# US 12,191,237 B2 · Semiconductor module

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- Number: US 12,191,237 B2
- Document ID: US12191237B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 18/808,892
- Filed: 2024-08-19
- Published: 2024-12-12
- Granted: 2025-01-07
- Earliest claimed: 2020-10-14
- Assignees: Rohm Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: Rohm Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Kenji Hayashi; Kohei Tanikawa; Ryosuke Fukuda
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12191237B2

## CPC

- H02M 7/003: {Constructional details, e.g. physical layout, assembly, wiring or busbar connections}
- H10W 90/811: {Multiple chips on leadframes}
- B29C 45/14655: {connected to or mounted on a carrier, e.g. lead frame}
- H10W 40/255: {having a laminate or multilayered structure, e.g. direct bond copper [DBC] ceramic substrates}
- H10W 44/501: {Inductive arrangements (H10W44/20 takes precedence)}
- H10W 70/464: {Additional interconnections in combination with leadframes}
- H10W 70/481: {for devices being provided for in groups H10D8/00 - H10D48/00}
- H10W 72/00: Interconnections or connectors in packages
- H10W 90/00: Package configurations
- H10W 72/073: {of die-attach connectors}
- H10W 72/07336: {Soldering or alloying}
- H10W 72/075: {of bond wires}
- H10W 72/352: {comprising metals or metalloids, e.g. solders}
- H10W 72/50: Bond wires
- H10W 72/5449: {not being orthogonal to a side surface of the chip, e.g. fan-out arrangements}
- H10W 72/5473: {multiple bond wires connected to a common bond pad}
- H10W 72/5522: {comprising gold [Au]}
- H10W 72/5524: {comprising aluminium [Al]}
- H10W 72/5525: {comprising copper [Cu]}
- H10W 72/59: Bond pads specially adapted therefor
- H10W 72/652: {comprising metals or metalloids, e.g. silver}
- H10W 72/691: {Bond pads specially adapted therefor}
- H10W 72/871: {Bond wires and strap connectors}
- H10W 72/884: {Die-attach connectors and bond wires}
- H10W 72/886: {Die-attach connectors and strap connectors}
- H10W 72/926: {Multiple bond pads having different sizes}
- H10W 72/932: {Plan-view shape, i.e. in top view}
- H10W 72/944: {Dispositions of multiple bond pads}
- H10W 72/952: {comprising metals or metalloids, e.g. PbSn, Ag or Cu}
- H10W 74/00: Encapsulations, e.g. protective coatings
- H10W 74/10: characterised by their shape or disposition
- H10W 90/736: {between a chip and a stacked lead frame, conducting package substrate or heat sink}
- H10W 90/755: {between a chip and a laterally-adjacent insulating package substrate, interpose or RDL}
- H10W 90/763: {between laterally-adjacent chips}
- H10W 90/767: {between a chip and a laterally-adjacent lead frame, conducting package substrate or heat sink}
- H02M: APPARATUS FOR CONVERSION BETWEEN AC AND AC, BETWEEN AC AND DC, OR BETWEEN DC AND DC, AND FOR USE WITH MAINS OR SIMILAR POWER SUPPLY SYSTEMS; CONVERSION OF DC OR AC INPUT POWER INTO SURGE OUTPUT POWER; CONTROL OR REGULATION THEREOF (transformers H01F; dynamo-electric converters H02K47/00; controlling transformers, reactors or choke coils, control or regulation of electric motors, generators or dynamo-electric converters H02P)
- H10W: GENERIC PACKAGES, INTERCONNECTIONS, CONNECTORS OR OTHER CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10
- B29C: SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING (making preforms B29B11/00; making laminated products by combining previously unconnected layers which become one product whose layers will remain together B32B37/00 - B32B41/00)

## Abstract

A semiconductor module includes a conductive substrate, a plurality of first semiconductor elements, and a plurality of second semiconductor elements. The conductive substrate includes a first conductive portion to which the plurality of first semiconductor elements are electrically bonded, and a second conductive portion to which the plurality of second semiconductor elements are electrically bonded. The semiconductor module further includes a first input terminal, a second input terminal, and a third input terminal that are provided near the first conductive portion. The second input terminal and the third input terminal are spaced apart from each other with the first input terminal therebetween. The first input terminal is electrically connected to the first conductive portion. A polarity of the first input terminal is set to be opposite to a polarity of each of the second input terminal and the third input terminal.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A semiconductor module comprising:
a conductive substrate having an obverse surface facing in one sense of a thickness direction, and a reverse surface facing away from the obverse surface in the thickness direction;
semiconductor elements electrically bonded to the obverse surface and having a switching function;
a plurality of control terminals for controlling the semiconductor elements;
a conducting member that forms a path of a main circuit current switched by the semiconductor elements;
a first input terminal, a second input terminal, and a third input terminal that are offset relative to the conductive substrate in one sense of a first direction perpendicular to the thickness direction;
an output terminal arranged offset relative to the conductive substrate in another sense of the first direction; and
a sealing resin covering at least a part of the conductive substrate, the semiconductor elements, and the conducting member,
wherein the conductive substrate includes a first conductive portion and a second conductive portion,
the semiconductor elements include at least one first semiconductor element electrically bonded to the first conductive portion, and at least one second semiconductor element electrically bonded to the second conductive portion,
the plurality of control terminals include a first control terminal for controlling each of the at least one first semiconductor element and a second control terminal for controlling each of the at least one second semiconductor element,
the second input terminal and the third input terminal are offset in one sense and another sense respectively with the first input terminal disposed therebetween in a second direction perpendicular to the thickness direction and the first direction,
the first input terminal has one of a positive polarity and a negative polarity and is electrically connected to the first conductive portion,
the second input terminal and the third input terminal have the other one of the positive polarity and the negative polarity,
the sealing resin has a resin side surface facing in the one sense of the first direction, with the first input terminal, the second input terminal and the third input terminal protruding from the resin side surface,
the resin side surface is formed with a first recessed portion recessed in the other sense of the first direction between the first input terminal and the second input terminal as viewed in the thickness direction, and with a second recessed portion recessed in the other sense of the first direction between the first input terminal and the third input terminal as viewed in the thickness direction,
each of the first control terminal and the second control terminal includes a portion protruding from the sealing resin, and
at least a part of the portion protruding from the sealing resin of each of the first control terminal and the second control terminal extends in the thickness direction.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The semiconductor module according to claim 1,
wherein each of the at least one first semiconductor element and each of the at least one second semiconductor element have respective gate electrodes facing in the one sense of the thickness direction,
the first control terminal is connected to the gate electrode of each of the at least one first semiconductor element via an electrically conductive first wire, and
the second control terminal is connected to the gate electrode of each of the at least one second semiconductor element via an electrically conductive second wire.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The semiconductor module according to claim 2, wherein the at least one first semiconductor element and the at least one second semiconductor element overlap with each other respectively as viewed in the first direction.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The semiconductor module according to claim 2, wherein the at least one first semiconductor element includes a plurality of first semiconductor elements,
the at least one second semiconductor element includes a plurality of second semiconductor elements,
the plurality of the first semiconductor elements are arranged at intervals in a first orthogonal direction orthogonal to the thickness direction, and
the plurality of the second semiconductor elements are arranged at intervals in a second orthogonal direction orthogonal to the thickness direction.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The semiconductor module according to claim 4, wherein each of the first orthogonal direction and the second orthogonal direction is the second direction.

### Claim 6 (depends on 4)

The semiconductor module according to claim 4, wherein each of the plurality of first semiconductor elements and each of the plurality of second semiconductor elements include a MOSFET and contain SiC as a constituent material.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The semiconductor module according to claim 1, wherein the first input terminal, the second input terminal, and the third input terminal overlap with each other as viewed in the second direction.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The semiconductor module according to claim 1, wherein the sealing resin has a resin reverse surface facing as the reverse surface faces in the first direction, a protruding portion arranged on an outer periphery portion of the resin reverse surface as viewed in the thickness direction, and a third recessed portion adjacent to the protruding portion.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The semiconductor module according to claim 1, further comprising a first control terminal support and a second control terminal support each including an insulating layer, wherein
the first conductive portion has a first obverse surface facing in the one sense of the thickness direction,
the second conductive portion has a second obverse surface facing in the one sense of the thickness direction,
the first control terminal support is provided between the first obverse surface and the first control terminal, and
the second control terminal support is provided between the second obverse surface and the second control terminal.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The semiconductor module according to claim 9, wherein each of the first control support and the second control support includes a first metal layer stacked on the insulating layer in the one sense of the thickness direction, and a second metal layer stacked on the insulating layer in the other sense of the thickness direction and bonded to the conductive substrate in opposition to the obverse surface.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The semiconductor module according to claim 1, wherein each of the first control terminal and the second control terminal is arranged on the obverse surface and extends along the thickness direction.