Power module having stacked substrates arranged to provide tightly-coupled source and return current paths

A power module comprising:

• a first substrate comprising at least a first electrically-conductive layer;
• and
• a second substrate comprising at least a second electrically-conductive layer, the first and second substrates being stacked on each other,
• wherein the first and second electrically-conductive layers are disposed on mutually opposed surfaces of a dielectric layer having a thickness chosen to effect a level of coupling between respective source and return current paths provided by the first and second electrically-conductive layers, the level of coupling arranged to increase the mutual inductance within said power module;
• a first power semiconductor switch disposed on the second substrate and having a respective source current path at least in part being constituted by said at least second electrically-conductive layer;
• and
• a second power semiconductor switch disposed on the first substrate and having a respective return current path at least in part being constituted by said at least first electrically-conductive layer.

A power module comprising:

• a first substrate comprising at least a first electrically-conductive layer;
• and
• a second substrate comprising at least a second electrically-conductive layer, the first and second substrates being stacked on each other,
• wherein the first and second electrically-conductive layers are disposed on mutually opposed surfaces of a dielectric layer having a thickness chosen to effect a level of coupling between respective source and return current paths provided by the first and second electrically-conductive layers, the level of coupling arranged to increase the mutual inductance within said power module;
• a first power semiconductor switch disposed on the first substrate and having a respective source current path at least in part constituted by said at least first electrically-conductive layer, the first power semiconductor switch having a respective return current path at least in part being constituted by said at least second conductive layer;
• and
• a second power semiconductor switch disposed on the first substrate and having a respective return current path at least in part being constituted by another second electrically-conductive layer in the second substrate, the second power semiconductor switch having a respective source current path at least in part being constituted by another first electrically-conductive layer in the first substrate.