Power Semiconductor Module Heat Protective Layer Thermal Management

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Solution Overview

Problem

Power semiconductor module arrangements face the risk of overheating, where heat generated by components on the substrate is unintentionally transferred to the printed circuit board through the encapsulant, potentially leading to malfunction or failure, while also needing protection from environmental conditions and mechanical damage.

Innovation Solution

Incorporating a heat protective layer with higher thermal resistance than the encapsulant, positioned between the substrate and the printed circuit board, and extending in a plane parallel to both, to reduce heat conduction and maintain protection from environmental and mechanical damage.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the encapsulant fills the interior of the housing to protect components, then protection from environmental conditions and mechanical damage is improved, but heat transfer from the substrate to the printed circuit board increases causing overheating

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprotection from environmental conditions and mechanical damageVSAvoidheat transfer to printed circuit board

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The encapsulant is divided into two separate sections by introducing a heat protective layer. The first section covers the substrate while the second section covers the printed circuit board, with the heat protective layer creating a thermal barrier between them. This segmentation allows the encapsulant to provide protection while preventing unwanted heat transfer.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

A heat protective layer with higher thermal resistance than the encapsulant is introduced as an intermediary between the substrate and the printed circuit board. This intermediate layer blocks the direct thermal pathway that would otherwise conduct heat from the substrate through the encapsulant to the printed circuit board, while still allowing the encapsulant to provide environmental and mechanical protection.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Volume of moving object

If the printed circuit board is arranged inside the housing close to the substrate, then space utilization is improved, but heat protection from the substrate is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvespace utilization in housingVSAvoidheat exposure to printed circuit board

Core Design Contradiction:

Volume of moving objectVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The heat protective layer serves as a thermal intermediary positioned between the substrate and the printed circuit board. Even when the printed circuit board is placed close to the substrate for better space utilization, this intermediate layer with higher thermal resistance prevents harmful heat transfer, allowing close proximity arrangement without compromising thermal protection.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The heat protective layer is strategically positioned only in the region where thermal protection is needed - between the heat-generating substrate and the heat-sensitive printed circuit board. This localized application of thermal barrier properties allows space-efficient design while maintaining thermal protection where required.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

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 heat protective layer effectively reduces heat transfer from the substrate to the printed circuit board, preventing overheating and ensuring the reliability of the power semiconductor module arrangement while providing adequate protection.

Implementation Method 1

a heat protective layer arranged inside the housing between the substrate and the printed circuit board, and extending in a plane that is parallel to the substrate and the printed circuit board, wherein a thermal resistance of the heat protective layer is greater than a thermal resistance of the encapsulant

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal insulation: Thermal Insulation

Data Source

PatentEP4227986A1Power semiconductor module arrangement and methods for producing a semiconductor arrangement

Publication Date: 2023.08.16 INFINEON TECHNOLOGIES AG

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Figure 5~6

AI summary

A power semiconductor module arrangement comprises a housing (7), a substrate (10) arranged inside the housing (7), a printed circuit board (81) arranged inside the housing (7) distant from and in parallel to the substrate (10), an encapsulant (5) at least partly filling the interior of the housing (7), thereby covering the substrate (10) and the printed circuit board (81), and a heat protective layer (52) arranged inside the housing (7) between the substrate (10) and the printed circuit board (81), and extending in a plane that is parallel to the substrate (10) and the printed circuit board (81), wherein a thermal resistance of the heat protective layer (52) is greater than a thermal resistance of the encapsulant (5).