Carbide-Coated Diamond Copper Composite for Thermal Cycling Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing composite materials for heat dissipation in semiconductor devices have high thermal conductivity initially but suffer from a significant decrease in thermal conductivity when subjected to thermal cycles, and they often have high raw material costs due to the use of Ag-Cu alloys.
Innovation Solution
A composite material composed of carbon-based particles, such as diamond, and copper, with a thin carbide layer containing specific elements like Si, Ti, Zr, or Hf, which enhances thermal conductivity and manufacturability while avoiding the use of silver.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If Ag-Cu alloy is used as the metal phase, then thermal conductivity is improved, but raw material cost increases and weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces expensive silver (Ag) with cheaper copper (Cu) as the metal phase material. While copper has lower thermal conductivity than silver, the use of coated diamond particles compensates for this, achieving high thermal conductivity at lower cost. This principle directly addresses the contradiction by substituting an expensive material with a cheaper alternative while maintaining performance through composite design.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite material system consisting of diamond particles with carbide coating layers dispersed in a copper-based metal phase. This composite structure combines the high thermal conductivity of diamond with the cost-effectiveness and good thermal conductivity of copper, resolving the contradiction between achieving high thermal conductivity and reducing raw material costs.
2Reliability
If Ag-Cu alloy is used as the metal phase, then thermal conductivity is improved, but weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent substitutes silver (Ag), which is heavier and more expensive, with copper (Cu), which is lighter and cheaper. The copper-based metal phase achieves satisfactory thermal conductivity while reducing both weight and cost, directly addressing this contradiction.
3Reliability
If diamond particles are used without carbide coating, then thermal conductivity is improved, but manufacturability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a carbide coating layer as an intermediary between the diamond particle and the copper metal phase. This coating layer acts as a mediator that improves wettability and bonding between the diamond and copper, enabling successful infiltration and manufacturing while preserving the high thermal conductivity of the diamond particles.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent modifies the surface properties of diamond particles by coating them with carbide layers, changing parameters such as surface energy and wettability. This parameter change enables better interfacial bonding with the copper matrix, improving manufacturability through infiltration while maintaining thermal performance.
4Ease of manufacture
If thick carbide layer is formed on diamond particles, then manufacturability is improved, but thermal conductivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the carbide coating layer locally on the diamond particle surface with controlled thickness (typically 1-10 nm). This local quality approach ensures sufficient coating for improved wettability and bonding (manufacturability) while keeping the layer thin enough to minimize thermal resistance, thus maintaining high thermal conductivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent optimizes the thickness parameter of the carbide coating layer to a specific range (1-10 nm). This parameter optimization balances two competing requirements: thick enough to improve wettability and bonding (manufacturability) but thin enough to minimize thermal resistance (maintain thermal conductivity).
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The composite material maintains high thermal conductivity even after thermal cycles and has improved manufacturability with reduced raw material costs, making it suitable for heat dissipation applications in semiconductor devices.
Implementation Method 1
the composite material initially has a high thermal conductivity when being used as a heat dissipation member
Data Source
Figure 1A~1C
Figure 2A~2B
Figure 3
AI summary
A composite material includes: coated particles, each of which includes a carbon-based particle made of a carbon-based substance and a carbide layer that covers at least a part of the surface of the carbon-based particle; and a copper phase that binds the coated particles to each other, wherein the carbide layer is made of a carbide containing at least one element selected from the group consisting of Si, Ti, Zr and Hf, and the average particle size of the carbon-based particles is 1 µm or more and 100 µm or less.