Silver Sintering Agent with Oxide Surfaces for Pressure Joining

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Current methods for connecting electronic components using metal or silver sintering pastes often result in waste and inefficiencies, as they require a liquid state and may not effectively utilize the entire surface for sintering, limiting the formation of a robust and uniform silver oxide layer.

Innovation Solution

A method for producing a layered silver sintering agent with silver oxide surfaces, which involves applying a silver sintering preparation to a carrier substrate, sintering, detaching the formed silver sintered body, and optionally reinforcing the silver oxide layer through oxidation, allowing for a discrete, free silver layer that can be used in pressure sintering without passing through a liquid state.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of substance

If metal or silver sintering paste is used for connecting electronic components, then the connection can be formed, but waste is generated and the entire surface cannot be effectively utilized for sintering

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovewasteVSAvoidsintering efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of substanceVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention divides the sintering process into two independent parts: (1) a silver sintered body that is pre-formed and detached from the carrier substrate, and (2) the carrier substrate itself. This segmentation allows the silver sintered body to be reused multiple times, eliminating waste while maintaining effective sintering surface area.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The silver sintering preparation is applied to the carrier substrate in advance, sintered, and then the silver sintered body is detached for reuse. This preliminary formation of the silver layer eliminates the need to apply fresh paste for each sintering operation, reducing waste and improving productivity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Manufacturing precision

If silver sintering paste is applied and sintered, then connection is achieved, but the silver oxide layer formation is limited and not uniform

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesilver oxide layer uniformityVSAvoidoxidation process complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The silver oxide layer is formed on the silver sintered body before it is used for connection. This preliminary oxidation ensures uniform and controlled silver oxide layer formation, improving manufacturing precision while the oxidation can be performed under controlled conditions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs oxidation processes (chemical or thermal) to form a controlled silver oxide layer on the silver sintered body. This accelerated oxidation method ensures uniform layer formation with precise control over the oxide thickness and distribution.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #38Strong oxidants (Accelerated oxidation)

3Loss of substance

If a discrete silver layer is used for pressure sintering, then waste-free production is achieved, but the silver oxide surface layer must be carefully controlled

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovewasteVSAvoidsilver oxide surface control
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of substanceVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

By separating the silver sintered body from the carrier substrate, the invention enables waste-free reuse of the silver layer while allowing independent control and optimization of the silver oxide surface layer formation process.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The silver oxide layer is formed in advance on the detached silver sintered body, allowing precise control over the oxide layer properties before the actual connection process, thus achieving both waste reduction and surface precision.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

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 enables efficient and waste-free production of silver sintering agents with controlled silver oxide surfaces, facilitating robust connections between components by pressure sintering, enhancing the formation of common contact surfaces and improving the shear strength of the connections.

Implementation Method 1

a method for producing a silver sintering agent with silver oxide surfaces... sintering, detaching the formed silver sintered body

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectSintering: Sintering

Implementation Method 2

optionally reinforcing the silver oxide layer through oxidation

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectOxidation: Oxidation

Implementation Method 3

methods for connecting electronic components using metal or silver sintering pastes... pressure sintering

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPressure sintering: Sintering

Data Source

PatentEP3174657B1Method of making a metallic sintering material with metal oxide surfaces and use of same in methods for joining structural elements by means of pressure sintering
Publication Date: 2021.07.14 HERAEUS DEUTSCHLAND GMBH & CO KG

AI summary

The invention relates to a method for producing a silver sintering agent in the form of a stratiform silver sintering body having silver oxide surfaces, and to the use of said agent.