High power semiconductor device module with low thermal resistance and simplified manufacturing

Claim 1

A power semiconductor module comprising: an insulation housing cap having an open bottom, a plurality of semiconductor die interconnected within said housing cap to form a predetermined electrical circuit, a planar thermally conductive substrate extending across and fixed across said open bottom of said housing cap and supporting said plurality of semiconductor die, a plurality of rigid terminals insulated from one another and extending generally perpendicularly from the plane of said thermally conductive substrate, a terminal carrier board having spaced openings therethrough which receive and are fastened to intermediate points along the lengths of said plurality of terminals for supporting said terminals in parallel spaced and insulated relationship to one another; each of said terminals having first and second end regions; said first end regions of said terminals disposed in a common plane which is generally coplanar with the top surface of said thermally conductive substrate; the top surface of said thermally conductive substrate having spaced conductive bonding areas in alignment with respective first end regions of said plurality of terminals and at which said first end regions of said terminals are mechanically fixed to selected ones of said conductive bonding areas on said thermally conductive substrate; the bottom of said terminal board being spaced above the top of said thermally conductive substrate to define a first expansion volume above said substrate; said housing cap having spaced openings therethrough at locations corresponding to the location of said plurality of terminals; said plurality of terminals extending through said openings in said housing cap to be accessible for external connection; said terminal board being nested within the interior of said housing cap.