Low-Temperature Sinterable Cu@Ag Paste with Superior Strength Driven by Pre-Heating Process

Miso Won, Dajung Kim, Hyunseung Yang and Chulmin Oh ()
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Miso Won: Electronic Convergence Material & Device Research Center, Korea Electronics Technology Institute (KETI), 25, Saenari-ro, Seongnam-si 13509, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea
Dajung Kim: Electronic Convergence Material & Device Research Center, Korea Electronics Technology Institute (KETI), 25, Saenari-ro, Seongnam-si 13509, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea
Hyunseung Yang: Electronic Convergence Material & Device Research Center, Korea Electronics Technology Institute (KETI), 25, Saenari-ro, Seongnam-si 13509, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea
Chulmin Oh: Electronic Convergence Material & Device Research Center, Korea Electronics Technology Institute (KETI), 25, Saenari-ro, Seongnam-si 13509, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea

Energies, 2023, vol. 16, issue 14, 1-11

Abstract: To preserve the structural integrity of power semiconductor devices, ensuring a reliable connection between wide-bandgap (WBG) chips and their substrates at temperatures above 200 °C is crucial. Therefore, easily processable chip-attach materials with high bonding strengths at high temperatures should be developed. Herein, we determined the optimal pre-heating conditions of chip-attach materials to achieve highly reliable WBG semiconductor devices. Sintering with silver-coated copper (Cu@Ag) particle paste was investigated as a model system for chip attachment in electric power devices. After printing the paste onto a direct-bonded ceramic substrate and placing the Si chip on the paste, the pre-heating process was conducted at 50 and 70 °C for different periods of time. Finally, the samples were sintered at a pressure of 9 MPa at 250 °C in an N 2 atmosphere for 1 h. The quality of the obtained Cu@Ag joints significantly varied depending on the pre-heating temperature and time. When Cu@Ag joints were pre-heated at 50 °C, more reliable and reproducible bonding was achieved than at 70 °C. In particular, high-quality sintered joints were obtained with a pre-heating time of 4 min. However, after excessive pre-heating time, cracks and voids were generated impacting negatively the performance of the sintered joints.

Keywords: Ag-coated Cu particles; metal matrix composite; interface; sintered joints; power electronics (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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