Power Electronics Assembly With Diamond Insulation for Thermal Balancing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional power electronics assemblies face challenges in achieving uniform heat distribution due to significant temperature differences between switching components and other structures, requiring complex heat sink designs and base plates to manage thermal dissipation effectively.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a power electronics assembly with a substrate having structured metallization and interspaces, where high thermal conductivity insulators, such as diamond, are used to thermally connect structures with varying thermal loads, ensuring efficient heat dissipation and uniform temperature distribution across the assembly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If conventional copper layers are used for heat dissipation, then lateral heat distribution efficiency improves with thicker layers, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the thermal conductivity parameter by replacing conventional copper heat dissipation layers with diamond-based materials having superior thermal conductivity. This allows for thinner heat dissipation layers while achieving the same or better heat dissipation efficiency, thereby reducing device complexity and manufacturing cost
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the heat dissipation function from the electrical conductor function by using diamond materials that provide thermal management without requiring the same level of electrical conductivity. This separation allows for optimized thermal design independent of electrical requirements
2Temperature
If base plates and sophisticated heat sink designs are deployed for temperature distribution, then temperature uniformity improves, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter from conventional heat sink materials to diamond-based materials with exceptional thermal conductivity. This intrinsic material property provides superior temperature uniformity without requiring complex heat sink geometries or additional base plates
Solution Approach 2:
The diamond material itself provides the temperature distribution function through its inherent high thermal conductivity, eliminating the need for separate base plates and complex heat sink designs. The material serves multiple functions: electrical insulation, thermal conduction, and temperature distribution
3Reliability
If electric insulators with lower thermal conductivity are used in interspaces, then electrical insulation is achieved, but thermal connection between structures deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses composite diamond materials that combine the electrical insulation properties required for interspace applications with exceptionally high thermal conductivity. This composite material simultaneously provides both electrical isolation and thermal connection, resolving the contradiction between these two requirements
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the thermal conductivity parameter of the insulator material from conventional low values to extremely high values achieved by diamond materials. This allows the insulator to maintain electrical isolation while providing effective thermal pathways between structures
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 solution enhances heat dissipation and temperature uniformity, allowing for more accurate current measurement and potentially using smaller semiconductor switches while maintaining or improving performance, thus optimizing the heat sink area usage.
Implementation Method 1
an electric insulator (42) having a thermal conductivity of at least 50 W/mK is arranged at least sectionally in such a way that the structures (35, 36) adjacent to the respective interspace (40) are thermally connected by the insulator (42)
Data Source
AI summary
Various embodiments of the teachings herein include power electronics assemblies. An example assembly includes: a substrate with a metallization forming first and second structures separated from each other by interspaces and with thickness of at least 300 μm; a power semiconductor mounted on the first structure; and an electric insulator having a thermal conductivity of at least 50 W/mK arranged at least sectionally in such a way that the structures adjacent to the respective interspace are thermally connected by the insulator.