Bent Control Frame for Overlapping Semiconductor Modules
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional inverter modules face challenges in reducing substrate mounting area while maintaining performance, as miniaturization leads to increased thickness due to the need for middle-side electrodes, and routing of wiring is complicated by the separation of p-side and n-side lead terminals.
Innovation Solution
The semiconductor device configuration features a high-side and low-side module portion that overlap, with a control-side frame extending across both, allowing the high-side and low-side semiconductor chips to face each other, eliminating the need for a middle-side electrode and simplifying wiring by placing integrated circuits and lead terminals on the same surface, thereby reducing the overall size and thickness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the low-side semiconductor chip and high-side semiconductor chip are connected with a middle-side electrode interposed therebetween, then the electrical connection between the chips is achieved, but the thickness of the inverter module increases by the thickness of the middle-side electrode
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the middle-side electrode from the structure by directly bonding the low-side semiconductor chip to the high-side semiconductor chip. This extraction of the unnecessary component eliminates the thickness increase while maintaining the essential electrical connection function through direct chip-to-chip bonding.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the functions of the middle-side electrode and the bonding structure by directly bonding the low-side chip to the high-side chip. This consolidation eliminates the intermediate component and reduces the overall thickness while preserving the electrical connection between the chips.
2Area of stationary object
If the high-side module portion and low-side module portion are stacked to reduce substrate mounting area, then the mounting area is reduced, but the routing of wiring becomes complicated due to separation of p-side and n-side lead terminals
Solution Approach 1:
The patent resolves the wiring routing complexity by extending the control-side frame in the planar dimension rather than requiring vertical connections through the stacked structure. The high-side and low-side lead terminals are both routed to the same surface plane, transforming a three-dimensional routing problem into a two-dimensional solution that simplifies wiring.
Solution Approach 2:
The control-side frame serves multiple functions: it provides structural support, routes control signals to both high-side and low-side integrated circuits, and accommodates both p-side and n-side lead terminals on the same surface. This multi-functional design simplifies the overall wiring architecture.
3Temperature
If the control-side frame is bent at the boundary between high-side module portion and low-side module portion, then the high-side semiconductor chip and low-side semiconductor chip face each other for improved heat dissipation, but the manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control-side frame is pre-bent during the manufacturing process before the stacking operation. This preliminary action of bending the frame in advance simplifies the subsequent assembly process, as the frame is already in the correct configuration to facilitate direct chip-to-chip bonding and proper alignment of the stacked modules.
Data Source
AI summary
A semiconductor device has a configuration in which a high-side module portion and a low-side module portion overlap each other. The semiconductor device further includes a control-side frame extending across the high-side module portion and the low-side module portion, and having a high-side integrated circuit and a low-side integrated circuit placed thereon. The high-side integrated circuit of the high-side module portion and the low-side integrated circuit of the low-side module portion are placed on one main surface of the control-side frame. At a boundary between the high-side module portion and the low-side module portion, the control-side frame is bent such that the high-side semiconductor chip and the low-side semiconductor chip face each other.