Abstract: A half-bridge includes a substrate, semiconductor switches, power connections and signal connections. The power and signal connections are formed in a flat conductor frame. The signal connections are electrically connected to the semiconductor switches such that they can be switched via the signal connections and the power connections are electrically connected to the semiconductor switches such that they allow or interrupt electricity transfer between the power connections. The semiconductor switches, signal connections, and power connections are on a first surface of the substrate in a casting compound. First end sections of the signal connections formed in the flat conductor frame each extend from a second surface orthogonal to the first surface, exiting the casting compound. Second end sections of the signal connections, which are separate from the flat conductor frame, are connected to the first end section outside the casting compound and are perpendicular to the first surface.

Abstract: A method for driving two mutually complementary topological switches of a half-bridge in a power module of an inverter includes detecting a bridge short circuit at one of the topological switches, de-energizing the topological switch complementary to the topological switch at which the bridge short circuit was detected, and, temporally switching off the short-circuit current in the topological switch at which the bridge short circuit was detected.

Abstract: A half-bridge includes a substrate, semiconductor switches, power connections and signal connections, the power and signal connections are formed in a flat conductor frame, the signal connections are electrically connected to the semiconductor switches such that they can be switched via the signal connections and the power connections are electrically connected to the semiconductor switches such that they allow or interrupt electricity transfer between the power connections, the semiconductor switches, signal connections, and power connections are on a first surface of the substrate in a casting compound, first end sections of the signal connections formed in the conductor frame each extend from a second surface orthogonal to the first surface, exiting the casting compound, second end sections of the signal connections, which are separate from the flat conductor frame, are connected to the first end section outside the casting compound and are perpendicular to the first surface.