Investigations of Power Semiconductor Modules using Conductive Adhesive for Chip Assembly

Abstract:
Due to continuous development of power semiconductor devices with respect to their current carrying capability and to their maximum operation temperature the power dissipation per element is increasing, while the module size remained nearly constant. To ensure the reliability of the components also the structure and packaging technology continuously developed. Adhesive materials applicable for chip assembly have advanced under aspects of thermal and electrical conductivity. They promise reduced production effort and therefore costs. Further low thermal stress of interfaces can be expected due to lower temperatures during the connection process compared to soldering. This paper describes the assembly process of power electronic modules with new conductive adhesives and gives results of passive temperature shock and active power cycling tests to investigate reliability. The non-destructive thermal impedance spectroscopy which has been applied for analysis is explained.