Half-bridge module arrangement

Abstract

Half-bridge module arrangement (200) comprising a housing with a housing space (201) which is designed to be flowed through by a coolant (K), and a half-bridge module (100-1; 100-2) comprising a first semiconductor switch component (1) and a second semiconductor switch component (2), each having an input contact (1.1, 2.1), an output contact (1.2, 2.2) and a control contact (1.3, 2.3), wherein the output contact (1.2) of the first semiconductor switch component (1) is electrically connected to the input contact (2.1) of the second semiconductor switch component (2), wherein in the first semiconductor switch component (1) the input contact (1.1) and the control contact (1.3) are arranged on a top side (1.4) and the output contact (1.2) on a bottom side (1.5), and wherein in the second semiconductor switch component (2) the output contact (2.2) and the control contact (2.3) are arranged on a top side (2.4) and the input contact (2.1) is arranged on a bottom side (2.5), and wherein the first semiconductor switch component (1) and the second semiconductor switch component (2) are each arranged with the bottom side (1.5, 2.5) on a metallic contacting layer (6) in such a way that the output contact (1.2) of the first semiconductor switch component (1) is electrically connected to the input contact (2.1) of the second semiconductor switch component (2), and wherein a separate heat sink (7) is arranged on a side of the metallic contacting layer (6) facing away from the two semiconductor switch components (1, 2), wherein the half-bridge module (100-1; 100-2) is arranged in the housing space (201) of the housing in such a way that the half-bridge module (100-1; 100-2) is flowed around by the coolant (K) flowing through the housing space (201).

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a half-bridge module arrangement comprising a housing having a housing space through which a coolant flows, and a half-bridge module comprising a first semiconductor switch component and a second semiconductor switch component, each having an input contact, an output contact and a control contact, wherein the output contact of the first semiconductor switch component is electrically connected to the input contact of the second semiconductor switch component.

[0002] Such a semiconductor module arrangement is known, for example, from US 2008 / 0186 751 A1.

[0003] A half-bridge module of such a semiconductor module arrangement is also known from DE 10 2020 206 464 A1.

[0004] From DE 10 2012 213 208 A1, a half-bridge module of a half-bridge module arrangement of the type mentioned at the outset is known, wherein in the first semiconductor switch component the input contact and the control contact are arranged on an upper side and the output contact on an underside, and in the second semiconductor switch component the output contact and the control contact are arranged on an upper side and the input contact on an underside, and wherein the first semiconductor switch component and the second semiconductor switch component are each arranged with the underside on a metallic contacting layer, which can simultaneously serve as a heat sink of the half-bridge module.

[0005] From US 2007 / 0262387 A1, a half-bridge module of a half-bridge module arrangement of the type mentioned above with a separate heat sink is known.

[0006] From DE 10 2020 214 607 A1 and DE 10 2005 050 534 A1, a half-bridge module of a half-bridge module arrangement of the type mentioned at the outset with a plurality of first semiconductor switch components and a plurality of second semiconductor switch components is known.

[0007] DE 10 2020 127 564 A1 discloses a half-bridge module of a half-bridge module arrangement of the type mentioned above, in which the electrical contacts of the semiconductor switch components are surrounded by a dielectric coolant. These electrical contacts simultaneously serve as surfaces for thermal connection to the coolant and thus as heat sinks. No electrical insulation of the semiconductor switch components from the cooling surface of such a heat sink is required, since the insulation from other potentials and the housing is provided by the dielectric coolant.

[0008] The present invention is based on the object of creating a half-bridge module arrangement with which high electrical powers can be switched.

[0009] This object is achieved according to the invention by a half-bridge module arrangement having the features of claim 1. Advantageous embodiments are specified in the dependent claims.

[0010] The half-bridge module arrangement according to the invention comprises a housing with a housing space through which a coolant flows. Typically, the housing space is connected to a coolant circuit via an inlet and a separate outlet, so that during operation, coolant is continuously conveyed from the inlet through the housing space to the outlet.

[0011] The half-bridge module arrangement according to the invention further comprises a half-bridge module which is arranged in the housing space in such a way that the half-bridge module is in direct contact with the coolant flowing through the housing space and is surrounded by the coolant flowing through the housing space.

[0012] The half-bridge module of the half-bridge module arrangement according to the invention comprises a first semiconductor switch component and a second semiconductor switch component, which are typically designed in the form of a so-called die or chip. Each semiconductor switch component comprises one or more semiconductor transistors that are interconnected to form a macroscopic semiconductor switch (also referred to as a topological (semiconductor) switch). The first semiconductor switch component is frequently referred to as a high-side (semiconductor) switch, and the second semiconductor switch component is frequently referred to as a low-side (semiconductor) switch. In general, the first semiconductor switch component and the second semiconductor switch component are based on the same semiconductor technology, with both semiconductor switch components preferably being designed as field-effect transistors (FETs), particularly preferably as so-called metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs).In principle, however, the two semiconductor switch components can also be designed as a different type of semiconductor transistor, for example, as so-called bipolar transistors. Preferably, the half-bridge module is arranged such that both the first semiconductor switch component and the second semiconductor switch component are directly surrounded by the coolant flowing through the housing space. This enables particularly efficient cooling of the semiconductor switch components and thus enables the switching of particularly high electrical powers.

[0013] According to the invention, the two semiconductor switch components each comprise an input contact, an output contact, and a control contact, with the output contact of the first semiconductor switch component being electrically connected to the input contact of the second semiconductor switch component. In FETs, the input contact is also referred to as the source contact, the output contact as the drain contact, and the control contact as the gate contact.

[0014] According to the invention, the first semiconductor switch component and the second semiconductor switch component are designed differently, wherein in the first semiconductor switch component the input contact and the control contact are arranged on an upper side and the output contact on a lower side, and in the second semiconductor switch component the output contact and the control contact are arranged on an upper side and the input contact on a lower side.

[0015] The output contact of the first semiconductor switch component and the input contact of the second semiconductor switch component, which must be electrically connected to each other, are therefore each arranged on the underside of the semiconductor switch component.

[0016] In the half-bridge module of the half-bridge module arrangement according to the invention, the first semiconductor switch component and the second semiconductor switch component are each arranged with their undersides on a common, i.e., both on the same, metallic contact-making layer. Specifically, the first semiconductor switch component and the second semiconductor switch component are arranged on the metallic contact-making layer in such a way that the output contact of the first semiconductor switch component located on the underside of the first semiconductor component is electrically connected via the metallic contact-making layer to the input contact of the second semiconductor switch component located on the underside of the second semiconductor component. The metallic contact-making layer is preferably made of copper, which has a relatively high electrical conductivity and a relatively high thermal conductivity.In principle, however, the metallic contact layer can also consist of another metal.

[0017] The design of the half-bridge module of the half-bridge module arrangement according to the invention eliminates the need for an electrically insulating and typically relatively poorly thermally conductive carrier substrate, on which a separate metallic contact layer is typically applied for each of the two semiconductor switch components in known half-bridge modules. This enables efficient cooling of the two semiconductor switch components and thus the switching of high electrical powers, such as those encountered in electrically powered vehicles, by the two semiconductor switch components.

[0018] Particularly efficient cooling of the two semiconductor switch components is achieved according to the invention by arranging a separate heat sink on a side of the metallic contact layer facing away from the two semiconductor switch components. This creates a half-bridge module capable of switching particularly high electrical power. The separate heat sink preferably rests essentially over its entire surface against the metallic contact layer and has a surface enlargement structure on a side facing away from the metallic contact layer.

[0019] To switch high electrical powers, several semiconductor switch components can be connected in parallel. The half-bridge module according to the invention therefore preferably comprises several first semiconductor switch components, i.e. several semiconductor switch components with an output contact arranged on the underside, and several second semiconductor switch components, i.e. several semiconductor switch components with an input contact arranged on the underside, all of which are arranged with their undersides on the same metallic contact layer.Specifically, the semiconductor switch components are arranged on the metallic contact layer in such a way that the output contacts of all first semiconductor switch components and the input contacts of all second semiconductor switch components are electrically connected to one another via the metallic contact layer, so that all first semiconductor switch components are connected in parallel and all second semiconductor switch components are connected in parallel. This makes it possible to realize a half-bridge module that can switch particularly high electrical powers.

[0020] Preferably, the number of first semiconductor switch components is equal to the number of second semiconductor switch components in order to enable switching in both directions to be as uniform as possible.

[0021] The present invention is explained in more detail in the following description with reference to the accompanying figures. Herein: Fig. 1 shows a simplified circuit diagram of a half-bridge module of a half-bridge module arrangement according to the invention connected to a DC voltage source, Fig. 2 schematically shows a half-bridge module arrangement according to the invention with a half-bridge module in cross section, Fig. 3 schematically shows a plan view of the half-back module from Fig. 2, and Fig. 4 schematically shows a plan view of an alternative half-bridge module of a half-bridge module arrangement according to the invention.

[0022] Fig. 1 shows a simplified circuit diagram of a half-bridge module 100-1 connected to a DC voltage source 101.

[0023] The half-bridge module comprises a first semiconductor switch component 1 and a second semiconductor switch component 2, each of which is designed as a field-effect transistor, in particular as a MOSFET.

[0024] The first semiconductor switch component 1 and the second semiconductor switch component 2 each comprise an input contact 1.1, 2.1 corresponding to the source contact of the respective field-effect transistor, an output contact 1.2, 2.2 corresponding to the drain contact of the respective field-effect transistor, and a control contact 1.3, 2.3 corresponding to the gate contact of the respective field-effect transistor.

[0025] The input contact 1.1 of the first semiconductor switch component 1 is electrically connected to a first DC voltage terminal 3 of the half-bridge module 100-1, which in turn is electrically connected to a positive pole 101.1 of the DC voltage source 101.

[0026] The output contact 1.2 of the first semiconductor switch component 1 is electrically connected to the input contact 2.1 of the second semiconductor switch component 2 and electrically connected to an AC voltage terminal 4 of the half-bridge module 100-1.

[0027] The output contact 2.2 of the second semiconductor switch component 2 is electrically connected to a second DC voltage terminal 5 of the half-bridge module 100-1, which in turn is electrically connected to a negative pole 101.2 of the DC voltage source 101.

[0028] Fig. 2 shows a half-bridge module arrangement 200 according to the invention, in which the half-bridge module 100-1 is arranged in a housing space 201.

[0029] The housing space 201 is connected to a coolant circuit (not shown here) via an inlet 201.1 and an outlet 201.2, so that a coolant K flows through the housing space 201 during operation of the coolant circuit, as indicated by the arrows.

[0030] The half-bridge module 100-1 is arranged in the housing space 201 in such a way that the half-bridge module 100-1, in particular also the first semiconductor switch component 1 and the second semiconductor switch component 2 of the half-bridge module 100-1, are flowed around by the coolant K.

[0031] Fig. 2 shows a cross section of the half-bridge module 100-1 and Fig. 3 a top view of the half-bridge module 100-1.

[0032] As from Fig. 2 and Fig. 3, the first semiconductor switch component 1 and the second semiconductor switch component 2 are designed differently.

[0033] In the first semiconductor switch component 1, the input contact 1.1 and the control contact 1.3 are arranged on a top side 1.4 and the output contact 1.2 on a bottom side 1.5, whereas in the second semiconductor switch component 2, the output contact 2.2 and the control contact 2.3 are arranged on a top side 2.4 and the input contact 2.1 on a bottom side 2.5.

[0034] The first semiconductor switch component 1 and the second semiconductor switch component 2 are each arranged with their underside 1.5, 2.5 on a metallic contact layer 6 made of copper, in such a way that the output contact 1.2 of the first semiconductor switch component 1 is electrically connected to the input contact 2.1 of the second semiconductor switch component 2 via the metallic contact layer 6.

[0035] On a side of the metallic contacting layer 6 facing away from the two semiconductor switch components 1, 2, a separate heat sink 7 is arranged, which essentially lies against the metallic contacting layer 6 over its entire surface and has a surface enlargement structure 7.1 on a side facing away from the metallic contacting layer 6.

[0036] On the top side 1.4 of the first semiconductor switch component 1, a first contacting element 8 is arranged, which is electrically connected to the input contact 1.1 of the first semiconductor switch component 1, and on the top side 2.4 of the second semiconductor switch component 2, a second contacting element 9 is arranged, which is electrically connected to the output contact 2.2 of the second semiconductor switch component 2.

[0037] The first contacting element 8 forms the Fig. 1 shown input terminal 3 of the half-bridge module 100-1, the second contacting element 9 forms the Fig. 1 shown output terminal 5 of the half-bridge module 100-1, and the metallic contacting layer 6 forms the Fig. 1 shown AC voltage terminal 4 of the half-bridge module 100-1.

[0038] Fig. 4 shows an alternative half-bridge module 100-2 of a half-bridge module arrangement according to the invention. In the description of the half-bridge module 100-2, the corresponding reference numerals from FIG. 1 are used for features that are identical or similar to those known from the half-bridge module 100-1. Fig. 1 to Fig. 3 used.

[0039] The half-bridge module 100-2 comprises six first semiconductor switch components 1 and six second semiconductor switch components 2, of which, for reasons of clarity, Fig. 4 only the two outermost ones are fully provided with reference symbols.

[0040] All first semiconductor switch components 1 and all second semiconductor switch components 2 are each with their underside, which is in Fig. 2, the bottom side 1.5, 2.5 corresponds to each other, arranged on the metallic contact layer, which in Fig. 2 and Fig. 3 corresponds to the metallic contacting layer 6, in such a way that the output contacts of all first semiconductor switch components 1, which in Fig. 2 corresponds to the output contact 1.2, and the input contacts of all second semiconductor switch components 2, which in Fig. 2 corresponds to the input contact 2.1, are electrically connected to each other via the metallic contact layer.

[0041] On the side of the metallic contact layer facing away from the two semiconductor switch components 1, 2, the Fig. 2 and Fig. 3 corresponds to the metallic contact layer 6, is a Fig. 4 not visible, separate heat sink is arranged, which is essentially analogous to the separate heat sink 7 from Fig. 2 is trained.

[0042] The first contacting elements 8, each electrically connected to the input terminal 1.1 of the first semiconductor switch components 1, are all electrically connected to a first connecting element 10, which forms the first DC voltage terminal of the half-bridge module 100-2, which in Fig. 1 the first DC voltage connection 3 corresponds.

[0043] The second contacting elements 9, each electrically connected to the output terminal 2.2 of the second semiconductor switch components 2, are all electrically connected to a second connecting element 11, which forms the second DC voltage terminal of the half-bridge module 100-2, which in Fig. 1 the second DC voltage connection 5 corresponds.

[0044] The metallic contact layer, which is Fig. 2 and Fig. 3 corresponds to the metallic contact layer 6, forms the AC voltage connection of the half-bridge module 100-2, which in Fig. 1 corresponds to the AC voltage connection 4.

[0045] In the half-bridge module 100-2, all first semiconductor switch components 1 are therefore related to the first DC voltage connection and the AC voltage connection, to which Fig. 1, the first DC voltage connection 3 and the AC voltage connection 4 correspond, are connected in parallel and consequently in the half-bridge module 100-2 all second semiconductor switch components 2 are related to the second DC voltage connection and the AC voltage connection, to which in Fig. 1 the second DC voltage connection 5 and the AC voltage connection 4 correspond, connected in parallel. List of reference symbols 100-1 half-bridge module 100-2 half-bridge module 1 first semiconductor switch component 1.1 Input contact 1.2 Output contact 1.3 Control contact 1.4 Top 1.5 Bottom 2 second semiconductor switch component 2.1 Input contact 2.2 Output contact 2.3 Control contact 2.4 Top 2.5 Bottom 3 first DC voltage connection, input connection 4 AC voltage connection 5 second DC voltage connection, output connection 6 metallic contact layer 7 separate heat sink 7.1 Surface magnification structure 8 first contact element 9 second contacting element 10 first connecting element 11 second connecting element 101 DC voltage source 101.1 Positive pole 101.2 Negative pole 200 half-bridge module arrangement 201 Housing space 201.1 Inlet 201.2 Outlet K Coolant

Claims

[1] Half-bridge module arrangement (200) comprising a housing with a housing space (201) which is designed to be flowed through by a coolant (K), and a half-bridge module (100-1; 100-2) comprising a first semiconductor switch component (1) and a second semiconductor switch component (2), each having an input contact (1.1, 2.1), an output contact (1.2, 2.2) and a control contact (1.3, 2.3), wherein the output contact (1.2) of the first semiconductor switch component (1) is electrically connected to the input contact (2.1) of the second semiconductor switch component (2), wherein in the first semiconductor switch component (1) the input contact (1.1) and the control contact (1.3) are arranged on a top side (1.4) and the output contact (1.2) is arranged on a bottom side (1.5), and wherein in the second semiconductor switch component (2) the output contact (2.2) and the control contact (2.3) are arranged on a top side (2.4) and the input contact (2.1) is arranged on a bottom side (2.5), and wherein the first semiconductor switch component (1) and the second semiconductor switch component (2) are each arranged with the bottom side (1.5, 2.5) on a metallic contacting layer (6) in such a way that the output contact (1.2) of the first semiconductor switch component (1) is electrically connected to the input contact (2.1) of the second semiconductor switch component (2), and wherein a separate heat sink (7) is arranged on a side of the metallic contacting layer (6) facing away from the two semiconductor switch components (1, 2), wherein the half-bridge module (100-1; 100-2) is arranged in the housing space (201) of the housing in such a way that the half-bridge module (100-1; 100-2) is flowed around by the coolant (K) flowing through the housing space (201). [2] Half-bridge module arrangement (200) according to claim 1, wherein the half-bridge module (100-2) comprises a plurality of first semiconductor switch components (1) and a plurality of second semiconductor switch components (2), all of which are arranged with the underside (1.5, 2.5) on the metallic contacting layer (6) such that the output contacts (1.2) of all first semiconductor switch components (1) and the input contacts (2.1) of all second semiconductor switch components (2) are electrically connected to one another via the metallic contacting layer (6). [3] Half-bridge module arrangement (200) according to claim 2, wherein the number of first semiconductor switch components (1) of the half-bridge module (100-2) is equal to the number of second semiconductor switch components (2) of the half-bridge module (100-2).

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