Combination of a support and a semiconductor body and method of manufacturing such a combination

Abstract: The invention relates to the combination of a support (3) and a semiconductor body (1) and to a method of manufacturing same, in which a deformable metal layer (2) is disposed between the semiconductor body and the support. The semiconductor body is connected to the support by pressing the semiconductor body and the support against each other under pressure after heating the metal layer. The semiconductor body is then provided at its surface facing the support with at least one projecting part (4), which is embedded in the metal layer.

Description: The invention relates to a combination of a support and a semiconductor body, in which a deformable metal layer is disposed between the semiconductor body and the support and the semiconductor body is connected to the support by pressing the semiconductor body and the support against each other other under pressure after heating the metal layer. Such a combination of a semiconductor body and a support is known from Netherlands Patent Application NL-A- 7415668, which corresponds to FR-A- 2 293 704. In this known combination, the metal layer is enclosed between two parallel extending boundary surfaces of the support and the semiconductor body. In general, such a connection is satisfactory, but in certain cases it may be desirable to realize a more rigid connection between the support and the semiconductor body. According to the invention as set out in Claim 1, this can be achieved in that the semiconductor body is provided at its surface facing the support with at least one projecting part, which is embedded in the metal layer. In practice it has been found that by the use of one or several projecting parts engaging into the metal layer provided between the support and the semiconductor a considerable improvement of the adhesion between the semiconductor body and the support is obtained. If the projection then has a closed contour, by means of this projection a particularly satisfactory vacuum-tight connection can further be obtained between the semiconductor body and the support, which may be important, for example, in pressure sensors and the like. A further aspect of the invention relates to a method of connecting a semiconductor body to a support, in which a deformable metal layer is provided between the semiconductor body and the support and the semiconductor body is connected to the support by pressing the semiconductor body and the support against each other under pressure at an elevated temperature. According to the invention as set out in Claim 4, before the semiconductor body is provided on the support, a projecting part integral with the semiconductor body is formed on the semiconductor body on the side to face the support and this projecting part is pressed into the metal layer when providing the semiconductor. By the use of the method according to the invention, a semiconductor body to be manufactured in a simple manner can be secured very firmly to a support. The invention will now be described more fully with reference to an embodiment of the combination according to the invention shown in the accompanying Figures. Figure 1 shows in sectional view a combination of a support and a semiconductor body provided thereon with the interposition of a metal layer; Figure 2 is an elevation of the semiconductor body taken on the arrow II in Figure 1. As shown diagrammatically in Figure 1, a semiconductor body 1 is provided on a support 3 with the interposition of a metal layer 2. The insulating support 3 may be made, for example, of glass. Preferably, the metal layer 2 will consist of aluminium and will generally have a thickness of the order of 10 µm. As will further appear from Figures 1 and 2, the semiconductor body 1 is provided on its side facing the support 3 with a projection, which is constituted in the embodiment shown by a continuous projecting edge 4 having a cross-section of triangular form. The height of this projection projecting beyond the boundary surface of the semiconductor body is about half the thickness of the metal layer 2 in the non-deformed state. The projection 4 can be formed in a simple and efficacious manner by removing parts of the starting material located around the projection by etching. Before the connection between the support 3 and the semiconductor body 1 is established, the metal layer 2 is arranged between the support and the semiconductor body 1, after which, whilst heating the metal layer 2, the semiconductor body 1 and the support 3 are pressed towards each other, the continuous projection 4 penetrating in the manner shown in Figure 1 into the metal layer. The metal layer 2 may be applied to the support 3, for example by vapour deposition. It has been found that the adhesion between the semiconductor body and the metal layer is considerably more satisfactory than in the embodiment in which the boundary surface of the semiconductor body facing the support 3 is flat. For example, it is not necessary for the projection 4 to form a closed contour, while it is also possible that several projections located at a certain relative distance are provided. A projection forming a closed contour is particularly advantageous, however, if the projection, as is the case in the embodiment shown in Figure 2, surrounds a recess 5 provided in the support 3 and different pressures prevail on either side of the support. In fact it has been found that by the use of a projection forming a closed contour a particularly satisfactory gas-tight connection can be obtained between the support and the semiconductor body. The form of the cross-section of the projection 4 may also be different from the triangular form shown; for example, viewed in cross-section the projection may have the form of a truncated cone. Another possibility consists in that, before the semiconductor body is arranged on the support, the projection is provided with an aluminium coating so that, when the semiconductor body is contacted with the metal layer consisting of aluminium, a connection of aluminium on aluminium is obtained. The projection may then also be provided with a silicon oxide layer, on which the aluminium coating is formed.

Claims: A semiconductor device comprising a semiconductor body (1) and a support (3), which are connected by a thermocompression bond comprising a deformable metal layer (2), characterized in that the semiconductor body (1) is provided at its surface facing the support (3) with at least one projecting part (4), which is embedded in the metal layer (2). A semiconductor device as claimed in Claim 1, characterised in that the projecting part (4) forms a closed contour and encloses the end of a passage formed in the support (3). A semiconductor device as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the projecting part (4) has a substantially triangular shape, viewed in cross-section. A method of connecting a semiconductor body (1) to a support (3), in which a deformable metal layer (2) is provided between the semiconductor body (1) and the support (3) by pressing the semiconductor body (1) and the support (3) against each other under pressure at an elevated temperature, characterised in that, before the semiconductor body (1) is provided on the support (3), at least one projecting part (4) integral with the semiconductor body (1) is formed on the semiconductor body (1) on the side to face the support (3) and this projecting part (4) is pressed into the metal layer (2) when providing the semiconductor body (1) on the support (3). A method as claimed in Claim 4, characterised in that the projecting part (4) is formed on the semiconductor body (1) by etching. A method as claimed in Claim 4 or 5, characterised in that, before the semiconductor body (1) is provided on the support (3), the projecting part (4) is coated with aluminium. A method as claimed in Claim 4, 5 or 6, characterised in that the height of the projecting part (4) formed on the semiconductor body (1) is about half the thickness of the metal layer (2) in the non-deformed state.

Inventors: HOEBERECHTS ARTHUR MARIE EUGEN, PETERS PETRUS JACOBUS MARIA, HOEBERECHTS, ARTHUR MARIE EUGENE, PETERS, PETRUS JACOBUS MARIA
Applicants: PHILIPS NV, N.V. PHILIPS' GLOEILAMPENFABRIEKEN
Application year: 1989
Main classification: H01L21
IPC codes: G01L9, H01L21, H01L29