Copper Organic Metal Low-Temperature Sintering Conductivity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Copper pastes formed using copper powder suffer from conductivity deterioration due to oxidation during high-temperature sintering, and existing solutions like coating with silver increase material costs and limit solvent compatibility, restricting design freedom.
Innovation Solution
A copper organic metal with a molecular structure including a copper atom bonded to an alkyl group and an amine-based ligand, allowing low-temperature sintering and improved conductivity, is prepared by dissolving alkanoic or fatty acid in an aqueous solution with a copper salt, followed by purification and reaction with an amine-based solvent, enabling compatibility with both polar and non-polar solvents.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If copper powder is used to form copper paste and sintered at high temperature, then copper metal wiring is formed, but oxidation occurs during sintering which deteriorates conductivity
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the sintering temperature parameter from conventional high temperature (above 350°C) to low temperature (300°C or below). This parameter change prevents oxidation of copper particles during sintering while still achieving adequate bonding, thereby maintaining high conductivity without the harmful oxidation effect that plagues conventional high-temperature sintering processes
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces an organic metal compound as an intermediary substance that facilitates copper particle bonding at low temperatures. This organic metal compound acts as a mediator that enables sintering below 300°C by providing a chemical pathway for bonding that does not require the high thermal energy conventional sintering needs, thus avoiding oxidation while achieving adequate copper metal formation
2Strength
If sintering temperature is increased to form copper metal wiring, then bonding strength is improved, but oxidation is intensified which reduces conductivity
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the sintering temperature parameter from high to low (300°C or below), demonstrating that adequate bonding strength can be achieved at lower temperatures when using organic metal compounds. This eliminates the need to increase temperature to improve bonding, thereby preventing the oxidation-conductivity deterioration problem that occurs with high-temperature sintering
3Temperature
If silver coating is applied to copper particle surface to lower sintering temperature, then sintering temperature is reduced, but additional preparing processes are added and material costs are increased
Solution Approach 1:
The invention uses composite copper organic metal compounds where copper is chemically bonded to organic ligands (such as carboxylic acid derivatives). This composite structure inherently lowers the sintering temperature to 300°C or below without requiring additional silver coating processes, thus achieving low-temperature sintering while avoiding the added complexity and cost of multi-step coating procedures
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts and eliminates the need for silver coating processes by using copper organic metal compounds that naturally enable low-temperature sintering. This removes the additional preparing processes and material costs associated with silver coating while still achieving the desired low sintering temperature
4Adaptability or versatility
If paste is made with nano-sized metals using only non-polar solution, then paste can be formed, but degree of freedom in designing paste composition is limited due to solvent compatibility issues
Solution Approach 1:
The copper organic metal compound possesses universal compatibility with both polar and non-polar solvents due to its unique molecular structure containing both hydrophilic (carboxylate) and hydrophobic (alkyl chain) components. This amphiphilic nature allows the same copper organic metal compound to be used in paste formulations with various solvent types, greatly expanding design freedom for paste composition while maintaining excellent dispersibility and processability
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 copper organic metal enables sintering below 300°C with enhanced conductivity and increased design freedom by forming conductive patterns without oxidation, outperforming traditional copper pastes in both temperature and solvent compatibility.
Implementation Method 1
a copper organic metal capable of being subjected to a low temperature sintering process and having improved conductivity after the sintering process
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed herein are a copper organic metal, a method for preparing a copper organic metal and a copper paste. The copper organic metal is constituted to combine a copper atom, [R—CO2] and amine based ligand (L), thereby making it possible to be subjected to a low temperature sintering process and having an improved conductivity at the time of forming a conductive pattern as compared to the related art.