Abstract: A power semiconductor module arrangement includes: a housing; a substrate having a substrate layer and a first metallization layer on a first side of the substrate layer, inside the housing or forming a bottom of the housing; a printed circuit board inside the housing, vertically above and in parallel to the substrate; electrically conducting components on the printed circuit board and substrate; an encapsulant at least partly filling the interior of the housing; and a magnetic field sensor either on the substrate within range of a magnetic field caused by a current flowing through one of the electrically conducting components arranged on the printed circuit board, or on the printed circuit board within range of a magnetic field caused by a current flowing through one of the electrically conducting components arranged on the substrate. The magnetic field sensor is electrically insulated from the respective electrically conducting component.

Abstract: A power semiconductor circuit includes: a power semiconductor element having a gate electrode configured to actuate the power semiconductor element, a collector electrode, and an emitter electrode electrically connected to a first emitter terminal; and a temperature sensor having a first measurement point with a measurement terminal and a second measurement point electrically connected to the emitter electrode, so that a voltage which drops over the temperature sensor is measurable between the measurement terminal and the first emitter terminal for the temperature measurement. Corresponding methods for determining a temperature of a power semiconductor element and for determining a sign of a load current in a bridge circuit are also described.

Abstract: A semiconductor module arrangement includes: a housing; a substrate arranged in or forming a bottom of the housing; a bus bar including a first end and a second end opposite the first end, the first end being arranged inside the housing and the second end extending to outside of the housing; and at least one connecting element mechanically and electrically coupled to a top surface of the substrate. The first end of the bus bar is arranged distant from the substrate in a vertical direction. The vertical direction is a direction perpendicular to the top surface of the substrate. The first end of the bus bar is electrically coupled to at least one of the at least one connecting element by one or more electrical connections.

Abstract: A power semiconductor module arrangement includes a housing that includes sidewalls, a lid, protrusions, a substrate, a plurality of components arranged on the substrate, and an encapsulant partly filling the interior of the housing, thereby covering the substrate, wherein each of the protrusions extends from the lid of the housing, a lower end of the protrusions is arranged directly on one of the components, or within a defined radius around one of the components, and wherein the lower end of a protrusion is the end facing away from the lid and towards the substrate, and the encapsulant has a generally flat surface and forms one or more elevations, wherein each of the elevations encloses an upper end of a different one of the components, and encloses the lower end of a respective one of the protrusions.

Abstract: A semiconductor module arrangement includes a housing, an electronics carrier arranged inside the housing or forming a bottom of the housing, a connector element arranged on and electrically coupled to the electronics carrier, and a sealing gasket surrounding a lower end of the connector element. The lower end is an end of the connector element facing the electronics carrier. The sealing gasket is arranged to seal a gap between the lower end of the connector element and the electronics carrier.

Abstract: An apparatus comprises a power module housing. The power module housing includes a conductive substrate and a circuit board positioned overlying the conductive substrate. A gate driver is mounted to the circuit board. A power device is mounted to the conductive substrate and is controlled by the gate driver. The power module housing includes an insulation material electrically insulating the conductive substrate from the circuit board. A monitoring component is mounted to at least the conductive substrate and is operatively coupled to the gate driver and the power device.

Abstract: A method for producing a power semiconductor module arrangement includes: arranging at least one semiconductor substrate in a housing, each semiconductor substrate including a first metallization layer attached to a dielectric insulation layer, the housing including a through hole extending through a component of the housing; inserting a fastener into the through hole such that an upper portion of the fastener is not inserted into the through hole; arranging a printed circuit board on the housing; arranging the housing on a mounting surface, the mounting surface comprising a hole, wherein the housing is arranged on the mounting surface such that the through hole is aligned with the hole in the mounting surface; and exerting a force on the printed circuit board such that the force causes the fastener to be pressed into the hole in the mounting surface so as to secure the housing to the mounting surface.

Abstract: An arrangement includes a housing and a printed circuit board (PCB) arranged vertically above the housing. The housing includes: at least one protrusion attached to sidewalls and arranged on an outside of the housing at a lower end with at least one first through hole provided in the protrusion; holding devices each arranged inside a first through hole and/or between the PCB and the first through hole; and fastening elements configured to attach the housing to a heat sink or base plate. Each holding device is configured to clamp a corresponding fastening element such that the fastening elements are secured in defined positions, and to align each fastening element with a different first through hole. The PCB includes second through holes each arranged vertically above and aligned with a different fastening element. A diameter of each second through hole is less than the largest diameter of the respective fastening element.

Abstract: A power semiconductor module arrangement includes: a housing; a substrate having a substrate layer and a first metallization layer on a first side of the substrate layer, inside the housing or forming a bottom of the housing; a printed circuit board inside the housing, vertically above and in parallel to the substrate; electrically conducting components on the printed circuit board and substrate; an encapsulant at least partly filling the interior of the housing; and a magnetic field sensor either on the substrate within range of a magnetic field caused by a current flowing through one of the electrically conducting components arranged on the printed circuit board, or on the printed circuit board within range of a magnetic field caused by a current flowing through one of the electrically conducting components arranged on the substrate. The magnetic field sensor is electrically insulated from the respective electrically conducting component.

Abstract: A power semiconductor module arrangement includes a housing that includes sidewalls, a lid, protrusions, a substrate, a plurality of components arranged on the substrate, and an encapsulant partly filling the interior of the housing, thereby covering the substrate, wherein each of the protrusions extends from the lid of the housing, a lower end of the protrusions is arranged directly on one of the components, or within a defined radius around one of the components, and wherein the lower end of a protrusion is the end facing away from the lid and towards the substrate, and the encapsulant has a generally flat surface and forms one or more elevations, wherein each of the elevations encloses an upper end of a different one of the components, and encloses the lower end of a respective one of the protrusions.

Abstract: A semiconductor module includes a first circuit carrier including one or more heat generating elements mounted on an upper surface of the first circuit carrier, a second circuit carrier mounted over the first circuit carrier and being vertically spaced apart from the upper surface of the first circuit carrier, and a temperature sensor that is fixedly attached to the second circuit carrier and is arranged in a vertical space between the lower surface of the second circuit carrier and the upper surface of the first circuit carrier, wherein the temperature sensor is arranged in sufficient proximity to a first one of the heat generating elements to obtain a direct temperature measurement from the first one of the heat generating elements.

Abstract: A power semiconductor module arrangement includes a housing, a substrate arranged inside the housing, a printed circuit board arranged inside the housing distant from and in parallel to the substrate, an encapsulant at least partly filling the interior of the housing and covering the substrate and the printed circuit board, and a heat protective layer arranged inside the housing between the substrate and the printed circuit board, and extending in a plane that is parallel to the substrate and the printed circuit board. A thermal resistance of the heat protective layer is greater than a thermal resistance of the encapsulant.

Abstract: An arrangement includes a housing and a printed circuit board (PCB) arranged vertically above the housing. The housing includes: at least one protrusion attached to sidewalls and arranged on an outside of the housing at a lower end with at least one first through hole provided in the protrusion; holding devices each arranged inside a first through hole and/or between the PCB and the first through hole; and fastening elements configured to attach the housing to a heat sink or base plate. Each holding device is configured to clamp a corresponding fastening element such that the fastening elements are secured in defined positions, and to align each fastening element with a different first through hole. The PCB includes second through holes each arranged vertically above and aligned with a different fastening element. A diameter of each second through hole is less than the largest diameter of the respective fastening element.

Abstract: An apparatus comprises a power module housing. The power module housing includes a conductive substrate and a circuit board positioned overlying the conductive substrate. A gate driver is mounted to the circuit board. A power device is mounted to the conductive substrate and is controlled by the gate driver. The power module housing includes an insulation material electrically insulating the conductive substrate from the circuit board. A monitoring component is mounted to at least the conductive substrate and is operatively coupled to the gate driver and the power device.

Abstract: A method for producing a power semiconductor module arrangement includes: arranging at least one semiconductor substrate in a housing, each semiconductor substrate including a first metallization layer attached to a dielectric insulation layer, the housing including a through hole extending through a component of the housing; inserting a fastener into the through hole such that an upper portion of the fastener is not inserted into the through hole; arranging a printed circuit board on the housing; arranging the housing on a mounting surface, the mounting surface comprising a hole, wherein the housing is arranged on the mounting surface such that the through hole is aligned with the hole in the mounting surface; and exerting a force on the printed circuit board such that the force causes the fastener to be pressed into the hole in the mounting surface so as to secure the housing to the mounting surface.

Abstract: A method for producing a power semiconductor module arrangement includes: arranging a semiconductor substrate in a housing, the housing including a through hole extending through a component of the housing; inserting a pin or bolt into the through hole such that an upper end of the pin/bolt is not inserted into the through hole; arranging a printed circuit board on the housing; arranging the housing on a heat sink having a hole, the housing being arranged on the heat sink such that the through hole is aligned with the hole in the heat sink; and by way of a first pressing tool, exerting a force on a defined contact area of the printed circuit board and pressing the pin/bolt into the hole in the heat sink, wherein the defined contact area is arranged directly above the pin/bolt.

Abstract: This disclosure is directed to circuits and techniques for detecting or responding to temperature of a power switch. A driver circuit for the power switch may be configured to deliver a modulation signal to a control node of the power switch to control on/off switching of the power switch, wherein the driver circuit is further configured to modulate an output impedance of the driver circuit at the control node, perform one or more voltage measurements while modulating the output impedance of the driver circuit, and control the power switch based at least in part on the one or more voltage measurements.

Abstract: This disclosure is directed to circuits and techniques for detecting or responding to temperature of a power switch. A driver circuit for the power switch may be configured to deliver a modulation signal to a control node of the power switch to control on/off switching of the power switch, wherein the driver circuit is further configured to modulate an output impedance of the driver circuit at the control node, perform one or more voltage measurements while modulating the output impedance of the driver circuit, and control the power switch based at least in part on the one or more voltage measurements.

Abstract: A method for producing a power semiconductor module arrangement includes: arranging a semiconductor substrate in a housing, the housing including a through hole extending through a component of the housing; inserting a pin or bolt into the through hole such that an upper end of the pin/bolt is not inserted into the through hole; arranging a printed circuit board on the housing; arranging the housing on a heat sink having a hole, the housing being arranged on the heat sink such that the through hole is aligned with the hole in the heat sink; and by way of a first pressing tool, exerting a force on a defined contact area of the printed circuit board and pressing the pin/bolt into the hole in the heat sink, wherein the defined contact area is arranged directly above the pin/bolt.

Abstract: This disclosure is directed to circuits and techniques for detecting or responding to temperature of a power switch based on paired measurements of current and voltage. A driver circuit for a power switch may be configured to perform a current measurement and a voltage measurement associated with a temperature-dependent circuit element and control the power switch based at least in part on the current measurement and the voltage measurement. In some examples, the current and voltage measurements may be used to determine the temperature of the power switch.