Transient Liquid-Phase Sinter-Bonding Characteristics of a 5 um Cu@Sn Particle-Based Preform for High-Speed Die Bonding of Power Devices

Abstract

To ensure the high-temperature stability of a bondline under next-generation power devices such as SiC semiconductors, a die bonding test was performed by transient liquid-phase (TLP) sinter-bonding using a Sn-coated Cu (Cu@Sn) particle-based preform. Compared to the existing 20 min-bonding result using a 30 μm Cu@Sn particle-based preform, a 5 μm Cu@Sn particle-based preform was used to significantly reduce the bonding time to 5 min, and the optimal levels of the amount of Sn in the Cu@Sn particles, the thicknesses of Sn surface finish layers on the chip and substrate, and compression pressure during the bonding were investigated. The Sn content in the Cu@Sn particles significantly changed the microstructure, including the porosity of the prepared preform. The preform porosity of 0.01% was confirmed after the formation of sufficient Sn shells with an average thickness of about 602 nm at Sn 30 wt%. In addition, in the preform with Sn 30 wt% content, the Sn phase was almost depleted after 3 min after annealing at 250 °C. The Sn finish layer was evaluated in the thickness range of 0.63−4.12 µm, and it was observed that the shear strength of the formed bondline tended to increase with increasing pressure for all Sn layer thicknesses. In particular, when the bonding was carried out at a pressure of 2 MPa using a dummy Cu chip and substrate coated with a 1.53 μm thick Sn layer, the best shear strength value of 36.89 MPa was achieved. In this case, all the Sn phases transformed into intermetallic compound phases of Cu6Sn5 and Cu3Sn, and all the phases formed within the bondline, including Cu, exhibited high melting-point characteristics. Therefore, it was determined that there would be no remelting of the bondline or a drastic decrease in mechanical properties in a high-temperature environment below 300 oC, as initially intended. By increasing the content of the Sn shell up to 30 wt%, it was possible to achieve a nearly full density (porosity: 0.3%) bondline structure, due to the rearrangement behavior of particles, by maintaining liquid Sn for a long time during the bonding process. In conclusion, the optimal Sn finish thickness was determined to be at the level of 1.5 µm, and the optimal pressure was at the level of 2 MPa. The short bonding time of 5 min represents a significant advance in TLP bonding processes, and it is expected to contribute to a substantial improvement in the die bonding of future SiC power devices.