Inclined Control Substrate Power Module Footprint Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional power modules with integrated control circuits occupy large footprint areas due to horizontal arrangement of power and control devices, which limits power density and increases power consumption and voltage stress.
Innovation Solution
A power module design where the control substrate is inclined at an angle between 45 degrees and 135 degrees relative to the power substrate, reducing the horizontal footprint area occupied by the module and enhancing power density, with the control substrate electrically connected to the power substrate for efficient power management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If power devices and control devices are horizontally arranged on separate substrates, then electrical connections can be achieved, but the footprint area occupied by the power module increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the power substrate and control substrate into a single integrated substrate structure. The control devices are directly mounted on the power substrate, eliminating the need for separate control substrates and reducing the overall footprint area while maintaining all necessary electrical connections through optimized trace routing on the unified substrate.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a planar horizontal arrangement to a three-dimensional vertical arrangement. Control devices are stacked above power devices using vertical vias and through-holes, utilizing the vertical dimension to reduce horizontal footprint area while maintaining electrical connectivity through multi-layer substrate routing.
2Ease of manufacture
If power devices and control devices are horizontally arranged on substrates, then electrical connections can be established, but power density decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The integration of control devices directly on the power substrate increases the functional density within the same volume. This merging approach allows both power and control functions to coexist in a compact configuration, effectively increasing power density by eliminating the need for separate control substrate space.
Solution Approach 2:
By stacking control devices vertically above power devices and utilizing multi-layer substrate routing, the patent increases functional integration density. This three-dimensional arrangement allows more components to be packed into a smaller horizontal footprint, thereby increasing power density.
3Temperature
If power substrate is positioned lower than control substrate for heat radiation, then heat dissipation is improved, but the overall module height increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the power substrate and control substrate into a single planar structure, eliminating the height difference between substrates. Heat dissipation is achieved through integrated thermal vias and heat sinks directly attached to the power device regions on the unified substrate, maintaining effective cooling while reducing overall module height.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent addresses heat dissipation in the vertical direction through multi-layer thermal management structures. Thermal vias conduct heat vertically through the substrate layers to heat sinks or cooling plates, allowing effective heat dissipation without requiring the power substrate to be positioned lower than the control substrate.
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure provides a power module with the integration of a control circuit at least, including: a power substrate; a power device mounted on the power substrate; and at least one control substrate which supports the control circuit, is electrically connected with the power substrate and disposed at an angle of inclination on a surface of the power substrate on which the power device is mounted; wherein the angle of inclination is greater than or equal to 45 degrees and smaller than or equal to 135 degrees. In the power module provided by the present disclosure, only the power substrate as well as the connections between the control substrate and the power substrate occupies the footprint area of the power module, and thus the horizontal footprint area of the power module is effectively reduced and thereby the power density of the power module is increased.