Patent ID: 8084861

Claim:
A connection structure for attaching a semiconductor chip to a metal substrate, comprising a plurality of electrically conducting layers arranged in a stack, the stack comprising: a contact layer for providing an ohmic contact to a semiconductor chip; at least one mechanical decoupling layer consisting essentially of Al or Ag and configured to mechanically decouple the semiconductor chip and the substrate; at least one diffusion barrier layer configured to prevent diffusion between the mechanical decoupling layer and an adjacent layer; a diffusion solder layer configured to provide a diffusion soldered mechanical bond and an electrical connection to a metal substrate, wherein the diffusion solder layer consists essentially of a diffusion solder material which forms intermetallic phases with the material of the metal substrate at a temperature of approximately 230° C. to approximately 280° C.; wherein the at least one mechanical decoupling layer is positioned in the stack between one of the at least one diffusion barrier layer and the contact layer, and wherein the at least one diffusion barrier layer includes two diffusion barrier layers and the at least one mechanical decoupling layer is positioned between and is in direct contact with the two diffusion barrier layers.