Semiconductor module with ultrasonically welded terminals

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016007485-A1
Application number	US-201514790437-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 2, 2015
Priority date	Jul 4, 2014
Publication date	Jan 7, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A semiconductor module includes a base plate, a substrate on the base plate and carrying at least one semiconductor chip, a housing attached to the base plate and at least partially enclosing the substrate, and at least one terminal having one end which protrudes from the housing and another end which has a terminal foot attached on a terminal pad of the metallization by means of ultrasonic welding. The housing has a protective wall which encloses the terminal and divides an interior space of the housing into an unprotected region and a protected region. The protective wall is formed such that a gap is formed between the substrate and the protective wall. The gap is designed to carry a fluid flow such that particles produced during the ultrasonic welding of the terminal foot to the terminal pad are prevented from penetrating into the protected region from the unprotected region.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A semiconductor module comprising:
a base plate; a substrate on the base plate, the substrate having a metallization on at least one side and carrying at least one semiconductor chip; a housing which is attached to the base plate and which at least partially encloses the substrate; and at least one terminal having one end which protrudes from the housing and another end which has a terminal foot, the terminal foot being attached on a terminal pad of the metallization by means of ultrasonic welding, wherein the housing has a protective wall which encloses the terminal and divides an interior space of the housing into an unprotected region and a protected region, and wherein the protective wall is formed such that a gap is formed between the substrate and the protective wall, the gap being arranged to carry a fluid flow such that particles produced during the ultrasonic welding of the terminal foot to the terminal pad are prevented from penetrating into the protected region from the unprotected region.

2 . The semiconductor module as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the housing includes an inlet opening which opens out into the protected region which provides a passageway through which a fluid can be blown into the protected region.

3 . The semiconductor module as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the inlet opening is closed by a housing insert.

4 . The semiconductor module as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the housing includes an outlet opening which leads at least one of into the unprotected region and to the terminal foot by way of a channel formed by the protective wall.

5 . The semiconductor module as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the outlet opening is closed by a housing insert.

6 . The semiconductor module as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the terminal protrudes from the outlet opening.

7 . The semiconductor module as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the housing includes an outlet opening which leads at least one of into the unprotected region and to the terminal foot by way of a channel formed by the protective wall.

8 . The semiconductor module as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the outlet opening is closed by a housing insert.

9 . The semiconductor module as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the terminal protrudes from the outlet opening.

10 . The semiconductor module as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the housing encloses the protected region completely apart from an inlet opening.

11 . The semiconductor module as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the housing encloses the protected region completely apart from the inlet opening.

12 . The semiconductor module as claimed in claim 1 , wherein:
the housing includes a cover plate and a side wall, the cover plate being fastened to the base plate by the side wall of the housing; and the protective wall is connected to the cover plate and protrudes into the interior space of the housing.

13 . The semiconductor module as claimed in claim 12 , comprising:
at least one of an outlet opening and an inlet opening provided in the cover plate.

14 . The semiconductor module as claimed in claim 2 , wherein:
the housing includes a cover plate and a side wall, the cover plate being fastened to the base plate by the side wall of the housing; the inlet opening is provided in the cover plate; and the protective wall is connected to the cover plate and protrudes into the interior space of the housing.

15 . The semiconductor module as claimed in claim 4 , wherein:
the housing includes a cover plate and a side wall, the cover plate being fastened to the base plate by the side wall of the housing; the outlet opening is provided in the cover plate; and the protective wall is connected to the cover plate and protrudes into the interior space of the housing.

16 . The semiconductor module as claimed in claim 7 , wherein:
the housing includes a cover plate and a side wall, the cover plate being fastened to the base plate by the side wall of the housing; at least one of the outlet opening and the inlet opening is provided in the cover plate; and the protective wall is connected to the cover plate and protrudes into the interior space of the housing.

17 . The semiconductor module as claimed in claim 1 , wherein at least one of the at least one semiconductor chip and exposed zones of the substrate without metallization are arranged in the protected region.

18 . The semiconductor module as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the gap has a thickness of 0.2 to 4 times that of the terminal foot.

19 . The semiconductor module as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the gap has a thickness of 0.4 to 2 times that of the terminal foot.

20 . The semiconductor module as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a plurality of the terminals are surrounded by the protective wall.

21 . The semiconductor module as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the at least one terminal is angled away at the end that protrudes from the housing and reaches around the housing.

22 . A method for producing a semiconductor module, the method comprising:
providing a semiconductor module having a base plate, a substrate on the base plate, and a housing which is attached to the base plate and at least partially enclosing the substrate, the substrate having a metallization on at least one side and carrying at least one semiconductor chip; placing a terminal foot of a terminal on a terminal pad of the substrate that is surrounded by a protective wall of the housing, the protective wall dividing an interior space of the housing into an unprotected region and a protected region; placing a sonotrode on the terminal foot and ultrasonically welding the terminal foot to the substrate; and producing a fluid flow in a gap between the protective wall and the substrate from the protected region into the unprotected region so that particles produced during the ultrasonic welding are prevented from passing from the unprotected region into the protected region.

23 . The process as claimed in claim 22 , wherein the fluid flow is produced by blowing fluid into the protected region.

Assignees

• Abb Technology Ag

Inventors

• Hartmann Samuel
• Guillon David
• Hajas David
• Thut Markus

Classifications

• H10W90/754

  between a chip and a stacked insulating package substrate, interposer or RDL · CPC title

• H10W72/07553

  changes in shapes · CPC title

• H10W72/5475

  multiple bond wires connected to common bond pads at both ends of the wires · CPC title

• H10W72/884

  Die-attach connectors and bond wires · CPC title

• H10W72/537

  Multiple bond wires having different shapes · CPC title