Apparatus and method for a pressure-sintering connection

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11745263-B2
Application number	US-202217861102-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 8, 2022
Priority date	Jul 22, 2021
Publication date	Sep 5, 2023
Grant date	Sep 5, 2023

Abstract

A method and an apparatus for the pressure-sintering connection of a first and a second connection provide a frame element lowerable onto a frame surface surrounding the supporting surface, having a sintering ram lowerable lowered from the normal direction onto the second connection partner and exerts pressure thereon, and converting a sintering paste between the connection partners into a sintered metal, and having an auxiliary apparatus for the arrangement of a separating film for the peripheral covering of the frame surface and the connection partners. This arrangement of the separating film produces an inner region bounded by the frame element and bounded by a separating film portion within the frame element and by the supporting surface, and injection opening and an outlet opening allow a second gas to flush through said inner region from the injection opening to the outlet opening and displace a first gas.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus, for creating a pressure-sintering connection of a first and a second connection partner, comprising:
a supporting surface supporting said first and said second connection partner;
said second connection partner on said first connection partner;
said supporting surface having a frame element lowerable from a normal direction (N) of the supporting surface onto a frame surface surrounding the supporting surface;
a sintering ram lowerable from the normal direction onto the second connection partner operative to exert pressure on said second connection partner as a result of which a sintering paste between the connection partners is converted into a sintered metal;
an auxiliary apparatus operative to arrange a separating film that peripherally covers of the frame surface and the connection partners;
wherein the arrangement of the separating film produces an inner region which is bounded by the frame element and is bounded by a separating film portion lying within the frame element and by the supporting surface; and
wherein an injection opening and an outlet opening are arranged on said supporting surface in such a manner that a second gas flushing through said inner region from said injection opening to said outlet opening displaces a first gas which is already present in said inner region.

2. The apparatus, according to claim 1 , wherein:
the supporting surface and the frame surface are both part of an abutment of a sintering press; and
the supporting surface is arranged in a depression.

3. The apparatus, according to claim 1 , wherein:
the supporting surface and the frame surface are both part of a work carrier arranged on an abutment of a sintering press.

4. The apparatus, according to claim 1 , wherein:
at least one of the injection opening and the outlet opening are closable towards the inner region; and
said at least one closable opening is closable flush with an adjacent surface section.

5. The apparatus, according to claim 1 , wherein:
at least one of the injection opening and the outlet opening, is arranged between a section of the supporting surface on which the first connection partner rests flush and a section of the frame surface which is provided for the frame element to rest flush thereon.

6. The apparatus, according to claim 5 , wherein:
the frame element has a recess which, in the normal direction (N), is aligned with the injection opening and also with the outlet opening.

7. The apparatus, according to claim 1 , wherein:
the injection opening and the outlet opening are arranged so that a transverse flow of the second gas can be formed in the inner region.

8. The apparatus, according to claim 1 , wherein:
the outlet opening is connected to a suction device.

9. The apparatus according, to claim 1 , wherein:
the separating film is a PTFE film and has a thickness of between 10 μm and 200 μm.

10. A method for forming a pressure-sintering connection of a first and a second connection partner comprising the method steps of:
providing an apparatus according to claim 1 ; and
operating said apparatus according to the following steps:
a) arranging the second connection partner on the first connection partner with a sintering paste layer between them;
b) arranging the first connection partner on the supporting surface;
c) arranging the separating film, the latter peripherally covering the two connection partners and the frame surface;
d) lowering the frame element onto the frame surface with the separating film arranged in between;
e) injecting a second gas into the inner region, as a result of which a first gas which is already present is displaced by being flushed out of the inner region through the outlet opening;
f) forming the pressure-sintering connection, wherein a sintering ram presses from the normal direction (N) onto the second connection partner and, in the process, the sintering paste is converted into a sintered metal; and
g) raising the frame element.

11. The method, according to claim 10 , wherein:
during or after method step e) the first gas is sucked through the outlet opening.

12. The method, according to claim 11 , wherein:
during or after method step e) the first connection partner is heated to a process temperature.

13. The method, according to claim 12 , wherein:
in method step e), lowering a sintering ram frame onto a frame section of the first connection partner, then the sintering ram is lowered and, after the sintering connection is formed, the sintering ram and the sintering ram frame are raised in the normal direction (N).

14. The method, according to claim 13 , wherein:
the sintering ram is raised followed by the sintering rain frame.

Assignees

• Semikron Elektronik Gmbh & Co Kg

Inventors

• Birkicht Dominic
• Besendörfer Kurt-Georg
• Kraft Silke
• Michaelsen Erik

Classifications

• H10W72/07141

  Means for applying energy, e.g. ovens or lasers · CPC title

• H10W72/07125

  Means for controlling the bonding environment, e.g. valves or vacuum pumps · CPC title

• H10W72/0711

  Apparatus therefor · CPC title

• H10W99/00

  Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass · CPC title

• H10W72/07331

  Connecting techniques · CPC title