Semiconductor module, electric circuit body and electric power conversion device

Abstract

To solve the problem that a semiconductor module cannot be improved in heat radiation performance.SOLUTION: A semiconductor module comprises: a semiconductor element; an inside conductor layer connected to one surface of the semiconductor element; an insulation plate provided by being laminated on the inside conductor layer; an outside conductor layer provided on the opposite side of the inside conductor layer across the insulation plate; and a sealing member sealing the semiconductor element, the inside conductor layer, and the insulation plate, wherein the sealing member covers the insulation plate from a side face to an outer peripheral side of the outside conductor layer, and a thin part thinner than the outside conductor layer is provided closely to the side face of the outside conductor layer.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a semiconductor module, an electric circuit body, and a power conversion device. [Background technology]

[0002] Power conversion devices that convert between DC and AC power by the switching operation of semiconductor elements have high conversion efficiency and are therefore widely used in consumer, automotive, railway, and substation equipment. Because these semiconductor elements generate heat through switching operation, semiconductor modules that encapsulate the semiconductor elements are required to have high heat dissipation properties. In the semiconductor module, a cooling member for cooling is disposed in close contact with the semiconductor module via a thermally conductive member, and close contact between the cooling member and the semiconductor module is required to improve heat dissipation properties.

[0003] Patent Document 1 discloses a semiconductor device comprising a semiconductor element, an insulating substrate on which the semiconductor element is arranged, and an external connection terminal electrically connected to the semiconductor element via the insulating substrate, the insulating substrate having an insulating layer, an inner conductor layer located on one side of the insulating layer and electrically connected to the semiconductor element, and an outer conductor layer located on the other side of the insulating substrate, the external connection terminal having a thin section and a thick section that is thicker than the thin section along its longitudinal direction, and being joined to the inner conductor layer of the insulating substrate in the thin section. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2019-102519 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] The device described in Patent Document 1 was unable to improve the heat dissipation performance of the semiconductor module. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The semiconductor module according to the present invention comprises a semiconductor element, an inner conductor layer connected to one side of the semiconductor element, an insulating plate laminated on the inner conductor layer, an outer conductor layer disposed on the opposite side of the inner conductor layer across the insulating plate, and a sealing member that seals the semiconductor element, the inner conductor layer, and the insulating plate, wherein the sealing member covers the insulating plate from a side surface of the outer conductor layer to the outer periphery, and has a thin-walled portion that is thinner than the thickness of the outer conductor layer and is provided adjacent to the side surface of the outer conductor layer. Effect of the Invention

[0007] According to the present invention, the heat dissipation performance of a semiconductor module can be improved. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a plan view of an electric circuit body according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] 1A and 1B are cross-sectional views of an electric circuit body. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional perspective view of the electric circuit body taken along line YY. [Figure 4] 2A and 2B are cross-sectional perspective views of the electric circuit body taken along line XX. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is a semi-transparent plan view of a semiconductor module. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram of a semiconductor module. [Figure 7] 1A and 1B are plan views of a laminated substrate. [Figure 8] 5(a) to 5(c) are diagrams illustrating steps for manufacturing a semiconductor module. [Figure 9] 13(a) and 13(b) are diagrams illustrating the relationship between injection of a sealing material and a spring force. [Figure 10] 5(a) to 5(c) are diagrams illustrating steps for manufacturing a power conversion device. [Figure 11]1A and 1B are diagrams illustrating the state of a terminal connection portion in a transfer molding process. [Figure 12] 13(a) and 13(b) are diagrams illustrating details of a terminal connection portion in a transfer molding process. [Figure 13] 13(a) and 13(b) are diagrams illustrating details of a terminal connection portion in a transfer molding process in Comparative Example 1. [Figure 14] 13(a) and 13(b) are diagrams illustrating details of a terminal connection portion in a transfer molding process in Comparative Example 2. [Figure 15] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing the relationship between the amount of shrinkage of a sealing material and temperature. [Figure 16] 5(a) to 5(d) are cross-sectional views showing the outer periphery of an essential part of an outer conductor layer. [Figure 17] 1 is a circuit diagram of a power conversion device using a semiconductor module. [Figure 18] FIG. 2 is an external perspective view of the power conversion device. [Figure 19] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional perspective view of the power conversion device taken along line XV-XV. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The following description and drawings are examples for explaining the present invention, and appropriate omissions and simplifications have been made for clarity of explanation. The present invention can be implemented in various other forms. Unless otherwise specified, each component may be singular or plural.

[0010] In order to facilitate understanding of the invention, the position, size, shape, range, etc. of each component shown in the drawings may not represent the actual position, size, shape, range, etc. Therefore, the present invention is not necessarily limited to the position, size, shape, range, etc. disclosed in the drawings.

[0011] FIG. 1 is a plan view of an electric circuit body 400 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The electric circuit body 400 includes the semiconductor module 300 and a cooling member 340. In the example shown in Fig. 1, the electric circuit body 400 includes three semiconductor modules 300 arranged in parallel.

[0012] The semiconductor module 300 incorporates semiconductor elements 155 and 157, which will be described later, sealed with a sealing member 360. Both sides of the semiconductor module 300 dissipate heat caused by the switching operation of the semiconductor elements 155 and 157. Furthermore, in the semiconductor module 300, terminals connected to the semiconductor elements 155 and 157 are led out from the sealing member 360 on the side surface of the semiconductor module 300. These terminals are power terminals through which a large current flows, such as a positive terminal 325P and a negative terminal 325M connected to a capacitor module 500 (see FIG. 17) of a DC circuit, and an AC terminal 325A connected to motor generators 192 and 194 (see FIG. 17) of an AC circuit.

[0013] The terminals extending from the sealing member 360 on the side surface of the semiconductor module 300 are the lower arm gate terminal 325L, the collector sense terminal 325C, the emitter sense terminal 325E, the upper arm gate terminal 325U, and the like. These terminals extending from the semiconductor module 300 are connected to wiring such as a wiring pattern of a substrate (not shown). An electric circuit body 400 having three semiconductor modules 300 arranged in parallel functions as a power conversion device 200 (see FIG. 17) that converts DC power and AC power mutually by switching operations of the semiconductor elements 155, 157. The number of semiconductor modules 300 included in the electric circuit body 400 is not limited to three, and may be set arbitrarily according to various forms of the electric circuit body 400.

[0014] The cooling member 340 is disposed opposite the semiconductor module 300, and cools the heat generated by the switching operation of the semiconductor elements 155, 157. Specifically, the cooling member 340 has a flow path formed therein through which a coolant flows, and the coolant flowing through the flow path cools the heat generated by the semiconductor elements 155, 157. The coolant used is water or an antifreeze solution made by mixing ethylene glycol in water. The cooling member 340 is preferably made of aluminum, which has high thermal conductivity and is lightweight. It is manufactured by extrusion molding, forging, brazing, or the like.

[0015] 2(a) and 2(b) are cross-sectional views of the electric circuit body 400. FIG. 2(a) is a cross-sectional view taken along line XX of the electric circuit body 400 shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 2(b) is a cross-sectional view taken along line YY of the electric circuit body 400 shown in FIG. 1 for one semiconductor module 300. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional perspective view taken along line YY of the electric circuit body 400 shown in FIG. 1. FIGS. 4(a) and 4(b) are cross-sectional perspective views taken along line XX of the electric circuit body 400 shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 4(a) is a perspective view seen from above, and FIG. 4(b) is a perspective view obtained by inverting FIG. 4(a) by 180 degrees. Both FIG. 4(a) and FIG. 4(b) show the semiconductor module 300 with the cooling member 340 removed.

[0016] As shown in FIG. 2(a), the power converter 200 includes an active element 155 and a diode 156 as first semiconductor elements forming an upper arm circuit (see FIGS. 5 and 6 described later). As the active element, Si, SiC, GaN, GaO, C, etc. can be used. When a body diode of the active element 155 is used, a separate diode may be omitted. As shown in FIGS. 2(b) and 3, the collector side of the first semiconductor element 155 is bonded to an inner conductor layer 446 of the laminated substrate 444. For this bonding, solder or sintered metal may be used. A conductor plate 420 is bonded to the emitter side of the first semiconductor element 155.

[0017] 2(b) and 3, an active element 157 and a diode 158 are provided as second semiconductor elements forming a lower arm circuit (see FIGS. 5 and 6 described below). A collector side of the second semiconductor element 157 is bonded to an inner conductor layer 446 of the laminated substrate 444. The inner conductor layer 446 is bonded to an emitter side of the second semiconductor element 157.

[0018] The conductive plate 420 and the inner conductive layer 446 are not particularly limited as long as they are made of a material having high electrical conductivity and thermal conductivity, but it is preferable to use a metallic material such as a copper-based or aluminum-based material, or a composite material of a metallic material and a high thermal conductivity material such as diamond, carbon, or ceramic. These may be used alone, or may be plated with Ni, Ag, or the like to improve the bondability with solder or sintered metal.

[0019] 2(a), 2(b), 3, and 4, the conductor plate 420 and the inner conductor layer 446 not only serve to pass current but also serve as heat transfer members that transfer heat generated by the semiconductor elements 155, 156, 157, and 158 to the cooling member 340. One surface (first electrode surface) of the semiconductor elements 155, 156, 157, and 158 is bonded to the inner conductor layer 446. The other surface (second electrode surface) of the semiconductor elements 155, 156, 157, and 158 is bonded to the conductor plate 420. The surface opposite to the surface bonded to the semiconductor elements 155, 156, 157, and 158 becomes the heat dissipation surface of the conductor plate 420 and the inner conductor layer 446.

[0020] Conductive plate 420 forming the upper arm circuit and inner conductor layer 446 of laminated substrate 444 are electrically connected by internal connection portion 372. In addition, terminal connection portion 371 for connecting lead wires derived from semiconductor elements 155, 156, 157, 158 to external terminals 325E, 325C, etc. is arranged on inner conductor layer 446. Conductive plate 420 and inner conductor layer 446 play a role as a heat transfer member for transferring heat generated by semiconductor elements 155, 156, 157, 158 to cooling member 340 in addition to the role of passing electric current. Conductive plate 420 and cooling member 340 have different electric potentials, so insulating plate 445 and insulating sheet 440 are arranged between them and the heat dissipation surface. When heat dissipation is not required to a great extent, insulating sheet 440 can be omitted to adopt a one-sided cooling structure in which heat is dissipated only from the side of laminated substrate 444.

[0021] The laminated substrate 444 is composed of an inner conductor layer 446 and an outer conductor layer 447 sandwiching an insulating plate 445. The laminated substrate 444 may be equipped with circuit components that add functions such as a current sensor and a life diagnosis. The insulating plate 445 may be made of various materials that can achieve both insulation and heat dissipation. Specifically, ceramic materials such as alumina, silicon nitride, and aluminum nitride, and diamond, etc. may be used. In addition, insulating highly heat-conductive particles bonded with a resin component may also be used. Ceramic materials are preferable in terms of insulation, heat dissipation, and cost. The inner conductor layer 446 and the outer conductor layer 447 may be made of various materials that have excellent electrical conductivity and heat dissipation, but copper or aluminum materials are preferable in terms of cost.

[0022] The insulating sheet 440 is formed by laminating a resin insulating layer 441 and a surface conductor layer 442. The resin insulating layer 441 covers the conductor plate 420 on one side and is bonded to the heat dissipation surface of the conductor plate 420. The resin insulating layer 441 is not particularly limited as long as it has adhesiveness to the conductor plate 420, but an epoxy resin-based resin insulating layer in which a powdered inorganic filler is dispersed is preferable. This is because it has a good balance between adhesiveness and heat dissipation. The surface conductor layer 442 is bonded to the other side of the resin insulating layer 441 and is exposed on the surface of the semiconductor module 300, and is in contact with a heat conductive member 453 described later. The surface conductor layer 442 is, for example, a metal foil.

[0023] The semiconductor elements 155, 156, 157, 158, the conductive plate 420, and the surface conductive layer 442 are sealed with the sealing member 360 by a transfer molding process. The insulating sheet 440 and the laminated substrate 444 are also cured at the same time as the sealing member 360 in the transfer molding process, thereby forming the semiconductor module 300. In this transfer molding process, the conductive plate 420 and the insulating sheet 440 are also bonded together. The insulating sheet 440 and the insulating plate 445 provide insulation for the semiconductor module 300, and both sides of the semiconductor module 300 serve as heat dissipation surfaces for the semiconductor module 300.

[0024] 2 and 4, the sealing member 360 covers the insulating plate 445 from the side surface of the outer conductor layer 447 to the outer periphery, and has a thin portion 361 thinner than the thickness of the outer conductor layer 447 provided close to the side surface of the outer conductor layer 447. Furthermore, the sealing member 360 has a thick portion 362 thicker than the thin portion 361 on the outer periphery side of the thin portion 361. The reason for this will be described later.

[0025] The cooling members 340 are disposed on both sides of the semiconductor module 300 and fixed by fixing members not shown. Note that, in this embodiment, the electric circuit body 400 in which the cooling members 340 are disposed on both sides of the semiconductor module 300 will be described, but the electric circuit body 400 in which the cooling members 340 are disposed on one side of the semiconductor module 300 may also be used. In this case, a housing and mounting members are disposed on the other side of the semiconductor module 300.

[0026] The thermal conductive member 453 is disposed between the semiconductor module 300 and the cooling member 340 to reduce contact thermal resistance. The thermal conductive member 453 can be an inorganic high thermal conductive material such as a carbon-based material. Also, grease, gel grease, phase change sheet, or other materials that are fluid at room temperature or high temperature can be used. Also, in order to ensure workability and long-term reliability, a curable thermal conductive member 453 that has fluidity when uncured and loses fluidity after curing can be used. The curable thermal conductive member 453 has the advantage of having low viscosity and excellent workability when applied, and that mechanical properties can be improved by curing. Curing can be performed using heat curing, moisture curing, ultraviolet curing, etc., but heat curing is preferable for curing deep parts. The thermal conductive member 453 can be a single high thermal conductive material such as a metal, ceramic, or carbon-based material, a material in which these are mixed with resin, or a combination of these.

[0027] Fig. 5 is a semi-transparent plan view of the semiconductor module 300. Fig. 6 is a circuit diagram of the semiconductor module 300.

[0028] As shown in Figures 5 and 6, the positive terminal 325P is output from the collector side of the upper arm circuit and is connected to the positive side of a battery or a capacitor. The upper arm gate terminal 325U is output from the gate of the active element 155 of the upper arm circuit. The negative terminal 325M is output from the emitter side of the lower arm circuit and is connected to the negative side of a battery or a capacitor, or GND. The lower arm gate terminal 325L is output from the gate of the active element 157 of the lower arm circuit. The AC terminal 325A is output from the collector side of the lower arm circuit and is connected to the motor. When the neutral point is grounded, the lower arm circuit is connected to the negative side of a capacitor instead of GND.

[0029] The upper arm emitter sense terminal 325E is output from the emitter of active element 155 of the upper arm circuit, and the lower arm emitter sense terminal 325E is output from the emitter of active element 157 of the lower arm circuit. The upper arm collector sense terminal 325C is output from the collector of active element 155 of the upper arm circuit, and the lower arm collector sense terminal 325C is output from the collector of active element 157 of the lower arm circuit.

[0030] Conductive plates (upper arm circuit emitter side, upper arm circuit collector side) 430 are arranged above and below active element 155 and diode 156 of the semiconductor element (upper arm circuit). Conductive plates (lower arm circuit emitter side, lower arm circuit collector side) 430 are arranged above and below active element 157 and diode 158 of the semiconductor element (lower arm circuit).

[0031] The semiconductor module 300 of this embodiment has a 2-in-1 structure in which two arm circuits, an upper arm circuit and a lower arm circuit, are integrated into one module. Alternatively, a structure in which a plurality of upper arm circuits and lower arm circuits are integrated into one module may be used. In this case, the number of output terminals from the semiconductor module 300 can be reduced, making it possible to reduce the size.

[0032] Figures 7(a) and 7(b) are plan views of the laminated substrate 444. Figure 7(a) is a plan view seen from above, and Figure 7(b) is a plan view seen from below. 7(a), an inner conductor layer 446 is disposed on an insulating plate 445 in correspondence with the semiconductor elements 155, 156, 157, and 158. Also, an inner conductor layer 446 is disposed for providing terminal connection portions 371 for connecting to external terminals 325E, 325C, etc.

[0033] 7(b), an outer conductor layer 447 is disposed on the opposite side of the inner conductor layer 446 with the insulating plate 445 in between. The outer conductor layer 447 has a smaller area than the insulating plate 445, and the insulating plate 445 is exposed on the outer periphery side of the outer conductor layer 447. As described later, this exposed portion is sealed with a sealing member 360. At this time, the sealing member 360 is moved around the exposed portion of the insulating plate 445 by a transfer molding process and contacts the side surface of the outer conductor layer 447 to be sealed.

[0034] Figures 8(a) to 8(c) are views showing the process for manufacturing the semiconductor module 300. Figures 9(a) and 9(b) are views explaining the sealing member 360. Figures 10(a) to 10(c) are views showing the process for manufacturing the electric circuit body 400.

[0035] 8(a) shows a temporary attachment process. The collector side of the semiconductor element 155 and the cathode side of the semiconductor element 156 are connected to the conductive plate 420, and the gate electrode, emitter sense electrode, and collector electrode of the semiconductor element 155 are connected to the gate terminal 325U, emitter sense terminal 325E, and collector sense terminal 325C of the upper arm by wire bonding. Furthermore, the emitter side of the semiconductor element 155 and the anode side of the semiconductor element 156 are connected to the conductive plate 420 to prepare the circuit body 310 on the upper arm side.

[0036] Similarly, the collector side of semiconductor element 157 and the cathode side of semiconductor element 158 ​​are connected to conductor plate 420, and the gate electrode, emitter sense electrode, and collector electrode of semiconductor element 157 are connected to gate terminal 325L, emitter sense terminal 325E, and collector sense terminal 325C of the lower arm, respectively, by wire bonding. Furthermore, the emitter side of semiconductor element 157 and the anode side of semiconductor element 158 ​​are connected to conductor plate 422 to prepare circuit body 310 on the lower arm side.

[0037] Thereafter, insulating sheet 440 is temporarily attached to conductive plate 420. Temporary attachment means that insulating sheet 440 is temporarily attached using its adhesive strength under conditions that leave room for insulating sheet 440 to harden and adhere in the subsequent transfer molding process.

[0038] 8(b) and 8(c) show the transfer molding process. A transfer molding device 601 has a spring 602 in a mold 603. This spring 602 allows a predetermined load to be applied by the force of the spring 602 without applying excessive pressure to the semiconductor elements 155-158 even if the height of the circuit body 310 varies. The transfer molding device 601 also has a vacuum degassing mechanism (not shown). By performing vacuum degassing, even if a void is included in the sealing member 360 made of resin or the like, the void can be compressed to a small size, improving insulation. Furthermore, by covering the circuit body 310 with a release film (not shown), it is possible to prevent resin burrs from entering the spring drive unit and the like.

[0039] 8(b), the circuit body 310 to which the insulating sheet 440 is temporarily attached and the fixing member 341 are set in a mold 603 that has been preheated to a constant temperature of 175° C. The mold 603 is provided with a protrusion 604 for forming the thin portion 361 in the sealing member 360. The protrusion 604 is provided at a position that contacts the side surface of the outer conductor layer 447.

[0040] Next, as shown in Fig. 8(c), the upper and lower molds 603 are clamped. At this time, the insulating sheet 440 and the conductor plate 420 are pressed by the springs 602 and are tightly attached to each other. At the same time, the protrusions 604 are tightly attached to the side surfaces of the outer conductor layer 447. In this state, the sealing member 360 is injected into the mold 603. As the sealing member 360 is injected, it flows around to the underside of the insulating plate 445 and contacts the side surfaces of the outer conductor layer 447 to be sealed.

[0041] Figures 9(a) and 9(b) are diagrams for explaining the injection of sealing member 360, with Figure 9(a) being an enlarged view of the vicinity D of protrusion 604 indicated by the dashed line in Figure 8(c) and Figure 9(b) being a diagram similar to Figure 8(c) but showing the relationship with spring force 348.

[0042] As shown in FIG. 9(a), a sealing member 360 such as a transfer molding resin is injected under pressure from an injection port (not shown), melts at the mold temperature, and is filled by the molding pressure of a mold 603. The thickness of the outer conductor layer 447 is t1, the gap between the insulating plate 445 and the protruding portion 604 is t2, and the gap between the insulating plate 445 on the outside of the protruding portion 604 is t3. The sealing member 360 covers the insulating plate 445 from the side surface of the outer conductor layer 447 to the outer periphery side, and contacts the side surface of the outer conductor layer 447. As a result, a thin portion 361 having a thickness t2 thinner than the thickness t1 of the outer conductor layer 447 is formed close to the side surface of the outer conductor layer 447. Furthermore, the sealing member 360 forms a thick portion 362 having a thickness t3 thicker than the thickness t2 of the thin portion 361 on the outer periphery side of the thin portion 361.

[0043] It is generally known that the average flow velocity of a fluid flowing between parallel plates spaced a certain distance apart is proportional to the square of the thickness, according to a formula derived from the Navier-Stokes equation. Therefore, the flow velocity of the molten sealing member 360 during sealing is slower through the thickness t2 of the thin-walled portion 361 than through the thick-walled portion 362 of thickness t3.

[0044] Since the sealing member 360 is filled while being cured at a mold temperature of 175°C, when the flow rate F slows down, the curing reaction proceeds and the viscosity increases. This increase in viscosity further reduces the flow rate F. When the protrusions 604 are provided in this manner, the outer periphery of the outer conductor layer 447 is filled with the sealing member 360 with reduced fluidity, so that the sealing member 360 is prevented from wrapping around the surface of the outer conductor layer 447, which is the heat dissipation surface. That is, the cooling member 340 is bonded to the surface of the outer conductor layer 447 via the heat conductive member 453, but by preventing the sealing member 360 from adhering to the surface of the outer conductor layer 447, it is possible to prevent a decrease in the heat dissipation performance of the power conversion device 200. In addition, by providing the thick portion 362 of the sealing member 360 with a thickness t3 on the outer periphery side of the thin portion 361 of the thickness t2, the flow rate F of the sealing member 360 can be adjusted, the outer periphery of the outer conductor layer 447 can be prevented from being unfilled, and the shape can be prevented from being damaged due to the sealing member 360 not being filled. It should be noted that the thin portion 361 and the thick portion 362 are not limited to being formed continuously on the side surface of the outer conductor layer 447, but may be formed discontinuously or partially in other manners.

[0045] As shown in FIG. 9(b), a spring force 348 is applied to the circuit body 310 by a spring 602 provided in a mold 603. This spring force 348 is transmitted to the insulating sheet 440, the conductive plate 420, the connection members between the conductive plate 420 and the semiconductor elements 155, 156, 157, and 158, the semiconductor elements 155, 156, 157, and 158, the connection members between the semiconductor elements 155, 156, 157, and 158 and the inner conductive layer 446, the inner conductive layer 446, the insulating plate 445, and the outer conductive layer 447. That is, the spring force 348 is transmitted to the lower mold 603 with a spread S of about 45° through the stacking region 352 where all the stacked members overlap in the stacking direction. In a portion where the member is interrupted, for example, between the outer shape of the inner conductive layer 446 and the terminal connection portion 371, the spring force 348 is transmitted approximately vertically according to the outer shape of the member. In this manner, outer conductor layer 447 is provided inside spread S to which spring force 348 is transmitted. In other words, outer conductor layer 447 is provided in an area that covers at least stacked area 352 where stacked insulating sheet 440, conductor plate 420, semiconductor elements 155, 156, 157, 158, inner conductor layer 446, and insulating plate 445 all overlap in the stacking direction. This ensures that the pressure of mold 603 is transmitted to outer conductor layer 447, and outer conductor layer 447 comes into close contact with lower mold 603, preventing sealing member 360 from wrapping around the surface of outer conductor layer 447, which serves as a heat dissipation surface.

[0046] Furthermore, the outer conductor layer 447 is provided in a region covering the end E of the conductor plate 420 in the stacking direction of the components. An insulating sheet 440 is laminated on the conductor plate 420, but if the conductor plate 420 is larger than the outer conductor layer 447 in the stacking direction of the components and does not cover the end E of the conductor plate 420 in a region, a sufficient pressure cannot be applied to the insulating sheet 440, and the heat dissipation performance of the power conversion device 200 decreases. By providing the outer conductor layer 447 in a region covering the end of the conductor plate 420 in the stacking direction of the components, it is possible to prevent a decrease in the heat dissipation performance. Furthermore, outer conductor layer 447 is provided in a region that does not overlap, in the stacking direction of each member, a region in which terminal connection portion 371 is present. Details will be described later.

[0047] Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 10(a), the semiconductor module 300 sealed with the sealing member 360 is taken out from the transfer molding device 601 and post-cured at 175° C. for 2 hours or more. Next, as shown in FIG. 10(b), a heat conductive member 453 is applied to the semiconductor module 300 or the cooling member 340.

[0048] 10(c), the cooling member 340 is fixed to the semiconductor module 300 by a fixing member (not shown). As a result, the cooling member 340 is firmly fixed to the semiconductor module 300 via the thermal conductive member 453, and is integrally configured as the electric circuit body 400.

[0049] Figures 11(a) and 11(b) are cross-sectional views for explaining the state of terminal connection portion 371 in the transfer molding process. These figures are enlarged views of the vicinity of terminal connection portion 371 in the transfer molding process shown in Figures 8(b) to 8(c), and the same parts are given the same reference numerals to simplify the explanation.

[0050] The height of the terminal connection portion 371 of the external terminal 325C varies due to manufacturing processes such as soldering. Figures 11(a) and 11(b) show a case where the terminal connection portion 371 is manufactured to be higher than the dimensions of the mold 603. Figure 11(a) shows the state before the upper and lower molds 603 are clamped, and Figure 11(b) shows the state after clamping.

[0051] Since the terminal connection portion 371 is manufactured high, there is a gap between the external terminal 325C and the lower mold 603 before clamping, as shown in FIG. 11(a). When the mold 603 is clamped, the external terminal 325C is in close contact with the mold 603, as shown in FIG. 11(b). In this embodiment, the outer conductor layer 447 is provided in an area 356 that does not overlap with an area 355 in which the terminal connection portion 371 exists in the lamination direction of each member. Therefore, the dimensional variation of the terminal connection portion 371 can be absorbed by bending deformation of the insulating plate 445. Even when alumina with low bending strength is used as the insulating plate 445, if the gap between the mold 603 and the external terminal 325C is about 500 μm, the bending stress can be made lower than the breaking strength of alumina when the outer conductor layer 447 is separated from the terminal connection portion 371 by about 3 mm. According to this embodiment, the variation in height of the terminal connection portion 371 can be absorbed. Specifically, the bending deformation of insulating plate 445 reduces the stress applied to terminal connection portion 371, and prevents problems such as disconnection of terminal connection portion 371 when the mold is clamped.

[0052] Figures 12(a) and 12(b) are cross-sectional views for explaining the details of the terminal connection portion 371 in the transfer molding process. These figures are enlarged views of the vicinity of the terminal connection portion 371 in the transfer molding process shown in Figures 8(b) to 8(c), and the same parts are given the same reference numerals to simplify the explanation.

[0053] The height of the terminal connection portion 371 of the external terminal 325C varies due to manufacturing processes such as soldering. Figures 12(a) and 12(b) show a case where the terminal connection portion 371 is manufactured to be lower than the dimensions of the mold 603. Figure 12(a) shows the state before the upper and lower molds 603 are clamped, and Figure 12(b) shows the state after clamping.

[0054] Since the terminal connection portion 371 is manufactured low, there is a gap between the outer conductor layer 447 and the mold 603 before clamping. When the mold 603 is clamped, the outer conductor layer 447 adheres closely to the mold 603. In this embodiment, the outer conductor layer 447 is provided in an area 356 that does not overlap with an area 355 in which the terminal connection portion 371 exists in the lamination direction of each member. Therefore, the dimensional variation of the terminal connection portion 371 can be absorbed by bending deformation of the insulating plate 445. Even when alumina with low bending strength is used as the insulating plate 445, if the gap between the mold 603 and the external terminal 325C is about 500 μm, the bending stress can be made lower than the breaking strength of alumina when the outer conductor layer 447 is separated from the terminal connection portion 371 by about 3 mm. According to this embodiment, the variation in height of the terminal connection portion 371 can be absorbed. Specifically, bending deformation of insulating plate 445 allows outer conductor layer 447 to be tightly attached to lower mold 603, thereby preventing resin from getting around outer conductor layer 447, which serves as a heat dissipation surface.

[0055] 13(a) and 13(b) are cross-sectional views for explaining the details of the terminal connection portion 371 in the transfer molding process in Comparative Example 1. This comparative example shows an example in which this embodiment is not applied, and is a cross-sectional view for explaining the state of the terminal connection portion 371 in the transfer molding process. As with Figs. 11(a) and 11(b), this is an enlarged view of the vicinity of the terminal connection portion 371, and the same parts are given the same reference numerals and their explanation will be simplified. 13(a) and 13(b) show a case where the terminal connection portion 371 is manufactured to be higher than the dimensions of the mold 603. Fig. 13(a) shows the state before the upper and lower molds 603 are clamped, and Fig. 13(b) shows the state after clamping.

[0056] Since the terminal connection portion 371 is manufactured high, there is a gap between the external terminal 325C and the mold 603 before clamping, as shown in Fig. 13(a). When the mold 603 is clamped, the external terminal 325C is in close contact with the mold 603. In Comparative Example 1, the outer conductor layer 447 is provided in an area 357 that overlaps with an area 355 in which the terminal connection portion 371 exists in the lamination direction of the members. Therefore, high stress is applied to the terminal connection portion 371 by the clamping of the mold 603, and the terminal connection portion 371 is plastically deformed, which may cause defects such as disconnection.

[0057] 14(a) and 14(b) are cross-sectional views for explaining the details of the terminal connection portion 371 in the transfer molding process in Comparative Example 2. This comparative example shows an example in which this embodiment is not applied, and is a cross-sectional view for explaining the state of the terminal connection portion 371 in the transfer molding process. As in Figs. 12(a) and 12(b), the vicinity of the terminal connection portion 371 is enlarged, and the same parts are given the same reference numerals and their explanation will be simplified.

[0058] 14(a) and 14(b) show a case where the terminal connection portion 371 is manufactured to be lower than the dimensions of the mold 603. Fig. 14(a) shows the state before the upper and lower molds 603 are clamped, and Fig. 14(b) shows the state after clamping.

[0059] Since the terminal connection portion 371 is manufactured low, there is a gap between the external terminal 325C and the mold 603 before clamping, as shown in FIG. 14(a). When the mold 603 is clamped, the external terminal 325C adheres closely to the mold 603. In the comparative example 2, the outer conductor layer 447 is provided in an area 357 that overlaps with an area 355 in which the terminal connection portion 371 exists in the lamination direction of each member. Therefore, even when the mold 603 is clamped, the outer conductor layer 447 does not adhere closely to the mold 603, and a gap remains. Therefore, in the transfer molding process, the sealing member 360 wraps around the surface of the outer conductor layer 447, which is the heat dissipation surface, and the heat dissipation performance of the power conversion device 200 is reduced.

[0060] In the example described above, the thin portion 361 is formed in the sealing member 360 by using the protrusion 604 of the mold 603. Next, an example in which the thin portion 361 is formed in the sealing member 360 by using the cure shrinkage of the sealing member 360 without using the protrusion 604 of the mold 603 will be described.

[0061] 15 is a diagram showing the relationship between the amount of shrinkage and temperature of the sealing member 360. The horizontal axis represents temperature, and the vertical axis represents the amount of shrinkage. Tmold is the glass transition temperature, T1 is the minimum value of the ambient temperature of the semiconductor module 300, and T2 is the maximum value of the ambient temperature of the semiconductor module 300.

[0062] After the sealing member 360 is injected into the mold 603, it hardens and shrinks as the hardening reaction progresses. The amount of hardening and shrinkage varies depending on the composition of the sealing member 360. It varies depending on the ratio of the epoxy resin component that hardens and the ratio of other fillers that do not harden, and the higher the ratio of the epoxy resin component, the greater the amount of hardening and shrinkage. Even if the ratio of the epoxy resin component is the same, the higher the ratio of the epoxy group, which is a reactive component in the epoxy resin component, the greater the amount of hardening and shrinkage.

[0063] The description will be given by approximating the amount of thermal contraction of pure copper Cu, which is a representative copper-based material, for the outer conductor layer 447. For example, the sealing material 360 is injected into the mold 603 in the transfer molding process at a glass transition temperature Tmold of 175° C. Focus is placed on the contraction of the components of the semiconductor module 300 in the stacking direction (Z-axis direction) based on the dimensions immediately after injection.

[0064] The semiconductor module 300 removed from the mold 603 is cooled to room temperature. When the glass transition temperature is lower than Tmold, the semiconductor module 300 shrinks at a large shrinkage rate up to the glass transition temperature, and when the temperature is lower than the glass transition temperature, the semiconductor module 300 shrinks at a smaller shrinkage rate. When the glass transition temperature is higher than Tmold, the semiconductor module 300 shrinks at a constant shrinkage rate. For example, consider the case where the shrinkage amount is larger than Cu in a temperature range where the minimum value T1 of the usage environment temperature of the semiconductor module 300 is -40°C and the maximum value T2 is 125°C, that is, the shrinkage amount of the sealing member 360 is within the hatched area H shown in FIG. 15. In this case, in the usage temperature range of the semiconductor module 300, the sealing member 360 formed on the insulating plate 445 on the outer periphery side of the outer conductor layer 447 shrinks more than Cu, and the thin-walled portion 361 can be formed. When the outer conductor layer 447 is made of Cu, if the composition of the sealing member 360 is Resin B or Resin C shown in Fig. 15, the thin portion 361 can be formed, which becomes the sealing member 360 used in this embodiment. That is, the thin portion 361 of the sealing member 360 can be formed by the curing shrinkage of the sealing member 360, in addition to being formed by the protrusion 604 provided on the mold 603. The composition of Resin A shown in Fig. 15 does not correspond to the sealing member 360 used in this embodiment, because the sealing member 360 becomes thicker than the outer conductor layer 447.

[0065] 16(a), 16(b), 16(c), and 16(d) are cross-sectional views of the main part showing the outer periphery of the outer conductor layer 447. FIG. 16(a) and FIG. 16(b) show this embodiment, and FIG. 16(c) and FIG. 16(d) show a comparative example. These figures are simplified for ease of understanding. For example, the heat conductive member 453 between the outer conductor layer 447 and the cooling member 340 is omitted. The width of the outer conductor layer 447 is reduced.

[0066] In FIG. 16(a), the thin-walled portion 361 of the sealing member 360 is formed by a protrusion 604 of a mold 603. That is, the thin-walled portion 361, which is thinner than the thickness of the outer conductor layer 447, is provided from the side surface of the outer conductor layer 447 to the outer periphery side and close to the side surface of the outer conductor layer 447. Since the outer conductor layer 447 is convex, in other words, the thin-walled portion 361 is recessed from the outer conductor layer 447, the cooling member 340, the outer conductor layer 447, and the sealing member 360 can be closely attached without being interfered with by the thickness of the cooling member 340, the outer conductor layer 447, and the sealing member 360, and the heat dissipation is improved. In the area Sa of the outer conductor layer 447 as viewed from above and the area Sb of the thin-walled portion 361 of the sealing member 360 as viewed from above, the pressure force for closely attaching the sealing member 360 to the semiconductor module 300 is received almost entirely by the protruding area Sa. Therefore, the heat conduction member 453 (see Figures 2 and 10(b)) can be efficiently pressed against the outer conductor layer 447, which serves as the heat dissipation surface. Therefore, even if the heat conduction member 453 becomes thinner over time, the adhesion between the sealing member 360 and the heat dissipation surface can be maintained, and the heat dissipation performance of the semiconductor module 300 is highly reliable.

[0067] In addition, in order to align the semiconductor module 300 with the mold 603, it may be difficult for the protrusion 604 to completely contact the side surface of the outer conductor layer 447, and a gap of, for example, 0.1 mm or more may occur. If the area of ​​the sealing member 360 in this gap portion viewed from the top is Sc, the pressure force for pressing the heat conductive member 453 against the outer conductor layer 447 is received by an area of ​​Sa+Sc. By making the area of ​​Sc 10% or less of Sa so that Sa+Sc≈Sa, most of the pressure force can be applied to the heat dissipation surface even if there is a gap. In other words, even when the thin-walled portion 361 is formed using the protrusion 604 of the mold 603, the thin-walled portion 361 is provided close to the side surface of the outer conductor layer 447 by an amount corresponding to this gap, thereby improving the heat dissipation performance of the semiconductor module 300.

[0068] In FIG. 16(b), the thin portion 361 of the sealing member 360 is formed by hardening and shrinking of the sealing member 360. The curing shrinkage of the sealing member 360 is as described with reference to FIG. 15. That is, the thin-walled portion 361 is formed by curing shrinkage using the sealing member 360 with a shrinkage amount larger than that of the outer conductor layer 447. According to this method, since the protrusion 604 of the mold 603 and the like are not used, the outer conductor layer 447 and the thin-walled portion 361 of the sealing member 360 are bonded to each other, and the thin-walled portion 361 can be formed by making the outer conductor layer 447 convex. That is, the thin-walled portion 361 that is thinner than the thickness of the outer conductor layer 447 can be provided from the side surface of the outer conductor layer 447 to the outer periphery side and in contact with the side surface of the outer conductor layer 447. Therefore, the heat conductive member 453 can be pressed efficiently against the outer conductor layer 447 that serves as a heat dissipation surface, and the reliability of the heat dissipation of the semiconductor module 300 is excellent.

[0069] FIG. 16C shows Comparative Example 3 to which this embodiment is not applied, in which sealing member 360 is formed to the same thickness as outer conductor layer 447. The pressure applied to the heat conductive member 453 on the outer conductor layer 447 is received by the area Sa of the outer conductor layer 447 as viewed from above and the area Sb of the sealing member 360 as viewed from above, that is, the area Sa+Sc. For this reason, when the cooling member 340 and the semiconductor module 300 are attached to each other via the heat conductive member 453 such as grease, the sealing member 360 also bears the surface pressure, so the surface pressure on the heat dissipation surface of the semiconductor module 300 decreases. In order to increase the surface pressure on the heat dissipation surface and satisfy the reliability, a large mechanism is required to sandwich and pressurize the semiconductor module 300 from both sides, and the power conversion device 200 becomes large. In addition, since the sealing member 360 and the heat dissipation surface are on the same plane, the sealing member 360 is likely to wrap around the heat dissipation surface when the sealing member 360 is pressurized and injected in the transfer molding process, and when the sealing member 360 wraps around, the heat dissipation performance is reduced. Alternatively, an additional process is required to remove the sealing member 360 that has wrapped around, which reduces productivity.

[0070] FIG. 16(d) shows Comparative Example 4 to which this embodiment is not applied, and is an example in which the sealing member 360 of the resin A described in FIG. 15 is used. 16(d), even if the sealing member 360 is formed to the same thickness as the outer conductor layer 447, when cooled, the outer conductor layer 447 shrinks relatively more than the sealing member 360, causing the sealing member 360 to become convex. Therefore, the surface pressure applied when the thermally conductive member 453 is pressed against the outer conductor layer 447, which is the heat dissipation surface, is received by the sealing member 360, and the heat dissipation performance of the semiconductor module 300 is impaired.

[0071] According to this embodiment, the pressure force that adheres the cooling member 340 and the semiconductor module 300 to each other via the thermally conductive member 453 is efficiently applied to the heat dissipation surface, so that the pressure mechanism can be simplified, which is effective in miniaturizing the power conversion device 200, and it is easy to bring the heat dissipation surface and the cooling member 340 into close proximity to each other, thereby improving the heat dissipation performance of the semiconductor module 300.

[0072] FIG. 17 is a circuit diagram of a power conversion device 200 using a semiconductor module 300. The power conversion device 200 includes inverter circuit units 140 and 142, an inverter circuit unit 43 for auxiliary equipment, and a capacitor module 500. The inverter circuit units 140 and 142 include a plurality of semiconductor modules 300, which are connected to form a three-phase bridge circuit. When the current capacity is large, the semiconductor modules 300 are further connected in parallel, and these parallel connections are made corresponding to each phase of the three-phase inverter circuit, thereby making it possible to handle an increase in the current capacity. In addition, the active elements 155 and 157 and the diodes 156 and 158, which are semiconductor elements built into the semiconductor modules 300, can also be connected in parallel to handle an increase in the current capacity.

[0073] The inverter circuit unit 140 and the inverter circuit unit 142 have the same basic circuit configuration, and the control method and operation are also basically the same. Since the outline of the circuit operation of the inverter circuit unit 140 and the like is well known, a detailed description will be omitted here.

[0074] The upper arm circuit includes an upper arm active element 155 and an upper arm diode 156 as switching semiconductor elements, and the lower arm circuit includes a lower arm active element 157 and a lower arm diode 158 as switching semiconductor elements. The active elements 155 and 157 perform switching operation upon receiving a drive signal output from one or the other of two driver circuits constituting the driver circuit 174, and convert the DC power supplied from the battery 136 into three-phase AC power.

[0075] The upper arm active element 155 and the lower arm active element 157 each have a collector electrode, an emitter electrode, and a gate electrode. The upper arm diode 156 and the lower arm diode 158 each have two electrodes, a cathode electrode and an anode electrode. As shown in FIG. 6, the cathode electrodes of the diodes 156 and 158 are electrically connected to the collector electrodes of the active elements 155 and 157, and the anode electrodes are electrically connected to the emitter electrodes of the active elements 155 and 157, respectively. As a result, the current flows from the emitter electrodes of the upper arm active element 155 and the lower arm active element 157 to the collector electrodes in the forward direction. The active elements 155 and 157 are, for example, IGBTs.

[0076] It should be noted that a MOSFET (metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor) may be used as the active element, in which case the upper arm diode 156 and the lower arm diode 158 are not necessary.

[0077] Positive terminal 325P and negative terminal 325M of each upper and lower arm series circuit are respectively connected to DC terminals for connecting capacitors of capacitor module 500. AC power is generated at the connection portion between the upper arm circuit and the lower arm circuit, and the connection portion between the upper arm circuit and the lower arm circuit of each upper and lower arm series circuit is connected to AC side terminal 325A of each semiconductor module 300. AC side terminal 320B of each semiconductor module 300 of each phase is respectively connected to an AC output terminal of power conversion device 200, and the generated AC power is supplied to the stator winding of motor generator 192 or 194.

[0078] The control circuit 172 generates a timing signal for controlling the switching timing of the upper arm active element 155 and the lower arm active element 157 based on input information from a vehicle-side control device and a sensor (e.g., a current sensor 180). The driver circuit 174 generates a drive signal for performing a switching operation on the upper arm active element 155 and the lower arm active element 157 based on the timing signal output from the control circuit 172. Note that 181 and 188 are connectors.

[0079] The upper and lower arm series circuits include a temperature sensor (not shown), and temperature information about the upper and lower arm series circuits is input to the microcomputer. In addition, voltage information about the DC positive pole side of the upper and lower arm series circuits is input to the microcomputer. The microcomputer performs over-temperature detection and over-voltage detection based on this information, and if over-temperature or over-voltage is detected, it stops the switching operation of all upper arm active elements 155 and lower arm active elements 157, thereby protecting the upper and lower arm series circuits from over-temperature or over-voltage.

[0080] FIG. 18 is an external perspective view of the power converter 200 shown in FIG. 17, and FIG. 19 is a cross-sectional perspective view of the power converter 200 shown in FIG. 18 taken along line XV-XV.

[0081] The power converter 200 includes a housing 12 formed of a lower case 11 and an upper case 10 and having a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape. An electric circuit body 400, a capacitor module 500, and the like are housed inside the housing 12. The electric circuit body 400 has a cooling flow path that flows to a cooling member 340, and a refrigerant inlet pipe 13 and a refrigerant outlet pipe 14 that communicate with the cooling flow path protrude from one side of the housing 12. The upper side of the lower case 11 is opened, and the upper case 10 is attached to the lower case 11 by closing the opening of the lower case 11. The upper case 10 and the lower case 11 are formed of an aluminum alloy or the like, and are fixed in a sealed manner from the outside. The upper case 10 and the lower case 11 may be integrally configured. The housing 12 is formed into a simple rectangular parallelepiped shape, which makes it easy to attach to a vehicle or the like and also easy to produce.

[0082] A connector 17 is attached to one side surface in the longitudinal direction of the housing 12, and an AC terminal 18 is connected to this connector 17. In addition, a connector 21 is provided on the surface from which the refrigerant inlet pipe 13 and the refrigerant outlet pipe 14 are led out.

[0083] As shown in FIG. 19, an electric circuit body 400 is accommodated in the housing 12. The control circuit 172 and the driver circuit 174 are arranged in the electric circuit body 400, and a capacitor module 500 is accommodated on the DC terminal side of the electric circuit body 400. By arranging the capacitor module 500 at the same height as the electric circuit body 400, the power conversion device 200 can be made thinner, improving the degree of freedom of installation in the vehicle. The AC side terminal 325A of the electric circuit body 400 is connected to the connector 188 through the current sensor 180. In addition, the positive side terminal 325P and the negative side terminal 325M, which are DC terminals of the semiconductor module 300, are joined to the positive and negative terminals of the capacitor module 500, respectively.

[0084] According to the embodiment described above, the following advantageous effects can be obtained. (1) The semiconductor module 300 includes semiconductor elements 155, 156, 157, 158, an inner conductor layer 446 connected to one surface of the semiconductor elements 155, 156, 157, 158, an insulating plate 445 laminated on the inner conductor layer 446, an outer conductor layer 447 disposed on the opposite side of the inner conductor layer 446 with the insulating plate 445 interposed therebetween, and a sealing member 360 sealing the semiconductor elements 155, 156, 157, 158, the inner conductor layer 446, and the insulating plate 445, and the sealing member 360 covers the insulating plate 445 from the side surface of the outer conductor layer 447 to the outer periphery, and has a thin portion 361 thinner than the thickness of the outer conductor layer 447 disposed adjacent to the side surface of the outer conductor layer 447. This can improve the heat dissipation performance of the semiconductor module 300.

[0085] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and other embodiments that are conceivable within the scope of the technical concept of the present invention are also included within the scope of the present invention as long as they do not impair the characteristics of the present invention. In addition, the above-described embodiment may be combined with a modified example. [Explanation of symbols]

[0086] 10···upper case, 11···lower case, 13··refrigerant inlet pipe, 14··refrigerant outlet pipe, 17, 21, 181, 182, 188··connector, 43, 140, 142··inverter circuit, 155, 156, 157, 158··semiconductor element, 172···control circuit, 174··driver circuit, 180···current sensor, 192, 194··motor generator, 200··power conversion device, 300··semiconductor module, 310··circuit body, 325P··positive terminal, 325M··negative terminal, 325A··AC terminal, 325E··emitter sense terminal, 325C··collector sense terminal, 3 25L···lower arm gate terminal, 325U···upper arm gate terminal, 340···cooling member, 352···lamination area, 360···sealing member, 361···thin portion, 362···thick portion, 371···terminal connection portion, 372···internal connection portion, 400···electrical circuit body, 420···conductor plate, 440···insulating sheet, 441···resin insulating layer, 442···surface conductor layer, 444···laminated substrate, 445···insulating plate, 446···inner conductor layer, 447···outer conductor layer, 453···thermal conduction member, 500···capacitor module, 601···transfer molding device, 602···spring, 603···mold.

Claims

1. a semiconductor element; an inner conductor layer connected to one surface of the semiconductor element; an insulating plate laminated on the inner conductor layer; an outer conductor layer disposed on the opposite side of the inner conductor layer with the insulating plate interposed therebetween; and a sealing member sealing the semiconductor element, the inner conductor layer, and the insulating plate; The sealing member covers the insulating plate from the side surface of the outer conductor layer toward the outer periphery, and a thin portion thinner than the thickness of the outer conductor layer is provided adjacent to the side surface of the outer conductor layer.

2. 2. The semiconductor module according to claim 1, The sealing member is a semiconductor module in which a thick portion having a thickness greater than that of the thin portion is provided on the outer periphery of the thin portion.

3. 2. The semiconductor module according to claim 1, The thin-walled portion is formed by a protrusion provided on a mold during a transfer molding process.

4. 2. The semiconductor module according to claim 1, The thin-walled portion is formed by hardening and shrinking the sealing material, the shrinkage of which is greater than the shrinkage of the outer conductor layer.

5. 2. The semiconductor module according to claim 1, the inner conductor layer includes a terminal connection portion for connecting a lead wire extending from the semiconductor element to an external terminal, A semiconductor module in which the outer conductor layer is provided in a region that does not overlap with a region in which a terminal connection portion is present in a stacking direction of the stacked semiconductor element, the inner conductor layer, the insulating plate, and the outer conductor layer.

6. 2. The semiconductor module according to claim 1, a conductor plate connected to the other surface of the semiconductor element; and an insulating sheet laminated on the conductor plate, A semiconductor module in which the outer conductor layer is provided in an area covering a stacked area where the stacked insulating sheet, the conductor plate, the semiconductor element, the inner conductor layer, and the insulating plate all overlap in the stacking direction.

7. 7. The semiconductor module according to claim 6, The outer conductor layer is provided in a region covering an end of the conductor plate in the stacking direction.

8. The semiconductor module according to any one of claims 1 to 7, An electric circuit assembly including a cooling member provided on the semiconductor module via a thermally conductive member.

9. A power conversion device comprising the electric circuit body according to claim 8, for converting DC power into AC power and vice versa.

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