Power module and electrical system

Abstract

The utility model relates to a power module and an electrical system. There is provided a power module including: an internal cooling device formed of an insulating material; a first metal layer disposed on a top surface of the internal cooling device; the first chip is attached to the first metal layer, and the first chip is electrically coupled through the first metal layer and at least one of a first conducting strip and a first conducting wire, and the first conducting strip and the first conducting wire are attached to the first chip and the first metal layer; a second metal layer disposed on a bottom surface of the internal cooling device; and a second chip attached to the second metal layer, the second chip being electrically coupled through the second metal layer and at least one of a second conductive sheet and a second conductive wire attached to the second chip and the second metal layer.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the semiconductor field, and more specifically to power modules, methods of manufacturing the same, and electrical systems. Background Technology

[0002] Traditional power modules typically employ an internal cooling system (also known as an internal heat sink) made of a thermally conductive metal material, with the chip usually located only on one side of this system. The chip is attached to a copper-clad ceramic substrate, which in turn is attached to the internal cooling system, thus achieving indirect cooling of the chip. However, such power modules have many drawbacks, including low integration density, complex electrical coupling mechanisms, poor heat dissipation, complex manufacturing processes, and high difficulty in electrical isolation.

[0003] Therefore, there is a need for improved power modules and their manufacturing methods. Summary of the Invention

[0004] One of the purposes of this disclosure is to provide improved power modules, methods for manufacturing the same, and improved electrical systems.

[0005] According to one aspect of this disclosure, a power module is provided, comprising one or more power module units, each power module unit comprising: an internal cooling device formed of an insulating material; a first metal layer disposed on a top surface of the internal cooling device; a first chip attached to the first metal layer, the first chip being electrically coupled through the first metal layer and at least one of a first conductive sheet and a first conductive line attached to the first chip and the first metal layer; a second metal layer disposed on a bottom surface of the internal cooling device; and a second chip attached to the second metal layer, the second chip being electrically coupled through the second metal layer and at least one of a second conductive sheet and a second conductive line attached to the second chip and the second metal layer.

[0006] According to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure, each power module unit further includes: a first conductive post attached to the first metal layer to serve as a first signal lead of the first chip; and a second conductive post attached to the second metal layer to serve as a second signal lead of the second chip.

[0007] According to one or more embodiments of this disclosure, the power module further includes: a molded housing formed integrally for encapsulating the one or more power module units, wherein one end of the first conductive post protrudes from the top surface of the molded housing to serve as a first signal lead contact of the first chip; and wherein one end of the second conductive post protrudes from the bottom surface of the molded housing to serve as a second signal lead contact of the second chip.

[0008] According to one or more embodiments of this disclosure, the power module includes a plurality of power module units arranged in an array; and wherein only a portion of a molded housing is disposed between adjacent power module units.

[0009] According to one or more embodiments of this disclosure, the power module further includes a molded housing integrally formed for encapsulating the one or more power module units. Each power module unit further includes: a first lead attached to an edge of the first metal layer and extending beyond the first metal layer to serve as a first power lead of the first chip; and a second lead attached to an edge of the second metal layer and extending beyond the second metal layer to serve as a second power lead of the second chip, wherein a portion of the first lead is exposed from a peripheral portion of the molded housing to serve as a first power lead contact of the first chip; and wherein a portion of the second lead is exposed from a peripheral portion of the molded housing to serve as a second power lead contact of the second chip.

[0010] According to one or more embodiments of this disclosure, the power module further includes a molded housing integrally formed for encapsulating the one or more power module units. A first portion at the edge of the first metal layer serves as a first power lead of the first chip, and a portion of the first portion protrudes from the periphery of the molded housing to serve as a first power lead contact of the first chip; and wherein a second portion at the edge of the second metal layer serves as a second power lead of the second chip, and a portion of the second portion protrudes from the periphery of the molded housing to serve as a second power lead contact of the second chip.

[0011] According to one or more embodiments of this disclosure, the internal cooling device includes: a top insulating member integrally formed, including a top cover; a bottom insulating member integrally formed, including a housing consisting of a bottom cover and a plurality of sidewalls surrounding the bottom cover, wherein the top insulating member and the bottom insulating member are assembled together with the inner surfaces of the top cover and the bottom cover facing each other to form a cavity capable of containing coolant; and coolant contained in the cavity.

[0012] According to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure, the internal cooling device further includes one or all of the following: at least one first heat-conducting element disposed on the inner surface of the top cover and extending in a direction perpendicular to the inner surface of the top cover; and at least one second heat-conducting element disposed on the inner surface of the bottom cover and extending in a direction perpendicular to the inner surface of the bottom cover.

[0013] According to one or more embodiments of this disclosure, wherein: the at least one first heat-conducting element and the at least one second heat-conducting element are arranged alternately, such that the heat-conducting elements are spaced apart from each other by a certain distance in the cavity.

[0014] According to one or more embodiments of this disclosure, wherein: the plurality of sidewalls of the bottom insulator have sealing edges formed at the locations where they contact the top cover of the top insulator, the sealing edges being able to fit tightly with the edge of the top cover to achieve a seal of the cavity.

[0015] According to one or more embodiments of this disclosure, the internal cooling device further includes: a liquid inlet formed in the top cover and the first metal layer of the top insulating member, wherein coolant flows into the cavity through the liquid inlet; and a liquid outlet formed in the top cover and the first metal layer of the top insulating member, wherein coolant flows out of the cavity through the liquid outlet.

[0016] According to one or more embodiments of this disclosure, wherein: the at least one first thermal conductive element and the at least one second thermal conductive element comprise one or more of the following: a cylindrical thermal conductive element, an elliptical cylindrical thermal conductive element, a rectangular cylindrical thermal conductive element, a regular polygonal cylindrical thermal conductive element, an irregular cylindrical thermal conductive element, or a conical thermal conductive element; the attachment comprises joining together using conductive and / or thermally conductive materials by sintering or welding; the first chip and / or the second chip comprises a power chip; the first metal layer is formed on the top surface of the internal cooling device by sintering, brazing, soldering, or curing; and / or the second metal layer is formed on the bottom surface of the internal cooling device by sintering, brazing, soldering, or curing.

[0017] According to another aspect of this disclosure, a method for manufacturing a power module is provided, comprising: forming one or more power module units, wherein forming each power module unit includes the steps of: forming an internal cooling device from an insulating material; forming a first metal layer and a second metal layer on a top surface and a bottom surface of the internal cooling device, respectively; attaching a first chip and a second chip to the first metal layer and the second metal layer, respectively; attaching a first conductive sheet to the first chip and the first metal layer; and attaching a second conductive sheet to the second chip and the second metal layer.

[0018] According to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure, forming each power module unit further includes: attaching a first conductive post to the first metal layer to serve as a first signal lead of the first chip; and attaching a second conductive post to the second metal layer to serve as a second signal lead of the second chip.

[0019] According to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure, forming each power module unit further includes: attaching a first lead to an edge location of the first metal layer, the first lead extending beyond the first metal layer to serve as a first power lead of the first chip; and attaching a second lead to an edge location of the second metal layer, the second lead extending beyond the second metal layer to serve as a second power lead of the second chip.

[0020] According to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure, forming each power module unit further includes: attaching a first conductive line on the first chip and the first metal layer; and attaching a second conductive line on the second chip and the second metal layer.

[0021] According to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure, the manufacturing method further includes: disposing the one or more power module units together in a lead frame; encapsulating the one or more power module units with a molding compound; and cutting the molding compound and the lead frame after the molding compound has cured to obtain the power module having a molded housing.

[0022] According to one or more embodiments of this disclosure, one end of the first conductive post protrudes from the top surface of the molded housing to serve as a first signal lead contact of the first chip; and one end of the second conductive post protrudes from the bottom surface of the molded housing to serve as a second signal lead contact of the second chip.

[0023] According to one or more embodiments of this disclosure, the manufacturing method further satisfies one of the following: wherein a portion of the first lead is exposed from the peripheral portion of the molded housing to serve as a first power lead contact of the first chip, and a portion of the second lead is exposed from the peripheral portion of the molded housing to serve as a second power lead contact of the second chip; or wherein a first portion at the edge location of the first metal layer serves as a first power lead of the first chip, and a portion of the first portion is exposed from the peripheral portion of the molded housing to serve as a first power lead contact of the first chip, and wherein a second portion at the edge location of the second metal layer serves as a second power lead of the second chip, and a portion of the second portion is exposed from the peripheral portion of the molded housing to serve as a second power lead contact of the second chip.

[0024] According to one aspect of this disclosure, an electrical system is provided, including a power module as described above.

[0025] Other features and advantages of this disclosure will become clearer from the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0026] The accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification, illustrate some embodiments of this disclosure and, together with the specification, serve to explain the principles of this disclosure.

[0027] This disclosure will become clearer with reference to the accompanying drawings and the following detailed description, wherein:

[0028] Figure 1A A top view schematic diagram of a power module according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown;

[0029] Figure 1B schematically shown Figure 1A A top-view structural diagram of the power module;

[0030] Figure 2A schematically shown Figure 1A A top view of the power module unit in the power module;

[0031] Figure 2B schematically shown Figure 1A A top-view structural diagram of the power module unit in the power module;

[0032] Figure 3A A top view schematic diagram of a power module according to yet another embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0033] Figure 3B schematically shown Figure 3A A top view of the power module unit in the power module;

[0034] Figure 4A A top view schematic diagram of a power module according to other embodiments of the present disclosure is shown schematically;

[0035] Figure 4B schematically shown Figure 4A A top-view structural diagram of the power module;

[0036] Figure 4C schematically shown Figure 4A A top view of the power module unit in the power module;

[0037] Figure 4D schematically shown Figure 4A A top-view structural diagram of the power module unit in the power module;

[0038] Figure 5 A cross-sectional view of an internal cooling device for a power module according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is schematically shown;

[0039] Figure 6A An exemplary flowchart of a method for manufacturing a power module according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown;

[0040] Figure 6B It shows Figure 6A An exemplary flowchart of step S304 of the manufacturing method;

[0041] Figure 7 A schematic diagram illustrating the steps of splitting a power module according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown.

[0042] Note that in the embodiments described below, the same reference numerals are sometimes used across different figures to denote the same parts or parts with the same function, and repeated descriptions are omitted. In some cases, similar reference numerals and letters are used to denote similar items, so once an item is defined in one figure, it does not need to be discussed further in subsequent figures.

[0043] For ease of understanding, the positions, dimensions, and extents of the structures shown in the accompanying drawings and other materials may not represent actual positions, dimensions, and extents. Therefore, this disclosure is not limited to the positions, dimensions, and extents disclosed in the accompanying drawings and other materials. Detailed Implementation

[0044] In traditional power modules, the chip is attached to a copper-clad ceramic substrate, which is then further attached to an internal cooling device made of metal, thus achieving indirect cooling of the chip. Furthermore, the chip is typically located only on one side of the internal cooling device, and electrical coupling is achieved using pins and pin holders. The inventors of this application, after research, discovered that such power modules have many shortcomings that urgently need improvement.

[0045] First, due to the numerous performance limitations of the internal cooling system made of metal materials, the chip can only be placed on one side of the internal cooling system, making it difficult to improve the integration of the power module. In addition, the assembly of the chip with the copper-clad ceramic substrate and the internal cooling system requires the use of pins and pin holders, which not only makes it difficult to further miniaturize the power module, but also makes the manufacturing process complex and costly.

[0046] Furthermore, the heat dissipation path from the chip to the copper-clad ceramic substrate and then to the internal cooling device involves multiple alternating layers of metal and ceramic materials, as well as multiple attachment material layers (e.g., the attachment material layer that attaches the substrate to the internal cooling device, the attachment material layer that attaches the chip to the substrate, etc.). These factors result in a long heat dissipation path and low heat dissipation efficiency. Moreover, the chip needs to be completely electrically insulated from the internal cooling device. Although using metal materials to manufacture the internal cooling device can make full use of the thermal conductivity of metal materials, it cannot avoid the difficulties in electrical isolation caused by the electrical conductivity of metal materials.

[0047] To address the aforementioned problems, the inventors of this application have proposed a novel technical solution for an improved power module and its manufacturing method, in order to overcome some or all of the aforementioned shortcomings.

[0048] Some embodiments of the present disclosure will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The following description of at least one exemplary embodiment is merely illustrative and is in no way intended to limit the present disclosure or its application or use. That is, the structures and methods herein are shown in an exemplary manner to illustrate different embodiments of the structures and methods in the present disclosure. However, those skilled in the art will understand that they are merely illustrative of exemplary ways that can be used to implement the present disclosure, and not exhaustive.

[0049] In all examples shown and discussed herein, unless otherwise specifically stated, the relative arrangement, numerical expressions, and values ​​of components and steps set forth in these embodiments do not limit the scope of this disclosure. Any specific values ​​in all examples shown and discussed herein should be interpreted as merely exemplary and not as limitations. Therefore, other examples of exemplary embodiments may have different values. Furthermore, the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, and some features may be enlarged to show details of specific components.

[0050] Techniques, methods, and equipment known to those skilled in the art may not be discussed in detail, but where appropriate, such techniques, methods, and equipment should be considered part of the specification.

[0051] Figure 1A A top view schematic diagram of a power module 100 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown; Figure 1B It shows Figure 1A A bottom view of the power module 100 is shown. To illustrate the internal structure of the power module 100 more clearly, Figure 2A It shows Figure 1A and Figure 1B A top view of the power module unit 102 (i.e., without a molded housing) in the power module 100, and Figure 2B It shows Figure 1Aand Figure 1B A bottom view of the power module unit 102 (i.e., without a molded housing) in the power module 100.

[0052] According to some embodiments of this disclosure, the power module 100 may include one or more power module units 102. For example... Figure 2A As shown, each power module unit 102 may include: an internal cooling device 110 formed of an insulating material; a first metal layer 120 disposed on the top surface of the internal cooling device 110; and a first chip 140 attached to the first metal layer 120. The first chip 140 may be electrically coupled via the first metal layer 120 and at least one of a first conductive sheet 122 and a first conductive line 144 attached to the first chip 140 and the first metal layer 120. Figure 2B As shown, each power module unit 102 may further include, in some embodiments of this disclosure, a second metal layer 130 disposed on the bottom surface of the internal cooling device 110; and a second chip 150 attached to the second metal layer 130. The second chip 150 is electrically coupled via the second metal layer 130 and at least one of a second conductive sheet 132 and a second conductive line 134 attached to the second chip 150 and the second metal layer 130. In a preferred embodiment, the first conductive sheet 122 and / or the second conductive sheet 132 may include copper sheets, etc.

[0053] Those skilled in the art will understand that, although Figure 2A and Figure 2B Only one power module unit 102 is shown in the illustration, but this is only for the purpose of clearly illustrating the specific structure of the power module unit and is not intended to constitute any limitation. The power module 100 according to some embodiments of this disclosure may include any plurality of power module units, and the plurality of power module units may be arranged in an array.

[0054] Continue to refer to Figure 2A and Figure 2B Each power module unit 102 may further include: a first conductive post 160, attached to the first metal layer 120 to serve as a first signal lead of the first chip 140; and a second conductive post 170, attached to the second metal layer 130 to serve as a second signal lead of the second chip 150.

[0055] like Figure 1A and Figure 1B As shown, the power module 100 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure may further include a molded housing 104 integrally formed for encapsulating the one or more power module units 102.

[0056] In some embodiments, such as Figure 1AAs shown, one end of the first conductive post 160 protrudes from the top surface of the molded housing 104 to serve as the first signal lead contact 162 of the first chip 140. Figure 1B As shown, one end of the second conductive post 170 protrudes from the bottom surface of the molded housing 104 to serve as the second signal lead contact 172 of the second chip 150. In some embodiments, the first signal lead contact 162 is, for example, contacts H_d, H_g, and H_s connected to the drain, gate, and source of the first chip 140, and the second signal lead contact 172 is, for example, contacts L_d, L_g, and L_s connected to the drain, gate, and source of the second chip 150.

[0057] In the power module 100 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure, by using conductive posts as signal leads and combining them with appropriate external connections, it is possible to avoid the use of pins and pin connectors for electrical coupling as is done in conventional power modules. This not only reduces the types of connectors required during the packaging process, thus simplifying the packaging process, but also avoids interlayer peeling at these connection points, thereby improving the interconnect quality of the power module.

[0058] Continue to refer to Figure 2A and Figure 2B Each power module unit 102 may further include, in some embodiments disclosed herein, a first lead 180, attached at an edge of the first metal layer 120 and extending beyond the first metal layer 120, for use as a first power lead of the first chip 140; and a second lead 190, attached at an edge of the second metal layer 130 and extending beyond the second metal layer 130, for use as a second power lead of the second chip 150.

[0059] In some embodiments, such as Figure 1A As shown, a portion of the first lead 180 protrudes from the peripheral portion of the molded housing 104 to serve as a first power lead contact 182 of the first chip 140; and a portion of the second lead 190 protrudes from the peripheral portion of the molded housing to serve as a second power lead contact 192 of the second chip 150. In some embodiments, the first power lead contact 182 is, for example, connected to a DC power lead contact (DC+) and an AC power lead contact (AC) of the first chip 140, and the second power lead contact 192 is, for example, connected to a DC power lead contact (DC-) and an AC power lead contact (AC) of the second chip 150.

[0060] Those skilled in the art will understand that, although Figure 1A and Figure 1BThe diagram schematically illustrates the specific arrangement of power lead contacts and signal lead contacts, but this is for illustrative purposes only and is not intended to constitute any limitation. Power modules according to some embodiments of this disclosure may include any number, any distribution, any shape, and any size of the aforementioned contacts.

[0061] In some embodiments, when the power module 100 includes a plurality of power module units 102, the plurality of power module units 102 are arranged in an array and uniformly packaged, that is, encapsulated together by the molded housing 104 formed integrally as described above. Adjacent power module units 102 are separated only by a portion of the molded housing 104, without any residual portions of lead frames, etc.

[0062] As an example, a power module includes multiple power module units. Figure 3A A schematic diagram of the structure of a power module 100A according to other embodiments of the present disclosure is shown, and Figure 3B schematically shown Figure 3A The diagram shows a top view of the power module unit 102 in the power module 100A. The power module 100A includes multiple power module units 102, wherein each power module unit 102 is connected to... Figure 2A and Figure 2B The power module unit 102 shown has the same structure, and will not be described again here.

[0063] like Figure 3A and Figure 3B As shown, multiple power module units 102 in power module 100A are arranged in an array and encapsulated together by a molded housing 104 formed integrally. In contrast, conventional power modules typically have multiple power module units individually packaged and then soldered together, resulting in weld gaps between adjacent power module units and residual portions of the lead frame. In contrast, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure, the power module 100A has only a portion of the molded housing 104 between adjacent power module units 102, eliminating weld gaps and residual portions of the lead frame, thus further reducing the size of the power module 100A.

[0064] Figure 4A A top view schematic diagram of the power module 100B according to other embodiments of the present disclosure is shown, and Figure 4B schematically shown Figure 4A A top-view structural diagram of the power module 100B. To more clearly show the internal structure of the power module 100B, Figure 4C It shows Figure 4AA top view of the power module unit 102' in the power module 100B. Figure 4D It shows Figure 4A A bottom-view structural schematic diagram of power module unit 102' in power module 100B. Power module unit 102' and... Figures 2A to 2B The power module unit 102 shown has a similar structure. To avoid repetition, only the parts that are different between the power module unit 102' and the power module unit 102 will be described here.

[0065] Compared to power module unit 102, the main difference of power module unit 102' according to some embodiments of this disclosure is that it does not use additional leads as its power leads, but instead uses a portion of the first metal layer 120 and the second metal layer 130 as its power leads. For example... Figure 4A and Figure 4C As shown, a first portion 126 at the edge of the first metal layer 120 serves as a first power lead of the first chip 140, and a portion of the first portion 126 protrudes from the peripheral portion of the molded housing 104 to serve as a first power lead contact 182 of the first chip 140. Figure 4B and Figure 4D As shown, the second portion 136 at the edge of the second metal layer 130 serves as the second power lead of the second chip 150, and a portion of the second portion 136 protrudes from the peripheral portion of the molded housing 104 to serve as the second power lead contact 192 of the second chip 150.

[0066] In some embodiments, such as Figure 4A and Figure 4B As shown, the internal cooling device 110 in the power module can be exposed from the molded housing 104. In other embodiments, such as Figure 1A , Figure 1B and Figure 3A As shown, the internal cooling device 110 can be completely enclosed within the molded housing 104. Those skilled in the art will understand that the internal cooling device 110 can be configured to be exposed from the molded housing 104 as needed for the application.

[0067] Those skilled in the art will understand that although the quantity, distribution, shape, and size of the first chip, second chip, conductive pillars, conductive sheets, conductive wires, leads, and contacts are schematically shown in the various figures, this is merely to illustrate the various different components as comprehensively as possible within the same set of figures and is not intended to constitute any limitation. Power modules according to some embodiments of this disclosure may include any number, any distribution, any shape, and any size of the aforementioned components.

[0068] In some embodiments of this disclosure, "attachment" refers, for example, to bonding together by means of conductive and / or thermally conductive materials, and can be performed by processes such as sintering or welding. For example, a first chip 140 can be attached to a first metal layer 120 via a conductive and thermally conductive attachment material layer. As another example, a second chip 150 can be attached to a second metal layer 130 via a conductive and thermally conductive attachment material layer.

[0069] In some embodiments, the first chip 140 and / or the second chip 150 may include a power chip.

[0070] In some embodiments, the first metal layer 120 may be formed on the top surface of the internal cooling device 110 by sintering, brazing, soldering or curing; and / or, the second metal layer 130 may be formed on the bottom surface of the internal cooling device 110 by sintering, brazing, soldering or curing.

[0071] Figure 5 A cross-sectional view of an internal cooling device 110 for a power module according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is schematically shown. The internal cooling device 110 may be used, for example, in power modules 100 / 100A / 100B according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0072] like Figure 5 As shown, the internal cooling device 110 may include: a top insulating member 210 integrally formed, including a top cover 212; and a bottom insulating member 220 integrally formed, including a housing consisting of a bottom cover 222 and a plurality of side walls 224 surrounding the bottom cover. The top insulating member 210 and the bottom insulating member 220 are assembled together with the inner surfaces of the top cover 212 and the bottom cover 222 facing each other to form a cavity 230 capable of containing coolant. The internal cooling device 110 also includes coolant (not shown) contained in the cavity 230. The top insulating member 210 and the bottom insulating member 220 may be made of any suitable insulating material, such as insulating ceramic materials.

[0073] In some embodiments, the internal cooling device 110 may further include one or all of the following: at least one first heat-conducting element 216 disposed on the inner surface of the top cover 212 and extending in a direction perpendicular to the inner surface of the top cover 212; and at least one second heat-conducting element 226 disposed on the inner surface of the bottom cover 222 and extending in a direction perpendicular to the inner surface of the bottom cover 222. Figure 5The internal cooling device 110 shown includes both a first heat-conducting element 216 and a second heat-conducting element 226. However, those skilled in the art will understand that, according to some embodiments of this disclosure, the internal cooling device 110 may include only the first heat-conducting element 216 without the second heat-conducting element 226, or only the second heat-conducting element 226 without the first heat-conducting element 216. The first heat-conducting element 216 and the second heat-conducting element 226 can increase the contact area between the coolant and the internal cooling device 110 to promote more sufficient heat exchange between them, thereby improving the heat dissipation effect of the cooling device.

[0074] In some embodiments, at least one first heat-conducting element 216 and at least one second heat-conducting element 226 in the cavity 230 may be arranged alternately, such that the heat-conducting elements in the cavity 230 are spaced apart from each other by a certain distance. The alternately arranged heat-conducting elements allow the coolant to flow in the tortuous cavity 230 and to make full contact with each heat-conducting element, thereby enabling sufficient absorption of heat from the heat-conducting elements to improve heat dissipation efficiency.

[0075] Those skilled in the art will understand that, although Figure 5 The quantity, shape, and arrangement of the first heat-conducting element 216 and the second heat-conducting element 226 are shown, but this is not intended to constitute any limitation. First, the quantity of the first heat-conducting element 216 and the second heat-conducting element 226 can be arbitrarily set according to application needs. Furthermore, the first heat-conducting element 116 and the second heat-conducting element 226 can take any shape, particularly shapes suitable for increasing the contact area with the coolant, including but not limited to one or more of the following: cylindrical heat-conducting element, elliptical cylindrical heat-conducting element, rectangular cylindrical heat-conducting element, regular polygonal cylindrical heat-conducting element, irregular cylindrical heat-conducting element, conical heat-conducting element, etc. In addition, the first heat-conducting element 216 and the second heat-conducting element 226 can also be arranged in any staggered manner, particularly arrangements suitable for promoting coolant flow and sufficient contact between the coolant and the heat-conducting elements.

[0076] In some embodiments, a plurality of sidewalls 224 of the bottom insulator 220 may have sealing edges 228 formed at their contact points with the top cover 212 of the top insulator 210. The sealing edges 228 protrude relative to the sidewalls 224, thereby enabling a tight fit with the edge of the top cover 212 to achieve a seal of the cavity 230. When the sealing edges 228 are fitted together with the edge of the top cover 212, a waterproof adhesive layer can also be applied at the joint between the two, thereby achieving a complete seal of the cavity. The provision of the sealing edges 228 significantly reduces the area of ​​the joint region between the top and bottom insulators compared to conventional internal cooling devices, thereby improving the sealing performance of the internal cooling device of this application.

[0077] The internal cooling device according to some embodiments of this disclosure may further include an inlet (not shown) and an outlet (not shown). For example, the inlet and outlet may be formed in the top cover and the first metal layer of the top insulating member, wherein coolant flows into the cavity through the inlet and flows out of the cavity through the outlet.

[0078] Compared to traditional power modules and their manufacturing methods, the power modules 100 / 100A / 100B and their manufacturing methods according to some embodiments of this disclosure have achieved many improvements.

[0079] First, the integration and miniaturization of the power module of this application are significantly improved. Compared to traditional power modules that only place chips on one side due to the limitations of metal cooling devices, the power module according to some embodiments of this disclosure achieves chip placement on both sides of the internal cooling device by employing a highly efficient internal cooling device made of insulating material (e.g., insulating ceramic material). This design significantly improves the integration of the power module while ensuring heat dissipation, thus promoting the miniaturization of the power module. Furthermore, the multiple power module units of the power module of this application are encapsulated by a molded housing formed integrally, thereby avoiding the welding gaps and residual lead frames between adjacent power module units in traditional power modules, enabling further miniaturization of the power module of this application.

[0080] Furthermore, the electrical coupling effect of the chips in the power module of this application is significantly improved compared to traditional power modules. On the one hand, the power leads are molded within the package, which not only optimizes the electrical performance of the power module but also simplifies the mold design to adapt to the molding process. This allows for the separation or combination of different numbers of power module units through cutting during manufacturing, thereby meeting different circuit design requirements. On the other hand, by using conductive pillars as signal leads and combining them with appropriate external connections, the use of pins and pin connectors for electrical coupling, as in traditional power modules, can be avoided. This not only simplifies the packaging process by reducing the types of connectors required during packaging but also avoids interlayer peeling at these connection points, thereby improving the interconnection quality of the power module.

[0081] Furthermore, the power module of this application significantly improves heat dissipation efficiency. Traditional internal cooling devices are typically made of metal, requiring the chip to be indirectly mounted on the internal cooling device via a copper-clad ceramic substrate (composed of ceramic material and copper layers attached to its sides). In contrast, the internal cooling device of this application innovatively employs a one-piece processing technology to form the top and bottom insulating components before assembly, allowing the chip to be directly attached to the internal cooling device via metal layers disposed on the outer surfaces of the top and bottom insulating components. This design shortens the heat dissipation path, enabling the heat generated by the chip to be more directly conducted to the internal cooling device; it also reduces the switching between different material layers, thereby significantly improving the cooling efficiency of the internal cooling device. In addition, the top and bottom insulating components of the internal cooling device not only perform cooling functions but also serve as the chip's attachment substrate, thus eliminating the need for a copper-clad ceramic substrate. This not only significantly reduces the thickness of the power module, further promoting its miniaturization, but also simplifies the manufacturing process and reduces manufacturing costs.

[0082] Furthermore, the internal cooling device of this application is composed of a top insulating component and a bottom insulating component formed by integrated machining. The joint area between these two integrally molded components is significantly reduced compared to conventional internal cooling devices, thereby achieving a better sealing effect for the coolant. Moreover, since the internal cooling device of this application is made of insulating material (e.g., insulating ceramic material), it not only has good electrical isolation effect but also excellent corrosion and erosion resistance.

[0083] Figure 6A An exemplary flowchart of a method 300 for manufacturing a power module according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. Figure 6B It shows Figure 6A An exemplary flowchart of step S302 of manufacturing method 300. Those skilled in the art will understand that, in conjunction with... Figure 6A and Figure 6B The described method of manufacturing the power module 300 can be used to manufacture the power modules 100 / 100A / 100B described in the foregoing embodiments of this disclosure, and therefore the foregoing description of the power modules 100 / 100A / 100B also applies here.

[0084] like Figure 6A As shown, a method 300 for manufacturing a power module according to some embodiments of the present disclosure may include steps S302 to S308.

[0085] At step S302, one or more power module units 102 / 102' are formed, such as Figure 2A , Figure 2B , Figure 3B , Figure 4C and Figure 4D As shown.

[0086] In step S304, one or more power module units 102 / 102' are disposed together in the lead frame.

[0087] In step S306, one or more power module units 102 / 102' are encapsulated with a molding compound.

[0088] In step S308, after the molding compound has cured, the molding compound and lead frame are cut to obtain power modules 100 / 100A / 100B with a molded housing 104, as shown. Figure 1A , Figure 1B , Figure 3A , Figure 4A and Figure 4B As shown.

[0089] Compared to traditional power module manufacturing methods, the manufacturing method 300 according to some embodiments of this disclosure can significantly improve manufacturing efficiency. Specifically, the power module manufacturing method of this application first arranges multiple power module units in an array in a lead frame, then encapsulates all the power module units uniformly with a molding compound, and then cuts the cured molding compound to obtain a power module with a molded shell formed by integral processing.

[0090] As an example, Figure 7 A schematic diagram illustrating the steps of dividing a power module is provided. First, up to twelve power module units 102 are arranged in an array within a lead frame. Then, all power module units 102 are uniformly encapsulated with a molding compound. Finally, the cured molding compound is cut into four power modules 100A, each containing three power module units 102. This manufacturing method allows for the production of multiple power modules comprising any number of power module units through a single encapsulation and cutting process, significantly improving the manufacturing efficiency of power modules. In contrast, traditional power modules typically involve individually encapsulating multiple power module units before soldering them together, resulting in a very cumbersome and expensive manufacturing process.

[0091] Back Figure 6A and Figure 6B In step S302, forming each power module unit may optionally include some or all of the steps S310 to S370.

[0092] In step S310, an internal cooling device 110 is formed from insulating material, such as... Figure 2A , Figure 2B , Figure 3B , Figure 4C and Figure 4D As shown.

[0093] In step S320, a first metal layer 120 and a second metal layer 130 are formed on the top and bottom surfaces of the internal cooling device 110, respectively. Figure 2A , Figure 2B , Figure 3B , Figure 4C and Figure 4D As shown.

[0094] In step S330, the first chip 140 and the second chip 150 are respectively attached to the first metal layer 120 and the second metal layer 130, as follows: Figure 2A , Figure 2B , Figure 3B , Figure 4C and Figure 4D As shown.

[0095] In step S340, a first conductive sheet 122 is attached to the first chip 140 and the first metal layer 120, and a second conductive sheet 132 is attached to the second chip 150 and the second metal layer 130, as follows. Figure 2A , Figure 2B , Figure 3B , Figure 4C and Figure 4D As shown.

[0096] In step S350, a first conductive post 160 is attached to the first metal layer 120 to serve as a first signal lead of the first chip 140, and a second conductive post 170 is attached to the second metal layer 130 to serve as a second signal lead of the second chip 150, as follows. Figure 2A , Figure 2B , Figure 3B , Figure 4C and Figure 4D As shown.

[0097] In step S360, a first lead 180 is attached to the edge of the first metal layer 120, extending beyond the first metal layer 120 to serve as a first power lead for the first chip 140; and a second lead 190 is attached to the edge of the second metal layer 130, extending beyond the second metal layer 130 to serve as a second power lead for the second chip 150, as follows. Figure 2A , Figure 2B and Figure 3B As shown.

[0098] In step S370, a first conductive line 124 is attached to the first chip 140 and the first metal layer 120; and a second conductive line 134 is attached to the second chip 150 and the second metal layer 130, as follows. Figure 2A , Figure 2B , Figure 3B , Figure 4C and Figure 4D As shown.

[0099] In some embodiments, one end of the first conductive post protrudes from the top surface of the molded housing to serve as a first signal lead contact of the first chip, and one end of the second conductive post protrudes from the bottom surface of the molded housing to serve as a second signal lead contact of the second chip.

[0100] In some embodiments, a portion of the first lead protrudes from the peripheral portion of the molded housing to serve as a first power lead contact for the first chip, and a portion of the second lead protrudes from the peripheral portion of the molded housing to serve as a second power lead contact for the second chip.

[0101] In some embodiments, step S360 (shown in dashed box) can be omitted, so that instead of using additional leads as power leads for the chip, a portion of its first metal layer and second metal layer is used as the power leads for the chip. In such an embodiment, a first portion at the edge of the first metal layer serves as the first power lead of the first chip, and a portion of the first portion protrudes from the outer periphery of the molded housing to serve as the first power lead contact of the first chip; a second portion at the edge of the second metal layer serves as the second power lead of the second chip, and a portion of the second portion protrudes from the outer periphery of the molded housing to serve as the second power lead contact of the second chip.

[0102] Those skilled in the art will understand that, although Figure 6A and Figure 6B The flowchart depicts a specific sequence of steps, but this sequence can be changed without departing from the scope of this disclosure. Some of the depicted steps can be executed in parallel or in a different order that does not substantially affect the functionality of the processing. For example, the execution order of steps S340, S350, S360, and S370 can be arbitrarily interchanged as needed. This application also contemplates an electrical system that may include the power module described in any embodiment of this disclosure. As an example, the electrical system may include, for example, any device or system that requires the application of the power module of this disclosure, such as an inverter, a new energy vehicle, a wind power system, a solar power generation system, or an energy storage system.

[0103] As used herein, the term “chip” includes, but is not limited to, a die or bare chip.

[0104] The terms “front,” “back,” “top,” “bottom,” “above,” “below,” etc., used in the specification and claims, if present, are for descriptive purposes and are not necessarily used to describe unchanging relative positions. It should be understood that such terms are interchangeable where appropriate, so that some embodiments of this disclosure described herein can, for example, operate on other orientations different from those shown or otherwise described herein.

[0105] As used herein, the term "exemplary" means "serving as an example, instance, or illustration," and not as a "model" to be precisely copied. Any implementation described herein by example is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other implementations. Furthermore, this disclosure is not limited to any theory expressed or implied as given in the foregoing technical field, background, summary of invention, or detailed description.

[0106] As used herein, the term "substantially" means any minor variation resulting from design or manufacturing defects, device or component tolerances, environmental influences, and / or other factors. The term "substantially" also allows for differences from the perfect or ideal situation due to parasitic effects, noise, and other practical considerations that may exist in the actual implementation.

[0107] Additionally, the foregoing description may refer to elements, nodes, or features that are “connected” or “coupled” together. As used herein, unless otherwise expressly stated, “connected” means that one element / node / feature is electrically, mechanically, logically, or otherwise directly connected (or directly communicating) with another element / node / feature. Similarly, unless otherwise expressly stated, “coupled” means that one element / node / feature can be directly or indirectly connected to another element / node / feature mechanically, electrically, logically, or otherwise to allow interaction, even if the two features may not be directly connected. That is, “coupled” is intended to include both direct and indirect connections of elements or other features, including connections using one or more intermediate elements.

[0108] Additionally, terms such as “first,” “second,” etc., may be used in this document for reference purposes only and are not intended to be limiting. For example, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the words “first,” “second,” and other such numerical terms relating to structures or elements do not imply order or sequence.

[0109] It should also be understood that when the term “including / contains” is used herein, it indicates the presence of the indicated feature, whole, step, operation, unit and / or component, but does not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, wholes, steps, operations, units and / or components and / or combinations thereof.

[0110] In this disclosure, the term “provide” is used broadly to cover all ways of obtaining an object, and therefore “provide an object” includes, but is not limited to, “purchasing,” “preparing / manufacturing,” “arranging / setting up,” “installing / assembling,” and / or “ordering” an object.

[0111] Those skilled in the art will recognize that the boundaries between the above operations are merely illustrative. Multiple operations may be combined into a single operation, a single operation may be distributed among additional operations, and operations may be performed with at least partial overlap in time. Moreover, alternative embodiments may include multiple instances of a particular operation, and the order of operations may be changed in various other embodiments. However, other modifications, variations, and substitutions are equally possible. Therefore, this specification and the accompanying drawings should be considered illustrative rather than restrictive.

[0112] While specific embodiments of this disclosure have been described in detail by way of example, those skilled in the art should understand that the examples are for illustrative purposes only and not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure. The various embodiments disclosed herein can be combined in any way without departing from the spirit and scope of this disclosure. Those skilled in the art should also understand that various modifications can be made to the embodiments without departing from the scope and spirit of this disclosure. The scope of this disclosure is defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A power module, characterized in that, It includes one or more power module units, each power module unit including: An internal cooling device made of insulating material; A first metal layer is disposed on the top surface of the internal cooling device; A first chip is attached to the first metal layer, and the first chip is electrically coupled through the first metal layer and at least one of a first conductive sheet and a first conductive line attached to the first chip and the first metal layer. A second metal layer is disposed on the bottom surface of the internal cooling device; and The second chip is attached to the second metal layer, and the second chip is electrically coupled through the second metal layer and at least one of a second conductive sheet and a second conductive line attached to the second chip and the second metal layer.

2. The power module according to claim 1, characterized in that, in, Each power module unit also includes: A first conductive post is attached to the first metal layer to serve as a first signal lead for the first chip; and The second conductive post is attached to the second metal layer to serve as the second signal lead of the second chip.

3. The power module according to claim 2, characterized in that, Also includes: A molded housing, formed through integral machining, is used to encapsulate one or more power module units. Wherein, one end of the first conductive post protrudes from the top surface of the molded housing to serve as the first signal lead contact of the first chip; and One end of the second conductive post protrudes from the bottom surface of the molded housing to serve as the second signal lead contact of the second chip.

4. The power module according to claim 3, characterized in that, in, The power module includes multiple power module units, which are arranged in an array; and In this configuration, only a portion of the molded housing is provided between adjacent power module units.

5. The power module according to claim 1, Its features are, The power module also includes a molded housing formed by integral processing, used to encapsulate the one or more power module units; Each power module unit also includes: A first lead, attached to the edge of the first metal layer and extending beyond the first metal layer, serves as a first power lead for the first chip; and The second lead is attached to the edge of the second metal layer and extends beyond the second metal layer to serve as the second power lead of the second chip. Wherein, a portion of the first lead protrudes from the outer periphery of the molded housing to serve as a first power lead contact for the first chip; and A portion of the second lead protrudes from the outer periphery of the molded housing to serve as a second power lead contact for the second chip.

6. The power module according to claim 1, Its features are, The power module also includes a molded housing formed by integral processing, used to encapsulate the one or more power module units; Wherein, a first portion at the edge of the first metal layer serves as a first power lead of the first chip, and a portion of the first portion protrudes from the outer periphery of the molded housing to serve as a first power lead contact of the first chip; and The second portion at the edge of the second metal layer serves as the second power lead of the second chip, and a portion of the second portion protrudes from the outer periphery of the molded housing to serve as the second power lead contact of the second chip.

7. The power module according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that, in, The internal cooling device includes: The top insulating component, including the top cover, is formed by integral machining. A bottom insulating component formed by integral machining includes a housing consisting of a bottom cover and multiple side walls surrounding the bottom cover, wherein the top insulating component and the bottom insulating component are assembled together with the inner surfaces of the top cover and the bottom cover facing each other to form a cavity capable of containing coolant; and Coolant is contained within the cavity.

8. The power module according to claim 7, characterized in that, The internal cooling device further includes one or all of the following: At least one first heat-conducting element is disposed on the inner surface of the top cover and extends in a direction perpendicular to the inner surface of the top cover; and At least one second heat-conducting element is disposed on the inner surface of the bottom cover and extends in a direction perpendicular to the inner surface of the bottom cover.

9. The power module according to claim 8, characterized in that, in: The at least one first heat-conducting element and the at least one second heat-conducting element are arranged alternately, such that each heat-conducting element is spaced apart from the other by a certain distance in the cavity.

10. The power module according to claim 7, characterized in that, in: The plurality of sidewalls of the bottom insulator have sealing edges formed at the locations where they contact the top cover of the top insulator, the sealing edges being able to fit tightly with the edge of the top cover to achieve a seal of the cavity.

11. The power module according to claim 7, characterized in that, in, The internal cooling device also includes: A liquid inlet is formed in the top cover and the first metal layer of the top insulating member, wherein coolant flows into the cavity through the liquid inlet. A coolant outlet is formed in the top cover and the first metal layer of the top insulating member, through which coolant flows out of the cavity.

12. The power module according to claim 8, characterized in that, in: The at least one first heat-conducting element and the at least one second heat-conducting element include one or more of the following: cylindrical heat-conducting element, elliptical cylindrical heat-conducting element, rectangular cylindrical heat-conducting element, regular polygonal cylindrical heat-conducting element, irregular cylindrical heat-conducting element, and conical heat-conducting element. The attachment includes joining together using conductive and / or thermally conductive materials by sintering or welding; The first chip and / or the second chip includes a power chip; The first metal layer is formed on the top surface of the internal cooling device by sintering, brazing, soldering, or curing; and / or The second metal layer is formed on the bottom surface of the internal cooling device by sintering, brazing, soldering or curing.

13. An electrical system, characterized in that, Includes the power module according to any one of claims 1 to 12.

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