EV Inverter Power Module Trench Layout for Thin Sinter Isolation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Inverters for electric vehicles face challenges with heat management and design flexibility due to incorrect operation and overheating of power modules, which can compromise their performance, and existing components may restrict design advantages and increase costs.
Innovation Solution
A power module design incorporating a trench feature in the metallization layer of the substrate, allowing for a thinner sinter element thickness of 25-50 μm, which improves thermal performance and reduces assembly costs while maintaining high voltage isolation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a thicker sinter element is used to ensure high voltage isolation, then electrical insulation is improved, but thermal performance deteriorates and assembly cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a vertical trench structure in the metallization layer to provide electrical isolation in the vertical dimension, enabling the sinter element thickness to be reduced from traditional 75 μm to 25-50 μm while maintaining the required 1200V isolation capability. The trench acts as a physical barrier that blocks electrical breakdown paths without requiring increased material thickness.
Solution Approach 2:
The metallization layer is segmented by introducing trenches that divide the continuous conductive path into isolated regions. This segmentation creates electrical isolation between high voltage and low voltage planes, allowing thinner sinter elements to achieve the same isolation performance as thicker traditional designs.
2Reliability
If a thicker sinter element is used to ensure high voltage isolation, then electrical insulation is improved, but assembly cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
By moving the isolation mechanism from the thickness dimension to the vertical trench dimension, the patent enables cost-effective thin sinter elements (25-50 μm) to replace expensive thick sinter elements (75 μm+), reducing material costs and assembly complexity while maintaining 1200V isolation performance.
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional power module design is used, then assembly is straightforward, but design flexibility is restricted
Solution Approach 1:
The trench-based isolation architecture segments the metallization layer into independent high voltage and low voltage regions, enabling flexible layout designs for power devices without compromising isolation. This segmentation allows designers to optimize device placement and thermal paths while maintaining electrical isolation requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The trench structure provides localized electrical isolation precisely where needed between high voltage and low voltage planes, allowing different regions of the power module to have optimized electrical and thermal properties. This enables tailored design flexibility for specific application requirements while maintaining overall assembly simplicity.
Data Source
AI summary
A system includes: an inverter configured to convert DC power to AC power, wherein the inverter includes: a power module including: a first substrate, a second substrate including a source plane and a gate plane separated from the source plane by a full trench, the source plane including a step trench, and the gate plane including an electrical connection through the second substrate to a gate input connection of the power module, a semiconductor die disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate, the step trench formed in a portion of the source plane corresponding to an edge of the semiconductor die, and the semiconductor die including a gate connected to the gate plane, and a sinter element disposed between the semiconductor die and the second substrate to connect the semiconductor die to the second substrate; a battery; and a motor.