Semiconductor Device Ceramic Plate Heat Dissipation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Power semiconductor modules face reliability failures due to low heat dissipation properties, leading to issues like open failures of bonding wires, primarily because of uneven heat distribution and expansion coefficients between insulating circuit boards and metal base plates.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating ceramic plates within the metal base plate with optimized positions and materials like aluminum nitride, which reduce the linear expansion coefficient difference and prevent the 'pump-out' phenomenon, ensuring consistent heat transfer and mechanical strength.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a metal base plate with insulating circuit board is used to mount power semiconductor chips, then electrical insulation is achieved, but heat dissipation property deteriorates due to uneven heat distribution and expansion coefficient differences
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by positioning ceramic plates with high thermal conductivity specifically in regions where heat dissipation is most critical - directly beneath power semiconductor chips that generate high heat. This localized enhancement of thermal conductivity addresses the heat dissipation problem without requiring the entire insulating circuit board to have uniformly high thermal properties, thus maintaining electrical insulation while improving targeted heat dissipation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite materials by combining ceramic plates (with high thermal conductivity and low linear expansion coefficient) within the metal base plate structure. This composite construction integrates materials with complementary properties: the ceramic plates provide thermal management and dimensional stability, while the metal base plate provides structural support and electrical conductivity, collectively resolving the contradiction between heat dissipation and electrical insulation requirements.
2Stability of the object's composition
If insulating circuit board and metal base plate are combined, then electrical insulation is provided, but linear expansion coefficient difference causes uneven heat distribution and pump-out phenomenon
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by selecting ceramic plates with specific physical parameters - particularly low linear expansion coefficient and high thermal conductivity - to match and compensate for the expansion characteristics of the metal base plate. This parameter optimization reduces thermal stress and prevents the pump-out phenomenon caused by differential expansion between dissimilar materials during thermal cycling.
Solution Approach 2:
The ceramic plates serve as intermediary elements between the metal base plate and power semiconductor chips, mediating the thermal and mechanical interface. These intermediaries buffer the differential expansion effects and provide a stable thermal pathway, preventing direct stress concentration and pump-out failures at the bonding interfaces.
3Power
If high current flows at high voltage in power semiconductor chip, then power output is increased, but heat generation becomes large causing reliability failure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the harmful effect of high heat generation into a beneficial thermal management system. By integrating high thermal conductivity ceramic plates directly beneath the power semiconductor chips, the design transforms the heat problem into an opportunity for enhanced thermal pathways, where the previously harmful heat now flows efficiently through the ceramic-metad composite structure to the heat sink, enabling high power operation without compromising reliability.
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
The solution effectively enhances heat dissipation properties and reduces the likelihood of reliability failures by maintaining even heat distribution and minimizing thermal resistance, thus improving the overall performance of power semiconductor modules.
Implementation Method 1
optimized positions and materials like aluminum nitride, which reduce the linear expansion coefficient difference and prevent the 'pump-out' phenomenon
Implementation Method 2
maintaining even heat distribution and minimizing thermal resistance, thus improving the overall performance of power semiconductor modules
Data Source
AI summary
A semiconductor device of embodiments includes a first semiconductor chip; a metal plate having a first plane and a second plane facing the first plane and including a first ceramic plate provided between the first plane and the second plane; and a first insulating board provided between the first semiconductor chip and the metal plate and facing the first plane, in which the first ceramic plate does not exist between the first semiconductor chip and the second plane.