Embossed Metal-Ceramic Substrate for Integrated Direct Cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing metal-ceramic substrates with separate cooling elements require significant space and additional processing steps, leading to increased costs and complexity in production, especially in applications where compact designs and efficient thermal management are crucial.
Innovation Solution
A metal-insulator substrate with a second metallization designed as a direct cooling element, featuring embossments or structured protrusions that increase the cooling surface area, eliminating the need for separate cooling elements and simplifying the production process by integrating the cooling function into the metallization layer.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If separate cooling elements are used in metal-ceramic substrates, then thermal management is achieved, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the cooling element function directly into the metallization layer by forming a structured metal foil with embossments that serve both as electrical connection and thermal management components, eliminating the need for separate cooling elements
Solution Approach 2:
The metallization layer is designed to perform multiple functions simultaneously: electrical connection, mechanical support, and thermal management through integrated embossed structures that increase surface area for heat dissipation
2Temperature
If separate cooling elements are used, then cooling function is provided, but manufacturing space and material usage increase
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling function is merged into the existing metallization layer structure, eliminating the need for additional separate cooling components and reducing overall module volume
Solution Approach 2:
The metal foil is embossed to create three-dimensional protrusions and recesses, increasing the effective cooling surface area without increasing the planar footprint, thereby improving heat dissipation within the same volume
3Temperature
If separate cooling elements are used, then thermal management is achieved, but production time and processing steps increase
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling element is formed as an integral part of the metallization layer during the same bonding process, eliminating separate manufacturing steps for cooling element attachment
Solution Approach 2:
The metal foil is pre-embossed with cooling structures before bonding to the ceramic substrate, so the thermal management geometry is already in place before the bonding process begins
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
This approach results in a more compact, cost-effective power module with improved thermal management, reduced material loss, and streamlined production, as the metallization layer serves both as a circuit component and a high-efficiency cooling element, enhancing the reliability and accuracy of temperature control.
Implementation Method 1
the copper of the copper foil is first oxidized on the surface to copper oxide (Cu2O)
Implementation Method 2
The melting point of copper oxide (Cu2O) is lower than the melting point of pure copper and the copper foil coated with copper oxide is placed on the surface of the ceramic substrate and heated in an oven
Implementation Method 3
the heat generated during switching of the components must, as already mentioned above, be dissipated via the substrate, which is initially made possible by the high thermal conductivity of the ceramic, combined with the high heat capacity and heat spread of copper
Data Source
AI summary
Described is a metal-insulator substrate, which provides a structuring of the metallization for direct cooling. Furthermore, a process for manufacturing this metal-insulator substrate is described.