board 8 are implemented via pins 40, through-hole contacts 40 and / or pins 40 passing through circuit board 8 and soldered thereon or otherwise fixed thereto. In this case, component 4 is transistor 22, which is designed as a power electronic component, for example, for a rectifier. Here, Figure 1 The transistor 22, which serves as component 4, typically has at least three contacts. In a field-effect transistor, these include the source contact 24, the drain contact 26, and the gate contact 28. In a bipolar transistor, the contacts are correspondingly referred to as the emitter, collector, and base. For the field-effect transistor being observed here, such as a MOSFET, the gate contact 28 is used to apply a control voltage, which causes the transistor 22 to continuously switch between the drain contact 26 and the source contact 24, thus allowing current to flow between these two contacts. In the case of a power transistor, a higher voltage is present on the drain contact 26 side, typically between 750 V and 1500 V. In contrast, a lower voltage, between 600 V and 700 V, is typically present at the source contact 24. The voltage chosen here is based on… Figure 1 In this structural configuration, the drain contact 26 is designed such that it is guided from the circuit board 8 toward the ceramic carrier plate 6 through the existing pin 40, where it is guided through the metallization layer 36 (typically copper) to the so-called upper side of the transistor 22. This is also commonly used in power electronic devices... Figure 1 In the design scheme, transistor 22 is contacted from both the top and bottom sides. For example, in... Figure 1 As can be seen, the source contact 24 is also implemented to the underside of transistor 22 via pin 40. The gate contact 28 is also implemented starting from the underside of transistor 22.

[0024] In this regard, the preceding paragraphs described common component 2 for power modules. According to Figure 1 The illustration differs from conventional components according to the prior art in that, here, a glass plate 12 is horizontally introduced in another plane E2, which extends horizontally with the intermediate layer 8 of component 4 and the ceramic support plate 6. According to... Figure 1 In the design scheme, the glass plate 12 is arranged between the supporting plate 6 and the component 4. According to Figure 1 The illustration is a distorted representation not drawn to scale. The glass plate 12 typically has a thickness of 200 µm, making it thinner than a conventional circuit board and also thinner than the carrier element 6 or component 4. However, the glass plate 12 can have a thickness between 200 µm and 800 µm. A distinctive feature of the glass plate 12 is that it has a groove 14 through which at least a portion of the drain contact 26 is vertically guided. Another distinctive feature of the glass plate 12 is that a waveguide 16, serving as an optical waveguide, is constructed within it. This waveguide 16, in turn, has two junction locations for coupling the input laser 20 (see [reference needed]). Figure 2a , Figure 2b and Figure 3 The optical connector position 32 is used for coupling the output laser 20, and another optical connector position 34 is used for coupling the output laser 20. In addition, two other elements are provided, one being a laser diode 18, which is adapted to couple the monochromatic and polarized laser 20 (see [reference]) through the connector position 32. Figure 3 The laser 20 is coupled into waveguide 16. Here, the laser 20 passes through waveguide 16 until it is coupled out at junction position 34 and detected by a photodiode, which acts as a photodetector 44, via a similarly configured polarizer 42. An external waveguide 46 can be provided for coupling the laser diode 18 and the photodetector 44.

[0025] exist Figure 2a A top view of the glass plate 12 is given, schematically showing the orientation of the waveguide 16. Here, the waveguide 16 is introduced into the glass plate 12 in such a way that it extends around the groove 14 from the junction position 32 and exits the glass plate 12 at the junction position 34 for coupling the output laser. Furthermore, in accordance with... Figure 2a The cross-sectional view shown in the figure Figure 2bAs can be seen, waveguide 16 extends in multiple planes within glass plate 12, and here it meanders until it reaches junction position 34 for coupling the output laser. It is preferable that waveguide 16 travels through glass plate 12 along the longest possible path to produce the optical effects described below as strongly as possible.

[0026] It should be noted that optical waveguide 16, according to existing technology, can be introduced into a thin glass plate together with glass plate 12 using different technical methods. On the one hand, the optical properties of the glass plate can be selectively and locally altered using wet chemical methods to achieve the properties of waveguide 16. On the other hand, the material properties of the glass plate 12 can also be altered at its depth using laser methods to make it equivalent to waveguide 16.

[0027] exist Figure 3 The optical effect upon which the described glass plate 12, including the laser diode and photodetector 44, is based is described. This is the so-called optical Faraday effect, where, in these examples, monochromatic and polarized laser light is introduced into the waveguide 16 by means of the laser diode 18. If a magnetic field 48 is applied outside the waveguide 16, then according to... Figure 3 The polarization plane of laser 20 will be rotated by an angle β, such that laser 20' emitted from waveguide 16 has a different polarization than laser 20 coupled into waveguide 16. Laser 20' is guided through polarizer 42 and its intensity is detected by photodetector 44. The intensity of the applied magnetic field 48 can be inferred based on the intensity loss between the introduced laser 20 and the derived laser 20' induced specifically by polarizer 42. These dependencies can be determined empirically and mathematically. Furthermore, the current flowing through contacts 24, 26, and / or 28 can be inferred from magnetic field 48. Because, according to Maxwell's law, a conductor carrying current also induces a magnetic field, and this magnetic field, i.e., magnetic field 48, acts on waveguide 16 and the laser 20 guided therein, there is a causal relationship between the current flowing through contacts 24, 26, and / or 28 and the measured intensity determined by detector 44. Therefore, the current intensity flowing through the component 4, such as the transistor 22, at the corresponding contacts 24, 26, and / or 28 can be inferred using detector 44. Figure 1 In this case, the drain contact 26 was determined, and thus the drain current between the ceramic carrier plate 6 and the component 4 was determined.

[0028] It should be noted that, in principle, both the laser diode 18 and the detector 44 can be fixed to or integrated into the assembly. However, in most cases, it is preferable to deliver the laser 20 to the junction positions 32 and 34 of the glass plate 12 via the waveguide 46 outside the assembly, so that these components 18 and 44 can be arranged in a distributed manner with respect to component 4, which saves structural space.

[0029] exist Figure 4 and Figure 5 The diagram illustrates an alternative guide for the external waveguide 46, which originates from the glass plate 12 and whose optical junction locations 32 and 34 are guided within optical pins 50 specifically designed for this purpose. Within these optical pins 50, the external conductor 46 can further extend within a glass body 52, which is integrated into the pin 50, as shown, for example, in… Figure 5 As shown in the diagram. This structure has the particular advantage that the external waveguide can be reliably guided vertically in the assembly, especially mechanically, and after a horizontal turn, such as a prismatic turn, it extends further in or on one of the possible circuit boards 8, and is guided therethrough to the laser diode 18 and / or the photodetector 44.

[0030] One or more pins 50 are implemented such that they can be manufactured using common manufacturing processes, such as wave soldering or reflow soldering, sintering, and / or press-fitting. Therefore, no special processes are required for this. Furthermore, optical surfaces (e.g., connector locations 32, 34) can be externally sealed using suitable structural and connection techniques, and protected from contamination.

[0031] Another advantage is obtained in the following form:

[0032] • Waveguides 16 and 46 and the signals transmitted therethrough are coupled in a technically simpler manner between different circuit carrier planes.

[0033] • There exists a completely electrically isolated, fully current-isolated coupling.

[0034] • This allows the use of common structural techniques (such as common welding and sintering processes) without additional overhead.

[0035] • It ensures protection against external sources of pollution.

[0036] List of reference numerals

[0037] 2 components

[0038] 4 components

[0039] 6 bearing plates

[0040] 8 circuit boards

[0041] E plane

[0042] 10 contacts

[0043] 12 glass plates

[0044] 14 grooves

[0045] 16 waveguides

[0046] 18 laser diodes

[0047] 20 lasers

[0048] 22 transistors

[0049] 24 source contacts

[0050] 26 Drain Contact

[0051] 28 gate contacts

[0052] 30 intermediate layers Rewired circuit board

[0053] 32 Optical Connector Position – Coupling Input

[0054] 34 Optical connector position – coupling output

[0055] 36 metallization layers

[0056] 38 Welded Connection

[0057] 40 pins

[0058] 42 polarizer

[0059] 44 photodetectors

[0060] 46 External Waveguide

[0061] 48 magnetic fields

[0062] 50 external conductor pins

[0063] 52 Vitreous body

Claims

1. An electronic component (2) having at least one electronic element (4) and at least one circuit board (8), wherein, The component (4) and the circuit board (8) extend horizontally relative to each other in different planes (E1, E2, ..., En) within the assembly (2), wherein the contact (10) of the electronic component (4) extends vertically within the assembly (2), characterized in that, - The glass plate (12) is introduced into the component (2) in a horizontal mounting position. - The glass plate (12) has a horizontal groove (14), and at least a portion of the contact element (10) is guided through the groove (14), wherein, - An optical waveguide (16) is constructed into the glass plate (12), and - The glass plate has two optical connector positions (32, 34) for the waveguide (16), by means of which polarized laser (20) can be coupled into and out of the waveguide (16), and - A glass plate (12) with a groove (14) is arranged between the support plate (6) and the component (4).

2. The component according to claim 1, characterized in that, The component (4) is a power electronic component (4), and the assembly (2) is a power electronic device assembly (2).

3. The component according to claim 2, characterized in that, The component (2) is a transistor (22) or a diode.

4. The component according to claim 3, characterized in that, The component has at least two current-conducting contacts (24, 26).

5. The component according to claim 4, characterized in that, At least one of the current-guiding contacts (24, 26) extends through the groove (14) of the glass plate (12).

6. The component according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The contacts (24, 26, 28) are designed at least in part as pins (40) and are guided vertically through the circuit board (8, 8').

7. The component according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, A laser diode (18) is provided, which is used to couple polarized laser light into the waveguide (16).

8. The component according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, A polarizer (42) and a photodiode (44) are provided, the photodiode (44) being used to measure the intensity of the laser (20') coupled out from the waveguide (16).

9. The component according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The waveguide (16) extends at least around the groove (14) within the glass plate (12).

10. The component according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The waveguide (16) is vertically oriented within the glass plate (12) and extends in multiple planes of the glass plate (12).

11. The component according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, An external waveguide (46) is installed starting from the connector position (32, 34).

12. The component according to claim 11, characterized in that, The external waveguide (46) extends in part within the pin (50) provided for this purpose.

13. The component according to claim 12, characterized in that, The external waveguide (46) is integrated into the pin (50) in the form of a glass body (52).

14. The component according to any one of claims 11 to 13, characterized in that, The external waveguide (46) extends at least partially in or on the circuit board (8, 8').

15. The component according to claim 14, characterized in that, The pin (50) extends through the circuit board (8, 8'), and the waveguide (46) extends through the circuit board (8, 8') or on the circuit board (8, 8').

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