Semiconductor module and manufacturing method thereof

Abstract

To ensure electrical insulation between terminals while suppressing an increase in semiconductor module size.SOLUTION: A semiconductor module 100 includes a semiconductor chip 12n including a main electrode E, a semiconductor chip 12p including a main electrode C, a connection terminal 51n electrically connected to the main electrode E, a connection terminal 51p electrically connected to the main electrode C, and an insulating sheet 52 having insulation properties. The connection terminal 51n includes a conductor portion 511n including a peripheral edge En1 and a terminal portion 512n extending from the peripheral edge En1 in plan view, and the connection terminal 51p includes a conductor portion 511p including a peripheral edge Ep1. At least part of the conductor portion 511n and at least part of the conductor portion 611p overlap each other in plan view. The insulating sheet 52 includes an insulating portion 525 layered between the conductor portion 511n and the conductor portion 511p, and a protruding portion 521 positioned between a tip portion 513n of the terminal portion 512n and the peripheral edge Ep1 in plan view, the protruding portion forming an angle relative to a surface of the terminal portion 512n.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a semiconductor module and a method for manufacturing the same. [Background technology]

[0002] Semiconductor modules including multiple semiconductor chips have been proposed. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a semiconductor module including multiple planar terminals (lead frames) connected to different semiconductor chips, an insulating sheet in close contact with the multiple terminals, and a resin seal that seals the terminals and the insulating sheet. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] International Publication No. 2015 / 145752 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In the configuration of Patent Document 1, the insulating sheet may peel off from the resin encapsulant. If the insulating sheet peels off from the resin encapsulant, electrical insulation between the terminals may not be maintained if the creepage distance between the terminals is not sufficiently ensured. While electrical insulation between the terminals can be maintained by ensuring a sufficient distance between the terminals, ensuring a sufficient distance between the terminals results in an increase in the size of the semiconductor module. In consideration of the above circumstances, one aspect of the present invention aims to ensure electrical insulation between the terminals while suppressing an increase in the size of the semiconductor module. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] In order to solve the above problem, the semiconductor module of the present disclosure comprises a first semiconductor chip including a first main electrode, a second semiconductor chip including a second main electrode, a first connection terminal electrically connected to the first main electrode, a second connection terminal electrically connected to the second main electrode, and an insulating insulating sheet, wherein the first connection terminal includes a first conductor portion including a first periphery and a first terminal portion extending from the first periphery in a planar view, the second connection terminal includes a second conductor portion including a second periphery, and at least a portion of the first conductor portion and at least a portion of the second conductor portion overlap each other in a planar view, and the insulating sheet includes an insulating portion stacked between the first conductor portion and the second conductor portion, and a first protrusion portion located between the tip end of the first terminal portion and the second periphery in a planar view and angled with respect to the surface of the first terminal portion.

[0006] Also, a method for manufacturing a semiconductor module according to the present disclosure includes a first semiconductor chip including a first main electrode, a second semiconductor chip including a second main electrode, a first connection terminal electrically connected to the first main electrode, a second connection terminal electrically connected to the second main electrode, an insulating sheet, and a sealing body filled in a space inside the housing, wherein the first connection terminal includes a first conductor portion including a first periphery and a first terminal portion extending from the first periphery in a plan view, and the second connection terminal includes a second conductor portion including a second periphery, and the A method for manufacturing a semiconductor module, wherein at least a portion of a first conductor portion and at least a portion of the second conductor portion overlap each other in a planar view, and the insulating sheet includes an insulating portion stacked between the first conductor portion and the second conductor portion, and a first protrusion portion located between the tip end of the first terminal portion and the second periphery in a planar view and forming an angle with respect to the surface of the first terminal portion, the method including a first step of bending the first protrusion portion of the insulating sheet, and a second step of filling the space inside the housing portion with the sealing body after performing the first step. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a plan view of a semiconductor module according to a first embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line aa in FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the vicinity of the protrusion. [Figure 5] FIG. [Figure 6] 1A to 1C are process diagrams illustrating a method for manufacturing a semiconductor module. [Figure 7] 10A to 10C are cross-sectional views illustrating an intermediate stage of the manufacturing process. [Figure 8] 10A to 10C are cross-sectional views illustrating an intermediate stage of the manufacturing process. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a plan view of a connection portion in the second embodiment. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the vicinity of a protrusion in a second embodiment. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a plan view of a connection portion in a third embodiment. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the vicinity of a protrusion in a fourth embodiment. [Figure 13] FIG. 11 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the vicinity of a protrusion in a modified example of the fourth embodiment. [Figure 14] FIG. 10 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the vicinity of a protrusion in a modified example. [Figure 15] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of a semiconductor module according to a modified example. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0008] Embodiments for carrying out the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the dimensions and scale of each element in each drawing may differ from those of the actual product. Furthermore, the embodiments described below are specific examples that are envisioned when carrying out the present disclosure. Therefore, the scope of the present disclosure is not limited to the following embodiments.

[0009] A: First embodiment A-1: Structure of semiconductor module 100 FIG. 1 is a plan view illustrating the configuration of a semiconductor module 100 according to the first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line aa in FIG. 1. As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the first embodiment assumes an X-axis, a Y-axis, and a Z-axis that are orthogonal to each other. A direction along the X-axis is referred to as the X1 direction, and a direction opposite to the X1 direction is referred to as the X2 direction. A direction along the Y-axis is referred to as the Y1 direction, and a direction opposite to the Y1 direction is referred to as the Y2 direction. Similarly, a direction along the Z-axis is referred to as the Z1 direction, and a direction opposite to the Z1 direction is referred to as the Z2 direction. Viewing any element of the semiconductor module 100 along the Z-axis (the Z1 direction or the Z2 direction) will hereinafter be referred to as a "planar view."

[0010] In actual use, the semiconductor module 100 may be installed in any direction. However, for the sake of convenience, the Z1 direction is assumed to be the upward direction and the Z2 direction is assumed to be the downward direction in the following description. Therefore, the surface of any element of the semiconductor module 100 facing the Z1 direction may be referred to as the "upper surface," and the surface of that element facing the Z2 direction may be referred to as the "lower surface." As illustrated in FIG. 1, the following description assumes a virtual plane (hereinafter referred to as the "reference plane") R parallel to the YZ plane. The reference plane R is located at the center of the semiconductor module 100 in the direction of the X axis. In other words, the reference plane R is a plane that divides the semiconductor module 100 into two equal parts in the direction of the X axis.

[0011] 1 and 2, the semiconductor module 100 of the first embodiment includes a semiconductor unit 10, a housing 20, a base 30, a sealing body 40, and a connection portion 50. Note that the base 30 and the sealing body 40 are omitted from illustration in FIG.

[0012] The base 30 is a structure that supports the semiconductor unit 10 and the housing 20, and is made of a conductive material such as aluminum or copper. For example, the base 30 is used as a heat sink. The base 30 may also be a cooler such as fins or a water-cooled jacket that cools the semiconductor unit 10. Furthermore, the base 30 may also be used as a ground body that is set to a ground potential.

[0013] The housing 20 is a structure that houses the semiconductor unit 10. Specifically, the housing 20 is formed in the shape of a rectangular frame that surrounds the semiconductor unit 10. As illustrated in Fig. 2, the semiconductor unit 10 is housed in a space surrounded by the housing 20 with the base 30 serving as the bottom surface.

[0014] The sealing body 40 seals the semiconductor unit 10 by filling the space inside the housing 20. The sealing body 40 is formed of various resin materials such as epoxy resin or silicone gel. Note that the sealing body 40 may also contain various fillers such as silicon oxide or aluminum oxide.

[0015] 1 and 2, semiconductor unit 10 includes laminated substrate 11, semiconductor chip 12p, semiconductor chip 12n, wiring portion 13p, wiring portion 13n, connecting conductor 14p, connecting conductor 14n, and connecting conductor 14o. In the following description, the suffix p is added to the reference numeral of an element corresponding to semiconductor chip 12p, and the suffix n is added to the reference numeral of an element corresponding to semiconductor chip 12n. Furthermore, when there is no particular need to distinguish between semiconductor chip 12p and semiconductor chip 12n (i.e., when the description applies to both), they will simply be referred to as "semiconductor chip 12." The same applies to other elements.

[0016] The laminated substrate 11 is a plate-like member that supports the semiconductor chips 12 (12p, 12n), the wiring portions 13 (13p, 13n), and the connecting conductors 14 (14p, 14n, 14o). For example, the laminated substrate 11 may be a laminated ceramic substrate such as a DCB (Direct Copper Bonding) substrate or an AMB (Active Metal Brazing) substrate, or a metal-based substrate including a resin insulating layer.

[0017] As illustrated in FIG. 2, the laminated substrate 11 is formed by laminating an insulating substrate 112, a metal layer 113, and multiple conductor patterns 114 (114a, 114b, 114c). The insulating substrate 112 is a rectangular plate-like member made of an insulating material. The insulating substrate 112 may be made of any material, but examples of the material include ceramic materials such as alumina (Al2O3), aluminum nitride (AlN), and silicon nitride (Si3N4), or resin materials such as epoxy resin. The reference plane R can also be expressed as a plane that bisects the insulating substrate 112 in the X-axis direction.

[0018] The metal layer 113 is a conductive film formed on the lower surface of the insulating substrate 112 facing the base part 30. The metal layer 113 is formed on the entire lower surface of the insulating substrate 112 or on part of it (for example, an area other than the edge part). The lower surface of the metal layer 113 contacts the upper surface of the base part 30. The metal layer 113 is formed of a metal material with high thermal conductivity, such as copper or aluminum.

[0019] The multiple conductor patterns 114 (114a, 114b, 114c) are conductive films formed at intervals on the upper surface of the insulating substrate 112 opposite the base portion 30. Each conductor pattern 114 is made of a low-resistance conductive material such as copper or a copper alloy.

[0020] 1, the conductor pattern 114a is a rectangular conductive film formed in a region of the upper surface of the insulating substrate 112 in the X1 direction as viewed from the reference plane R. The conductor pattern 114b is a rectangular conductive film formed in a region of the upper surface of the insulating substrate 112 in the X2 direction as viewed from the reference plane R. The conductor pattern 114c is a conductive film formed in the Y1 direction as viewed from the conductor patterns 114a and 114b. Specifically, the conductor pattern 114c is formed in a planar shape that includes a region of the conductor pattern 114a located in the Y1 direction and a region of the conductor pattern 114b located in the Y1 direction.

[0021] The semiconductor chips 12 (12p, 12n) are power semiconductor elements capable of switching large currents. Specifically, each semiconductor chip 12 may include a transistor such as an IGBT (Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor) or a MOSFET (Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistor), an RC-IGBT (Reverse Conducting IGBT) or an FWD (Free Wheeling Diode), etc. In the first embodiment, it is assumed that the semiconductor chip 12 is an RC-IGBT including an IGBT portion and an FWD portion.

[0022] Each semiconductor chip 12 (12p, 12n) has a main electrode E, a main electrode C, and a control electrode G. The main electrode E and the main electrode C are electrodes through which a current to be controlled is input or output. Specifically, the main electrode E is an emitter electrode formed on the upper surface of the semiconductor chip 12, and the main electrode C is a collector electrode formed on the lower surface of the semiconductor chip 12. The main electrode C also functions as an anode electrode for the FWD portion, and the main electrode E also functions as a cathode electrode for the FWD portion. On the other hand, the control electrode G is a gate electrode formed on the upper surface of the semiconductor chip 12 and to which a voltage for controlling the on / off of the semiconductor chip 12 is applied. Note that the control electrode G may include a detection electrode used for current detection, temperature detection, or the like. In the first embodiment, the semiconductor chip 12n is an example of a "first semiconductor chip," and the main electrode E of the semiconductor chip 12n is an example of a "first main electrode." Moreover, the semiconductor chip 12p is an example of a "second semiconductor chip," and the main electrode C of the semiconductor chip 12p is an example of a "second main electrode."

[0023] As illustrated in FIG. 2, the semiconductor chips 12 (12p, 12n) are bonded to the laminated substrate 11 using a bonding material 15 such as solder. Specifically, as illustrated in FIG. 1, the semiconductor chip 12p is bonded to the conductor pattern 114a. That is, the main electrode C of the semiconductor chip 12p is bonded to the conductor pattern 114a. Furthermore, the semiconductor chip 12n is bonded to the conductor pattern 114c of the laminated substrate 11. That is, the main electrode C of the semiconductor chip 12n is bonded to the conductor pattern 114c.

[0024] The wiring portion 13p in FIG. 1 is a wiring that electrically connects the main electrode E of the semiconductor chip 12p and the conductor pattern 114c. The wiring portion 13p extends in the Y-axis direction. An end of the wiring portion 13p located in the Y2 direction is joined to the main electrode E of the semiconductor chip 12p, and an end of the wiring portion 13p located in the Y1 direction is joined to the conductor pattern 114c. On the other hand, the wiring portion 13n is a wiring that electrically connects the main electrode E of the semiconductor chip 12n and the conductor pattern 114b. The wiring portion 13n extends in the Y-axis direction. An end of the wiring portion 13n located in the Y1 direction is joined to the main electrode E of the semiconductor chip 12n, and an end of the wiring portion 13n located in the Y2 direction is joined to the conductor pattern 114b. The wiring portion 13p and the wiring portion 13n are lead frames formed of a low-resistance conductive material such as copper or a copper alloy.

[0025] The connecting conductors 14 (14p, 14n, 14o) are formed of a low-resistance conductive material such as copper or a copper alloy. The connecting conductor 14p is a conductor for electrically connecting the semiconductor chip 12p to an external device (not shown). Specifically, the connecting conductor 14p is joined to the surface of the conductor pattern 114a with a bonding material (not shown) such as solder. That is, the connecting conductor 14p is electrically connected to the main electrode C of the semiconductor chip 12p via the conductor pattern 114a. The connecting conductor 14p is located in the Y2 direction as viewed from the semiconductor chip 12p and the wiring portion 13p. As can be understood from the above explanation, the semiconductor chip 12p, the wiring portion 13p, and the connecting conductor 14p are installed in the space in the X1 direction as viewed from the reference plane R.

[0026] The connecting conductor 14n is a conductor for electrically connecting the semiconductor chip 12n to an external device. Specifically, the connecting conductor 14n is joined to the surface of the conductor pattern 114b with a bonding material (not shown), such as solder. That is, the connecting conductor 14n is electrically connected to the main electrode E of the semiconductor chip 12n via the conductor pattern 114b and the wiring portion 13n. The connecting conductor 14n is located in the Y2 direction as viewed from the semiconductor chip 12n and the wiring portion 13n. As can be understood from the above description, the semiconductor chip 12n, the wiring portion 13n, and the connecting conductor 14n are installed in a space in the X2 direction as viewed from the reference plane R. The connecting conductor 14p and the connecting conductor 14n are arranged in the X-axis direction with a gap between them. The connecting conductor 14n in the first embodiment is an example of a "first connecting conductor."

[0027] The connecting conductor 14o is a conductor for electrically connecting the conductor pattern 114c to an external device. Specifically, the connecting conductor 14o is joined to the surface of the conductor pattern 114c with a bonding material (not shown), such as solder. That is, the connecting conductor 14o is electrically connected to the main electrode E of the semiconductor chip 12p via the conductor pattern 114c and the wiring portion 13p, and is also electrically connected to the main electrode C of the semiconductor chip 12n via the conductor pattern 114c.

[0028] 2, each of the connection conductors 14p, 14n, and 14o is a columnar structure protruding in the Z1 direction from the laminated substrate 11. The planar shape of each connection conductor 14 is rectangular. That is, the connection conductors 14 of the first embodiment are prismatic. The top surfaces of the connection conductors 14p, 14n, and 14o are located higher than the other elements of the semiconductor unit 10. That is, in the Z-axis direction, the top surfaces of the connection conductors 14 are located in the Z1 direction compared to the laminated substrate 11, each wiring portion 13, and each semiconductor chip 12.

[0029] The housing 20 in FIG. 1 is a frame-shaped structure that surrounds the semiconductor unit 10. Specifically, the lower surface of the housing 20 is bonded to the edge of the upper surface of the base 30, for example, by an adhesive. The semiconductor unit 10 is housed in the housing 20 with the side surface of the laminated substrate 11 (insulating substrate 112) facing the inner wall surface of the housing 20 with a gap therebetween. The inner wall surface of the housing 20 is the wall surface (inner peripheral surface) that faces the center of the housing 20 in a plan view. The housing 20 is formed from various resin materials, such as PPS (polyphenylene sulfide) resin, PBT (polybutylene terephthalate) resin, PBS (poly butylene succinate) resin, PA (polyamide) resin, or ABS (acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene) resin. The housing 20 may contain a filler made of an insulating material.

[0030] 1, the housing 20 of the first embodiment is a rectangular frame-shaped structure in which a side wall 21, a side wall 22, a side wall 23, and a side wall 24 are interconnected in the above order. The side walls 21 and 23 are wall-shaped portions extending in the Y-axis direction at a predetermined interval in the X-axis direction. On the other hand, the side walls 22 and 24 are wall-shaped portions extending in the X-axis direction at a predetermined interval in the Y-axis direction. The side walls 22 and 24 are shaped to interconnect the ends of the side walls 21 and 23. The connecting conductors 14p and 14n of the semiconductor unit 10 are arranged at intervals along the side wall 22 at positions spaced from the inner wall surface of the side wall 22 in the Y1 direction.

[0031] As illustrated in FIG. 2, a base film 25 is formed on the inner wall surface of the housing 20. The base film 25 is a film that covers the inner wall surface of the housing 20. The base film 25 functions as a primer to improve adhesion between the inner wall surface of the housing 20 and the sealing body 40. To form the base film 25, an appropriate resin material is used depending on the material of the housing 20 and the material of the sealing body 40. Specifically, the base film 25 is formed from, for example, a silane coupling agent. The base film 25 may also be formed from, for example, polyimide resin, polyamideimide resin, polyamide resin, or modified products thereof. For convenience, the base film 25 is not shown in FIG. 1.

[0032] As illustrated in FIG. 1, a connection terminal 26 and a plurality of control terminals 27 are provided on the side wall 24 of the housing 20. The connection terminal 26 is a plate-shaped conductor that penetrates the side wall 24 in the Y-axis direction. The portion of the connection terminal 26 that protrudes from the inner wall surface of the side wall 24 is joined to the top surface of the connection conductor 14o. That is, the connection terminal 26 is electrically connected to the main electrode E of the semiconductor chip 12p via the connection conductor 14o, the conductor pattern 114c, and the wiring portion 13p, and is also electrically connected to the main electrode C of the semiconductor chip 12n via the connection conductor 14o and the conductor pattern 114c. As can be understood from the above explanation, the connection terminal 26 is an output terminal (O terminal) for electrically connecting each semiconductor chip 12 (12p, 12n) to an external device.

[0033] The plurality of control terminals 27 are lead terminals for electrically connecting the control electrodes G of each semiconductor chip 12 to an external device. Each control terminal 27 is electrically connected to the control electrodes G of each semiconductor chip 12 (12p, 12n) by, for example, a plurality of wires 28. Each control terminal 27, the connection terminal 26, and the aforementioned connection portion 50 are integrally formed with the housing portion 20 by, for example, insert molding.

[0034] The connection portion 50 is a terminal for electrically connecting the semiconductor unit 10 to an external device. As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the connection portion 50 is configured by laminating a connection terminal 51p, an insulating sheet 52, and a connection terminal 51n. Each connection terminal 51 (51p, 51n) is a thin plate-like electrode made of a low-resistance conductive material such as copper or a copper alloy. Each connection terminal 51 may also be coated with a conductive material such as nickel or a nickel alloy.

[0035] The thickness of each of connection terminals 51p and 51n may be, for example, 0.2 mm or more and 2.5 mm or less. In a preferred embodiment, connection terminals 51p and 51n have the same thickness. In this specification, when dimensions a and b are "equivalent" (a ≒ b), this includes not only the case where dimensions a and b are completely identical, but also the case where dimensions a and b are substantially identical. When dimensions a and b are "substantially identical," this means, for example, that the difference between dimensions a and b is within the range of manufacturing tolerance. Specifically, when the ratio of dimension b to dimension a is 90% or more and 110% or less (more preferably 95% or more and 105% or less), dimensions a and b are considered to be "equivalent."

[0036] The insulating sheet 52 is an insulating thick film or thin plate made of an insulating material. For example, insulating paper is preferably used as the insulating sheet 52. The thickness of the insulating sheet 52 may be 0.05 mm or more and 2.5 mm or less.

[0037] 1 and 2, connection terminal 51p, insulating sheet 52, and connection terminal 51n are stacked in the Z2 direction in this order. Specifically, insulating sheet 52 is stacked between connection terminal 51p and connection terminal 51n. Connection terminal 51p is located in the Z1 direction of insulating sheet 52, and connection terminal 51n is located in the Z2 direction of insulating sheet 52. Specifically, connection terminal 51p is in close contact with the upper surface of insulating sheet 52, and connection terminal 51n is in close contact with the lower surface of insulating sheet 52.

[0038] The connection terminal 51p is a positive input terminal (P terminal) for electrically connecting the semiconductor chip 12p to an external device. The connection terminal 51n is a negative input terminal (N terminal) for electrically connecting the semiconductor chip 12n to an external device. That is, a higher voltage is applied to the connection terminal 51p than to the connection terminal 51n. The connection terminals 51p and 51n are electrically insulated from each other by the insulating sheet 52. As described above, the configuration in which the connection terminals 51p and 51n face each other with the insulating sheet 52 sandwiched therebetween reduces the inductive component accompanying the current path of the semiconductor module 100. Note that in the first embodiment, the connection terminal 51n is an example of a "first connection terminal," and the connection terminal 51p is an example of a "second connection terminal."

[0039] As illustrated in FIG. 1 , the connection terminal 51p includes a conductor portion 511p and a terminal portion 512p. The conductor portion 511p is a rectangular portion including peripheral edges Ep1 and Ep2. The peripheral edge Ep1 is an edge of the conductor portion 511p located in the Y1 direction. The peripheral edge Ep2 is an edge of the conductor portion 511p located on the opposite side (Y2 direction) from the peripheral edge Ep1. The peripheral edges Ep1 and Ep2 extend in the X-axis direction. The terminal portion 512p is a rectangular portion extending in the Y1 direction from the peripheral edge Ep1 of the conductor portion 511p. Specifically, the terminal portion 512p is continuous with a portion of the conductor portion 511p located in the X1 direction relative to the reference plane R. The terminal portion 512p can also be expressed as a portion having a smaller width than the conductor portion 511p. Specifically, the width of the terminal portion 512p is smaller than half the width of the conductor portion 511p. In this specification, "width" refers to the dimension in the direction of the X-axis. The conductor portion 511p is an example of a "second conductor portion," and the periphery Ep1 is an example of a "second periphery."

[0040] Like the connection terminal 51p, the connection terminal 51n includes a conductor portion 511n and a terminal portion 512n. The conductor portion 511n is a rectangular portion including a peripheral edge En1 and a peripheral edge En2. The peripheral edge En1 is an edge of the conductor portion 511n located in the Y1 direction. The peripheral edge En2 is an edge of the conductor portion 511n located on the opposite side (Y2 direction) from the peripheral edge En1. The peripheral edges En1 and En2 extend in the X-axis direction. The terminal portion 512n is a rectangular portion extending in the Y1 direction from the peripheral edge En1 of the conductor portion 511n. Specifically, the terminal portion 512n is continuous with a portion of the conductor portion 511n located in the X2 direction relative to the reference plane R. The terminal portion 512n can also be expressed as a portion having a smaller width (dimension in the X-axis direction) than the conductor portion 511n. Specifically, the width of terminal portion 512n is smaller than half the width of conductor portion 511n. Conductor portion 511n is an example of a "first conductor portion," and terminal portion 512n is an example of a "first terminal portion." Periphery En1 of conductor portion 511n is an example of a "first periphery."

[0041] In the first embodiment, the periphery Ep1 of the connection terminal 51p and the periphery En1 of the connection terminal 51n are positioned in the same position in the Y direction. However, the positions of the periphery Ep1 and the periphery En1 in the Y direction may differ. The direction of the X axis is also expressed as the direction along the periphery Ep1 or the periphery En1, and is an example of the "first direction."

[0042] The conductor portion 511p and the conductor portion 511n overlap each other in a planar view. Specifically, at least a portion of the conductor portion 511p and at least a portion of the conductor portion 511n overlap each other in a planar view. More specifically, the width of the conductor portion 511p and the width of the conductor portion 511n are equal, and they are disposed at the same position in the X direction. On the other hand, the terminal portion 512p and the terminal portion 512n do not overlap each other in a planar view. Specifically, the terminal portion 512p is located in the X1 direction relative to the reference plane R in a planar view, and the terminal portion 512n is located in the X2 direction relative to the reference plane R in a planar view. Note that the reference plane R includes the center lines of the conductor portion 511p and the conductor portion 511n in the width direction. Therefore, the terminal portion 512p and the terminal portion 512n are located on opposite sides of the center line. According to the above configuration, the overlap between the conductor portion 511p and the conductor portion 511n reduces the inductive component of the current path of the semiconductor module 100 as described above, and the configuration in which the terminal portion 512p and the terminal portion 512n do not overlap each other ensures electrical insulation between the terminal portion 512p and the terminal portion 512n.

[0043] FIG. 3 is a plan view of the connection portion 50. As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3, the insulating sheet 52 includes a main body portion 520 and a protrusion 521. The main body portion 520 is a rectangular portion including peripheral edges e1 and e2. The peripheral edge e1 is an edge of the main body portion 520 located in the Y1 direction. The peripheral edge e2 is an edge of the main body portion 520 located on the opposite side (Y2 direction) from the peripheral edge e1. The peripheral edges e1 and e2 extend in the X-axis direction. Note that the width of the main body portion 520 of the insulating sheet 52 (i.e., the dimension in the X-axis direction) exceeds the widths of the connection terminals 51p and 51n. In the X-axis direction, the connection terminals 51p and 51n are located within the range of the width of the main body portion 520.

[0044] 3, the main body 520 includes an insulating portion 525 and a peripheral portion 526. The insulating portion 525 is a rectangular portion laminated between the conductor portion 511p of the connection terminal 51p and the conductor portion 511n of the connection terminal 51n. Specifically, the insulating portion 525 is a portion that overlaps the conductor portion 511p of the connection terminal 51p in a planar view. On the other hand, the peripheral portion 526 is a portion that is planarly continuous with the insulating portion 525 and surrounds the insulating portion 525. The peripheral portion 526 in the first embodiment surrounds the insulating portion 525 over the entire periphery.

[0045] The periphery e1 of the main body portion 520 of the insulating sheet 52 is located between the periphery Ep1 of the conductor portion 511p of the connection terminal 51p and the tip portion 513p of the terminal portion 512p, and is also located between the periphery En1 of the conductor portion 511n of the connection terminal 51n and the tip portion 513n of the terminal portion 512n. Therefore, as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3, the portion of the terminal portion 512p of the connection terminal 51p facing the tip portion 513p and the portion of the terminal portion 512n of the connection terminal 51n facing the tip portion 513n protrude from the periphery e1 of the insulating sheet 52 in the Y1 direction. The tip portion 513 of each terminal portion 512 is the periphery of the terminal portion 512 positioned in the Y1 direction. Each tip portion 513 can also be expressed as the portion furthest from the periphery e1 of the insulating sheet 52 in the Y1 direction.

[0046] On the other hand, periphery e2 of main body portion 520 is located between periphery Ep2 of conductor portion 511p of connection terminal 51p and periphery En2 of conductor portion 511n of connection terminal 51n. Specifically, periphery Ep2 of conductor portion 511p is located in the Y1 direction from periphery e2 of main body portion 520, and periphery En2 of conductor portion 511n is located in the Y2 direction from periphery e2 of main body portion 520. In other words, the portion of main body portion 520 that follows periphery e2 protrudes from periphery Ep2 of conductor portion 511p in the Y2 direction, and the portion of conductor portion 511n that follows periphery En2 protrudes from periphery e2 of main body portion 520 in the Y2 direction.

[0047] The distance Wa between the periphery Ep2 of the conductor portion 511p and the periphery e2 of the insulating sheet 52 is set to, for example, 10 mm or more. The distance Wa is the creepage distance between the periphery Ep2 of the connection terminal 51p and the connection terminal 51n. On the other hand, the distance Wb between the periphery Ep1 of the conductor portion 511p (or the periphery En1 of the conductor portion 511n) and the periphery e1 of the main body portion 520 is less than the distance Wa (Wb <Wa)。

[0048] 1 and 2, the connection portion 50 penetrates the side wall 22 of the housing 20 in the Y-axis direction. Specifically, of the connection terminal 51p, a portion of the conductor portion 511p on the periphery Ep1 side and the entire terminal portion 512p protrude in the Y1 direction from the inner wall surface of the side wall 22. Similarly, of the connection terminal 51n, a portion of the conductor portion 511n on the periphery En1 side and the entire terminal portion 512n protrude in the Y1 direction from the inner wall surface of the side wall 22. The terminal portion 512p and the periphery Ep1 of the connection terminal 51p and the terminal portion 512n and the periphery En1 of the connection terminal 51n are sealed by the sealing body 40 in the space inside the housing 20. Therefore, the aforementioned distance Wa is located outside the housing 20, and the aforementioned distance Wb is located inside the housing 20. As described above, because the interval Wb is smaller than the interval Wa, the size of the housing 20 can be reduced compared to a configuration in which the interval Wb is equal to or larger than the interval Wa. On the other hand, because the space inside the housing 20 is filled with the sealing body 40, electrical insulation between the connection terminals 51p and 51n is ensured even in a configuration in which the interval Wb is smaller than the interval Wa.

[0049] In Fig. 3, the outline of the connecting conductors 14 (14p, 14n) is shown by a chain line. As illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3, the terminal portion 512p of the connecting terminal 51p, which extends in the Y1 direction from the peripheral edge e1 of the insulating sheet 52, overlaps the connecting conductor 14p in a plan view. The terminal portion 512p is joined to the upper surface of the connecting conductor 14p by, for example, laser welding. That is, the connecting terminal 51p is electrically connected to the main electrode C of the semiconductor chip 12p via the connecting conductor 14p and the conductor pattern 114a.

[0050] Similarly, a terminal portion 512n of the connection terminal 51n extending from the peripheral edge e1 of the insulating sheet 52 overlaps the connection conductor 14n in a plan view. The terminal portion 512n is joined to the upper surface of the connection conductor 14n by, for example, laser welding. That is, the connection terminal 51n is electrically connected to the main electrode E of the semiconductor chip 12n via the connection conductor 14n, the conductor pattern 114b, and the wiring portion 13n.

[0051] The protruding portion 521 of the insulating sheet 52 is a portion that is integrally connected to the main body portion 520. As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3, the protruding portion 521 of the first embodiment is a rectangular portion that extends in the Y1 direction from the periphery e1 of the main body portion 520. Specifically, the protruding portion 521 is connected to a portion of the main body portion 520 that is located in the X2 direction relative to the reference plane R. That is, the width of the protruding portion 521 in the X-axis direction (the dimension of the range α1) is smaller than the width of the main body portion 520. For example, the width of the protruding portion 521 is smaller than half the width of the main body portion 520. The base end portion 521b illustrated in FIG. 3 is a portion of the protruding portion 521 near the boundary (periphery e1) with the main body portion 520. The tip end portion 521a is an end portion of the protruding portion 521 opposite to the base end portion 521b. The protruding portion 521 is an example of a "first protruding portion."

[0052] 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the semiconductor module 100 near the protruding portion 521. As for the connection portion 50, FIG. 4 illustrates a cross section taken along line bb in FIG. 3. As illustrated in FIG. 4, the protruding portion 521 forms an angle θ with respect to the upper surface of the terminal portion 512n. That is, the protruding portion 521 is inclined (or perpendicular) with respect to the upper surface of the terminal portion 512n so that the position of the tip end 521a is located further in the Z1 direction than the position of the base end 521b in the Z-axis direction. That is, the protruding portion 521 protrudes upward (for example, vertically or diagonally upward) from the upper surface of the terminal portion 512n.

[0053] The angle θ is, for example, a value within a range of 45° or more and 135° or less, and more preferably, a value within a range of 60° or more and 120° or less. More preferably, the angle θ is, for example, a value within a range of 80° or more and 100° or less, and is set to, for example, 90°. The angle θ can also be expressed as the angle of the protruding portion 521 with respect to the main body portion 520 (insulating portion 525 and peripheral portion 526). The angle θ between the main body portion 520 and the protruding portion 521 is formed by folding the insulating sheet 52 at the boundary along the peripheral edge e1 of the main body portion 520. In other words, the protruding portion 521 is integrally continuous with the main body portion 520 of the insulating sheet 52. The main body portion 520 is an example of "another portion of the insulating sheet."

[0054] As described above, the protrusion 521 protrudes upward from the terminal portion 512n or the main body portion 520. Therefore, as can be seen from FIGS. 2 and 4, the protrusion 521 is located between the connection terminal 51n (terminal portion 512n) and the surface F of the sealing body 40. That is, in the first embodiment, the protrusion 521 extends from the upper surface of the terminal portion 512n toward the surface F of the sealing body 40. As illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 4, the tip 521a of the protrusion 521 protrudes from the surface F of the sealing body 40. That is, the tip 521a is exposed from the sealing body 40. According to the above embodiment, it is possible to easily confirm, for example, by visual inspection from the outside of the sealing body 40, that the protrusion 521 is properly formed.

[0055] 1 and 3, the protrusion 521 is located between the tip 513n of the terminal portion 512n and the peripheral edge Ep1 of the connection terminal 51p in a plan view. That is, in a plan view, both the tip 521a and the base 521b of the protrusion 521 are located between the tip 513n and the peripheral edge Ep1. Furthermore, the protrusion 521 does not overlap the connecting conductor 14n in a plan view. That is, both the tip 521a and the base 521b of the protrusion 521 are located in the Y2 direction when viewed from the connecting conductor 14n.

[0056] 4, the protruding portion 521 of the first embodiment is connected to the insulating portion 525 via the peripheral edge portion 526. That is, the peripheral edge portion 526 is located between the protruding portion 521 and the insulating portion 525 in a plan view. The peripheral edge portion 526 corresponds to a portion (connecting portion) that connects the protruding portion 521 and the insulating portion 525. As can be understood from the above description, the protruding portion 521 protrudes upward from a position spaced apart in the Y1 direction from the peripheral edge Ep1 of the connection terminal 51p by the width dimension ω of the peripheral edge portion 526 (dimension in the Y-axis direction).

[0057] However, the insulating sheet 52 may peel off from the sealing body 40 due to residual stress in the insulating sheet 52 or the sealing body 40, or thermal stress resulting from the difference in the linear expansion coefficient between the two. According to the first embodiment, even if the insulating sheet 52 peels off from the sealing body 40, a sufficient creepage distance can be ensured between the terminal portion 512n and the connection terminal 51p. The above effects will be described in detail below.

[0058] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a configuration (hereinafter referred to as the "comparative example") that is compared with the first embodiment. The comparative example is a configuration in which protrusion 521 is omitted from the first embodiment. In the comparative example, when insulating sheet 52 peels off from sealing body 40, the creepage distance between terminal portion 512n and connection terminal 51p is the sum of dimension ω of peripheral edge portion 526 of insulating sheet 52 that protrudes from connection terminal 51p and the thickness of insulating sheet 52. In this state, the creepage distance between connection terminal 51p and terminal portion 512n is not sufficiently ensured, which may result in insufficient electrical insulation between connection terminal 51p and connection terminal 51n.

[0059] In contrast to the comparative example, in the first embodiment, as illustrated in FIG. 4, a protrusion 521 that forms an angle θ with respect to the terminal portion 512n is located between a tip end 513n of the terminal portion 512n and a peripheral edge Ep1 of the connection terminal 51p in a plan view. Therefore, as can be seen from FIG. 4, the creepage distance between the terminal portion 512n and the connection terminal 51p when the insulating sheet 52 is peeled off from the sealing body 40 is the sum of the dimension ω of the peripheral edge 526 of the insulating sheet 52 and approximately twice the extension length L of the protrusion 521. That is, according to the first embodiment, a sufficient creepage distance between the connection terminal 51p and the terminal portion 512n is ensured compared to the comparative example. Therefore, there is an advantage in that electrical insulation between the connection terminal 51p and the connection terminal 51n can be effectively maintained. In the first embodiment, the dimension ω of the peripheral portion 526 and the extension length L of the protrusion 521 are set so that the surface distance between the connection terminal 51p and the terminal portion 512n when the sealing body 40 is not in contact with the insulating sheet 52 is equal to or greater than the surface distance Wa between the connection terminal 51p and the connection terminal 51n outside the housing portion 20.

[0060] 5, if the dimension ω of the peripheral edge portion 526 can be sufficiently ensured, a sufficient creepage distance can be ensured between the terminal portion 512n and the connection terminal 51p. However, if the dimension ω of the peripheral edge portion 526 is too long, the size of the housing portion 20 in the Y-axis direction (and therefore the size of the semiconductor module 100) becomes excessively large. According to the first embodiment, the projection 521 that forms an angle θ with respect to the terminal portion 512n ensures the creepage distance between the terminal portion 512n and the connection terminal 51p, and therefore the size of the housing portion 20 in the Y-axis direction is reduced compared to the comparative example. That is, according to the first embodiment, it is possible to maintain electrical insulation between the connection terminal 51p and the connection terminal 51n while preventing the semiconductor module 100 from becoming larger.

[0061] 3, the range α1 of the protrusion 521 in the X-axis direction encompasses the range αn1 of the terminal 512n in the X-axis direction. That is, the range α1 is wider than the range αn1, and both ends of the range αn1 are located inside the range α1. With the above configuration, it is easier to ensure the creepage distance between the terminal 512n and the connection terminal 51p compared to a configuration in which part of the range αn1 of the terminal 512n is located outside the range α1 of the protrusion 521. Therefore, electrical insulation between the connection terminal 51p and the connection terminal 51n can be effectively maintained.

[0062] In the first embodiment, the range α1 of the protrusion 521 in the X-axis direction further encompasses the range αn2 of the connecting conductor 14n in the X-axis direction. That is, the range α1 is wider than the range αn2, and both ends of the range αn2 are located inside the range α1. With this configuration, it is easier to ensure the creepage distance between the connecting conductor 14n and the connection terminal 51p compared to a configuration in which part of the range αn2 of the connecting conductor 14n is located outside the range α1 of the protrusion 521. Therefore, electrical insulation between the connection terminal 51p and the connection terminal 51n can be effectively maintained.

[0063] As described above, in the first embodiment, the protrusion 521 does not overlap the connecting conductor 14n in a plan view. Therefore, compared to a configuration in which the protrusion 521 overlaps the connecting conductor 14n in a plan view, the work of joining the terminal 512n to the connecting conductor 14n is easier. For example, the terminal 512n can be easily joined to the connecting conductor 14n by laser welding.

[0064] A-2: Manufacturing method of semiconductor module 100 FIG. 6 is a process diagram illustrating an example of a manufacturing method for the semiconductor module 100 described above. First, in step P1, the housing 20 having the connection portion 50 installed therein is prepared. At the stage of step P1, as illustrated in FIG. 7, the insulating sheet 52 made of insulating paper is planar. That is, the protruding portion 521 of the insulating sheet 52 is parallel to the main body 520. In this state, a portion of the protruding portion 521 overlaps the connecting conductor 14n in a planar view. In step P2 after step P1 is performed, the semiconductor unit 10 is accommodated in the space inside the housing 20.

[0065] In step P3 after step P2, as illustrated in FIG. 8, the protruding portion 521 of the insulating sheet 52 is bent relative to the main body portion 520. Specifically, the protruding portion 521 is bent upward along the periphery e1 so as to form a predetermined angle θ with respect to the terminal portion 512n of the connection terminal 51n. Therefore, as described above, after step P3 is performed, the protruding portion 521 does not overlap the connection conductor 14n in a plan view. Note that the order of accommodating the semiconductor unit 10 (P2) and folding the insulating sheet 52 (P3) may be reversed. In other words, the semiconductor unit 10 may be accommodated in the housing portion 20 after bending the protruding portion 521. Note that step P3 is an example of the "first step."

[0066] At an appropriate time after the execution of step P3, the state of the base film 25 formed on the inner wall surface of the housing part 20 is checked. For example, an operator checks the state of the base film 25 by visually inspecting it from above in the vertical direction. For example, it is checked whether the base film 25 is evenly applied and whether any defects such as breakage have occurred in the base film 25. The state of the base film 25 may be checked by taking an image using an imaging device. Since the protruding part 521 of the insulating sheet 52 is bent in step P3, if the protruding part 521 is not bent, the state of the base film 25 is checked by visually inspecting it from above in the vertical direction. For example, it is checked whether the base film 25 is evenly applied and whether any defects such as breakage have occurred in the base film 25. stomach In comparison with the above, it is easy to check the state of the base film 25 from above in the vertical direction.

[0067] In step P4 after step P3, the terminal portion 512p of the connection terminal 51p is joined to the top surface of the connection conductor 14p, and the terminal portion 512n of the connection terminal 51n is joined to the top surface of the connection conductor 14n. For example, laser welding is preferably used to join the terminal portions 512 (512p, 512n) to the connection conductors 14 (14p, 14n). By bending in step P3, the protruding portion 521 is in a state where it does not overlap the connection conductor 14n in a plan view. Therefore, even if the protruding portion 521 is not bent, stomach In step P4, the terminal portion 512 n The work of joining the connecting conductor 14n to the connecting conductor 14n is easy.

[0068] In step P5 after step P4 is performed, the sealing body 40 is filled into the space inside the housing 20 with the insulating sheet 52 folded. Specifically, a liquid resin material (e.g., epoxy resin) is filled into the space inside the housing 20, and the resin material is cured by heating or the like to form the sealing body 40. In step P5, the sealing body 40 is formed while the tip 521a of the protrusion 521 remains exposed from the surface F of the sealing body 40. Specifically, the sealing body 40 is filled in parallel with the work of an operator visually checking the tip 521a of the protrusion 521. Step P5 is an example of a "second step."

[0069] During and after step P5, the state of the encapsulant 40 is checked at any time. Specifically, it is checked whether the encapsulant 40 has been properly formed. For example, an operator visually checks the state of the encapsulant 40 from above in the vertical direction. For example, it is checked whether the encapsulant 40 is sufficiently adhered to the base film 25, and whether defects such as air bubbles or voids (spaces not filled with the encapsulant 40) have occurred within the encapsulant 40. The state of the encapsulant 40 may be checked by taking an image using an imaging device. Since the protruding portion 521 of the insulating sheet 52 is bent in step P3, if the protruding portion 521 is not bent, the state of the encapsulant 40 may be checked by taking an image using an imaging device. stomach In comparison with the above, it is easy to check the state of the seal 40 from above in the vertical direction.

[0070] As described above, in the first embodiment, protruding portion 521 is formed by the simple operation of bending a portion of insulating sheet 52. Furthermore, since sealant 40 is filled while checking the state in which tip end 521a of protruding portion 521 protrudes from surface F of sealant 40, sealant 40 can be formed while maintaining protruding portion 521 in an appropriate state.

[0071] B: Second embodiment The second embodiment will be described below. Note that, in the configurations exemplified below, for elements whose functions are similar to those of the first embodiment, the reference numerals used in the description of the first embodiment will be used and detailed descriptions of each will be omitted as appropriate.

[0072] Fig. 9 is a plan view of a connection portion 50 in the second embodiment. As illustrated in Fig. 9, an insulating sheet 52 in the second embodiment includes a protrusion 522 instead of the protrusion 521 in the first embodiment. The configuration other than the protrusion 522 is the same as that in the first embodiment.

[0073] In the second embodiment, the semiconductor chip 12p is an example of a "first semiconductor chip," and the main electrode C of the semiconductor chip 12p is an example of a "first main electrode." The semiconductor chip 12n is an example of a "second semiconductor chip," and the main electrode E of the semiconductor chip 12n is an example of a "second main electrode." In the second embodiment, the connection terminal 51p is an example of a "first connection terminal," and the connection terminal 51n is an example of a "second connection terminal." In the second embodiment, the conductor portion 511p is an example of a "first conductor portion," and the terminal portion 512p is an example of a "first terminal portion." The periphery Ep1 of the conductor portion 511p is an example of a "first periphery." The conductor portion 511n is an example of a "second conductor portion," and the periphery En1 is an example of a "second periphery." The connection conductor 14p of the second embodiment is an example of a "first connection conductor."

[0074] The protruding portion 522 is a portion that is integrally connected to the main body portion 520. As illustrated in FIG. 9, the protruding portion 522 of the second embodiment is a rectangular portion of the insulating sheet 52 that extends from the periphery e1 of the main body portion 520. Specifically, the protruding portion 522 is connected to a portion of the main body portion 520 that is located in the X1 direction relative to the reference plane R. That is, the width of the protruding portion 522 in the X-axis direction (the dimension of the range α2) is smaller than the width of the main body portion 520. For example, the width of the protruding portion 522 is smaller than half the width of the main body portion 520. The base end portion 522b in FIG. 9 is a portion of the protruding portion 522 near the boundary (periphery e1) with the main body portion 520. The tip end portion 522a is an end portion of the protruding portion 522 opposite to the base end portion 522b. The protruding portion 522 is an example of a "first protruding portion."

[0075] 10 is a cross-sectional view of the semiconductor module 100, enlarging the vicinity of the protruding portion 522. As for the connection portion 50, FIG. 10 illustrates a cross section taken along line cc in FIG. 9. As illustrated in FIG. 10, the protruding portion 522 forms an angle θ with the lower surface of the terminal portion 512p. That is, the protruding portion 522 is arranged such that the position of the tip end 522a is located in the Z2 direction further than the position of the base end 522b in the Z-axis direction. p That is, the protrusion 522 is inclined with respect to the lower surface of the terminal portion 512. p The conditions for the angle θ and extension length L of the protruding portion 522 are the same as those in the first embodiment.

[0076] As described above, the protruding portion 522 protrudes downward from the terminal portion 512p or the main body portion 520. Therefore, as can be seen from FIG. 10 , the connection terminal 51p is located between the protruding portion 522 and the surface F of the sealing body 40. That is, in the second embodiment, the protruding portion 522 extends from the lower surface of the terminal portion 512p toward the side opposite to the surface F of the sealing body 40. Therefore, while the tip portion 521a of the protruding portion 521 in the first embodiment is exposed from the surface F of the sealing body 40, the tip portion 522a of the protruding portion 522 in the second embodiment is located inside the sealing body 40.

[0077] 9 and 10, the protrusion 522 is located between the tip end 513p of the terminal portion 512p and the peripheral edge En1 of the connection terminal 51n in a plan view. That is, in a plan view, both the tip end 522a and the base end 522b of the protrusion 522 are located between the tip end 513p and the peripheral edge En1. Furthermore, the protrusion 522 does not overlap the connecting conductor 14p in a plan view. That is, both the tip end 522a and the base end 522b of the protrusion 522 are located in the Y2 direction when viewed from the connecting conductor 14p.

[0078] 9, the protruding portion 522 of the second embodiment is connected to the insulating portion 525 via the peripheral edge portion 526. That is, the peripheral edge portion 526 is located between the protruding portion 522 and the insulating portion 525 in a plan view. The peripheral edge portion 526 corresponds to a portion (connecting portion) that connects the protruding portion 522 and the insulating portion 525. As can be understood from the above description, the protruding portion 522 protrudes downward from a position spaced apart in the Y1 direction from the peripheral edge En1 of the connection terminal 51n by the width dimension ω of the peripheral edge portion 526.

[0079] 9, the range α2 of the protrusion 522 in the X-axis direction encompasses the range αp1 of the terminal portion 512p in the X-axis direction. That is, the range α2 is wider than the range αp1, and both ends of the range αp1 are located inside the range α2. Furthermore, the range α2 of the protrusion 522 in the X-axis direction encompasses the range αp2 of the connecting conductor 14p in the X-axis direction. That is, the range α2 is wider than the range αp2, and both ends of the range αp2 are located inside the range α2.

[0080] The semiconductor module 100 of the second embodiment is manufactured by the same manufacturing method as that of the first embodiment. However, while the protruding portion 521 is bent upward in step P3 in the first embodiment, the protruding portion 522 of the insulating sheet 52 is bent downward in step P3 in the second embodiment. Specifically, the connecting terminal 51 p Terminal part 512 p Protruding portion 522 is bent downward along peripheral edge e1 so as to form a predetermined angle θ with respect to . In addition, in step P5, the operation of confirming that tip portion 521a of protruding portion 521 is exposed from surface F of sealing body 40 is omitted in the second embodiment.

[0081] The second embodiment described above also achieves the same effects as the first embodiment. For example, in the second embodiment, the protrusion 522, which forms an angle θ with respect to the terminal portion 512p, is located between the tip end 513p of the terminal portion 512p and the peripheral edge En1 of the connection terminal 51n in a plan view. This ensures a sufficient creepage distance between the connection terminal 51n and the terminal portion 512p, compared to the comparative example described above. Therefore, similar to the first embodiment, electrical insulation between the connection terminal 51p and the connection terminal 51n can be effectively maintained. Furthermore, the protrusion 522, which forms an angle θ with respect to the terminal portion 512p, ensures a sufficient creepage distance between the terminal portion 512p and the connection terminal 51n, thereby reducing the size of the housing 20 in the Y-axis direction, compared to the comparative example. That is, according to the second embodiment, electrical insulation between the connection terminal 51p and the connection terminal 51n can be maintained while preventing the semiconductor module 100 from becoming larger.

[0082] C: Third embodiment FIG. 11 is a plan view of a connection portion 50 in the third embodiment. The third embodiment is a combination of the first and second embodiments. That is, the insulating sheet 52 in the third embodiment includes both the protrusion 521 of the first embodiment and the protrusion 522 of the second embodiment. The configuration other than the protrusions 521 and 522 is the same as that in the first embodiment. The cross section of line bb in FIG. 11 corresponds to FIG. 4, and the cross section of line cc in FIG. 11 corresponds to FIG. 10. In the third embodiment, the protrusion 521 is an example of a "first protrusion," and the protrusion 522 is an example of a "second protrusion." The configuration of the protrusion 521 is the same as that in the first embodiment, and the configuration of the protrusion 522 is the same as that in the second embodiment. Therefore, the third embodiment achieves the same effects as the first and second embodiments.

[0083] As described in the first embodiment, the protrusion 521 is located in the X2 direction relative to the reference plane R in a plan view. As described in the second embodiment, the protrusion 522 is located in the X1 direction relative to the reference plane R in a plan view. That is, the protrusions 521 and 522 in the third embodiment are located on opposite sides of the reference plane R. The reference plane R includes the center line in the width direction of the main body 520 of the insulating sheet 52. Therefore, it may be expressed that the protrusions 521 and 522 are located on opposite sides of the center line of the main body 520. The horizontal width of the protrusion 521 and the horizontal width of the protrusion 522 may be equal. The extension length L of the protrusion 521 and the extension length L of the protrusion 522 may also be equal.

[0084] As described in the first embodiment, the protrusion 521 protrudes upward from the upper surface of the terminal portion 512n. On the other hand, as described in the second embodiment, the protrusion 522 protrudes downward from the lower surface of the terminal portion 512p. That is, the protrusions 521 and 522 protrude in opposite directions relative to the main body 520. According to the above configuration, when the insulating sheet 52 is peeled off from the sealing body 40, the protrusion 521 ensures a sufficient creepage distance between the terminal portion 512n and the connection terminal 51p, and the protrusion 522 ensures a sufficient creepage distance between the terminal portion 512p and the connection terminal 51n. That is, according to the third embodiment, the effect of maintaining electrical insulation between the connection terminal 51p and the connection terminal 51n is particularly remarkable.

[0085] In the third embodiment, similarly to the first embodiment, the semiconductor chip 12n is an example of a "first semiconductor chip", and the main electrode E of the semiconductor chip 12n is an example of a "first main electrode". Furthermore, the semiconductor chip 12p is an example of a "second semiconductor chip", and the main electrode C of the semiconductor chip 12p is an example of a "second main electrode". Furthermore, in the third embodiment, the conductor portion 511n is an example of a "first conductor portion", and the terminal portion 512n is an example of a "first terminal portion". Furthermore to The conductor portion 511p is an example of a "second conductor portion," and the terminal portion 512p is an example of a "second terminal portion."

[0086] D: Fourth embodiment 12 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the semiconductor module 100 near the protruding portion 521 in the fourth embodiment. As illustrated in FIG. 12, the protruding portion 521 in the fourth embodiment includes a first portion 521c and a second portion 521d. The first portion 521c and the second portion 521d are continuous with each other. The first portion 521c is a portion of the protruding portion 521 on the base end portion 521b side, and the second portion 521d is a portion of the protruding portion 521 on the tip end portion 521a side. In other words, the peripheral portion of the second portion 521d located on the opposite side to the first portion 521c is the tip end portion 521a.

[0087] Similar to the protruding portion 521 in the first embodiment, the first portion 521c protrudes upward at an angle θ with respect to the terminal portion 512n. 12 1 illustrates an example in which the angle θ is approximately 90°. On the other hand, the second portion 521d extends in the Y2 direction from the peripheral edge of the first portion 521c on the side opposite to the base end portion 521b. That is, the second portion 521d extends in a direction parallel to the main body portion 520 of the insulating sheet 52. As can be understood from the above description, the protrusion 521 of the fourth embodiment has a shape that is folded back from the base end portion 521b toward the side wall 22 of the housing portion 20 (in the Y2 direction).

[0088] A tip portion 521a of the protrusion 521 bites into the inner wall surface of the side wall 22 of the housing 20. Specifically, the tip portion 521a is accommodated in a groove 29 formed in the inner wall surface of the side wall 22. The groove 29 is a bottomed hole that extends linearly in the X-axis direction across the entire width of the protrusion 521. By inserting the tip portion 521a into the groove 29, the second portion 521d of the protrusion 521 is fixed to the housing 20. For example, in step P3 of FIG. 6, the protrusion 521 of the insulating sheet 52 is bent toward the side wall 22, and the tip portion 521a is inserted into the groove 29. The tip portion 521a may be bonded to the inside of the groove 29 by, for example, an adhesive.

[0089] The fourth embodiment also achieves the same effects as the first embodiment, and in the fourth embodiment, the tip 521a of the protrusion 521 bites into the inner wall surface of the housing part 20, so that the shape of the protrusion 521 can be stably maintained, for example, during the manufacturing process of the semiconductor module 100 (for example, process P5 in which the sealing body 40 is formed).

[0090] While FIG. 12 illustrates the protrusion 521 extending upward from the terminal portion 512n, as illustrated in FIG. 13, a similar configuration is employed for the protrusion 522 extending downward from the terminal portion 512p. The protrusion 522 in FIG. 13 is formed in a shape in which a first portion 522c on the base end portion 522b side and a second portion 522d on the tip end portion 522a side are continuous. The first portion 522c protrudes downward at an angle θ (θ≈90°) with respect to the terminal portion 512p. The second portion 522d extends in the Y2 direction from the peripheral edge of the first portion 522c on the side opposite to the base end portion 522b. That is, the protrusion 522 in FIG. 13 is folded back from the base end portion 522b toward the side wall 22 of the housing 20 (in the Y2 direction). A tip portion 522a of the protrusion 522 bites into the inner wall surface of the side wall 22 of the housing 20. Specifically, the tip portion 522a is housed in a groove portion 29 formed in the inner wall surface of the side wall 22, similar to the tip portion 521a of the fourth embodiment.

[0091] E: Modified Example Specific modified embodiments that can be added to each of the embodiments exemplified above are exemplified below. Two or more embodiments arbitrarily selected from the following examples may be combined as appropriate within the scope of not being mutually contradictory.

[0092] (1) In the above-described embodiments, the insulating portion 525 and the protruding portion 521 are connected via the peripheral portion 526. However, as illustrated in FIG. 14 , a configuration in which the protruding portion 521 is continuous with the insulating portion 525 is also envisioned. That is, the peripheral portion 526 may be omitted in the above-described embodiments. However, the above-described embodiments in which the peripheral portion 526 is interposed between the insulating portion 525 and the protruding portion 521 have the advantage of making it easier to ensure a creepage distance between the terminal portion 512n and the connection terminal 51p compared to the configuration in FIG. 14 . Note that while FIG. 14 focuses on the protruding portion 521, a similar configuration may also be adopted for the protruding portion 522. That is, the protruding portion 522 may be continuous with the insulating portion 525.

[0093] (2) In the above-described embodiments, the protrusion 521 is integrally and continuously connected to the main body 520 of the insulating sheet 52. However, a configuration in which the protrusion 521, which is separate from the main body 520, is connected to the main body 520 of the insulating sheet 52 is also envisioned. For example, the protrusion 521, which is separate from the main body 520, is connected to the main body 520 by adhesion or welding. While the above description focuses on the protrusion 521, a similar configuration can also be adopted for the protrusion 522. The configuration in which the protrusion 521 is integrally and continuously connected to the main body 520 has the advantage that the protrusion 521 can be easily formed by deforming (for example, bending) the insulating sheet 52, compared to a configuration in which the main body 520 and the protrusion 521, which are separate from each other, are connected.

[0094] (3) In the above-described embodiments, the insulating sheet 52 is formed from insulating paper. However, the material of the insulating sheet 52 is not limited to these examples. For example, a resin film formed from a resin material such as polyimide may be used as the insulating sheet 52. However, in the above-described embodiments in which the insulating sheet 52 is formed from insulating paper, the insulating sheet 52 can be easily deformed (e.g., bent) compared to a configuration in which the insulating sheet 52 is formed from a resin film. This has the advantage that the insulating sheet 52 is easy to handle. Another advantage is that the insulating sheet 52 is less likely to crack or break compared to a configuration in which the insulating sheet 52 is formed from various ceramics.

[0095] (4) In the above-described embodiments, the seal 40 is filled in the space inside the housing 20, but the seal 40 may be omitted. However, the creepage distance between the terminal 512n and the connection terminal 51p becomes a problem particularly when the seal 40 is peeled off. Therefore, a configuration in which the protrusion 521 or the protrusion 522 is provided is particularly effective in an embodiment in which the seal 40 is filled in the housing 20.

[0096] (5) In the above-described embodiments, the protrusion 521 does not overlap the connecting conductor 14n in plan view, but a configuration in which a part or all of the protrusion 521 overlaps the connecting conductor 14n in plan view is also possible. Similarly, the protrusion 522 may overlap a part or all of the protrusion 522 with the connecting conductor 14p in plan view.

[0097] (6) In each of the above-described embodiments, the semiconductor unit 10 is housed in a space surrounded by the housing 20 with the base 30 as the bottom surface, but the base 30 is not an essential element of the semiconductor module 100. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 15 , a configuration that does not require the base 30 is also conceivable.

[0098] In the configuration of FIG. 15 , the insulating substrate 112 of the laminated substrate 11 and the housing 20 are bonded to each other, thereby supporting the semiconductor unit 10 on the housing 20. Specifically, the edge of the upper surface of the insulating substrate 112 and the lower surface of the housing 20 are bonded together, for example, with an adhesive. In the configuration of FIG. 15 , the insulating substrate 112 and the metal layer 113 are located in the Z2 direction from the lower surface of the housing 20. That is, a portion of the semiconductor unit 10 is located outside the space surrounded by the housing 20. On the other hand, in each of the above-described embodiments, the entire semiconductor unit 10 is surrounded by the housing 20 (the housing 20). As can be understood from the above examples, the housing 20 is comprehensively expressed as an element surrounding the semiconductor chip 12, and it does not matter whether the housing 20 surrounds the entire semiconductor unit 10 or only a portion of it. Note that the side surface of the insulating substrate 112 and the inner wall surface of the housing 20 may be bonded together, for example, with an adhesive.

[0099] Furthermore, in each of the above-described embodiments, a configuration has been exemplified in which the sealing body 40 (sealing body 40) is filled up to the space to the sides and below the laminated substrate 11, but as can be understood from the example in FIG. 15, a configuration in which the sealing body 40 does not reach the space to the sides and below the laminated substrate 11 is also envisioned.

[0100] (7) In the above-described embodiments, the semiconductor chip 12 includes an RC-IGBT. However, the configuration of the semiconductor chip 12 is not limited to these examples. For example, the semiconductor chip 12 may include an IGBT or a MOSFET. In a configuration in which the semiconductor chip 12 includes a MOSFET, the main electrode C is one of the source electrode and the drain electrode, and the main electrode E is the other of the source electrode and the drain electrode. Furthermore, the number of semiconductor chips 12 included in the semiconductor module 100 is not limited to two. For example, the semiconductor module 100 may include one or three or more semiconductor chips 12. [Explanation of symbols]

[0101] 100...semiconductor module, 10...semiconductor unit, 11...laminated substrate, 112...insulating substrate, 113...metal layer, 114 (114a, 114b, 114c)...conductor pattern, 12 (12p, 12n)...semiconductor chip, 13 (13p, 13n)...wiring portion, 14 (14p, 14n, 14o)...connecting conductor, 20...casing portion, 21, 22, 23, 24...side wall, 25...underlying film, 26...connecting terminal, 27...control terminal, 28...wire, 29...groove portion, 30...substrate Body portion, 40...sealing body, 50...connection portion, 51 (51p, 51n)...connection terminal, 52...insulating sheet, 511 (511p, 511n)...conductor portion, 512 (512p, 512n)...terminal portion, 513 (513p, 513n)...tip portion, 520...main body portion, 521, 522...protruding portion, 521a, 522b...tip portion, 521b, 522b...base end portion, 521c, 522c...first portion, 521d, 522d...second portion, 525...insulating portion, 526...periphery.

Claims

1. a first semiconductor chip including a first main electrode; a second semiconductor chip including a second main electrode; a first connection terminal electrically connected to the first main electrode; a second connection terminal electrically connected to the second main electrode; an insulating sheet; a housing portion that surrounds the first semiconductor chip and the second semiconductor chip; a sealant filled in the space inside the housing, The first connection terminal is a first conductor portion including a first periphery; a first terminal portion extending from the first peripheral edge in a plan view; The second connection terminal is a second conductor portion including a second periphery; At least a portion of the first conductor portion and at least a portion of the second conductor portion overlap each other in a plan view, The insulating sheet is an insulating portion laminated between the first conductor portion and the second conductor portion; a first protrusion located between the tip end of the first terminal and the second periphery in a plan view and angled with respect to a surface of the first terminal; The first terminal portion and the second periphery are sealed by the sealing body in the space inside the housing portion. Semiconductor module.

2. The first protrusion is located between the first connection terminal and the surface of the sealing body. The semiconductor module of claim 1.

3. A portion of the first protrusion protrudes from the surface of the sealing body. The semiconductor module of claim 2.

4. The second connection terminal is a second terminal portion extending from the second peripheral edge in a plan view; the first terminal portion and the second terminal portion do not overlap each other in a plan view, The insulating sheet is a second protrusion located between the tip end of the second terminal and the first periphery in a plan view and angled with respect to a surface of the second terminal; 4. The semiconductor module according to claim 2 or 3.

5. The first terminal portion is located between the first protrusion portion and the surface of the sealing body. The semiconductor module of claim 1.

6. the first connection terminal, the second connection terminal, and the insulating sheet penetrate through a side wall of the housing; The tip of the first protrusion bites into the inner wall surface of the side wall.

6. The semiconductor module according to claim 1.

7. The range of the first protrusion in a first direction along the first peripheral edge includes the range of the first terminal portion in the first direction.

6. The semiconductor module according to claim 1.

8. a first connecting conductor electrically connected to the first main electrode; The first terminal portion is joined to the first connection conductor.

8. The semiconductor module according to claim 1.

9. The range of the first protruding portion in a first direction along the first periphery includes the range of the first connecting conductor in the first direction. The semiconductor module of claim 8.

10. the first terminal portion overlaps the first connection conductor in a plan view, The first protrusion does not overlap the first connection conductor in a plan view.

10. The semiconductor module according to claim 8 or claim 9.

11. the insulating sheet includes a connecting portion that connects the first protrusion and the insulating portion, The connecting portion is a portion that continues from the insulating portion in a planar shape. The semiconductor module according to any one of claims 1 to 10.

12. The first protrusion is integrally continuous with another portion of the insulating sheet. The semiconductor module according to any one of claims 1 to 11.

13. The insulating sheet is insulating paper. The semiconductor module according to any one of claims 1 to 12.

14. The insulating sheet includes a main body portion including the insulating portion, The main body portion is a third periphery from which the first protrusion protrudes; a fourth periphery located opposite the third periphery, The fourth peripheral edge, in a plan view, a fifth periphery of the first conductor portion located on the opposite side to the first periphery; a sixth periphery of the second conductor portion located on the opposite side to the second periphery; Located between The semiconductor module of claim 1.

15. The insulating sheet includes a connecting portion that connects the first protrusion and the insulating portion, The connecting portion is located between the tip end of the first terminal portion and the second periphery in a plan view. The semiconductor module of claim 1.

16. a first semiconductor chip including a first main electrode; a second semiconductor chip including a second main electrode; a housing portion that surrounds the first semiconductor chip and the second semiconductor chip; a first connection terminal electrically connected to the first main electrode; a second connection terminal electrically connected to the second main electrode; an insulating sheet; a sealant filled in the space inside the housing, The first connection terminal is a first conductor portion including a first periphery; a first terminal portion extending from the first peripheral edge in a plan view; The second connection terminal is a second conductor portion including a second periphery; At least a portion of the first conductor portion and at least a portion of the second conductor portion overlap each other in a plan view, The insulating sheet is an insulating portion laminated between the first conductor portion and the second conductor portion; a first protrusion located between the tip end of the first terminal and the second periphery in a plan view and forming an angle with respect to a surface of the first terminal; A method for manufacturing a semiconductor module, comprising: a first step of bending the first protruding portion of the insulating sheet; a second step of filling the space inside the housing with the sealing body after the first step is performed; Including, In the second step, the first terminal portion and the second periphery are sealed by the sealing body in the space inside the housing portion. A method for manufacturing a semiconductor module.

17. In the second step, the sealant is filled while maintaining a state in which a part of the first protrusion protrudes from the surface of the sealant. The method for manufacturing a semiconductor module according to claim 16.

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