Integrated Heat Sink Package for Low-Stress Semiconductor Cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing semiconductor components face challenges in achieving a compact structure while minimizing mechanical loads and ensuring effective cooling, particularly in power electronics applications.
Innovation Solution
A housed semiconductor component with a heat sink featuring a top and bottom side made of electrically conductive material with specific thermal expansion coefficients matching those of the die, connected via a cooling structure with inlet and outlet lines, and attached to an insulating carrier with connection pins, eliminating the need for a leadframe and allowing direct die-to-heat sink integration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If a traditional leadframe structure is used for mounting dies, then electrical connections can be established, but the device size increases and mechanical stress on the die is not optimized
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the traditional leadframe structure from the semiconductor device. Instead of using a separate leadframe for electrical connections and mechanical support, the invention integrates these functions directly into the substrate, eliminating unnecessary components and reducing overall device size while simplifying the structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines the functions of the leadframe (electrical connection and mechanical support) with the substrate. The substrate serves dual purposes as both the mounting platform for the die and the electrical connection path, merging multiple functions into a single component to reduce device complexity and size.
2Reliability
If the heat sink material has a thermal expansion coefficient different from the die, then manufacturing is easier, but mechanical stress and reliability decrease during thermal cycling
Solution Approach 1:
The patent selects a heat sink material (such as copper or copper alloy) whose thermal expansion coefficient closely matches that of the semiconductor die. This parameter matching minimizes mechanical stress during thermal cycling, thereby improving device reliability without significantly complicating the manufacturing process.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention explicitly addresses thermal expansion by choosing materials for the heat sink that have a thermal expansion coefficient corresponding to the die material. This reduces differential thermal expansion during operation, preventing mechanical stress, cracking, or delamination, and thus enhancing long-term reliability.
3Temperature
If cooling structures are added to the heat sink, then thermal management improves, but the device becomes more complex and larger
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates the cooling structure within the heat sink body itself, nesting the coolant channels inside the heat sink. This internal integration allows effective heat dissipation through coolant flow while maintaining a compact external dimensions, as the cooling pathways are contained within the existing heat sink volume rather than adding external components.
Solution Approach 2:
The heat sink is designed to serve multiple functions simultaneously: it provides mechanical support for the die, establishes electrical connections through its conductive material, and performs thermal management through integrated coolant channels. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate components, thereby improving heat dissipation without significantly increasing device size or complexity.
4Strength
If the thermal expansion coefficients of the heat sink top and bottom do not match the die, then material selection is easier, but mechanical loads increase during operation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the principle of local quality by ensuring that the thermal expansion coefficient of the heat sink material specifically at the interfaces with the die (both top and bottom surfaces) matches the die material. This localized material property optimization minimizes mechanical stress at the critical bonding interfaces during thermal cycling, while allowing other parts of the heat sink to have different properties for optimal heat dissipation.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This design results in a compact, reliable, and cost-effective semiconductor component with reduced mechanical stress and enhanced cooling, increasing yield and reliability.
Implementation Method 1
a heat sink (12) made of an electrically conductive material with a thermal expansion coefficient
Implementation Method 2
a cooling structure running within the heat sink with at least one inlet line (16) and at least one outlet line (16) for a cooling medium
Implementation Method 3
the thermal expansion coefficient of the top and bottom of the heat sink (12) each corresponding to the thermal expansion coefficient of the die (14) arranged thereon
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
A packaged semiconductor component comprising a heat sink, wherein the heat sink has a top, a bottom, side surfaces connecting the top to the bottom, and a cooling structure extending within the heat sink with an inlet line and an outlet line for a cooling medium, and is made of an electrically conductive material with a first coefficient of thermal expansion on the top and a second coefficient of thermal expansion on the bottom, a die being arranged on the top and bottom of the heat sink respectively and electrically connected to the heat sink, the coefficient of thermal expansion of the top and bottom of the heat sink each corresponding to the coefficient of thermal expansion of the die arranged thereon or deviating from the coefficient of thermal expansion of the die arranged thereon by at most 10% or at most 20%, respectively.The heat sink is attached to an electrically insulating support with one of its side surfaces, two connection pins are attached to the support, and the heat sink, along with the dies and part of the connection pins, is encased in a potting compound.