Semiconductor module and semiconductor device

Abstract

To dissipate heat generated in a power semiconductor element from a main current terminal while securing insulating properties.SOLUTION: A semiconductor module 1A includes: a power semiconductor element including a main current electrode; a main body 11 that accommodates therein the power semiconductor element, the main body including a top face U, a side face S1 that connects to the top face, a bottom face D that is a face opposite to the top face U and is fixable to a cooler 21; and a main current terminal 12M that has a first face and a second surface opposite to the first surface and is connected to the main current electrode, the main current terminal protruding from the side face S1. The main body 11 has a recessed portion formed on the side face S1, recessed portion accommodating therein an end portion of an insulating member 14M. The second face is closer to the bottom face D than the first face on the side face S1. The recessed portion is formed on the side face S1 between the bottom face D and the second face, and is at a position apart from the bottom face D.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a semiconductor module and a semiconductor device. [Background technology]

[0002] Power semiconductor modules that control electric motors and the like have been known for some time. Power semiconductor modules house power semiconductor elements used for switching large currents. The lead terminals of power semiconductor modules often protrude from the side of the main body. Since power semiconductor elements generate heat during operation, power semiconductor modules are usually used with a cooler attached. It is necessary to ensure a certain degree of insulation distance, such as spatial distance and creepage distance, between the lead terminals and the cooler.

[0003] Patent Document 1 discloses a technology for coating all lead terminals protruding from the main body of a power semiconductor module with resin. Since the lead terminals of this power semiconductor module are coated with resin, an insulation distance between the module and a cooler can be ensured. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2020-53611 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, conventional power semiconductor modules have a problem in that the lead terminals are coated with resin, making it difficult to dissipate heat sufficiently from the surfaces of the lead terminals. The present disclosure has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and has an object to improve heat dissipation characteristics while ensuring insulation between the terminal and the cooler. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to solve the above problems, the semiconductor module disclosed herein comprises a power semiconductor element having a main current electrode, a top surface, a side surface connected to the top surface, and a bottom surface opposite the top surface and capable of being fixed to a cooler, a main body that houses the power semiconductor element, and a main current terminal having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface, connected to the main current electrode and protruding from the side surface, wherein the main body has a recess in the side surface in which an end of an insulating member is housed, the second surface is closer to the bottom surface on the side surface than the first surface, and the recess is present on the side surface between the bottom surface and the second surface, at a position spaced apart from the bottom surface. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] 1 is a side view showing a configuration example of a semiconductor device 1A according to a first embodiment. [Diagram 2] 2 is a plan view of the semiconductor device 1A excluding the control board 30. FIG. [Diagram 3] 11 is a perspective view showing a schematic arrangement of a main current terminal 12M and an insulating member 14M. FIG. [Figure 4] 2 is a plan view of the semiconductor module 10A as viewed in the Z2 direction. [Diagram 5] 5 is a cross-sectional view of the semiconductor module 10A taken along line AA' shown in FIG. [Figure 6A] FIG. 11 is a plan view that illustrates an example of the arrangement of the main current terminal 12M, the insulating member 14M, and the cooler 21 when the main current terminal 12M is viewed in a plane in the Z2 direction. [Figure 6B] 13 is a plan view showing a schematic arrangement of the main current terminal 12M, the insulating member 14M, and the cooler 21 according to another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 6C] FIG. 6C is a side view of the semiconductor device 1A as viewed in the Y1 direction when the insulating member 14M shown in FIG. 6B is employed. [Figure 6D] 1 is a side view showing an example of the arrangement of a main current terminal 12M, an insulating member 14M, and a cooler 21. FIG. [Figure 7]11 is a side view showing a configuration example of a semiconductor device 1B according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. [Figure 8] 2 is a plan view of the semiconductor device 1B excluding the control board 30. FIG. [Figure 9A] 13 is a side view showing another configuration example 1 for fixing an insulating member 14P to a main current terminal 12P. FIG. [Figure 9B] 9B is a side view of the fixing point P shown in FIG. 9A as viewed from the side in the X2 direction. [Figure 9C] 9C is a cross-sectional view of the fixing point P taken along line BB' shown in FIG. 9B. [Figure 10A] 9B is a side view of the fixing portion P shown in FIG. 9A to which another configuration example 2 is applied, as viewed from the side in the X2 direction. FIG. [Figure 10B] 10B is a cross-sectional view of the fixing point P taken along line CC' shown in FIG. 10A. [Figure 11] 11 is an exploded side view showing a configuration example of a semiconductor device 1C according to a third embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. [Figure 12] 2 is a plan view of the semiconductor device 1C excluding the control board 30. FIG. [Figure 13] 1 is a plan view showing a configuration example of a semiconductor device 1D according to a first modified example. [Figure 14] 11 is a plan view showing a configuration example of a semiconductor device 1E according to Modification 2. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0008] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the dimensions and scale of each part in the drawings may differ from the actual ones. The embodiments described below are preferred specific examples of the present disclosure. For this reason, various technically preferable limitations are attached to the following embodiments. However, the scope of the present disclosure is not limited to these forms unless otherwise specified in the following description to limit the present disclosure.

[0009] 1. First embodiment FIG. 1 is a side view showing a configuration example of a semiconductor device 1A according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 2 is a plan view of the semiconductor device 1A excluding a control board 30. The X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis shown in FIG. 1 are mutually orthogonal. The X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis are common to all figures exemplified in the following description. A direction along the X-axis as viewed from an arbitrary point is denoted as the X1 direction, and a direction opposite to the X1 direction is denoted as the X2 direction. Opposite directions along the Y-axis from an arbitrary point are denoted as the Y1 direction and the Y2 direction. Opposite directions along the Z-axis from an arbitrary point are denoted as the Z1 direction and the Z2 direction. In addition, a plane including the X-axis and the Y-axis is denoted as the XY plane. The surface opposite to the top surface is the bottom surface. The top surface is located in the Z1 direction from the bottom surface. The surface opposite to the front surface is the back surface. The front surface is located in the Z1 direction from the back surface. In this specification, the top surface, bottom surface, front surface, and back surface are parallel to the XY plane unless otherwise specified. Also, the surface connecting the top surface and the bottom surface is referred to as a side surface. Also, in this specification, a plan view means viewing an object from the Z2 direction, which is synonymous with viewing an object from a direction perpendicular to the top surface U of the main body 11 described later.

[0010] 1 includes a semiconductor module 10A, a cooler 21, a control board 30, and bus bars 40P and 40M. The semiconductor module 10A includes a main body 11, main current terminals 12P and 12M, a control terminal 13, insulating members 14P and 14M, and a connecting member 15. Although not shown in FIG. 1 because it is a side view, the semiconductor device 1A includes a main current terminal 12N overlapping the main current terminal 12P and an insulating member 14N overlapping the insulating member 14P when the main current terminal 12P is viewed from the side in the Y1 direction (see FIG. 2).

[0011] The main body 11 has a roughly rectangular parallelepiped outer shape, and has a top surface U, a side surface S1, a side surface S2, and a bottom surface D. The side surface S1 and the side surface S2 are continuous with the top surface U. The side surface S2 is the surface opposite to the side surface S1. The side surface S1 is located in the X1 direction from the side surface S2. The bottom surface D is the surface opposite to the top surface U, and can be fixed to the cooler 21. The main body 11 houses semiconductor chips, which will be described later. The number of semiconductor chips housed in the main body 11 is arbitrary. In this example, the main body 11 houses two semiconductor chips. A power semiconductor element capable of switching a large current is formed in the semiconductor chip. The power semiconductor element may include an insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT), a metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET), a free wheeling diode (FWD), a reverse conducting IGBT (RC-IGBT), and the like.

[0012] The semiconductor chip has two main current electrodes and one control electrode. The main current electrodes are electrodes that input or output a current to be controlled to the power semiconductor element. For example, the main current electrodes are the collector electrode and emitter electrode in RC-IGBTs and IGBTs, and the drain electrode and source electrode in MOSFETs. The control electrode is an electrode that applies a voltage for controlling the on / off of the power semiconductor element. For example, the control electrode is the gate electrode in RC-IGBTs, IGBTs, and MOSFETs. The control electrode may also include a sense electrode for current sensing, temperature sensing, etc. in RC-IGBTs, IGBTs, and MOSFETs.

[0013] The main current terminals 12P, 12N, and 12M are flat-plate shaped with a main surface parallel to the XY plane outside the body 11 and extend along the X-axis. The main current terminals 12P, 12N, and 12M are electrically connected to the main current electrodes of the power semiconductor elements inside the body 11. The main surfaces have one surface and the other surface opposite to the one surface. The control terminal 13 is shaped like a rectangular column narrower in the Y1 direction than the main current terminals 12P, 12N, and 12M. The control terminal 13 has a horizontal portion extending along the X-axis outside the body 11 and a vertical portion bent from the horizontal portion and extending along the Z-axis. The control terminal 13 is L-shaped when viewed from the side in the Y1 direction. The control terminal 13 is electrically connected to the control electrode of the power semiconductor element inside the body 11. The main current terminals 12P, 12N, and 12M, and the control terminal 13 are made of a conductor such as copper. The main current terminal 12M and the control terminal 13 protrude in the X1 direction from the side surface S1 of the body 11. The main current terminals 12P and 12N protrude in the X2 direction from the side surface S2 of the body 11. In other words, the main current terminal 12M and the control terminal 13, and the main current terminals 12P and 12N protrude in the opposite X1 and X2 directions from the opposing side surfaces S1 and S2 of the body 11, respectively. The main current terminals 12P, 12N, and 12M each have a first opening 12Ph, 12Nh, and 12Mh, respectively, at a tip portion remote from the body 11. Bus bars 40P, 40N, and 40M, which correspond one-to-one to first openings 12Ph, 12Nh, and 12Mh, are connected to the ends of main current terminals 12P, 12N, and 12M, respectively. Bus bars 40P, 40N, and 40M are electrically connected to external devices such as a power source and a drive device (not shown). The fastening parts will be described in detail later.

[0014] The control board 30 is connected to the tip portion of the control terminal 13, which is distant from the main body 11. For example, the tip portion of the control terminal 13 passes through a through hole of the control board 30 and is electrically connected to a circuit pattern formed on the control board 30. The tip portion of the control terminal 13 may be soldered or pressed into the through hole of the control board 30. In addition, the bending portion of the control terminal 13 is a predetermined distance away from the side surface S1. The predetermined distance is shorter than the length between the side surface S1 and the first opening 40Mh of the main current terminal 12M. In other words, the first opening 40Mh and the control terminal 13 do not overlap in a side view from the Y1 direction. In this example, the control board 30 and the bus bars 40P, 40N, and 40M are disposed at different positions in the Z1 direction, so that they are not buffered against each other. In addition, the control terminal 13 and the bus bar 40M are disposed at different positions in the X1 direction, so that they are not buffered against each other. Therefore, the control wiring and the main current wiring are well insulated.

[0015] A large current flows through the main current terminals 12P, 12N, and 12M compared to the control terminal 13. Furthermore, since the power semiconductor elements generate heat during operation, it is preferable to dissipate the heat from the main current terminals 12P, 12N, and 12M in order to protect the power semiconductor elements.

[0016] The main body 11 is molded with resin. There are various methods for resin molding, but for example, the transfer molding method shown below can be used for resin molding. In the first step, a semiconductor chip or the like is joined to a lead frame on which the main current terminals 12P, 12N, and 12M and the control terminal 13 are formed, and the lead frame is placed in a fixed mold in a wired state. In the second step, the fixed mold and the movable mold are connected. In the third step, resin is injected from an injection port of the mold and the resin is hardened. In the fourth step, the semiconductor module 10A is removed from the mold, unnecessary resin is removed, and tie bars of the lead frame are cut. For the resin, a resin material such as a thermosetting resin that is highly heat resistant and hard can be used. For example, the resin may be an epoxy resin, a maleimide resin, a cyanate resin, or the like. For the main body 11, an insulating inorganic filler may be further added to such a resin. The inorganic filler may be, for example, an oxide, nitride or carbide of silicon, aluminum, boron or the like.

[0017] In this example, the semiconductor module 10A is molded using a resin mold, but the present disclosure is not limited to this. For example, after all components are electrically and mechanically connected to the housing, the housing may be sealed with a sealing resin such as silicone gel or epoxy resin.

[0018] Four connecting members 15 are fixed to the four corners of the upper surface U of the main body 11. The control board 30 is fixed to the four connecting members 15. The upper surface U and the four connecting members 15, and the four connecting members 15 and the control board 30 are fixed using, for example, an adhesive. A circuit that generates a control signal to be supplied to the control terminal 13 is arranged on the control board 30.

[0019] The bottom surface D of the main body 11 has a heat dissipation surface. The heat dissipation surface may be a region that is parallel to the back surface of the power semiconductor element and is exposed to the bottom surface D of the main body 11 via an insulating layer such as an insulating plate 121 in the Z2 direction from the power semiconductor element. For example, the heat dissipation surface may be a metal layer 123 of a laminated substrate 120 described later (see FIG. 5). The heat dissipation surface may also be configured with an insulating layer made of the same material as the main body 11. Alternatively, the heat dissipation surface may be a metal base plate such as copper. The cooler 21 is fixed to the bottom surface D of such a main body 11. In this example, the cooler 21 and the bottom surface D are fixed using a heat dissipating adhesive sheet, but the fixing method is arbitrary. For example, the cooler 21 and the semiconductor module 10A may be fixed by screws. Alternatively, they may be joined using solder or brazing material. In this example, the heat dissipation surface protrudes in the Z2 direction from a portion of the bottom surface D excluding the heat dissipation surface. Therefore, the bottom surface D is not parallel to the XY plane. However, the position of the heat dissipation surface in the Z2 direction may coincide with the position of the portion of the bottom surface D excluding the heat dissipation surface in the Z2 direction. In this case, the bottom surface D is parallel to the XY plane.

[0020] 3 is a perspective view showing a schematic arrangement of the main current terminal 12M and the insulating member 14M. The main current terminal 12M and the control terminal 13 protrude in the X1 direction from the side surface S1 of the main body 11. The main current terminals 12P and 12N protrude in the X2 direction from the side surface S2 of the main body 11. The main current terminal 12M has a first surface 12U and a second surface 12D that is the surface opposite to the first surface 12U. The second surface 12D is closer to the cooler 21 than the first surface 12U.

[0021] The cooler 21 cools the semiconductor module 10A. The cooler 21 is, for example, a heat sink, but may be a water-cooled device that circulates a coolant such as water. The cooler 21 is made of a material with low thermal resistance. Examples of materials with low thermal resistance include metals such as aluminum and copper. On the other hand, the voltage of the main current terminal 12M is, for example, 1200V. For this reason, it is necessary to provide sufficient insulation between the cooler 21 and the main current terminal 12M.

[0022] The insulating member 14M is used to provide good insulation between the main current terminal 12M and the cooler 21. The insulating member 14M is made of an insulating material. The insulating member 14M is provided separately from the main body 11. The insulating member 14M is thin and has a large width and length. The insulating member 14M may have a thickness of 100 μm or more and 4 mm or less. The insulating member 14M may be easily folded. The insulating member 14M may be, for example, insulating paper, an insulating sheet, or an insulating plate. The insulating paper is, for example, a thin and flat sheet formed by intertwining natural fibers, chemical fibers, or glass fibers, and can be easily bent. The insulating sheet may be, for example, polyimide, silicone resin, fluororesin, synthetic rubber, or the like. The insulating plate may be, for example, ceramic, epoxy resin, polycarbonate resin, or the like. The insulating plate may be, for example, a laminate of insulating paper and an insulating sheet. The insulating material in this example is different from the resin that molds the body 11 .

[0023] A recess 11a is formed on the side surface S1 of the main body 11. The recess 11a is not present between the upper surface U of the side surface S1 and the first surface 12U of the main current terminal 12M, but is present between the bottom surface D of the side surface S1 and the second surface 12D of the main current terminal 12M at a position separated from the bottom surface D. The shape of the recess 11a in this example is a substantially rectangular parallelepiped. The end of the insulating member 14M is accommodated in the recess 11a. A part of the second surface 12D of the main current terminal 12M becomes a surface that defines the recess 11a. In this example, the shape of the insulating member 14M is a rectangular parallelepiped, so the shape of the recess 11a is a substantially rectangular parallelepiped, but the present disclosure is not limited to this. The shape of the recess 11a may be any shape as long as it can accommodate the end of the insulating member 14M.

[0024] 3 is fitted into the recess 11a, a portion of the insulating member 14M is housed in the recess 11a. Therefore, one end of the insulating member 14M is housed in the recess 11a of the main body 11, so that the insulating member 14M extends into the inside of the main body 11. The insulating member 14M protrudes from the side surface S1 to the outside of the main body 11. The recess 11a in this example is formed in contact with the second surface 12D of the main current terminal 12M. Therefore, on the side surface S1, the upper surface of the insulating member 14M is in contact with the second surface 12D of the main current terminal 12M.

[0025] A first opening 12Mh is formed in a portion of the main current terminal 12M protruding from the side surface S1. A second opening 14Mh is formed in the insulating member 14M. As shown in FIG. 1, the bolt 41M is inserted through the through hole 40Mh of the busbar 40M, the first opening 12Mh of the main current terminal 12M, and the second opening 14Mh of the insulating member 14M. The bolt 41M is fixed by the nut 42M. This causes the busbar 40M, the main current terminal 12M, and the insulating member 14M to be fastened together. The first opening 12Mh of the main current terminal 12M functions as a fixing portion that fixes the insulating member 14M. The main current terminals 12P and 12N, the insulating members 14P and 14N, and the busbars 40P and 40N are configured similarly to the busbar 40M, the main current terminal 12M, and the insulating member 14M. That is, the bolt 41P is inserted through the through hole 40Ph of the bus bar 40P, the first opening 12Ph of the main current terminal 12P, and the second opening 14Ph of the insulating member 14P, and they are fastened together by the bolt 41P. Also, the bus bar 40N, the main current terminal 12N, and the insulating member 14N are fastened together by the bolt 41N.

[0026] The bus bars 40P, 40M, and 40N are fixed to, for example, the housing of the semiconductor device 1A. As described above, the bus bars 40P, 40M, and 40N are fixed to the main current terminals 12P, 12M, and 12N in a one-to-one correspondence. Here, assume that the positions of the bus bars 40P and 40M shown in FIG. 1 are shifted in the Z2 direction. In this case, the main current terminal 12P is displaced in the direction of the arrow J, and the main current terminal 12M is displaced in the direction of the arrow Q. In other words, depending on the relative positions of the semiconductor module 10A and the bus bars 40P, 40M, and 40N, the insulation distance between the main current terminals 12P, 12M, and 12N and the cooler 21 may be shortened. On the other hand, the control terminal 13 is fixed to the control board 30, but the relative positions of the control board 30 and the control terminal 13 can be easily adjusted when the control board 30 is attached to the connecting member 15. Therefore, the control terminal 13 is hardly displaced in the Z2 direction when the control board 30 is attached. Therefore, the semiconductor module 10A is provided with insulating members 14P, 14M, and 14N that correspond one-to-one to the main current terminals 12P, 12M, and 12N, but no insulating member is provided between the control terminal 13 and the cooler 21. For this reason, the portion of the control terminal 13 that protrudes from the side surface S1 of the main body 11 does not overlap with the entire insulating members 14P, 14M, and 14N in a plan view.

[0027] In this way, a part of the insulating member 14M is located between the second surface 12D of the main current terminal 12M and the cooler 21, so that the insulation between the main current terminal 12M and the cooler 21 is improved compared to the case where the insulating member 14M is not present. On the other hand, the first surface 12U of the main current terminal 12M is not covered by the insulating member 14M and is exposed to the space. Therefore, the main current terminal 12M can dissipate heat generated in the power semiconductor element from the portion protruding from the side surface S1 of the main current terminal 12M.

[0028] Next, the internal structure of the semiconductor module 10A will be described. Fig. 4 is a plan view of the semiconductor module 10A viewed in the Z2 direction. However, the resin used for molding is omitted in Fig. 4. Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the semiconductor module 10A taken along line A-A' in Fig. 4.

[0029] As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the semiconductor module 10A includes a laminated substrate 120, bonding members 130 and 150, and semiconductor chips 141 and 142. As shown in FIG.

[0030] The laminated substrate 120 includes an insulating plate 121 having an upper surface and a lower surface opposite to the upper surface, a wiring layer 122, and a metal layer 123. The lower surface is located in the Z2 direction from the upper surface. The insulating plate 121 may be formed using a ceramic material such as alumina (Al2O3), aluminum nitride (AlN), or silicon nitride (Si3N4).

[0031] The wiring layer 122 is provided on the upper surface of the insulating plate 121. A wiring pattern made of a conductor such as copper or a copper alloy is formed on the wiring layer 122. The metal layer 123 is provided on the rear surface of the insulating plate 121. The metal layer 123 has a function of conducting heat generated in the semiconductor chips 141 and 142 to the cooler 21, and may be made of a metal with low thermal resistance such as copper or aluminum. The laminated substrate 120 may be, for example, a DCB (Direct Copper Bonding) substrate or an AMB (Active Metal Brazing) substrate.

[0032] The metal layer 123 of the laminated substrate 120 is fixed to the cooler 21 by a heat dissipation sheet. Moreover, the wiring layer 122 of the laminated substrate 120 is electrically and mechanically connected to the semiconductor chips 141 and 142 via a bonding member 130. The bonding member 130 may be, for example, solder.

[0033] At least a low-side RC-IGBT (hereinafter referred to as a first RC-IGBT) is formed on the semiconductor chip 141. The first RC-IGBT is an example of a first power semiconductor element. At least a high-side RC-IGBT (hereinafter referred to as a second RC-IGBT) is formed on the semiconductor chip 142. The second RC-IGBT is an example of a second power semiconductor element.

[0034] Each of the semiconductor chips 141 and 142 has a front surface and a back surface that is the surface opposite to the front surface. The back surface is located in the Z2 direction from the front surface. A collector electrode is formed on the back surface of the semiconductor chips 141 and 142. A collector electrode is formed on the back surface of the semiconductor chips 141 and 142. An emitter electrode E1, a connection electrode G1 electrically connected to the gate electrode, and four connection electrodes 161 are arranged on the front surface of the semiconductor chip 141. Similarly to the semiconductor chip 141, an emitter electrode E2, a connection electrode G2 electrically connected to the gate electrode, and four connection electrodes 162 are arranged on the front surface of the semiconductor chip 142. The four connection electrodes 161 are electrically connected to a temperature sensor and a current sensor formed on the semiconductor chip 141. The four connection electrodes 162 are electrically connected to a temperature sensor and a current sensor formed on the semiconductor chip 142. Furthermore, the connection electrodes G 1 , G 2 , 161 , and 162 are electrically and mechanically connected to the respective control terminals 13 via wires 113 .

[0035] The main current terminal 12P is electrically connected to the collector electrode of the second RC-IGBT via the wiring layer 122. The second RC-IGBT is controlled to be on or off based on a control signal supplied to the connection electrode G2. The emitter electrode E2 of the second RC-IGBT is electrically and mechanically connected to the wiring 114 via the bonding member 150. The wiring 114 is made of copper or a copper alloy. The wiring 114 is electrically connected to the main current terminal 12M and the collector electrode of the first RC-IGBT via the wiring layer 122 shown on the left side of FIG. 4. The first RC-IGBT is controlled to be on or off based on a control signal supplied to the connection electrode G1. The emitter electrode E1 of the first RC-IGBT is electrically and mechanically connected to the main current terminal 12N via the bonding member 150.

[0036] Next, the insulation between the main current terminal 12M and the cooler 21 will be considered. FIG. 6A is a plan view showing the arrangement of the main current terminal 12M, the insulating member 14M, and the cooler 21 when the main current terminal 12M is viewed in plan. As shown in FIG. 6A, a portion R of the main current terminal 12M protruding from the side surface S1 of the main body 11 overlaps with a part of the insulating member 14M. Here, the insulation between the cooler 21 and the main current terminal 12M should be considered in a range K where the portion R protruding from the side surface S1 of the main body 11 overlaps with the cooler 21. In this example, the entire range K overlaps with the insulating member 14M, so that the cooler 21 and the main current terminal 12M are well insulated from each other.

[0037] Also, if the entire range K overlaps with the insulating member 14M, the insulating member 14M may be smaller than the embodiment shown in FIG. 6A. For example, as shown in FIG. 6B, the insulating member 14M may be disposed so that the position of the end face of the cooler 21 in the Y2 direction coincides with the position of the end face of the insulating member 14M in the Y2 direction. In this case, the entire part of the insulating member 14M protruding from the side surface S1 overlaps with the cooler 21 in a plan view. Note that the part of the insulating member 14M that is inside the main body 11 overlaps with the cooler 21 in a plan view, so in the embodiment shown in FIG. 6B, the entire insulating member 14M overlaps with the cooler 21 in a plan view. As a result, the part R of the main current terminal 12M protruding from the side surface S1 of the main body 11 overlaps with a part of the insulating member 14M in a plan view. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 6B, compared to the case where the insulating member 14M extends in the Y2 direction beyond the range of the cooler 21 in a planar view, good insulation is achieved between the cooler 21 and the main current terminal 12M while reducing the area of ​​the insulating member 14M.

[0038] FIG. 6C is a side view of the semiconductor device 1A in the Y1 direction when the insulating member 14M shown in FIG. 6B is adopted. In this case, the end of the insulating member 14M is supported by being accommodated in the recess 11a. However, this is not sufficient to fix the insulating member 14M to the main current terminal 12M. Therefore, the insulating member 14M may be fixed to the second surface 12D of the main current terminal 12M using an adhesive. In the embodiment in which the insulating member 14M is fixed to the second surface 12D of the main current terminal 12M using an adhesive, it is not essential to accommodate a part of the insulating member 14M in the recess 11a. In other words, the insulating member 14M does not need to extend inside the main body 11, but only needs to extend outside the main body 11. In this case, it is preferable that the insulating member 14M contacts the side surface S1 from the viewpoint of ensuring good insulation. However, the insulating member 14M may be separated from the side surface S1. When the insulating member 14M is separated from the side surface S1, the portion of the insulating member 14M closest to the side surface S1 is an end face of the insulating member 14M located in the X2 direction from the second opening 14Mh. The end face of the insulating member 14M is located between the bottom surface D and the second surface 12D and at a position separated from the bottom surface D in a side view from a direction perpendicular to the side surface S1.

[0039] The insulating member 14M is provided for the purpose of insulation between the cooler 21 and the main current terminal 12M. Therefore, the insulating member 14M does not necessarily need to contact the main current terminal 12M. There may be a gap between the insulating member 14M and the main current terminal 12M. That is, a part of the insulating member 14M may be located between the second surface 12D and the cooler 21. In this example, the insulating member 14M does not contact the cooler 21. The insulating member 14M is not fitted between the bottom surface D of the main body 11 and the upper surface of the cooler 21. Therefore, the heat dissipation of the main body 11 can be improved by suppressing the decrease in heat dissipation from the upper surface of the cooler 21 and the decrease in heat transfer from the main body 11 to the cooler 21. In addition, the gap is preferably located on the side surfaces S1 and S2 of the main body 11 closer to the second surface 12D than the cooler 21. That is, preferably, a part of the insulating member 14M is located on the second surface 12D side rather than the cooler 21 side on the side surfaces S1 and S2 of the main body 11. This makes it possible to more reliably insulate the main current terminal 12M while reducing the area of ​​the insulating member 14M.

[0040] FIG. 6D is a side view showing an example of the arrangement of the main current terminal 12M, the insulating member 14M, and the cooler 21. In FIG. 6D, the semiconductor device 1A is viewed from the side in the Y1 direction. In the example of the arrangement shown in the figure, the recess 11b is provided at a position shifted in the Z1 direction compared to the recess 11a shown in FIG. 3. In this case, one end of the insulating member 14M is stored in the recess 11b. In addition, the bus bar 40M, the main current terminal 12M, the washer 43M, and the insulating member 14M are fastened together using the bolt 41M and the nut 42M. In this embodiment, heat can be dissipated from the second surface 12D of the main current terminal 12M. The arrangement of the main current terminal 12M, the insulating member 14M, and the cooler 21 has been described above, but the same applies to the arrangement of the main current terminals 12P and 12N, the insulating members 14P and 14N, and the cooler 21.

[0041] As described above, the semiconductor module 10A according to the first embodiment includes the semiconductor chip 141, the main body 11 having the side surface S1 and the bottom surface D fixed to the cooler 21, and housing the semiconductor chip 141, and the main current terminal 12M. The main body 11 includes an upper surface U, side surfaces S1 and S2 continuous with the upper surface U, and a bottom surface D opposite to the upper surface U and capable of being fixed to the cooler 21. A power semiconductor element having a main current electrode is formed on the semiconductor chip 141. The main current terminal 12M has a first surface 12U and a second surface 12D, is connected to the main current electrode, and protrudes from the side surface S1. The main body 11 includes a recess 11a on the side surface S1 in which an end of the insulating member 14M is housed. The recess 11a is present on the side surface S1 between the bottom surface D and the second surface 12D, at a position spaced apart from the bottom surface D. The portion of the insulating member 14M closest to the side surface S1 is the edge of the recess 11a that opens to the side surface S1. The portion of the insulating member 14M closest to the side surface S1 is located between the bottom surface D and the second surface 12D and separated from the bottom surface D in a side view from the X2 direction that is perpendicular to the side surface S1. The first surface 12U is the surface opposite to the second surface 12D and is not covered by the insulating member 14M. The second surface 12D is closer to the cooler 21 than the first surface 12U. At least a part of the insulating member 14M is located between the second surface 12D and the cooler 21.

[0042] According to this semiconductor module 10A, at least a portion of the insulating member 14M is located between the second surface 12D and the cooler 21, and therefore, the insulation between the main current terminal 12M and the cooler 21 is improved compared to a case where the insulating member 14M is not provided. Also, since the first surface 12U of the main current terminal 12M is not covered by the insulating member 14M, the amount of heat dissipated from the first surface 12U can be increased compared to a case where the first surface 12U is covered by the insulating member 14M. As a result, according to the semiconductor module 10A, the insulation between the main current terminal 12M and the cooler 21 is improved, and heat generated in the power semiconductor element can be efficiently dissipated from the first surface 12U.

[0043] Furthermore, because stress is concentrated at the boundary between the main current terminal 12M and the main body 11, when the insulating member 14M is fixed to the second surface 12D of the main current terminal 12M with an adhesive, the insulating member 14M is likely to peel off from the boundary between the main current terminal 12M and the main body 11. In contrast, in the semiconductor module 10A, the end of the insulating member 14M is stored in the recess 11a, so that the insulating member 14M is not likely to peel off from the boundary between the main current terminal 12M and the main body 11, where stress is concentrated, compared to when the insulating member 14M is fixed to the main current terminal 12M with an adhesive.

[0044] In addition, in the semiconductor module 10A, the portion of the main current terminal 12M protruding from the side surface S1 overlaps with a part or the whole of the insulating member 14M in a plan view, and the portion of the control terminal 13 protruding from the side surface S1 does not overlap with the whole of the insulating member 14M in a plan view. In other words, outside the main body 11, the insulating member 14M is interposed between the main current terminal 12M and the cooler 21, but the insulating member 14M is not interposed between the control terminal 13 and the cooler 21. It is not easy to form the insulating member 14M on each of the multiple control terminals 13. On the other hand, if the insulating member 14M is formed collectively on the control terminal 13 and the main current terminal 12M, or if the insulating member 14M is formed collectively on the multiple control terminals 13, dust may accumulate on the insulating member 13, which may reduce the insulation between the main current terminal 12M and the control terminal 13 or between the multiple control terminals 13. Moreover, it is preferable that heat generated in the semiconductor chip 141 inside the main body 11 be dissipated from the control terminal 13 from the viewpoint of protecting the semiconductor chip 141. The semiconductor module 10A has the advantage that heat can be dissipated from the surface of the control terminal 13, compared to the case where the control terminal 13 is coated with an insulating material.

[0045] Furthermore, the main current terminal 12M has a first opening 12Mh at a portion protruding from the side surface S1, which functions as a fixing portion for fixing the insulating member 14M. According to this embodiment, the fixing portion is provided on the main current terminal 12M to be insulated, and therefore the configuration is simplified compared to a case where a fixing portion is provided on another member. Furthermore, when a recess 11a is provided on the side surface S1 of the main body 11 and one end of the insulating member 14M is stored in the recess 11a, one end of the insulating member 14M is supported by the main body 11. In addition, by fixing the insulating member 14M to the main current terminal 12M by the fixing portion, the insulating member 14M is fixed at two points.

[0046] In the semiconductor module 10A, the first opening 12Mh provided in the main current terminal 12M is an example of a fixing portion, and the insulating member 14M is provided with a second opening 14Mh. The main current terminal 12M and the insulating member 14M are fixed together by a bolt 41M (an example of a screw) that passes through the first opening 12Mh and the second opening 14Mh. According to this embodiment, the main current terminal 12M and the insulating member 14M can be screwed together, so that the main current terminal 12M and the insulating member 14M are fixed together with a simple configuration.

[0047] Furthermore, the main current terminal 12M is located between the bus bar 40M having a through hole 40Mh and the insulating member 14M, and the first surface 12U of the main current terminal 12M and the bus bar 40M are electrically connected by inserting the bolt 41M (an example of a screw) through the through hole 40Mh, the first opening 12Mh, and the second opening 14Mh. According to this embodiment, the bus bar 40M, the main current terminal 12M, and the insulating member 14M are fastened together, so that the configuration for fixing the bus bar 40M and the main current terminal 12M can be used as a configuration for fixing the insulating member 14M and the main current terminal 12M in combination.

[0048] Moreover, the first opening 12Mh, which is an example of a fixing portion, is disposed at a position that does not overlap the cooler 21 in a plan view, and therefore the insulation between the main current terminal 12M and the cooler 21 is improved compared to the case where the first opening 12Mh is disposed at a position that overlaps the cooler 21. In particular, when the bolt 41M is used, the end of the bolt 41M protrudes from the insulating member 14M, and therefore it is necessary to ensure a sufficient insulation distance between the bolt 41M and the cooler 21. In this embodiment, the first opening 12Mh does not overlap the cooler 21 in a plan view, and therefore it is not necessary to sufficiently separate the cooler 21 and the main current terminal 12M to ensure an insulation distance. As a result, the semiconductor module 10A is made smaller.

[0049] In addition, since the insulating member 14M is made of insulating paper, an insulating sheet, or an insulating plate, the insulating member 14M is easier to handle than when the insulating member 14M is applied to the main current terminal 12M, and the insulating member 14M can be molded more easily than when the insulating member 14M is molded integrally with the main body 11. This allows costs to be reduced.

[0050] 2. Second embodiment In the semiconductor device 1A of the first embodiment, the main current terminals 12P and 12N are flat and extend along a horizontal plane. In contrast, the semiconductor device 1B of the second embodiment differs in that the main current terminals 12P and 12N are L-shaped and in that a cooler 22 is used instead of the cooler 21. The semiconductor device 1B of the second embodiment will be described below, focusing on the differences.

[0051] Fig. 7 is a side view showing a configuration example of a semiconductor device 1B according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure. Fig. 8 is a plan view of the semiconductor device 1B excluding the control board 30. The semiconductor device 1B is configured similarly to the semiconductor device 1A shown in Figs. 1 and 2, except for the shapes of the main current terminals 12P and 12N and the arrangement of the bus bars 40P and 40N.

[0052] As shown in Figs. 7 and 8, the main current terminal 12P includes a first portion P1, a second portion P2, and a third portion P3. The first portion P1 is present inside the main body 11. The second portion P2 is connected to the first portion P1 and protrudes to the outside of the main body 11. The third portion P3 is angled relative to the second portion P2 in a direction away from the cooler 21. In this example, the third portion P3 is angled at about 90 degrees relative to the second portion P2. A first opening 12Ph is formed in the third portion P3. The first opening 12Ph is an example of a fixing portion that fixes the insulating member 14P to the main current terminal 12P.

[0053] The insulating member 14P has an L-shape similar to the main current terminal 12P, and is provided along the second surface 12D of the main current terminal 12P. The bolt 41P is inserted through the second opening 14Ph of the insulating member 14P, the first opening 12Ph of the main current terminal 12P, and the through hole 40Ph of the bus bar 40P in the X1 direction, and is fixed using a nut 42P that is screwed in the X2 direction.

[0054] As shown in FIG. 8, when the cooler 22 is viewed from above, the portion of the main current terminal 12P located outside the main body 11 overlaps with the cooler 22. Moreover, in the above-mentioned plan view, the above-mentioned portion overlaps with the insulating member 14P. Furthermore, in the above-mentioned plan view, the first opening 12Ph overlaps with the cooler 22. Since the main current terminal 12P of the first embodiment is provided along the XY plane, the distance from the bolt 41P to the plane including the bottom surface D is short. For this reason, the main current terminal 12P is disposed so that the first opening 12Ph does not overlap with the cooler 21 in the above-mentioned plan view (see FIG. 1). On the other hand, in the semiconductor device 1B, the third portion P3 of the main current terminal 12P forms an angle with the second portion P2 in a direction away from the cooler 21. Therefore, even if the first opening 12Ph corresponding to the bolt 41P overlaps with the cooler 22 in the above-mentioned plan view, the insulation distance between the bolt 41P and the cooler 21 can be sufficiently secured. As a result, the semiconductor device 1B can use the cooler 22 that is larger than the cooler 21, and therefore the main body 11 can be cooled efficiently.

[0055] Next, another configuration example 1 for fixing the insulating member 14P to the main current terminal 12P will be described. Fig. 9A is a side view showing another configuration example 1 for fixing the insulating member 14P to the main current terminal 12P. As shown in the figure, the insulating member 14P is fixed to the main current terminal 12P at a fixing position P different from the position at which the main current terminal 12P is fixed to the bus bar 40P. The main current terminal 12P and the bus bar 40P are fixed using the above-mentioned bolts 41P and nuts 42P. Note that the insulating member 14P is made of, for example, insulating paper, as in the first embodiment.

[0056] 9B is a side view of the fixing portion P shown in FIG. 9A in the X2 direction, and FIG. 9C is a cross-sectional view of the fixing portion P cut along the line B-B' shown in FIG. 9B. As shown in FIG. 9B and FIG. 9C, an opening 12h is provided in the third portion P3 of the main current terminal 12P. The opening 12h has a rectangular shape in a side view. On the other hand, the insulating member 14P has a protruding portion 401 protruding in the X1 direction from a surface that contacts the main current terminal 12P. In this example, the protruding portion 401 has a rectangular parallelepiped shape. The protruding portion 401 of the insulating member 14P is inserted into the opening 12h. This fixes the insulating member 14P to the main current terminal 12P. In this example, the height from the surface that contacts the main current terminal 12P to the end of the protruding portion 401 is approximately equal to the thickness of the main current terminal 12P, but the height of the protruding portion 401 may be equal to or greater than the thickness of the main current terminal 12P. 9B, the protruding portion of the protruding portion 401 may be bent. Alternatively, the protruding portion 401 may be formed by providing two notches at an end of the insulating member 14P and bending the notches in the X1 direction.

[0057] In this manner, in configuration example 1, the insulating member 14P can be fixed to the main current terminal 12P by inserting the insulating member 14P into the opening 12h. Therefore, in configuration example 1, it is sufficient to form the opening 12h in the insulating member 14P and provide the protruding portion 401 at the end of the insulating member 14P, thereby improving the insulation without significantly changing the existing structure.

[0058] Next, another configuration example 2 will be described. In the other configuration example 2, the fixing portion P is different from the portion where the main current terminal 12P is fixed to the bus bar 40P, as in the other configuration example 1 shown in FIG. 9A. FIG. 10A is a side view of the fixing portion P shown in FIG. 9A to which the other configuration example 2 is applied, viewed from the side in the X2 direction. FIG. 10B is a cross-sectional view of the fixing portion P cut along the line C-C' shown in FIG. 10A. As shown in FIG. 10A and FIG. 10B, a recess 12d is provided in the third portion P3 of the main current terminal 12P. The outer edge of the recess 12d has a rectangular shape in a side view. On the other hand, the insulating member 14P has a protrusion 402 that protrudes in the X1 direction from a surface that contacts the main current terminal 12P. The protrusion 402 in this example has a hook shape. The recess 12d of the main current terminal 12P and the protrusion 402 of the insulating member 14P are connected to each other by inserting the protrusion 402 into the recess 12d. Alternatively, a recess may be provided in the insulating member 14P and a protrusion may be provided on the main current terminal 12P, and the protrusion may be fitted on the main current terminal 12P into the recess in the insulating member 14P, thereby connecting the insulating member 14P and the main current terminal 12P.

[0059] In this manner, in configuration example 2, the insulating member 14P and the main current terminal 12P can be fixed together by fitting the protrusion 402 into the recess 12d. Therefore, in configuration example 2, it is sufficient to form the recess 12d in the insulating member 14P and provide the protrusion 402 at the end of the insulating member 14P, thereby improving the insulation without significantly changing the existing structure.

[0060] 3. Third embodiment In the first and second embodiments described above, insulating members 14P, 14M, and 14N are provided on the second surfaces 12D of the main current terminals 12P, 12M, and 12N to ensure insulation between the main current terminals 12P, 12M, and 12N and the cooler 21 or 22. In contrast, the semiconductor device 1C of the third embodiment differs from the semiconductor devices 1A and 1B in that an insulating member 100 is provided on the surface of the cooler 23 that contacts the bottom surface D. The following mainly describes the differences.

[0061] Fig. 11 is an exploded side view showing a configuration example of a semiconductor device 1C according to a third embodiment of the present disclosure. In the figure, bus bars 40M and 40P are omitted. Fig. 12 is a plan view of the semiconductor device 1C excluding the control board 30. The semiconductor device 1C is configured similarly to the semiconductor device 1A of the first embodiment, except that the insulating members 14P, 14M, and 14N are omitted, the recess 11a is not formed on the side surface S1 of the main body 11, the insulating member 100 is provided, and the cooler 23 is used instead of the cooler 21.

[0062] 11 has a flat plate shape and has an opening H in the center. The insulating member 100 has a lower surface that comes into contact with the cooler 23 and an upper surface that is the surface opposite the lower surface. The lower surface of the insulating member 100 is provided with protrusions 101 and 102 that protrude in the Z2 direction. The protrusions 101 and 102 are used for positioning the insulating member 100 when attaching it to the cooler 23.

[0063] The cooler 23 has recesses 231 and 232 formed on a contact surface that comes into contact with the insulating member 100. The recesses 231 and 232 correspond one-to-one to the protrusions 101 and 102. The bottom surfaces of the recesses 231 and 232 are flat. The depths of the recesses 231 and 232 are smaller than the heights of the protrusions 101 and 102. Therefore, when assembled such that the protrusions 101 and 102 of the insulating member 100 are inserted into the recesses 231 and 232 of the cooler 23, the contact surface of the cooler 23 and the bottom surface of the insulating member 100 come into contact with each other.

[0064] In the assembly process of the semiconductor device 1C, first, the insulating member 100 is fixed to the cooler 23 using an adhesive. Second, the adhesive is poured into the opening H. Third, the main body 11 is placed in the opening H to fix the main body 11 to the cooler 23. As shown in FIG. 12, when the main body 11 is viewed from above, the main current terminals 12P, 12M, and 12N overlap with the insulating member 100 in the area where they overlap with the cooler 23. That is, the insulating member 100 is located between the cooler 23 and the main current terminals 12P, 12M, and 12N. Therefore, insulation between the cooler 23 and the main current terminals 12P, 12M, and 12N can be ensured. Furthermore, since the main body 11 is accommodated in the opening H, the insulating member 100 can position the cooler 23 and the main body 11. In this way, the insulating member 100 has both the function of ensuring insulation and the function of positioning, so that the insulation of the semiconductor device 1C is improved while simplifying its characteristics.

[0065] 4. Variations The present disclosure is not limited to the above-described first to third embodiments, and various modifications are possible as described below. In addition, it goes without saying that the various modifications and embodiments may be appropriately combined.

[0066] (1) Variation 1 In the first and second embodiments described above, the insulating member 14P corresponding to the main current terminal 12P and the insulating member 14N corresponding to the main current terminal 12N are provided independently, but the present disclosure is not limited to this.

[0067] 13 is a plan view of a semiconductor device 1D according to Modification 1. The semiconductor device 1D differs from the semiconductor device 1A of the first embodiment in that a semiconductor module 10D is used instead of the semiconductor module 10A.

[0068] The semiconductor module 10D is configured similarly to the semiconductor module 10A of the first embodiment, except that an insulating member 14PN is used instead of the insulating members 14P and 14N, and an insulating member 14W is used instead of the insulating member 14M.

[0069] The main current terminal 12N shown in Fig. 13 is connected to the emitter electrode E1 of the first RC-IGBT housed in the main body 11 (see Fig. 4). The main current terminal 12P is connected to the collector electrode of the second RC-IGBT housed in the main body 11. The first RC-IGBT is an example of a first power semiconductor element, and the second RC-IGBT is an example of a second power semiconductor element. In addition, the emitter electrode E1 and the collector electrode are examples of main current electrodes.

[0070] The main current terminal 12N has a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface. The second surface is closer to the cooler 21 than the first surface. The main current terminal 12P has a third surface and a fourth surface opposite to the third surface. The fourth surface is closer to the cooler 21 than the third surface.

[0071] The main current terminals 12N and 12P protrude to the outside from a side surface S2 of the main body 11. A first surface of the main current terminal 12N and a third surface of the main current terminal 12P are not covered by the insulating member 14PN. Heat generated in the first RC-IGBT is dissipated from the first surface of the main current terminal 12N, and heat generated in the second RC-IGBT is dissipated from the third surface of the main current terminal 12P.

[0072] Further, an end of the insulating member 14PN is stored in a recess provided in the side surface S2. The insulating member 14PN protrudes in the X2 direction from the side surface S2 of the main body 11. A part of the insulating member 14PN is located between the second surface of the main current terminal 12N and the cooler 21, and is also located between the third surface of the main current terminal 12P and the cooler 21. When the insulating member 14PN is viewed from above, the part of the main current terminal 12P protruding from the main body 11 and the part of the main current terminal 12N protruding from the main body 11 overlap with the part of the insulating member 14PN protruding from the main body 11. Therefore, by using one insulating member 14PN, it is possible to satisfactorily insulate the main current terminals 12P and 12N from the cooler 21.

[0073] Further, an end of the insulating member 14W is stored in a recess provided in the side surface S1. The insulating member 14W protrudes in the X1 direction from the side surface S1 of the main body 11. When the insulating member 14W is viewed in a plan view, a portion of the main current terminal 12M protruding from the main body 11 and a portion of the control terminal 13 protruding from the main body 11 overlap with a portion of the insulating member 14W protruding from the main body 11. Therefore, by using one insulating member 14W, it is possible to satisfactorily insulate the main current terminal 12M and the multiple control terminals 13 from the cooler 21.

[0074] As described above, in the semiconductor device 1D, the two main current terminals 12P and 12N are insulated from the cooler 21 by using one insulating member 14PN, so the configuration of the semiconductor device 1D is simplified. Also, in the semiconductor device 1D, the main current terminal 12M and the multiple control terminals 13 are insulated from the cooler 21 by using one insulating member 14W, so the configuration of the semiconductor device 1D is simplified.

[0075] (2) Variation 2 In the above-described embodiments and Modification 1, one semiconductor module is provided with one cooler, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and one cooler may be provided for multiple semiconductor modules. Fig. 14 is a plan view showing a configuration example of a semiconductor device 1E according to Modification 2. The semiconductor device 1E is used, for example, in an inverter that drives a three-phase AC motor used in an electric vehicle or the like.

[0076] As shown in FIG. 14, the semiconductor device 1E includes semiconductor modules M1, M2, and M3, a cooler 24, a bus bar 40M_U for the U phase, a bus bar 40M_V for the V phase, a bus bar 40M_W for the W phase, bus bars 40N and 40P, and an insulating sheet 200.

[0077] Semiconductor modules M1, M2, and M3 have the same configuration as semiconductor module 10D of modification 1. Main current terminals 12M of semiconductor modules M1, M2, and M3 are connected one-to-one to bus bar 40M_U, bus bar 40M_V, and bus bar 40M_W.

[0078] The bus bar 40N is connected to the main current terminals 12N of the semiconductor modules M1, M2, and M3. The bus bar 40P is connected to the main current terminals 12P of the semiconductor modules M1, M2, and M3. An insulating sheet 200 is disposed between the bus bar 40N and the bus bar 40P. The insulating sheet 200 insulates the bus bar 40N from the bus bar 40P. The semiconductor modules M1, M2, and M3 are fixed to the cooler 24 using an adhesive.

[0079] The semiconductor device 1E includes bus bars 40N and 40P common to the three semiconductor modules M1 to M3, and a cooler 24 common to the three semiconductor modules M1 to M3, thereby simplifying the configuration of the semiconductor device 1E compared to when individual components are used. [Explanation of symbols]

[0080] 1A, 1B, 1C, 1D, 1E...semiconductor device, 10A, 10D, M1, M2, M3...semiconductor module, 11...main body, 11a, 11b...recess, 12U...first surface, 12D...second surface, 12M, 12N, 12P...main current terminal, 13...control terminal, 12Mh, 12Ph...first opening, 12h...opening, 14W, 14M, 14N, 14P, 14PN...insulating member, 14Mh, 14Ph...second opening, 21, 22, 23, 24...cooler, 40M, 40M_U, 40M_V, 40M_W, 40N, 40P...bus bar, 40Mh, 40Ph...through hole, D...bottom surface, P1...first portion, P2...second portion, P3...third portion, S1, S2...side surface.

Claims

1. a power semiconductor element having a main current electrode; a main body that houses the power semiconductor element and has a top surface, a side surface that is continuous with the top surface, and a bottom surface that is an opposite surface to the top surface and can be fixed to a cooler; a main current terminal having a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface, connected to the main current electrode and protruding from the side surface; The main body has a recess in the side surface for receiving an end of the insulating member, the second surface is closer to the bottom surface than the first surface is to the side surface, The recess is present on the side surface between the bottom surface and the second surface and at a position spaced apart from the bottom surface. Semiconductor module.

2. a power semiconductor element having a main current electrode; a main body that houses the power semiconductor element and has a top surface, a side surface that is continuous with the top surface, and a bottom surface that is a surface opposite to the top surface and can be fixed to a cooler; a main current terminal having a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface, connected to the main current electrode, and protruding from the side surface; an insulating member; the first surface is not covered by the insulating member, the second surface is closer to the bottom surface than the first surface is to the side surface, a portion of the insulating member closest to the side surface is located between the bottom surface and the second surface and spaced apart from the bottom surface in a side view from a direction perpendicular to the side surface; Semiconductor module.

3. Further comprising a control terminal, The power semiconductor element has a control electrode, the control terminal is electrically connected to the control electrode inside the body; a portion of the main current terminal protruding from the side surface and a part or the whole of a portion of the insulating member located outside the main body overlap with each other in a plan view from a direction perpendicular to the top surface, a portion of the control terminal protruding from the side surface and the insulating member do not overlap each other in the plan view; The semiconductor module according to claim 2 .

4. Further comprising a control terminal, The power semiconductor element has a control electrode, the control terminal is electrically connected to the control electrode inside the body; a portion of the main current terminal protruding from the side surface and a part or the whole of a portion of the insulating member located outside the main body overlap with each other in a plan view from a direction perpendicular to the top surface, a portion of the control terminal protruding from the side surface and the insulating member do not overlap each other in the plan view; The semiconductor module according to claim 1 .

5. 5. The semiconductor module according to claim 1, wherein the main current terminal has a fixing portion for fixing the insulating member at a portion protruding from the side surface.

6. The main current terminal is a first portion internal to the body; a second portion connected to the first portion and protruding outside the body; a third portion angled away from the cooler relative to the second portion; The third portion includes the fixing portion. The semiconductor module according to claim 5 .

7. the fixing portion is an opening provided in the main current terminal, The insulating member is inserted into the opening. The semiconductor module according to claim 5 or 6.

8. the fixed portion is a first opening provided in the main current terminal, The insulating member has a second opening, The main current terminal and the insulating member are fixed together by a screw that passes through the first opening and the second opening. The semiconductor module according to claim 5 or 6.

9. the main current terminal is located between a bus bar having a through hole and the insulating member, The screw is inserted through the through hole, the first opening, and the second opening, thereby electrically connecting the first surface of the main current terminal and the bus bar. The semiconductor module according to claim 8 .

10. The fixing portion is one of a recess and a protrusion, the insulating member is provided with the other of the recess and the protrusion, One of the recess and the protrusion of the main current terminal is connected to the other of the recess and the protrusion of the insulating member. The semiconductor module according to claim 5 or 6.

11. The semiconductor module according to claim 5 , wherein the fixing portion is disposed at a position not overlapping with the cooler in a plan view from a direction perpendicular to the upper surface.

12. 12. The semiconductor module according to claim 5, wherein, when viewed in a plan view perpendicular to the top surface, an entire area where a portion of the main current terminal protruding from the side surface overlaps with the cooler overlaps with the insulating member.

13. The semiconductor module according to claim 5 , wherein the insulating member entirely overlaps with the cooler in a plan view from a direction perpendicular to the upper surface.

14. the power semiconductor element is a first power semiconductor element, the main current terminal is a first main current terminal, A second power semiconductor element is provided. The body houses a second power semiconductor device; a second main current terminal having a third surface and a fourth surface, connected to a main current electrode of the second power semiconductor element, and protruding outward from the side surface; the third surface is a surface opposite to the fourth surface and is not covered by the insulating member; The fourth surface is closer to the cooler than the third surface. At least a portion of the insulating member is located between the fourth surface and the cooler. The semiconductor module according to claim 1 .

15. The semiconductor module according to claim 1 , wherein the insulating member is an insulating paper, an insulating sheet, or an insulating plate.

16. A semiconductor module according to any one of claims 1 to 15, The cooler. The semiconductor device includes:

Images