Abstract:
Process for producing an electronic subassembly by low-temperature pressure sintering, comprising the following steps: arranging an electronic component on a circuit carrier having a conductor track, connecting the electronic component to the circuit carrier by the low-temperature pressure sintering of a joining material which connects the electronic component to the circuit carrier, characterized in that, to avoid the oxidation of the electronic component or of the conductor track, the low-temperature pressure sintering is carried out in a low-oxygen atmosphere having a relative oxygen content of 0.005 to 0.3%.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application is a National Stage application of International Patent Application No. PCT/EP2015/071613, filed on Sep. 21, 2015, which claims priority to German Patent Application No. 102014114093.1, filed on Sep. 29, 2014, each of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0002]    The invention relates to a process and to a device for producing an electronic subassembly by low-temperature pressure sintering, comprising the following steps: arranging an electronic component on a circuit carrier having a conductor track, and connecting the electronic component to the circuit carrier by the low-temperature pressure sintering of a joining material which connects the electronic component to the circuit carrier. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    A process of this type is known, for example, from DE 10 2008 009 510 B3. 
         [0004]    A fundamental disadvantage of low-temperature pressure sintering is that the heating up of the components and circuit carriers to be joined not only accelerates the diffusion of the joining material introduced, e.g. silver (Ag), into the connecting metals of the parts to be joined, e.g. precious metals including gold (Au), silver (Ag), platinum (Pt), palladium (Pd), rhodium (Rh), but also assists the oxidation of metallic surfaces. Thus, for example, the oxidation of copper (Cu) begins visibly to proceed more quickly at 80° C. than at room temperature. 
         [0005]    Therefore, after going through the pressure sintering process, untreated electronic subassemblies regularly have a highly oxidized state, manifested by a uniformly matt-brown surface rather than the originally bright pink-red copper surfaces. 
         [0006]    In order to prevent oxidation of these metal surfaces, a known countermeasure is to coat the copper conductor tracks or conductor areas and the component joining areas with precious metals to protect against oxidation. In particular, Ni-flash Au or Ni—Pd coatings are used for this purpose. 
         [0007]    A disadvantage of this protective measure, however, is the increased amount of work and costs, and it has additionally been found that the surfaces treated in this way slow the oxidation, but do not prevent it entirely. In particular, it has been found in experiments that it has not been possible to carry out 2-stage sintering operations, i.e. processes with two sintering operations one after the other, on surfaces protected by these means. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0008]    It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a process for producing an electronic subassembly by means of low-temperature pressure sintering which makes it possible to effectively prevent oxidation of the exposed metal surfaces of the electronic subassembly, in particular of the conductor track(s) and component connections. 
         [0009]    According to the invention, this object is achieved by the process and the device having the features of the independent claims. The dependent claims describe advantageous configurations of the invention. 
         [0010]    The basic concept of the invention is that of preventing oxidation of the metallic surfaces by the almost complete exclusion of oxygen when carrying out the (thermal) sintering process, in which respect it has been found that complete exclusion of oxygen, i.e. an oxygen-free atmosphere, is obstructive to the sintering operation. According to the invention, the oxygen content for the sintering operation is therefore to be set to a minimum of between 0.005 and 0.3%. Specifically, a quantity small enough so that oxidation processes do not or scarcely take place, and just enough that the sintering operation can proceed successfully and leads to a durable product. 
         [0011]    In principle, an upper die and/or a lower die can be provided for the sintering operation, at least one of the two dies being heatable. It is expedient to arrange the circuit carrier on the lower die, the upper die serving to generate a counterpressure. Thus the electronic component is subjected to low-pressure pressure sintering by pressure generated between the upper die and the lower die, with the circuit carrier, by a relative movement of the upper die and the lower die towards one another. To this end, the lower die or the upper die can be movable, or both dies can be moved relative to one another to generate a pressure. It is preferable that the lower die is moved against the stationary upper die, the upper die comprising a pressure pad for quasi-hydrostatic pressure distribution. It is preferable for press mobility that the lower die and/or the upper die is electrohydraulically driven. 
         [0012]    In particular, it has been found in the case of sintering devices having an upper die with a pressure pad, that the pressure pad, for example a silicone pad, receives and stores large proportions of oxygen under atmospheric conditions. This increases the oxidation of the metallic parts to be connected during the pressing operation. Therefore, the sintering operation can proceed in a virtually oxygen-free atmosphere as long as an oxygen-containing material is present which contains sufficient oxygen, and which releases it under pressure, such that, in the course of the sintering operation, the aforementioned minimum oxygen concentration in the process atmosphere can be achieved directly at the sintering location by the application of pressure and temperature. An example of such an oxygen-containing material could be a separating film for separating the pressure pad from the component to be sintered, which rests directly on the component to be sintered. It is therefore absolutely necessary for the sintering operation to take place inside a gastight-closable chamber, in which gas replacement of the ambient atmosphere by a low-oxygen atmosphere can take place. By contrast, pure gas dilution by flooding with gases has proved to be inadequate. 
         [0013]    In particular it is particularly advantageous, before the sintering operation, to equilibrate the pressure pad, and/or a separating film between the pressure pad and the sintering component, with the low-oxygen atmosphere and to thereby displace oxygen molecules which adhere to the pressure pad or have diffused into it, and to remove these oxygen molecules from the chamber. The materials of which the pressure pad and/or the separating film comprise may absorb gases (including oxygen) from the environments in which they are stored in a similar way to which a sponge may absorb liquids. Such absorbed gases may not immediately leave the materials when the ambient atmosphere is changed, and may continue to diffuse out of the material for a period of time after such a change of atmosphere. In the current invention this may be critical since atmospheric gases, including oxygen, released by the pressure pad and/or separating film materials into the chamber after the chamber has been closed and the atmosphere change, increase the amount of oxygen present is what is preferably a low-oxygen atmosphere. To avoid this happening, after the ambient atmosphere (including oxygen) has been pumped out of the chamber, a period of time for the equilibration of the materials is found to be beneficial. During this period of time the oxygen (and other gases) previously absorbed by the materials of which the pressure pad and/or the separating film comprise may diffuse into the chamber and can be pumped out before the sintering process is started. According to the invention, the period of time which is allowed for equilibration is 0.5 minutes to 20 minutes. Preferably, the period of time which is allowed for equilibration is between 1 minute and 10 minutes, particularly preferably between 3 minutes and 5 minutes. It has also been found that an elevated temperature (a temperature above the ambient temperature) reduces the time required for equilibration, and this is a distinct advantage in shortening the overall cycle time of the inventive method and thus the throughput of electronic subassemblies. The upper limit of such an elevated temperature will be given by the oxidation speed of the material to be sintered. In a case where copper surfaces are being sintered then according to the invention, the temperature of the components within the chamber during equilibration is between 80 and 100 degrees C. Preferably, the temperature of the components within the chamber during equilibration is between 85 and 95 degrees centigrade. 
         [0014]    It is advantageous that the separating film consists of a polymer, in particular Teflon (PTFE), since this material is changeable in shape and stable under pressure and prevents contamination of the component to be sintered through material detaching from the pressure pad, in particular silicone residues. 
         [0015]    As is known, the process for producing an electronic subassembly by low-temperature pressure sintering thus comprises the steps of arranging an electronic component on a circuit carrier having a conductor track, and connecting the electronic component to the circuit carrier by the low-temperature pressure sintering of a joining material which connects the electronic component to the circuit carrier. According to the invention, it is provided here that, to avoid the oxidation of the electronic component or of the conductor track, the low-temperature pressure sintering is carried out in a low-oxygen atmosphere having a relative oxygen content of 0.005 to 0.3%. The low-oxygen atmosphere preferably has a relative oxygen content of 0.05 to 0.25%, particularly preferably of 0.05 to 0.15%. 
         [0016]    The low-oxygen atmosphere preferably comprises nitrogen (N), carbon dioxide (CO 2 ), a noble gas or a mixture of the aforementioned gases, it merely being necessary to pay attention to the aforementioned oxygen proportion which is beneficial to the sintering operation. 
         [0017]    If it should be found in a given case that the electronic subassembly is partially oxidized after the low-temperature pressure sintering, the electronic subassembly can be sparged or evaporation-coated with a reducing agent. Methanoic acid (CH 2 O 2 ) is suitable with preference for evaporation-coating. 
         [0018]    The joining material used is preferably silver (Ag) available in the form of a silver-comprising sintering paste. It is conceivable to provide a Cu/Ag powder, a silver alloy and further constituents in the sintering paste. The sintering paste can be arranged in platelet form between the electronic component and the circuit carrier, and therefore it is possible to achieve simple prefabrication and a uniform coating of the contact point with paste. 
         [0019]    It is advantageous that the sintering temperature lies between 230° C. and 300° C., preferably between 240° C. and 280° C., in particular is 250° C., in order to produce a reliable sintered connection in an energy-efficient manner. 
         [0020]    It is advantageous that the sintering pressure is between 20 MPa and 40 MPa, preferably between 25 MPa and 35 MPa, in particular is 30 MPa, in order to produce a reliable sintered connection in an energy-efficient manner. 
         [0021]    The electronic components can be passive or active components. 
         [0022]    A secondary aspect of the invention proposes a device for carrying out one of the aforementioned processes. The device comprises a first chamber (preheating chamber) having a heating device for heating the electronic subassembly up to as much as 100° C. A second chamber (sintering chamber) having an upper and a lower die for carrying out the low-temperature pressure sintering at a temperature of up to 300° C. and a pressure of up to 30 MPa is connected to the first chamber. At least one of the two dies, preferably both dies, are heatable. Furthermore, provision is made of a third chamber (cooling-down chamber), connected to the second chamber, for cooling down the sintered electronic subassembly to 80° C. At least the second chamber is gastight-closable and equipped with means for generating the low-oxygen atmosphere. 
         [0023]    Alternatively, provision can be made of an individual sintering chamber set up to carry out the pressure chamber sintering under pressure and temperature. This individual chamber can furthermore be set up to preheat and/or cool down the electronic subassembly. 
         [0024]    Alternatively, provision can be made of a preheating chamber and a sintering chamber with a cooling-down capability or a sintering chamber with a preheating capability with a connected cooling-down chamber. 
         [0025]    It is advantageous that provision can be made of a fourth chamber (reducing chamber), which connects the second chamber to the third chamber and has means for introducing a gaseous or vaporous reducing agent, in particular formic acid. Alternatively, means for introducing a sparged or evaporation-coating reducing agent can be provided in a single sintering chamber or in the third chamber (cooling-down chamber). The reducing chamber can comprise a heating device designed to support a relatively flat cooling-down ramp from the sintering temperature to the cooling-down temperature, such that the electronic component can already be cooled down in a controlled manner in the reducing chamber during the reducing operation, in order to shorten a cooling-down time or to achieve a desired flat temperature cooling-down ramp of the component temperature. 
         [0026]    It is preferable that two adjacent chambers, in particular all chambers, can be connected in a gastight manner and in particular in a vacuum atmosphere by means of chamber separating devices. The chamber separating device can be in the form of a transfer device with two vacuum gate valves or in the form of a valve gate device with a vacuum gate valve. Temperatures and atmospheric conditions which are separated from one another can thereby be provided in the individual chambers. 
         [0027]    In principle, two or more chambers are arranged linearly in succession, such that an electronic component can be processed in sequence in a linear cycle process. Alternatively, it is conceivable to arrange the chambers in an arc or in a circle, in which case the components to be processed can be guided into and removed from each chamber centrally, and can be brought into a different chamber, such that a round cycle process can be implemented. In this respect, the chambers cannot be connected to one another, but instead have transfer or gate devices to a moving device, in particular to a transportation robot, which can transport a component from one chamber into a further chamber. In this case, in the absence of one chamber, another chamber can perform the task thereof, without the manufacturing process being interrupted, as a result of which it is possible to achieve a high degree of flexibility and a reduced susceptibility of the sintering process to interference. 
         [0028]    In an advantageous development, provision can be made of an electrohydraulic drive of the lower die, the lower die having a die cylinder. The die cylinder can comprise a piston rod and a piston ring in a hydraulic sump, the piston rod having a diameter which is greater than or equal to the die diameter of the lower die. The piston rod can be axially guided and held in the cylinder housing by the piston ring. This provides a press device in the sintering chamber which can be formed as a compact structural unit and can achieve a high degree of parallelism of the die surfaces and also precise X/Y orientation of upper die and lower die and also a uniform pressure generation. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0029]    The invention will be explained in more detail on the basis of an exemplary embodiment shown in the accompanying drawings, in which: 
           [0030]      FIG. 1  shows a device for carrying out the process for producing an electronic subassembly by means of low-temperature pressure sintering having a single sintering chamber; 
           [0031]      FIG. 2  shows a device for carrying out the process for producing an electronic subassembly by means of low-temperature pressure sintering having two sintering chambers; 
           [0032]      FIG. 3  shows a device for carrying out the process for producing an electronic subassembly by means of low-temperature pressure sintering having three sintering chambers; 
           [0033]      FIG. 4  shows a device for carrying out the process for producing an electronic subassembly by means of low-temperature pressure sintering having four sintering chambers; 
           [0034]      FIG. 5  shows a schematic structure of a press device for a sintering chamber according to the invention; 
           [0035]      FIG. 6  shows a flow diagram of the method according to the invention; and 
           [0036]      FIG. 7  shows a flow diagram of the method according to the invention in an embodiment utilising more than one chamber. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0037]      FIG. 1  shows a device for carrying out the process for producing an electronic subassembly by means of low-temperature pressure sintering having a single sintering chamber. 
         [0038]    The single sintering chamber  10  has a charging opening  12  for a work carrier  13 , which is set up to receive a subassembly to be processed. Within the sintering chamber  10  there is a press, consisting of the respectively heatable/coolable lower and upper die units  11   a  and  11   b.  To carry out the process according to the invention, the work carrier  13  passes the charging opening  12  and is placed between the lower and upper die units  11   a  and  11   b,  the subassembly (not shown) being sintered by moving the dies  11   a,    11   b  together and by heating. It is furthermore conceivable that one of the two dies  11   a,    11   b  is stationary and the respective other die  11   a,    11   b  moves in relation to the stationary die  11   a,    11   b.  After completion of the sintering, the work carrier  13  with the subassembly is removed again through the charging opening  12  by being moved out. A parallel relative orientation of the two dies  11   a,    11   b  which is precise in an X/Y plane is desirable to generate a constant sintering pressure, and this can be achieved by way of a setting device (not shown) of a press device. The setting device can adjust the upper and/or the lower die  11   a,    11   b  with respect to one another in an X/Y direction and bring about a parallel orientation of the die surfaces. 
         [0039]    Optionally, a reduction of any oxide films present may be performed in the sintering chamber  10  after the sintering operation and opening of the dies  11   a,    11   b . The creation of a sintering atmosphere takes place through the filling and emptying nozzles  15   a,    15   b  after charging the sintering chamber  10  with the work carrier  13 . 
         [0040]      FIG. 2  shows a preferred configuration of a device for carrying out the process for producing an electronic subassembly by means of low-temperature pressure sintering having two sintering chambers. 
         [0041]    The structure of this device is largely identical to the structure shown in  FIG. 1 , but supplemented by a chamber  20  which is arranged upstream of the sintering chamber  10  and in which the substrate is preheated in an oxygen-free manner and is also cooled down in an oxygen-free manner after the sintering in the sintering chamber  10 . An advantage of the 2-chamber solution over the 1-chamber solution shown in  FIG. 1  is the faster cycle rate, since the heating system  14  in the sintering chamber  10  then does not have to heat the entire thermal mass to sintering temperature and cool it down again. 
         [0042]      FIG. 3  shows a device of particularly preferable configuration for carrying out the process for producing an electronic subassembly by means of low-temperature pressure sintering having three sintering chambers, the 3-chamber solution making it possible to pass the work carrier  13  in series through the first chamber  20  (oxygen-free heating up), the second (sintering) chamber  10  (low-oxygen sintering) and the third chamber  30  (oxygen-free cooling down to room temperature). 
         [0043]      FIG. 4  shows a device of extremely preferable configuration for carrying out the process for producing an electronic subassembly by means of low-temperature pressure sintering having four sintering chambers. 
         [0044]    The 4-chamber solution largely corresponds in functionality to the 3-chamber solution, but is additionally equipped with a further (fourth) chamber  40  that allows the active reduction of residual oxides after sintering. The provision of a further chamber  40  between the second and third chambers  20 ,  30  as shown in  FIG. 3  is particularly advantageous, since it has been found that the surfaces in vacuum furnaces are in practice covered with residues of the combustion products, where anchored clusters of oxygen form. These clusters are only dislodged after extended baking and evacuating phases. These baking phases are undesired while production is in progress, however. 
         [0045]    It is therefore proposed to perform an active reduction of the oxygen clusters and oxide formations after the oxygen-free or low-oxygen sintering in the further chamber  40 . This can preferably be performed by components of hydrogen or vaporous formic acid components (methanoic acid CH 2 O 2 ). The oxygen-free cooling down for discharging is subsequently possible in the fourth chamber  40 . 
         [0046]    The work carriers are generally transported in synchronous steps, in series through all of the chambers, the slowest process step in one of the 4 chambers determining the cycle time. 
         [0047]    The process  100  then proceeds as follows (see  FIG. 6 ):
       supplying the subassembly to be sintered, or optionally subassemblies, on a work carrier through the gastight-closable opening into the pressure space between the upper die and the lower die  101 ;   closing the opening  102  followed by heating  103 , gas exchange of the ambient atmosphere for the (technical) low-oxygen atmosphere (e.g. nitrogen)  104 , waiting for the materials within the chamber to equilibrate with the low-oxygen atmosphere  104   a,  closing the upper and lower dies  105 , building up a sintering pressure while the sintering temperature is being reached  106 ;   completion of the low-temperature pressure sintering and lowering of the die temperature to below 80° C.  107 , opening the upper and lower dies  108 , removal of the subassembly or the work carrier through the chamber opening  109 ; and   providing the equipment for subsequent sintering.       
 
         [0052]    In particular, the described chambers can have two gastight-closable openings, through which continuous, serial charging can take place through an inlet opening and the removal can take place through the second opening. 
         [0053]    A continuous work flow and an increase in the throughput of the device are achieved by the following measures, which can also be applied individually, and are illustrated in  FIG. 7 : 
         [0054]    In a first chamber  20  with an approximately gastight closure and an inlet opening, the work carrier is supplied  111  and the inlet opening is closed  112 . The outlet opening of the first chamber  20  is also the inlet opening of the second chamber  10 . This outlet opening is closed  110  when the inlet opening is open. When both gastight-closable openings are closed, the gas exchange  104  of the ambient atmosphere for the process gas atmosphere takes place in the first chamber  20 . 
         [0055]    After the gas exchange, heating of the work carrier takes place up to a limit below initial sintering (e.g. 100° C.)  113 . Subsequently, the second opening is opened  114  and the work carrier is brought  115  by a transporting device from the first chamber  20  through the second opening into the second chamber  10 . 
         [0056]    In the second chamber  10 , the process gas atmosphere permanently prevails. This second chamber  10  likewise has an inlet opening and an outlet opening. When the work carrier enters the second chamber  10 , the outlet opening of the third chamber  40  is closed. In the second chamber  10 , the work carrier is placed between the upper die and the lower die of the compaction device. The materials within the chamber are then allowed to equilibrate with the low-oxygen atmosphere for a period of time  104   a.  Then, the further heating of the work carrier and the compaction of the joining layer are brought about by moving the upper die and the lower die together  105 . It has been found that the compaction also has a positive influence on the heat transfers, and therefore the heating is preferably performed with the dies moved together  106 . After carrying out the sintering, the dies are moved apart and the third chamber  40  is flooded  117  with process gas. Subsequently, the third opening is opened  118  and the work carrier is brought  119  by a transporting device from the second chamber  10  through the third opening into the third chamber  40 . 
         [0057]    The third chamber  40  optionally has process gas enrichment with reducing constituents. These may be components of hydrogen or vaporous formic acid components (methanoic acid CH 2 O 2 ). These substances reduce oxides occurring on the metals, copper oxides in particular. This helps to eliminate oxides in the event that the formation of oxides in the first and in the second chamber  20 ,  10  has not been prevented completely in the heating-up and sintering phases. During the dwell time in the third chamber  40 , the work carrier is kept  120  at the sintering temperature. It has been found that the reduction of the oxides is then at an optimum, and at the same time the sintering continues. 
         [0058]    The process gas enrichment can be permanently maintained in the third chamber  40 . After completion of the reducing and sintering processes in the third chamber  40 , the fourth chamber  30  is flooded with process gas (without reduction enrichment). Subsequently, the fourth opening is opened and the work carrier is brought  121  by a transporting device from the third chamber  40  through the fourth opening into the fourth chamber  30 . 
         [0059]    The fourth chamber  30  serves for cooling down  107  to room temperature under process gas, which is carried out until 80° C. is reached, the temperature at which continued oxidation become uncritical. The cooling is assisted by a dwelling plate for the work carrier set to 80° C. Through mechanical contact with the electronic component, the dwelling plate  31  can perform controlled cooling down by a predefinable temperature cooling ramp. The dwelling plate  31  can be in the form of a cooling or heating device through which fluid flows. When the temperature of 80° C. has been reached, the work carrier can be discharged  109  by opening  122  the fifth opening. This is followed by refilling the fourth chamber  30  with process gas for the next work carrier, which is fed in from the third chamber  40  for oxygen-free cooling down. 
         [0060]    The functioning of the chambers and the activation of the transfer-gastight-closable openings are preferably synchronized by a common working cycle generator. The working cycle is determined by the slowest process step. This is the low-temperature pressure sintering in the second chamber  2 , which takes about 10 minutes. Cycle rates of at least 3 minutes up to 21 minutes can likewise be set. It is of advantage for achieving the respective objectives of the processes in the chambers for the work carriers to dwell longer in chambers  20 ,  40  and  30 , and this should therefore be tolerated without restriction. The individual objectives of the processes in the chambers are: 
         [0061]    First chamber  20 : oxygen-free heating up to as much as 100° C. 
         [0062]    Second chamber  10 : low-oxygen pressure sintering at a maximum of 300° C. and a maximum of 30 MPa 
         [0063]    Third chamber  40 : optional reduction of residual oxides 
         [0064]    Fourth chamber  30 : oxygen-free cooling down to 80° C. 
         [0065]      FIG. 5  shows an exemplary embodiment of a press device  50  for use in a sintering chamber  10 . The press device  50  has an electrohydraulic drive  52 , with the aid of which the lower die  11   b  can move against the stationary upper die  11   a  to generate the sintering pressure. The drive  52  is designed to achieve a press pressure of 30 MPa. The upper die  11   a  comprises a heating device  14   a  and the lower die  11   b  comprises a heating device  14   b.  A pressure pad  64  made of silicone is arranged on the upper die for generating an quasi-hydrostatic sintering pressure on a sintering component mounted on a work carrier  13 . A separating film  68  for separating the pressure pad  64  from the component to be sintered rests directly on the component to be sintered during the sintering process. The lower die  11   b  is arranged on a die cylinder  54 , the diameter of which is greater than the diameter of the lower die  11   b.  The die cylinder  54  comprises a piston rod  56 , which is guided and oriented by a piston ring  58  in a hydraulic sump  60  of a cylinder housing  62  such that the surface of the lower die  11   b  is oriented parallel to the surface of the upper die  11   a.  The lower die  11   b  can be oriented with respect to the upper die  11   a  in the X/Y surface plane of the lower die  11   b  by means of a setting device  66 . The piston ring  58  bears and guides the piston rod  56  and defines a uniform and oriented movement of the lower die  11   b  in a vertical direction towards the upper die  11   b.    
         [0066]    While the present disclosure has been illustrated and described with respect to a particular embodiment thereof, it should be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that various modifications to this disclosure may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure.