Glass Substrate Power Electronics Package for SiC Reliability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing power semiconductor device packaging technologies face limitations in reliability and hermeticity at elevated temperatures and frequencies, particularly with the use of polyimide and organic materials, which are not suitable for high-temperature silicon carbide (SiC) power devices.
Innovation Solution
A power electronics package utilizing a glass substrate with a controlled coefficient of thermal expansion, allowing for hermetic sealing and improved reliability, featuring a multi-thickness substrate with vias for metallization layers to connect semiconductor devices, and a high-temperature adhesive for secure attachment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If polyimide and organic materials are used for dielectric layers in power semiconductor device packaging, then the packaging structure can be formed with standard manufacturing processes, but the reliability and hermeticity deteriorate at elevated temperatures and frequencies
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter from polyimide/organic materials to glass substrate, which has fundamentally different thermal and hermetic properties. The glass substrate maintains dimensional stability and hermeticity at elevated temperatures where polyimide would degrade, thus resolving the contradiction between ease of manufacture and reliability at high temperatures.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a composite structure combining glass substrate with metal interconnects and adhesive layers. This composite approach allows the glass to provide hermeticity and thermal stability while the metal and adhesive components provide electrical connectivity and mechanical bonding, achieving both manufacturability and high-temperature reliability.
2Reliability
If glass substrate with controlled coefficient of thermal expansion is used, then hermetic sealing and reliability are improved, but material and processing costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent controls the coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) of the glass substrate to match that of the power semiconductor devices. By selecting glass compositions with specific CTE values, the patent achieves hermetic sealing without requiring additional underfill materials or complex processing steps, thereby reducing overall costs while maintaining reliability.
3Reliability
If multi-thickness substrate with vias for metallization layers is implemented, then connection reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the glass substrate into regions of different thicknesses - a thinner central region for device mounting and a thicker peripheral region for mechanical support and routing. This segmentation allows vias to be formed only where needed for electrical connections, simplifying the overall structure while maintaining connection reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes the thickness dimension of the glass substrate to create a three-dimensional interconnect structure. By forming vias that traverse different thickness regions, the patent achieves reliable electrical connections without requiring complex lateral routing, thus reducing device complexity while improving connection reliability.
4Strength
If high-temperature adhesive is used for secure attachment, then bonding strength is improved, but processing temperature requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent selects adhesives with glass transition temperatures (Tg) above 200°C to match the high-temperature operating environment of SiC power devices. This parameter change ensures that the adhesive maintains its bonding strength at elevated temperatures without requiring excessively high processing temperatures, thus resolving the contradiction between bonding strength and processing temperature requirements.
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 solution provides enhanced reliability and hermetic sealing for high-temperature SiC power devices, reducing material and processing costs by eliminating the need for underfill materials and simplifying the manufacturing process while maintaining high power density and performance.
Implementation Method 1
a glass substrate having an exterior portion surrounding an interior portion thereof
Implementation Method 2
A first metallization layer is coupled to an upper surface of the glass substrate and extends through a first via formed through the first thickness of the glass substrate to couple with the at least one contact pad
Implementation Method 3
an adhesive layer formed on a lower surface of the interior portion of the glass substrate and a semiconductor device having an upper surface coupled to the adhesive layer
Data Source
AI summary
An electronics package is disclosed herein that includes a glass substrate having an exterior portion surrounding an interior portion thereof, wherein the interior portion has a first thickness and the exterior portion has a second thickness larger than the first thickness. An adhesive layer is formed on a lower surface of the interior portion of the glass substrate. A semiconductor device having an upper surface is coupled to the adhesive layer, the semiconductor device having at least one contact pad disposed on the upper surface thereof. A first metallization layer is coupled to an upper surface of the glass substrate and extends through a first via formed through the first thickness of the glass substrate to couple with the at least one contact pad of the semiconductor device.