Abstract: The disclosure relates to a method for operating a switching element of an electrical component, which includes: providing a time series of current strength values of an electrical current flowing in the electrical component registered in time steps that are consecutive, the electrical current being led through the switching element, operating a thermal model of the electrical component, determining a temperature of the electrical component from the current strength values using the thermal model and, in response to determining that the temperature is greater than a limit value, switching the switching element to an electrically blocking state in which the current is interrupted. The disclosure thermal model is a first order recursive filter that filters squared current strength values of the time series and generates, as a respective output value in each of the time steps, a presently estimated temperature value Tn that is compared to the limit value.

Abstract: A semiconductor module includes a module housing, at least one substrate, a number N of at least two controllable power semiconductor chips arranged inside the module housing and one after another in a lateral direction, a single main load terminal arranged outside the module housing and electrically connected to the first main electrodes, and an auxiliary terminal arranged outside the module housing and electrically connected to the first main electrodes via an auxiliary terminal connecting conductor.

Abstract: A semiconductor module includes a module housing, at least one substrate, a number N of at least two controllable power semiconductor chips arranged inside the module housing and one after another in a lateral direction, a single main load terminal arranged outside the module housing and electrically connected to the first main electrodes, and an auxiliary terminal arranged outside the module housing and electrically connected to the first main electrodes via an auxiliary terminal connecting conductor.