Substrate Adapter for Semiconductor Contacting
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for contacting semiconductor elements, particularly power components, face issues with reliability and compatibility with existing production capacities due to aluminum metallization and limitations of flexible printed circuit boards, leading to potential operational failures and inefficiencies in power electronics modules.
Innovation Solution
A substrate adapter is produced by structuring an electrically conductive metal element, encasing it with an insulating material, and applying a contacting material, which includes patterning, coating, and forming a frame for electrical insulation and protection, allowing for improved mechanical stability and compatibility with pick-and-place technology.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If aluminum metallization is used for contacting power semiconductors, then conductivity is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to operational failures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a substrate adapter as an intermediary component between the semiconductor element and the connection system. This adapter includes a metal element with contacting material applied to it, which interfaces with the aluminum metallization without requiring direct contact between copper bond wires and aluminum, thereby eliminating the operational failures while maintaining conductivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The substrate adapter creates a functional copy or substitution of the direct wire-to-chip contact. Instead of directly contacting the aluminum metallization with copper wires, the adapter provides an alternative contacting surface that replicates the electrical connection function without the reliability issues of direct aluminum-copper contact.
2Reliability
If flexible printed circuit boards are used to increase system life, then reliability is improved, but compatibility with conventional wire bonding deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The substrate adapter is designed to be universal and compatible with multiple existing processes. It can be contacted using conventional wire bonding methods while also providing the reliability benefits needed for power electronics. The adapter serves multiple functions: electrical connection, mechanical support, and process compatibility.
3Reliability
If aluminum coating is applied to metal element, then conductivity is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases due to additional coating steps
Solution Approach 1:
The contacting material is applied locally only to the first side of the metal element where contact is needed, rather than coating the entire structure. This localized application maintains the necessary conductivity at the contact interface while minimizing the complexity and material usage of the coating process.
Data Source
Figure 1a
Figure 1b~2
Figure 3
AI summary
The invention relates to a method for producing a substrate adapter (50), which is particularly useful for contacting semiconductor elements (26), comprising the steps: - structuring an electrically conductive metal element (15), - at least partially encasing the structured metal element (15) with an electrically insulating material (10), in particular plastic, and - applying a contacting material (13) to a first side (17) of the metal element (15).