Semiconductor Mounting Substrate With Hard Protective Layer
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional semiconductor element mounting substrates face issues with base deformation due to ease of deformation of metal bases, leading to cracks in the insulating layer and other problems during handling and use.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a protective layer made of a material harder than the base metal, such as a nickel-cobalt alloy, between the base and the electrode to prevent deformation and corrosion, and optionally between the insulating layer and the electrode to enhance insulation and prevent cracking.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a metal base is used for the semiconductor element mounting substrate, then heat dissipation performance is improved, but the base deforms easily when force is applied during handling or inspection
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies composite materials by combining a metal base (for heat dissipation) with a ceramic coating layer (for hardness and deformation resistance). The metal base maintains thermal conductivity while the ceramic coating provides mechanical strength and prevents deformation during handling and inspection, resolving the contradiction between heat dissipation and deformation resistance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical and chemical parameters of the base surface by applying a ceramic coating layer with different material properties (higher hardness, lower deformability). This parameter change allows the substrate to maintain both the thermal conductivity of metal and the deformation resistance of ceramic materials.
2Ease of manufacture
If the base metal is soft and easy to deform, then ease of manufacture is improved, but cracks form in the insulating layer due to base deformation
Solution Approach 1:
The ceramic coating layer forms a composite structure with the metal base, where the ceramic provides crack resistance and protects the insulating layer from deformation-induced cracking. This allows the metal base to remain easy to manufacture while the ceramic layer ensures insulating layer integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The ceramic coating layer acts as a protective cushion applied beforehand to prevent future cracking of the insulating layer. By providing this preventive protection during the manufacturing process, the design ensures that even if the metal base deforms slightly, the ceramic layer absorbs the stress and prevents crack propagation to the insulating layer.
3Strength
If a harder material is used for the protective layer, then resistance to base deformation is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses ceramic materials (such as aluminum oxide, silicon oxide, or silicon nitride) as the protective coating layer, which are harder than the metal base. This ceramic coating provides the necessary deformation resistance while maintaining a relatively simple two-layer structure (metal base + ceramic coating), avoiding excessive manufacturing complexity.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
A semiconductor element mounting substrate includes a base formed of a metal, an electrode to be connected to a semiconductor element, and a protective layer disposed between the base and the electrode and formed of a material that is harder than the metal forming the base.