Patent ID: 6563211
Filing Date: 2003-05-13
Classification: H01L

Abstract:
A semiconductor device for controlling electricity comprising:a metal base plate; and at least one insulating substrate including, an insulator plate, a back-side pattern on a back face of said insulator plate, said backside pattern being bonded to said metal base plate, and first and second circuit patterns located on a front face of said insulator plate and above said back-side pattern, each of said first and second circuit patterns including a switching element for controlling electricity made of a semiconductor, a free-wheel diode paired with said switching element, and an electrode area; wherein each of said first and second circuit patterns is of a shape of a figure â€œLâ€  and extends along two sides of said insulator plate which sides are continuously connected to each other and lie perpendicular to each other, and said first and second circuit patterns are arranged at opposed corners of said insulator plate in a centro-symmetrical relation to each other, wherein said switching element is sandwiched between said free-wheel diode and said electrode area in each of said first and second circuit patterns, wherein said two switching elements and said two free-wheel diodes are arranged in a checker pattern and are sandwiched by two auxiliary electrodes placed along opposite sides of said insulator plate such that a center axis of the switching element in the first circuit pattern substantially coincides with a center axis of the free-wheel diode in the second circuit pattern, and a center axis of the free-wheel diode in the first circuit pattern substantially coincides with a center axis of the switching element in the second circuit pattern, said two auxiliary electrodes being bonded to the electrode area and having a center axis substantially parallel to the center axes of the two switching elements and the two free-wheel diodes, and wherein the center axes of the switching element in the first circuit pattern and the free-wheel diode in the second circuit pattern are different than the center axes of the free-wheel diode in the first circuit pattern and the switching element in the second circuit pattern.