Methods and apparatuses for high temperature bonding controlled processing and bonded substrates formed therefrom

• US 10,500,661 B2
• Filed: 11/06/2016
• Issued: 12/10/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation), University of Maryland, College Park
• Original Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America Incorporated (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Greve, Hannes Martin Hinrich, McCluskey, F. Patrick, Joshi, Shailesh N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Saad, Erin B
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gamino, Carlos J
• Application Number:
  US15/344,532
• Publication Number:
  US 20170129031A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,129 Days
• Field of Search: 266241
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 1/0016 Brazing of electronic components
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 20/026 with diffusion of soldering material
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 20/233 without ferrous layer
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 20/26 Auxiliary equipment
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 2101/42 Printed circuits
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 3/0478 comprising means for controlling or selecting the temperature or power
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 3/085 Cooling, heat sink or heat shielding means
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 35/262 Sn as the principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 13/00 Alloys based on tin
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/29111 Tin [Sn] as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/29294 with a principal constituent of the material being a liquid not provided for in groups H01L2224/292 - H01L2224/29291
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/29295 with a principal constituent of the material being a gas not provided for in groups H01L2224/292 - H01L2224/29291
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/29311 Tin [Sn] as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/29324 Aluminium [Al] as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/29347 Copper [Cu] as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/29355 Nickel [Ni] as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/32227 the layer connector connecting to a bond pad of the item
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/32245 the item being metallic
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/75102 Vacuum chamber
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/75251 in the lower part of the bonding apparatus, e.g. in the apparatus chuck
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/75501 : in the lower part of the bonding apparatus, e.g. in the apparatus chuck
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/75901 : using a computer, e.g. fully- or semi-automatic bonding
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/8309 : Vacuum
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/8381 : involving forming an intermetallic compound at the bonding interface
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/83825 : Solid-liquid interdiffusion
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/83908 : involving monitoring, e.g. feedback loop
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/29 : of an individual layer connector
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/32 : of an individual layer connector
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/75 : Apparatus for connecting with bump connectors or layer connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/83 : using a layer connector
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00014 : the subject-matter covered by the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group, being disclosed without further technical details
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/10253 : Silicon [Si]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/10272 : Silicon Carbide [SiC]

Abstract

Methods and apparatuses for controlled processing of high temperature bonding systems via devices to control heating and cooling systems of a high temperature heating bonding includes use of a sinter fixture device including a plate surface, that is shaped to contact and conform to a contacting surface of a TLPS substrate assembly, and a plurality of channels below the plate surface within a base body of the sinter fixture device shaped to receive heating and cooling elements. A first set of the one or more channels includes a plurality of cross-channels, a cooling medium inlet, and a cooling medium outlet, which cross-channels, cooling medium inlet, and cooling medium outlet are in fluid communication with one another. A second set of the one or more channels includes a plurality of heating element passageways.

Claims

1. A sintering fixture device for use in a controlled processing of high temperature bonding of substrates, the sintering fixture device comprising:

a base body comprising a metal that is at least one of copper and aluminum;

a plate surface that will contact a contacting surface of a substrate assembly, wherein the substrate assembly comprises a low melting point material and one or more high melting point materials between first and second substrates, the one or more high melting point materials having a melting temperature that is higher than a melting temperature of the low melting point material; and

a plurality of channels below the plate surface within the base body of the sintering fixture device shaped to receive heating and cooling elements, wherein;

a first set of the plurality of channels includes a plurality of cross-channels, a cooling medium inlet connected to a cooling medium inlet channel, and a cooling medium outlet connected to a cooling medium outlet channel, wherein the cooling medium inlet channel and the cooling medium outlet channel are aligned in a channel plane, and the plurality of cross-channels, the cooling medium inlet, and the cooling medium outlet are in fluid communication with one another, the plurality of cross-channels are spaced apart and non-intersecting; and

a second set of the plurality of channels includes a plurality of heating element passageways; and

a pair of legs defining a recess therebetween, the pair of legs extending from the base body on a side opposite the plate surface, wherein each leg of the pair of legs comprises an outer sidewall comprising a plurality of fastener apertures aligned on a fastener plane that is co-aligned with the channel plane, the plurality of fastener apertures for receipt of fasteners to mount the sintering fixture device to a pair of brackets coupled to an underlying surface aligned with the fastener plane such that the recess is spaced from the underlying surface when each leg is mounted to each bracket to improve a thermal contact between the substrate assembly and the plate surface during high temperature bonding.

2. The sintering fixture device of claim 1, wherein the first set of the plurality of channels comprises a pathway for a cooling medium.

3. The sintering fixture device of claim 2, wherein the cooling medium is deionized water.

4. The sintering fixture device of claim 1, wherein the second set of the plurality of channels is positioned away from the first set of the plurality of channels.

5. The sintering fixture device of claim 1, wherein:

the plurality of cross-channels extend within the sintering fixture device between a pair of sidewalls of the sintering fixture device and are associated with apertures defined in the pair of sidewalls; and

the cooling medium inlet and the cooling medium outlet are defined by a respective pair of apertures disposed within a first surface of the sintering fixture device that extends between ends of the pair of sidewalls.

6. The sintering fixture device of claim 1, further comprising an integrated temperature sensor to provide temperature readings associated with one or more heating and cooling elements disposed within the plurality of channels.

7. The sintering fixture device of claim 1, further comprising:

a cooling medium inlet coupling coupled to an inlet high temperature tubing to form a passageway for receipt and transportation of a cooling medium; and

a cooling medium outlet coupling coupled to an outlet high temperature tubing to form a passageway for output and transportation of the cooling medium;

wherein the cooling medium inlet coupling is physically coupled to the cooling medium inlet, and the cooling medium outlet coupling is physically coupled to the cooling medium outlet.

8. The sintering fixture device of claim 1, further comprising the pair of brackets and the underlying surface.

9. The sintering fixture device of claim 1, wherein a direction of flow of the plurality of cross-channels is perpendicular to a direction of flow of the cooling medium inlet and a direction of flow of the cooling medium outlet, and the direction of flow of the cooling medium inlet is parallel to the direction of flow of the cooling medium outlet.

10. A system for assessing high temperature bonding of substrates, the system comprising:

a sintering fixture device comprising a base body comprising a metal that is at least one of copper and aluminum, a plate surface that will contact a contacting surface of a substrate assembly, wherein the substrate assembly comprises a low melting point material and one or more high melting point materials between first and second substrates, the one or more high melting point materials having a melting temperature that is higher than a melting temperature of the low melting point material, and a plurality of channels below the plate surface within the base body shaped to receive heating and cooling elements of heating and cooling systems, wherein;

a first set of the plurality of channels includes a plurality of cross-channels, a cooling medium inlet connected to a cooling medium inlet channel, and a cooling medium outlet connected to a cooling medium outlet channel, wherein the cooling medium inlet channel and the cooling medium outlet channel are aligned in a channel plane, and the plurality of cross-channels, the cooling medium inlet, and the cooling medium outlet are in fluid communication with one another, the plurality of cross-channels are spaced apart and non-intersecting,

a second set of the plurality of channels includes a plurality of heating element passageways, and

the sintering fixture device comprises a pair of legs defining a recess therebetween, the pair of legs extending from the base body on a side opposite the plate surface, wherein each leg of the pair of legs comprises an outer sidewall comprising a plurality of fastener apertures aligned on a fastener plane that is co-aligned with the channel plane, the plurality of fastener apertures for receipt of fasteners to mount the sintering fixture device to a pair of brackets coupled to an underlying surface aligned with the fastener plane such that the recess is spaced from the underlying surface when each leg is mounted to each bracket to improve a thermal contact between the substrate assembly and the plate surface during high temperature bonding;

the substrate assembly disposed on the plate surface of the sintering fixture device;

a processor; and

a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium in communication with the processor, the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium including one or more programming instructions executable by the processor to cause the processor to;

control heating elements associated with the second set of the plurality of channels of the sintering fixture device and a flow of a cooling fluid through the first set of the plurality of channels of the sintering fixture device to achieve a process temperature profile to form a bond layer between the first and second substrates.

11. The system of claim 10, further comprising one or more temperature sensors in communication with the sintering fixture device, the one or more programming instructions executable by the processor to cause the processor to receive temperature information from the one or more temperature sensors.

12. The system of claim 10, the one or more programming instructions are executable by the processor to cause the processor to monitor a level of outgassing when the process temperature profile is applied to the substrate assembly disposed on the sintering fixture device within a vacuum environment to form the bond layer between the first and second substrates.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein a cooling medium inlet coupling is physically coupled to the cooling medium inlet channel, and a cooling medium outlet coupling is physically coupled to the cooling medium outlet channel.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein:

the second set of the plurality of channels is positioned away from the first set of the plurality of channels.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the sintering fixture device further comprises:

a cooling medium inlet coupling coupled to an inlet high temperature tubing to form a passageway for receipt and transportation of a cooling medium; and

a cooling medium outlet coupling coupled to an outlet high temperature tubing to form a passageway for output and transportation of the cooling medium,

wherein each of the cooling medium inlet coupling and the cooling medium outlet coupling is physically coupled to the respective the cooling medium inlet channel or the cooling medium outlet channel.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein the sintering fixture device further comprises the pair of brackets and the underlying surface.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein a direction of flow of the plurality of cross-channels is perpendicular to a direction of flow of the cooling medium inlet and a direction of flow of the cooling medium outlet, and the direction of flow of the cooling medium inlet is parallel to the direction of flow of the cooling medium outlet.