Asea Brown Boveri Ag

Abb Management Ag

Abb Semiconductors, Ltd.

Thomas Stockmeier

Reinhold Bayerer

Uwe Thiemann

Peter Roggwiller

Andre A Jaecklin

Peter Streit

Friedhelm Bauer

Ezatollah Ramezani

Jurg Waldmeyer

Martti Harmoinen

Andreas Ruegg

Reinheld Bayerer

In a high-power semiconductor module (10), in which a plurality of first submodules (13, 14, 16, 17) are arranged in an electrically insulated manner in a common housing (12) and on a common cold plate (11) and are interconnected with one another, the first submodules (13, 14, 16, 17) each �lacuna! individual controllable power semiconductor switches (13a), short-circuit-proof operation in conjunction with relatively high switching frequencies is made possible, with a relatively low current-carrying capacity and an increased withstand voltage, by virtue of the fact that the first submodules (13, 14, 16, 17) are connected in series within the module for the purpose of increasing the withstand voltage.

High-power semiconductor module

In the case of a controllable power semiconductor component, which comprises at least one planar, essentially rectangular power semiconductor chip (13), which power semiconductor chip (13) has on its top side a large-area metallization layer (14) for the large-area electrical connection to a metal mating element (17, 19), and also a separate small-area connection region for the gate connection in the form of a gate pad (16), a simplified form of the metal mating element (17, 19) and adjustment thereof are achieved by virtue of the fact that the gate pad (16) is arranged in a corner of the power semiconductor chip (13).

Controllable power semiconductor component

A circuit arrangement and a power semiconductor module are provided in which the circuit arrangement comprises a plurality of parallel-connected power semiconductor modules, of which only one is connected to a control device. The other modules function as slaves of the master connected to the control device and draw the signal required for triggering from the master via a signal bus. For this purpose, the power semiconductor modules have a number of signal connections which are interconnected. The signal connections may be connected signalwise to the gate connections, for example via an interface. The power semiconductor modules according to the invention provide a circuit arrangement in which a plurality of modules can be connected in parallel up to maximum performances without limitations.

Power semiconductor module and circuit arrangement comprising at least

To provide thermal relief, particularly of the edge of disk-shaped gate-turn-off GTO thyristors (GTO) as are used in converters in power electronics, at least one cooling segment which is isolated from a GTO cathode metallization of the GTO thyristor segment (GTO) by a gate electrode metallization of a gate electrode is arranged on the edge and laterally adjacent to the GTO thyristor segment (GTO). An insulation layer is provided between a cooling segment metallization and the gate electrode metallization. Cooling segments in an lo outer annular zone can be alternately arranged with GTO thyristor segments (GTO) or offset towards the outside in the radial direction or perpendicular direction thereto. Instead of cooling segments, a p.sup.+ -type GTO emitter layer of the GTO thyristor segments (GTO) can be shortened at the edge in the outer annular zone. The edge side of these GTO thyristor segments (GTO) can exhibit a shorter charge carrier life than the remaining semiconductor body due to irradiation with electrons, protons or .alpha.-particles, which results in a lower operating current in this area. An ohmic impedance can be connected in series with a diode between a gate electrode and a cathode of the GTO thyristor (GTO) for stabilizing the trigger threshold and reducing its temperature dependence.

Semiconductor component having gate-turn-off thyristor and reduced

In the case of a power semiconductor module (1) according to the invention, substrates (8) having a power semiconductor assembly (2) are fitted on both sides of a heat sink (3). The power semiconductor assemblies (2) are made contact with by a stack of contact laminates (4), which contact laminates (4) run parallel to the heat sink (3). A very low-inductance structure is obtained thereby.

Low-inductance power semiconductor module

A power semiconductor module includes a housing having a baseplate, on which at least one power semiconductor switching element is arranged, the power semiconductor switching element having at least two power electrodes connected to corresponding power connections, the power connections extending parallel to the base plate and passing out of the housing parallel to the base plate, thereby extending above one another in a plurality of planes and being connected to the corresponding power electrodes of the power semiconductor switching element by connecting wires, the power semiconductor module including a plurality of control and auxiliary connections wherein the control and auxiliary connections are passed out of the housing at right angles to the base plate and the control and auxiliary connections are designed for plugging into the control unit driving the module, and the power semiconductor module including fastening mechanisms provided on the housing and fixing the control unit on the housing of the module.

Growing community of inventors

Rancho Palos Verdes, CA, United States of America

Thomas Stockmeier