Semiconductor power modules control electrical power to circuits and devices, such as motors, actuators, controllers or the like, and are well known. When high reliability is required for use in extreme or harsh environments, such as in high performance vehicles and aircraft, including jets and fighter aircraft, it is sometimes necessary to seal the power module to prevent infiltration of moisture, dust or other contaminants into the interior of the module, and to provide internal electrical couplings that are sturdy and free of wires or cables susceptible to malfunction. For example, some fighter jets have two DO-5 metal rectifiers working in tandem. Rectifiers with ISOTOP packaging are also known.
A silicon controlled rectifier (SCR) is typically a rectifier that is controlled by a logic gate signal. An SCR may be four-layered (N-P-N-P) or may have fewer layers, and has a cathode terminal, an anode terminal and a gate terminal. A silicon controlled rectifier may be a normally off state device that restricts current flow to the leakage current, however, other types of rectifiers are well known.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,078,501 discloses a power semiconductor module that may be used in rectifiers, bridges or other types of power control circuitry, and includes wire bonds, or current straps, to connect electronic circuit areas with adjacent electronic circuit areas.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds