Method and device for a high temperature vacuum-safe solder stop utilizing laser processing of solderable surfaces for an electronic module assembly

• US 10,076,800 B2
• Filed: 11/30/2015
• Issued: 09/18/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wolfspeed, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Cree Fayetteville, Inc. (Wolfspeed, Inc.)
• Inventors: Stabach, Jennifer, McPherson, Brice, O'Neal, Chad B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Stoner, Kiley
• Application Number:
  US14/954,243
• Publication Number:
  US 20170156211A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,023 Days
• Field of Search: 228183, 2281791-18022, 228215-216, 228245-262
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 1/0016 Brazing of electronic components
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 1/20 Preliminary treatment of work or areas to be soldered, e.g. in respect of a galvanic coating preparation of surfaces in particular ways, see the relevant classes for the treatments or the materials treated, e.g. C04B, C23C
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/361 for deburring or mechanical trimming B23K26/351 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/362 Laser etching
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/32225 the item being non-metallic, e.g. insulating substrate with or without metallisation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/13 characterised by the shape
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/3735 Laminates or multilayers, e.g. direct bond copper ceramic substrates
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/49894 Materials of the insulating layers or coatings
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0263 High current adaptations, e.g. printed high current conductors or using auxiliary non-printed means; Fine and coarse circuit patterns on one circuit board H05K1/0293 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/09363 wherein only contours around conductors are removed for insulation
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2203/0315 Oxidising metal
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2203/1173 Differences in wettability, e.g. hydrophilic or hydrophobic areas
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/027 the conductive material being removed by irradiation, e.g. by photons, alpha or beta particles
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/243 characterised by selective plating, e.g. for finish plating of pads selective plating for making the circuit pattern H05K3/108, H05K3/182
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/341 Surface mounted components

Abstract

A process for manufacturing an electronic component having attaches includes providing a first component having a first attach, forming trenches on a portion of the first attach with a laser to form a solder stop, and providing a second component comprising a second attach. The process further includes providing solder between the first attach and the second attach to form a connection between the first component and the second component, where the trenches contain the solder to a usable area. A device produced by the process is disclosed as well.

Claims

1. A process for manufacturing an electronic component having attaches comprising:

providing a first component having a first attach;

forming trenches on a portion of the first attach with a laser to form a solder stop;

providing a second component comprising a second attach; and

providing solder between the first attach and the second attach to form a connection between the first component and the second component,

wherein the trenches are arranged and configured such that the providing solder between the first attach and the second attach forms a fillet between the first attach and the second attach,

wherein the trenches are configured to impede solder wetting; and

wherein the trenches comprise a plurality of parallel boundary trenches and at least one additional trench arranged parallel and between the plurality of boundary trenches.

4. The process of claim 1 wherein the forming the trenches with the laser comprises removing a portion of a plated surface from the first component to expose an underlying base plate or substrate.

5. The process of claim 1 wherein the forming the trenches with the laser comprises oxidizing a base plate or substrate arranged below a plated surface of the first component.

6. The process of claim 1 wherein the forming the trenches with the laser comprises removing at least one plated surface from the first component and further comprises oxidizing a base plate or substrate arranged below the at least one plated surface of the first component.

7. The process of claim 1 further comprising:

plating the first component with a metallic surface to form a plated surface; and

configuring at least a portion of the plated surface as the first attach,

wherein the first component comprises a metallic construction;

wherein the metallic construction comprises at least one of the following;

aluminum and copper;

wherein the plated surface comprises at least one of the following;

nickel, silver, palladium, and gold; and

wherein the forming the trenches with the laser comprises oxidizing a portion of the first component below the plated surface of the first component.

8. The process of claim 1 wherein the forming trenches on the portion of the attaches with the laser to form the solder stop further comprises operating the laser based on computer aided design files implemented by a processor of the laser.

9. The process of claim 1 wherein the first component comprises one of the following:

a substrate of a power electronic module, a semiconductor device, a heat spreader, an electrical terminal, a passive element, and a base plate of a power electronic module.

2. A process for manufacturing an electronic component having attaches comprising:

providing a first component having a first attach;

forming trenches on a portion of the first attach with a laser to form a solder stop;

providing a second component comprising a second attach; and

providing solder between the first attach and the second attach to form a connection between the first component and the second component,

wherein the trenches are arranged and configured such that the providing solder between the first attach and the second attach forms a fillet between the first attach and the second attach;

wherein the trenches are configured to impede solder wetting; and

wherein the trenches comprise at least one boundary trench and a plurality of trench portions arranged perpendicular to and that extend in a direction to intersect the at least one boundary trench.

3. A process for manufacturing an electronic component having attaches comprising:

providing a first component having a first attach;

forming trenches on a portion of the first attach with a laser to form a solder stop;

providing a second component comprising a second attach; and

providing solder between the first attach and the second attach to form a connection between the first component and the second component,

wherein the trenches are configured to impede solder wetting; and

wherein the trenches comprise a plurality of parallel boundary trenches and further comprise a plurality of parallel trench portions arranged between the plurality of boundary trenches, and the plurality of parallel trench portions are perpendicular to and extend in a direction to intersect the plurality of parallel boundary trenches.

10. A process for manufacturing an electronic component having attaches comprising:

providing a first component having a first attach, the first component including at least one plating layer arranged on a base plate or substrate;

forming trenches on a portion of the first attach with a laser to form a solder stop by removing a portion of the at least one plating layer from the base plate or the substrate;

providing a second component comprising a second attach; and

providing solder between the first attach and the second attach to form a connection between the first component and the second component,

wherein the trenches are configured to impede solder wetting; and

wherein the trenches comprise a plurality of parallel boundary trenches and further comprise a plurality of trench portions arranged between the plurality of boundary trenches, and the plurality of trench portions extend in a direction to intersect the plurality of parallel boundary trenches.

12. The process of claim 10 wherein the plurality of trench portions are arranged perpendicular to the at least one boundary trench.

13. The process of claim 10 wherein the plurality of trench portions comprise a plurality of parallel trench portions arranged between the plurality of boundary trenches, and the plurality of parallel trench portions intersect the plurality of parallel boundary trenches.

14. The process of claim 10 wherein the forming the trenches with the laser comprises removing a portion of a plated surface from the first component to expose an underlying base plate or substrate.

15. The process of claim 10 wherein the trenches are arranged and configured such that the providing solder between the first attach and the second attach forms a fillet between the first attach, the second attach, and the trenches.

16. The process of claim 10 wherein the forming the trenches with the laser comprises removing at least one plated surface from the first component and further comprises oxidizing a base plate or substrate arranged below the at least one plated surface of the first component.

17. The process of claim 10 further comprising:

plating the first component with a metallic surface to form the at least one plating layer; and

configuring at least a portion of the at least one plating layer as the first attach,

wherein the first component comprises a metallic construction;

wherein the metallic construction comprises at least one of the following;

aluminum and copper; and

wherein the at least one plating layer comprises at least one of the following;

nickel, silver, palladium, and gold.

18. The process of claim 10 wherein the forming trenches on the portion of the attaches with the laser to form the solder stop further comprises operating the laser based on computer aided design files implemented by a processor of the laser.

19. The process of claim 10 wherein the first component comprises one of the following:

a substrate of a power electronic module, a semiconductor device, a heat spreader, an electrical terminal, a passive element, and a base plate of a power electronic module.

11. A process for manufacturing an electronic component having attaches comprising:

providing a first component having a first attach, the first component including at least one plating layer arranged on a base plate or substrate;

forming trenches on a portion of the first attach with a laser to form a solder stop by removing a portion of the at least one plating layer from the base plate or the substrate;

providing a second component comprising a second attach; and

providing solder between the first attach and the second attach to form a connection between the first component and the second component,

wherein the trenches are configured to impede solder wetting; and

wherein the trenches comprise a plurality of parallel boundary trenches and at least one additional trench arranged parallel and between the plurality of boundary trenches.