Effect of Ar Plasma Treatment for Surface of Insert Metal on Property of TLP Bonding Joint for Power Module

Abstract

In this study, we investigated the effect of plasma treatment for the surface of an insert bonding metal on the properties of a transient liquid phase (TLP) bonding joint for a power module. Sn preforms, as the insert bonding metal for the TLP bonding, were used with and without Ar plasma treatment. To investigate the effect of Ar plasma treatment, the TLP bonding for two structures of Cu-finished Si chip/Sn preform/organic solderability preservative (OSP)-finished direct bond copper (DBC) substrate (Cu/Sn/Cu), and Ni-finished Si chip/Sn preform/Ni(P)-finished DBC substrate (Ni/Sn/Ni) was performed with 1 MPa at 300 ℃ and the bonding times were 10, 30, and 60 min, respectively. After the TLP bonding, we observed interfacial reactions and formations of intermetallic compounds (IMCs) under various bonding conditions. To evaluate mechanical properties, a shear test was also performed. Compared to the TLP bonding joint that used bare Sn preforms without Ar plasma treatment, growth of IMCs at the bonding joint that used Sn preforms with Ar plasma treatment occurred faster, and the IMCs could be formed through the entire joint despite the bonding time of 10 min. Meanwhile, by increasing the bonding time, Cu 6 Sn 5 and Cu 3 Sn were formed at the Cu/Sn/Cu TLP bonding joint, whereas Ni 3 Sn 4 , Ni-Sn-P, and Ni 3 P were observed at the Ni/Sn/Ni joint. In the case of the Cu/Sn/Cu joint, we observed that increasing Cu 3 Sn formation while increasing the bonding time could be beneficial to the shear strength of the joint. Further, shear strengths of the joint were not significantly changed under the bonding conditions after Ni 3 Sn 4 , Ni-Sn-P, and Ni 3 P IMCs were formed at the entire joint of the Ni/Sn/Ni.