Power semiconductor component, and method for detecting secular deterioration of power semiconductor component

Abstract

A power semiconductor component (100) comprising a heat sink (101) and three half-bridge modules (102, 103, 104) arranged on the heat sink (101) by means of respective connection regions (105, 106, 107), the power semiconductor component (100) having at least one ultrasonic sensor (108) and at least one MEMS sensor (109), characterized in that the at least one ultrasonic sensor (108) and the at least one MEMS sensor (109) are arranged on opposite sides of the heat sink (101).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a power semiconductor component and a method for detecting the aging of a power semiconductor component over time.

Background Art

[0002] Power semiconductor components within a chip are subject to an aging process. The aging process manifests itself, for example, as cracks or contact losses in the structure and connection techniques. In order to be able to identify these aging processes, the calculation of various thermal or electrical auxiliary variables such as junction temperature or conduction loss is known. Here, the drawback is that the identification of these indirect parameters is complex and may itself have errors, thereby making the measurement inaccurate.

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0003] The problem of the present invention is to overcome these drawbacks.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0004] The power semiconductor component includes a heat sink and three half - bridge modules each arranged on the heat sink using a connection region. According to the present invention, the power semiconductor component has at least one ultrasonic sensor and at least one MEMS sensor, and at least one ultrasonic sensor and at least one MEMS sensor are arranged on the opposite side of the heat sink.

[0005] Here, the advantage is that it is possible to directly measure the deterioration of the structure and connection techniques due to contact loss. In a further development, an ultrasonic sensor is arranged in each half - bridge module.

[0006] In a further form, MEMS sensors are arranged in each half - bridge module. Here, the advantage is that due to the distributed positioning of a plurality of actuators and sensors, any transmission path within the power semiconductor component can be observed, and aging degradation can be more accurately located.

[0007] In one form, the connection region includes a conductive paste. In a further developed form, the heat sink includes copper. A method according to the present invention for detecting aging degradation of a power semiconductor component having at least one ultrasonic sensor and at least one MEMS sensor, with at least one ultrasonic sensor and at least one MEMS sensor arranged on opposite sides of a heat sink, and the heat sink and three half - bridge modules arranged on the heat sink by a connection region, includes the step of transmitting an ultrasonic signal using at least one ultrasonic sensor, and the step of receiving the ultrasonic signal using at least one MEMS sensor. The method includes the step of evaluating the ultrasonic signal received by the MEMS sensor using an evaluation unit, the evaluation unit having a memory in which at least one reference value is stored, the difference between the received ultrasonic signal and the reference value is determined, and when the difference exceeds a specific threshold value, the aging degradation is detected.

[0008] Here, the advantage is that aging degradation within the power semiconductor component can be identified at low manufacturing costs. In one developed form, the power semiconductor component includes three ultrasonic sensors. To detect aging degradation, ultrasonic signals are transmitted at different times, and at a specific time, the ultrasonic signal of a single ultrasonic sensor among the three ultrasonic sensors is transmitted. In other words, the three ultrasonic sensors transmit ultrasonic signals at different times, for example, alternately.

[0009] Here, the advantage is that aging degradation of the entire power semiconductor component can be observed. In a further form, ultrasonic signals are transmitted at the same level.

[0010] Here, the advantage is that signal processing is simple. Further advantages will become apparent from the following description of the exemplary embodiments and the dependent claims. Hereinafter, the present invention will be described using preferred embodiments and the accompanying drawings.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0011]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0012] FIG. 1 shows a power semiconductor component 100 including a heat sink 101 and three half-bridge modules 102, 103, 104. The three half-bridge modules 102, 103, 104 are arranged on the heat sink 101 via connection regions 105, 106, 107. The power semiconductor component 100 has at least one ultrasonic sensor 108 that functions as a transmission unit and at least one MEMS sensor 109 that functions as a reception unit. At least one ultrasonic sensor 108 and at least one MEMS sensor 109 are arranged on the opposite side of the heat sink 101. The heat sink 101 has, for example, copper. The connection regions 105, 106, 107 include, for example, a conductive paste, a bonding connection, or a solder connection. The power semiconductor component 100 is, for example, a power module or a B6 bridge.

[0013] In one exemplary embodiment, an ultrasonic sensor 108 is disposed in each half-bridge module 102, 103, 104. A MEMS sensor 109 is disposed on the opposite side of the heat sink 101 and is part of the gate driver. In other words, a plurality of transmission units and one reception unit are disposed within the power semiconductor component 100.

[0014] In a further exemplary embodiment, a MEMS sensor 109 is disposed in each half-bridge module 102, 103, 104. An ultrasonic sensor 108 is disposed on the opposite side of the heat sink 101. In other words, a plurality of reception units and one transmission unit are disposed within the power semiconductor component 100.

[0015] FIG. 2 shows a method 200 according to the present invention for detecting the aging deterioration of the power semiconductor component shown in FIG. 1. The method 200 starts from step 210, where an ultrasonic signal is transmitted using at least one ultrasonic sensor. In the next step 220, the ultrasonic signal transmitted and deflected or reflected by the internal structure of the power semiconductor component is received or captured by at least one MEMS sensor. Here, the frequency response of the deflected or reflected ultrasonic signal is changed. In the next step 230, the ultrasonic signal received by the MEMS sensor is evaluated using an evaluation unit. The evaluation unit has a memory in which at least one reference value is stored. In this regard, the reference value is obtained, for example, from a measured value at the end of the manufacturing method of the power semiconductor component or calibration data, and has a known characteristic frequency curve of a new power semiconductor component. During evaluation, the difference between the received ultrasonic signal and the reference value is identified in the frequency domain. Alternatively, the difference in amplitude between the received ultrasonic signal and the reference value may be identified. If the difference exceeds a specific threshold value, there is aging deterioration. If the threshold value is not exceeded, it is an acceptable deviation.

[0016] In one exemplary embodiment, the power semiconductor component comprises three ultrasonic sensors. Here, the three ultrasonic sensors transmit at different times with a temporal shift relative to each other. Thereby, the state of the interfaces between various individual components of the power semiconductor component can be determined, and the aging degradation can be accurately located.

[0017] In a further exemplary embodiment, ultrasonic signals are sent at the same level by the three ultrasonic sensors. The power semiconductor component is used, for example, for a power module for a driving inverter or for discrete components.

Claims

1. In a power semiconductor component (100) comprising a heat sink (101) and three half-bridge modules (102, 103, 104) arranged on the heat sink (101) using connection regions (105, 106, 107) respectively, having at least one ultrasonic sensor (108) and at least one MEMS sensor (109), characterized in that the at least one ultrasonic sensor (108) and the at least one MEMS sensor (109) are arranged on the opposite side of the heat sink (101).

2. The power semiconductor component (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that an ultrasonic sensor (108) is arranged in each half-bridge module (102, 103, 104).

3. The power semiconductor component (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that a MEMS sensor (109) is arranged in each half-bridge module (102, 103, 104).

4. The power semiconductor component (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that the connection regions (105, 106, 107) contain a conductive paste.

5. The power semiconductor component (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that the heat sink (101) contains copper.

6. A method (200) for detecting the aging degradation of a power semiconductor component having at least one ultrasonic sensor and at least one MEMS sensor, wherein the at least one ultrasonic sensor and the at least one MEMS sensor are arranged on the opposite side of a heat sink, and the power semiconductor component comprises the heat sink and three half-bridge modules arranged on the heat sink by connection regions, comprising: A step (210) of transmitting an ultrasonic signal using the at least one ultrasonic sensor; A step (220) of receiving an ultrasonic signal using the at least one MEMS sensor; A step (230) of evaluating the ultrasonic signal received by the MEMS sensor using an evaluation unit The evaluation unit, which has a memory storing at least one reference value, calculates a difference between the received ultrasonic signal and the reference value, and when the difference exceeds a specific threshold value, there is aging degradation. Method (200). Claim 7 In the method in which the power semiconductor component has three ultrasonic sensors, in order to detect aging degradation, ultrasonic signals are transmitted at different times, and at a specific time, an ultrasonic signal of a single ultrasonic sensor among the three ultrasonic sensors is transmitted. The method (200) according to claim 6, characterized in that. Claim 8 The method (200) according to claim 7, characterized in that ultrasonic signals are transmitted at the same level.

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