Compact stacked power modules for minimizing commutating inductance and methods for making the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017164497-A1
Application number	US-201514956825-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 2, 2015
Priority date	Dec 2, 2015
Publication date	Jun 8, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

A compact stacked power module including a positive direct-current-bus-voltage plate having a positive-plate surface and a negative direct-current-bus-voltage plate having a negative-plate surface. The compact stacked power module also includes an alternating-current output plate having opposing first and second output-plate surfaces, a first semiconductor switch contacting the negative-plate surface and the first output-plate surface, and a second semiconductor switch contacting the positive-plate surface and the second output-plate surface. The compact stacked power module further includes a capacitor contacting the negative-plate surface and the positive-plate surface, wherein the capacitor is electrically in parallel with the first and second semiconductor switches.

First claim

What is claimed:

1 . A compact stacked power module including positive and negative direct-current-bus-voltage plates having respective positive and negative plate surfaces, the module comprising:
an alternating-current output plate having a first output-plate surface opposite a second output-plate surface; a first semiconductor switch contacting the negative-plate surface and the first output-plate surface; a second semiconductor switch contacting the positive-plate surface and the second output-plate surface; and a capacitor (i) contacting the negative and positive plate surfaces and (ii) connected in parallel with the first and second semiconductor switches.

2 . The compact stacked power module of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plates comprises a groove adjacent the capacitor to relieve forces in the module before the forces reach the capacitor in operation of the compact stacked power module.

3 . The compact stacked power module of claim 1 , wherein the positive direct-current-bus-voltage plate comprises a first material, primarily, and adjacent the capacitor, a second material softer than the first material to relieve forces developing in the module before the forces reach the capacitor in operation of the compact stacked power module.

4 . The compact stacked power module of claim 3 , wherein the first material is copper and the second material is a copper alloy.

5 . The compact stacked power module of claim 3 , wherein the second material is selected from a group consisting of gold, mercury, and a copper alloy.

6 . The compact stacked power module of claim 1 , wherein the capacitor is a leaded capacitor, connected by lead to the positive direct-current-bus-voltage plate to relieve forces developing in the module before the forces reach the capacitor in operation of the compact stacked power module.

7 . The compact stacked power module of claim 1 , wherein the capacitor is a first capacitor and the compact stacked power module comprises a second capacitor contacting the second negative-plate surface and the positive-plate surface and being electrically in parallel with the first and second semiconductor switches.

8 . The compact stacked power module of claim 1 , wherein the positive direct-current-bus-voltage plate, the negative direct-current-bus-voltage plate, and the alternating-current output plate are copper bus plates.

9 . The compact stacked power module of claim 1 , wherein each of the first and second semiconductor switches comprises an insulated-gate bipolar transistor or a metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor.

10 . The compact stacked power module of claim 1 , wherein each of said surfaces is substantially planar.

11 . The compact stacked power module of claim 1 , wherein:
the alternating-current output plate is a first alternating-current output plate; the capacitor is a first capacitor; and the compact stacked power module further comprises: a second alternating-current output plate comprising a third output-plate surface opposite a fourth output-plate surface; a second capacitor extending between the negative-plate surface and the positive-plate surface; a third semiconductor switch contacting the negative-plate surface and the third output-plate surface; and a fourth semiconductor switch contacting the positive-plate surface and the fourth output-plate surface.

12 . The compact stacked power module of claim 1 , wherein the first semiconductor switch comprises a built-in body diode.

13 . The compact stacked power module of claim 1 , further comprising a diode connected in parallel with the first semiconductor switch between the positive-plate surface and the first output-plate surface.

14 . The compact stacked power module of claim 1 , wherein each of said plates has a width that is substantially greater than a thickness of the plate and a length that is substantially greater than the thickness of the plate.

15 . The compact stacked power module of claim 14 , wherein the width of each plate is at least ten times the width of the plate and the length is at least ten times the width of the plate.

16 . The compact stacked power module of claim 1 , wherein the capacitor is a first capacitor and the compact stacked power module comprises a second capacitor contacting the second negative-plate surface and the positive-plate surface electrically in parallel with the first and second semiconductor switches.

17 . A method, for making a compact stacked power module, comprising:
arranging a capacitor, a positive direct-current-bus-voltage plate, and a negative direct-current-bus-voltage plate, wherein the capacitor is positioned between the positive direct-current-bus-voltage and the negative direct-current-bus-voltage plates, in contact with a positive-plate surface of the positive direct-current-bus-voltage plate and a negative-plate surface of the negative direct-current-bus-voltage plate; and arranging an alternating-current output plate, a first semiconductor switch, and a second semiconductor switch between the positive and negative direct-current-bus-voltage plates, wherein: the first semiconductor switch contacts the negative-plate surface and a first output-plate surface of the alternating-current output plate; and the second semiconductor switch contacts the positive-plate surface and a second output-plate surface of the alternating-current output plate.

18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein each of said plates has a width that is substantially greater than a thickness of the plate and a length that is substantially greater than the thickness of the plate.

19 . A compact stacked power module comprising:
a positive direct-current-bus-voltage plate; a negative direct-current-bus-voltage plate; a capacitor extending between and in contact with the positive and negative direct-current-bus-voltage plates; two semiconductor switches arranged electrically in parallel with the capacitor; and a strain-relief feature selected from a group consisting of: one of the direct-current-bus-voltage plates comprising a groove adjacent the capacitor; one of the direct-current-bus-voltage plates comprising a first material primarily and a second material, softer than the first material, adjacent the capacitor; and the capacitor being a leaded capacitor, connected to at least one of the direct-current-bus-voltage plates by one or more leads.

20 . The compact stacked power module of claim 19 , wherein each of said plates has a width that is substantially greater than a thickness of the plate and a length that is substantially greater than the thickness of the plate.

Assignees

• Ge Energy Power Conversion Technology Ltd

Inventors

• Wagoner Robert Gregory
• Ritter Allen Michael

Classifications

• H10W90/756

  between a chip and a stacked lead frame, conducting package substrate or heat sink · CPC title

• H10W90/736

  between a chip and a stacked lead frame, conducting package substrate or heat sink · CPC title

• H10W72/07554

  changes in dispositions · CPC title

• H10W72/07354

  changes in dispositions · CPC title

• H10W72/347

  Dispositions of multiple die-attach connectors · CPC title