# US 12,772,867 B2 · Semiconductor module > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,772,867 B2 - Document ID: US12772867B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/698,371 - Filed: 2022-03-18 - Published: 2023-02-02 - Granted: 2026-10-20 - Earliest claimed: 2021-07-27 - Assignees: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation - Applicants: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation - Inventors: Hideyuki Hatta; Shinichi Kinouchi; Hayato Nakata - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12772867B2 ## CPC - H10W 70/24: {characterised by materials} - H10W 70/22: {having an heterogeneous or anisotropic structure} - H10W 90/00: Package configurations - H10W 72/07354: {changes in dispositions} - H10W 72/347: {Dispositions of multiple die-attach connectors} - H10W 72/352: {comprising metals or metalloids, e.g. solders} - H10W 90/736: {between a chip and a stacked lead frame, conducting package substrate or heat sink} - H10W 90/796: {between a chip and a stacked lead frame, conducting package substrate or heat sink} - H10W: GENERIC PACKAGES, INTERCONNECTIONS, CONNECTORS OR OTHER CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 ## Abstract Provided is a small-sized inexpensive semiconductor module in which increase of ON resistance and increase of turn-off surge voltage at low temperature are suppressed. The semiconductor module includes: a semiconductor switching element; and a stress application portion provided on one or each of a first surface and a second surface on an opposite side to the first surface of the semiconductor switching element, having a linear expansion coefficient larger than that of a main material of the semiconductor switching element, and having a larger thickness than the semiconductor switching element. The stress application portion generates compressive or tensile stress in the semiconductor switching element through thermal shrinkage or expansion of the stress application portion due to change in temperature. A threshold voltage at which the semiconductor switching element is turned on, decreases in association with increase of a magnitude of the compressive or tensile stress in the semiconductor switching element. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A semiconductor module comprising: a singular semiconductor switching element; and a plurality of stress application portions, wherein two or more of the stress application portions provided on a first surface and one of the stress application portions are provided on a second surface on an opposite side to the first surface of the semiconductor switching element, the stress application portions having a linear expansion coefficient larger than a linear expansion coefficient of a main material of the semiconductor switching element, the stress application portions having a larger thickness than the semiconductor switching element, wherein the stress application portions generate compressive stress or tensile stress in the semiconductor switching element through thermal shrinkage or thermal expansion of the stress application portions due to change in temperature, and wherein a threshold voltage at which the semiconductor switching element is turned on, decreases in association with increase of a magnitude of the compressive stress or the tensile stress in the semiconductor switching element, wherein the first surface is an upper surface of the semiconductor switching element and the second surface is a lower surface of the semiconductor switching element, wherein the two or more of the stress application portions are provided on the upper surface with one of the stress application portions at a first end and another one of the stress application portions provided at a second end of the upper surface and spaced, in a first direction parallel to the upper surface, from a first edge of the first end of the upper surface and a second edge of the second end of the upper surface, wherein only one of the application portions is provided on the lower surface, wherein the two or more of the stress application portions provided on the upper surface are disposed side by side in the first direction parallel to the upper surface. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The semiconductor module according to claim 1, wherein as seen in a direction perpendicular to the first surface, the one stress application portion provided on the lower surface is disposed between an end on one side in the first direction and an end on another side in the first direction of the two or more stress application portions provided on the first surface. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The semiconductor module according to claim 1, wherein as seen in a direction perpendicular to the first surface, the one stress application portion provided on the second surface is disposed between an end on one side in the first direction of one of two or more the stress application portions provided on the first surface so as to be located on the one side in the first direction, and an end on another side in the first direction of another of the two or more stress application portions provided on the first surface so as to be located on the other side in the first direction. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The semiconductor module according to claim 1, wherein the semiconductor module further comprises a busbar connected to a portion, of the two or more stress application portions provided on the first surface, that is located on an opposite side to the semiconductor switching element side, and a heat dissipating member connected to a portion, of the one stress application portion provided on the second surface, that is located on an opposite side to the semiconductor switching element side. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The semiconductor module according to claim 4, wherein the two or more stress application portions provided on the first surface and the busbar are made of a same material, and the two or more stress application portions provided on the first surface and the busbar are integrated with each other. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The semiconductor module according to claim 1, wherein the semiconductor module further comprises a heat dissipating member connected to a portion, of the one stress application portion provided on the second surface, that is located on an opposite side to the semiconductor switching element side. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The semiconductor module according to claim 1, wherein the semiconductor switching element and the one or more stress application portions are joined together via a joining layer so as not to slip on each other. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The semiconductor module according to claim 7, wherein the joining layer is formed by using metal particles harder than solder. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The semiconductor module according to claim 1, wherein the semiconductor switching element and the one or more stress application portions are in contact with each other. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The semiconductor module according to claim 1, wherein the main material of the semiconductor switching element is a compound semiconductor harder than silicon. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The semiconductor module according to claim 1, comprising: the semiconductor switching element formed in a plate shape and containing silicon carbide as the main material; a busbar connected to the first surface side of the semiconductor switching element; and a heat dissipating member formed in a plate shape and joined to the second surface of the semiconductor switching element via a joining layer, the heat dissipating member being made of copper and having a plate surface that has an external shape larger than an external shape of the semiconductor switching element, wherein a portion of the heat dissipating member that is joined to the second surface is the one stress application portion provided on the second surface, and a thickness of the semiconductor switching element is 200 μm or smaller, and a thickness of the heat dissipating member is 1 mm or larger. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The semiconductor module according to claim 11, wherein the joining layer is formed by using metal particles harder than solder, and as seen in a direction perpendicular to the first surface of the semiconductor switching element, an external shape of the joining layer is larger than the external shape of the semiconductor switching element or has a same size as that of the external shape of the semiconductor switching element. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The semiconductor module according to claim 11, wherein each of a plurality of the semiconductor switching elements is joined to a same surface of the heat dissipating member via the joining layer.