Semiconductor Metal Plating Stack for Low High-Frequency Loss
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional nickel plating layers in semiconductor devices increase conductor loss at high frequencies due to nickel's magnetic properties, hindering efficient operation.
Innovation Solution
A metal component for semiconductor devices is designed with a substrate having a conductivity, a nickel layer as the main component on its surface, and a noble metal layer on top, which reduces the volume of nickel and includes a noble metal such as palladium, platinum, or gold to minimize conductor loss and enhance high-frequency operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a nickel plating layer is formed on the metal substrate to improve solder wettability and bonding characteristics, then the bonding strength is improved, but conductor loss increases at high frequencies due to nickel's magnetic properties
Solution Approach 1:
The plating structure is segmented into multiple layers: a nickel layer for bonding function and an additional nickel-free layer on top to eliminate magnetic effects. This segmentation allows each layer to perform its specific function independently, resolving the contradiction between bonding strength and conductor loss.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the plating structure have different compositions optimized for different functions. The nickel layer provides magnetic properties for bonding, while the nickel-free upper layer provides non-magnetic properties for low-loss signal transmission. This local quality differentiation resolves the contradiction.
2Reliability
If a thick nickel layer is used to ensure adequate bonding, then bonding reliability is improved, but high-frequency operation efficiency deteriorates due to increased magnetic loss
Solution Approach 1:
The plating is segmented into a nickel layer for bonding reliability and a nickel-free layer for high-frequency efficiency. This allows the nickel layer to be sufficiently thick for bonding without the upper nickel layer contributing to magnetic loss, thus resolving the contradiction.
Solution Approach 2:
The harmful magnetic nickel component is extracted from the upper plating region where it would cause loss, while retaining nickel only in the lower region where it provides bonding function. This extraction resolves the contradiction between reliability and efficiency.
3Reliability
If conventional multi-layer plating (nickel-palladium-gold) is applied to improve corrosion resistance and solder wettability, then durability is improved, but conductor loss at high frequencies increases due to the nickel layer
Solution Approach 1:
The harmful nickel component is extracted from regions where it causes magnetic loss, while retaining nickel only where it provides bonding function. The upper layers use nickel-free materials that provide corrosion resistance and wettability without magnetic loss, resolving the contradiction.
Solution Approach 2:
Different layers have different material compositions optimized for their specific functions: nickel for bonding, nickel-free materials for low-loss transmission and corrosion resistance. This local quality differentiation resolves the contradiction between durability and conductor loss.
Data Source
Figure 1A~1B
Figure 2A~2B
AI summary
Provided is a metal component used for manufacturing a semiconductor device, the metal component including: a substrate having a conductivity; a nickel layer formed on a portion of a surface of the substrate and containing nickel as a main component; and a noble metal layer formed on a surface of the nickel layer.