Power modules for ultra-fast wide-bandgap power switching devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11183440-B2
Application number	US-201916705696-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 6, 2019
Priority date	Dec 10, 2018
Publication date	Nov 23, 2021
Grant date	Nov 23, 2021

Abstract

Low inductance power modules for ultra-fast wide-bandgap semiconductor power switching devices are disclosed. Conductive tracks define power buses for a switching topology, e.g. comprising GaN E-HEMTs, with power terminals extending from the power buses through the housing to provide a heatsink-to-busbar distance which meets creepage and clearance requirements. Low-profile, low-inductance terminals for gate and source-sense connections extend from contact areas located adjacent each power switching device to provide for a low inductance gate drive loop, for high di/dt switching. The gate driver board is mounted on the low-profile terminals, inside or outside of the housing, with decoupling capacitors provided on the driver board. For paralleled switches, additional terminals, which are referred to as dynamic performance pins, are provided to the power buses. These pins are configured to provide a low inductance path for high-frequency current and balance inductances of the power commutation loops for each switch.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A power module for a wide-bandgap semiconductor power switching device, comprising:
a housing comprising a baseplate and a cover;
a power substrate in thermal contact with the baseplate, a topology of the power substrate being configured for mounting thereon of at least one wide-bandgap semiconductor power switching device, the power substrate comprising conductive tracks defining a plurality of power buses and control contact areas for each power switching device;
a plurality of power terminal members, each power terminal member extending from one of the power buses on the power substrate, through the cover of the housing, to a power terminal at a first height h 1 from a base of the baseplate; and
a plurality of terminal members comprising control terminal members extending from each of the control contact areas on the power substrate to a control terminal at a second height h 2 from the base, wherein the second height h 2 is less than the first height h 1 .

2. The power module of claim 1 , wherein the first height h 1 is selected to meet required creepage and clearance specifications and the second height h 2 is selected to provide low-profile control terminals for low stray inductance of a gate drive loop for each power switching device.

3. The power module of claim 1 , wherein the control terminals comprise gate and source-sense terminals for the gate drive loop of each power switching device, wherein control contact areas for the gate and source-sense are located adjacent each power switching device and the gate and source-sense terminal members extend directly from said control contact areas to provide a low inductance signal path for a gate drive signal.

4. The power module of claim 3 , wherein for wide bandgap semiconductor switching devices comprising GaN E-HEMTs, the gate and source-sense terminals provide said low inductance signal path for a gate drive signal having a stray inductance meeting specifications for high di/dt switching transitions, wherein turn-on and turn-off times of the GaN E-HEMTS are in a range of 1 ns to 10 ns.

5. The power module of claim 4 , wherein said stray inductance is ≤10 nH.

6. The power module of claim 2 , wherein said required clearance and creepage specifications provide for a busbar-to-heatsink distance for one of:
≥100V operation;
300V to 400V operation;
≥600V operation; and
≥1200V operation.

7. The power module of claim 1 , wherein the cover comprises a first portion and a second lower-profile portion, the power terminals extending through the first portion at the first height h 1 and the control terminals extending through the second lower-profile portion at the second height h 2 , for mounting a gate driver board on the lower-profile portion of the housing, with the gate driver board connected to the control terminals.

8. The power module of claim 1 , wherein the cover comprises end portions and a lower-profile middle portion defining a recess, the power terminals extending through the end portions of the housing at the first height h 1 , and the control terminals extending through the lower-profile middle portion at the second height h 2 , for mounting a gate driver board in the recess, with the gate driver board connected to the control terminals.

9. The power module of claim 1 , wherein the topology of the power substrate is configured for mounting thereon of a plurality of wide-bandgap semiconductor switching devices connected in parallel, and a plurality of dynamic performance terminal members extending from the power buses, adjacent each power switching device, for connection to a gate driver board, the dynamic performance terminal members having an arrangement that balances inductances of power commutation loops of each power switching device and provides a low inductance path for high frequency current.

10. The power module of claim 1 , comprising at least one of the following features:
wherein the height h 2 provides clearance above the power substrate for mounting of power switching devices on the power substrate, wherein each power switching device comprises a packaged GaN HEMT;
wherein height h 1 is ≥14 mm and h 2 is ≤4 mm and the height difference h 1 −h 2 provides clearance for mounting of a gate driver board on the control terminals;
wherein height h 1 is ≥30 mm and h 2 is ≤4 mm and the height difference h 1 −h 2 provides clearance for mounting of a gate driver board on the control terminals;
having a generally rectangular baseplate, having a width and length, wherein the power terminals are located at each end of the module and the control terminals are arranged in rows extending lengthwise along a middle portion of the module;
wherein the topology of the power substrate is configured for mounting thereon of a power switching device comprising a single wide-bandgap semiconductor power switching device;
wherein the topology of the power substrate is configured for mounting thereon of a power switching device comprising a plurality of wide-bandgap semiconductor power switching devices;
wherein the power substrate topology is configured for a single switch, a half-bridge, a full-bridge, or other switch topology;
wherein the power substrate topology is configured for a wide-bandgap semiconductor switching device comprising a single switch GaN E-HEMT;
wherein the power substrate topology is configured for a wide-bandgap semiconductor switching device comprising a plurality of GaN E-HEMTs;
wherein the power substrate topology is configured for a wide-bandgap semiconductor switching device comprising a GaN E-HEMT half-bridge; and
wherein the power substrate topology is configured for a wide-bandgap semiconductor switching device comprising a GaN E-HEMT full-bridge.

11. A power module for wide-bandgap semiconductor switching device comprising:
a housing comprising a baseplate and a cover, the baseplate defining a footprint of generally rectangular form comprising ends having a width and sides having a length;
a power substrate in thermal contact with the baseplate, a topology of the power substrate being configured for mounting thereon of a plurality of semiconductor power switching devices arranged as first and second rows extending lengthwise, comprising a first row of high-side device positions and a second row of low-side device positions;
the power substrate comprising conductive tracks defining a plurality of power buses and a plurality of control contact areas for the switching devices, wherein
the plurality of power buses extend lengthwise adjacent to said first and second rows of high-side and low-side device positions;
first and second rows of control contact areas are arranged adjacent the first and second rows of high-side and low-side devices positions;

a plurality of power terminal members, each power terminal member extending from one of the power buses on the power substrate, through the cover of the housing to a power terminal at a first height h 1 from a base of the baseplate; and
a plurality of control terminal members, each control terminal member extending from one of the control contact areas on the power substrate to a control terminal at a second height h 2 from the base, wherein the second height h 2 is less than the first height h 1 .

12. The power module of claim 11 , wherein the control terminals comprise gate and source-sense terminals for each power switching device, and height h 2 is selected to provide low-profile control terminals for low stray inductance of a gate drive loop for each power switching device.

13. The power module of claim 11 , wherein the control contact areas for the gate and source-

Assignees

• Gan Systems Inc

Inventors

• Lu Juncheng
• Chen Di
• Spaziani Larry
• Di Maso Peter Anthony

Classifications

• H10W90/701

  characterised by the relative positions of pads or connectors relative to package parts · CPC title

• H10W90/00

  Package configurations · CPC title

• H10W70/611 Primary

  for connecting multiple chips together · CPC title

• H10W70/65

  Shapes or dispositions of interconnections · CPC title

• H10W72/5445

  being orthogonal to a side surface of the chip, e.g. parallel arrangements · CPC title