Power Package With Segmented Mold Compounds For Thermal Dissipation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Semiconductor device packaging faces challenges in achieving high thermal dissipation and mechanical robustness while maintaining low manufacturing costs, particularly in systems where heat dissipation is critical and cost-effectiveness is essential.
Innovation Solution
A semiconductor device package design featuring a lead frame with an intermediate part not covered by mold compounds, allowing for separate encapsulation of power semiconductor devices in distinct mold compounds, which are thermally and mechanically coupled to a common heat sink, enabling efficient heat dissipation and mechanical stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If multiple power semiconductor devices are mounted on a lead frame and encapsulated in separate mold compounds, then thermal dissipation capability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The lead frame is divided into multiple independent parts, each carrying a power semiconductor device and encapsulated in its own mold compound. The intermediate part of the lead frame remains exposed and uncovered, creating separate thermal zones. This segmentation allows each device to dissipate heat independently through its own thermal path to the heat sink, improving overall thermal management while maintaining a unified package structure.
2Strength
If mold compounds are kept substantially separate from each other, then mechanical stress is reduced, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The intermediate part of the lead frame is extracted from the mold compound coverage, remaining exposed and uncovered. This creates a physical separation between the mold compounds encapsulating different power semiconductor devices. By removing the mold compound from this intermediate region, mechanical stress generated by thermal expansion differences is reduced, as each mold compound can expand and contract independently without constraining the other through a continuous encapsulant.
3Loss of energy
If an intermediate part of the lead frame is left uncovered, then heat dissipation efficiency is improved, but reliability challenges arise
Solution Approach 1:
The exposed intermediate part of the lead frame acts as an intermediary thermal conduction path between the power semiconductor devices and the heat sink. This metallic intermediate structure provides a direct thermal pathway that facilitates efficient heat transfer from the devices to the heat dissipation system, while the lead frame's inherent mechanical strength maintains structural integrity and reliability of the package.
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 enhances thermal dissipation capabilities and mechanical robustness, reduces mechanical stress, and improves reliability by decoupling the mold compounds, thus addressing the challenges of heat management and cost-effectiveness in semiconductor device packaging.
Implementation Method 1
at least one heat sink thermally and mechanically coupled to the first mold compound and the second mold compound
Data Source
AI summary
A semiconductor device package includes a lead frame, a first power semiconductor device mounted on a first part of the lead frame and a second power semiconductor device mounted on a second part of the lead frame. The first power semiconductor device is encapsulated by a first mold compound. The second power semiconductor device is encapsulated by a second mold compound. The first mold compound and the second mold compound are substantially separate from each other. The lead frame includes an intermediate part arranged between the first part and the second part. The intermediate part is not covered by the first mold compound or by the second mold compound.