Properties of direct aluminium bonded substrates for power semiconductor components

• Published in: 2004 IEEE 35th Annual Power Electronics Specialists Conference (IEEE Cat. No.04CH37551) Vol. 6; pp. 4171 - 4177 Vol.6
• Main Authors: Lindemann, A., Strauch, G.
• Format: Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: Piscataway NJ IEEE 2004
• Subjects: Aluminum oxide; Applied sciences; Bonding; Ceramics; Circuits; Copper; Design. Technologies. Operation analysis. Testing; Electrical engineering. Electrical power engineering; Electronic equipment and fabrication. Passive components, printed wiring boards, connectics; Electronics; Exact sciences and technology; Integrated circuits; Lead compounds; Power electronics; Power electronics, power supplies; Power semiconductor devices; Semiconductor electronics. Microelectronics. Optoelectronics. Solid state devices; Silicon; Substrates; Testing. Reliability. Quality control; Thermal management (packaging); New product; Power circuit; Metallic bond; Thermal behavior; Mechanical properties; Electronic circuit; Thermomechanical properties; Power electronics; Review; Chip; Prototype tests; Thermal properties; Manufacturing process; Semiconductor substrate; Cooling system; Power device; Power semiconductor devices; Reliability; Ceramic materials; Heat sink; Comparative study; Gain
• ISBN: 9780780383999; 0780383990
• ISSN: 0275-9306
• DOI: 10.1109/PESC.2004.1354737

Direct metal bonded ceramic substrates are used as carriers for silicon chips in a variety of power semiconductor devices such as most types of modules. They fulfill the task to electrically isolate the power electronic circuit from grounded heatsink, however providing a thermal path from the chips to the latter. While different types of ceramic substrates - such as aluminium oxide or aluminium nitride - are used, the metal layers bonded onto the ceramic plate almost exclusively consist of copper, leading to the designation direct copper bonded - DCB - substrate. In this paper a new combination of materials - Al/sub 2/O/sub 3/ ceramics in conjunction with bonded aluminium - is proposed: An overview about manufacturing technology of such direct aluminium bonded - DAB - substrates themselves and of components based on them is given. Further, electrical, thermal and mechanical properties of the substrates are characterised, being directly related to the subject of reliability. Characteristics expected based on physical considerations are compared to results gained in an extensive qualification program, comprising tests and measurements with bare substrates and complete power semiconductor components. As a reference, identically designed DCB substrates and components undergo the same program, permitting a direct comparison of results.