# US 2013/0152990 A1 · Solid-liquid interdiffusion bonding structure of thermoelectric module and fabricating method thereof

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- Number: US 2013/0152990 A1
- Document ID: US20130152990A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 13/668,306
- Filed: 2012-11-04
- Published: 2013-06-20
- Earliest claimed: 2011-12-20
- Inventors: Hong-Jen Lai; Jenn-Dong Hwang; Hsu-Shen Chu; Tung-Han Chuang; Chao-Chi Jain; Che-Wei Lin
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130152990A1

## CPC

- H10N 10/817: the junction being non-separable, e.g. being cemented, sintered or soldered
- B23K 20/026: {with diffusion of soldering material}
- B23K 20/16: with interposition of special material to facilitate connection of the parts, e.g. material for absorbing or producing gas
- B23K 20/233: without ferrous layer
- B23K 20/24: Preliminary treatment
- B23K 35/00: Rods, electrodes, materials, or media, for use in soldering, welding, or cutting
- B23K 35/004: {at least one of the workpieces being of a metal of the iron group}
- B23K 35/007: {at least one of the workpieces being of copper or another noble metal}
- B23K 35/262: {Sn as the principal constituent}
- B23K 35/3006: {Ag as the principal constituent}
- B23K 35/302: {Cu as the principal constituent}
- B23K 35/3033: {Ni as the principal constituent}
- B32B 15/01: all layers being exclusively metallic {(making layered metal workpieces by pressure cladding B23K20/22; making coatings with a metallic material characterised by its composition C23C30/00)}
- H10N 10/01: Manufacture or treatment
- H10N 10/852: comprising tellurium, selenium or sulfur
- B23K 2101/36: Electric or electronic devices
- B23K 2103/08: Non-ferrous metals or alloys
- B23K 2103/12: Copper or alloys thereof
- B23K 2103/18: Dissimilar materials
- H10N: ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- B23K: SOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING; WELDING; CLADDING OR PLATING BY SOLDERING OR WELDING; CUTTING BY APPLYING HEAT LOCALLY, e.g. FLAME CUTTING; WORKING BY LASER BEAM
- B32B: LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM

## Abstract

A solid-liquid interdiffusion bonding structure of a thermoelectric module and a fabricating method thereof are provided. The method includes coating a silver, nickel, or copper layer on surfaces of a thermoelectric component and an electrode plate, and then coating a tin layer. A thermocompression treatment is performed on the thermoelectric component and the electrode plate, such that the melted tin layer reacts with the silver, nickel, or copper layer to form a silver-tin intermetallic compound, a nickel-tin intermetallic compound, or a copper-tin intermetallic compound. After cooling, the thermoelectric component and the electrode plate are bonded together.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of fabricating a solid-liquid interdiffusion bonding structure of a thermoelectric module, comprising:
forming a silver, nickel, or copper layer on at least one of a thermoelectric component and an electrode plate, and then forming a tin layer;
stacking the thermoelectric component and the electrode plate together and performing a thermocompression treatment, wherein the tin layer reacts with the silver, nickel, or copper layer to form a silver-tin intermetallic compound, a nickel-tin intermetallic compound, or a copper-tin intermetallic compound; and
performing a cooling step such that the thermoelectric component and the electrode plate are bonded together.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the silver layer is formed on the at least one of the thermoelectric component and the electrode plate, and the formed silver-tin intermetallic compound comprises Ag3Sn.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the nickel layer is formed on the at least one of the thermoelectric component and the electrode plate, and the formed nickel-tin intermetallic compound comprises Ni3Sn4, Ni3Sn2, Ni3Sn, or a combination thereof.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the copper layer is formed on the at least one of the thermoelectric component and the electrode plate, and the formed copper-tin intermetallic compound comprises Cu6Sn5, Cu3Sn, or a combination thereof.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the tin layer completely reacts with the silver, nickel, or copper layer to form the silver-tin intermetallic compound, the nickel-tin intermetallic compound, or the copper-tin intermetallic compound, and the silver, nickel, or copper layer is partially remained.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein a thickness of the tin layer ranges from 1 μm to 10 μm.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the thermocompression treatment is performed under a pressure of 1 MPa to 10 MPa at a temperature ranged from 235° C. to 350° C. for 3-60 minutes.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the thermoelectric component comprises a p type thermoelectric material or an n type thermoelectric material which comprising an alloy series of Bi2Te3, GeTe, PbTe, CoSb3, or Zn4Sb3.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the silver, nickel, or copper layer and the tin layer are respectively formed with an electroplating process, an electroless plating process, a vacuum evaporation process, a sputtering process, or a chemical vapor deposition process.

### Claim 10

A solid-liquid interdiffusion bonding structure of a thermoelectric module, comprising:
at least one thermoelectric component; and
at least one electrode plate, wherein a bonding layer is disposed between the thermoelectric component and the electrode plate so as to so bond the thermoelectric component and the electrode plate together, and the bonding layer comprises a silver-tin intermetallic compound, a nickel-tin intermetallic compound, or a copper-tin intermetallic compound.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The solid-liquid interdiffusion bonding structure as claimed in claim 10, wherein the silver-tin intermetallic compound comprises Ag3Sn, the nickel-tin intermetallic compound comprises Ni3Sn4, Ni3Sn2, Ni3Sn, or a combination thereof, and the copper-tin intermetallic compound comprises Cu6Sn5, Cu3Sn, or a combination thereof.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

The solid-liquid interdiffusion bonding structure as claimed in claim 10, wherein the bonding layer further comprises a residual layer of silver, nickel, or copper.

### Claim 13 (depends on 10)

The solid-liquid interdiffusion bonding structure as claimed in claim 10, wherein the thermoelectric component comprises a p-type thermoelectric material or an n-type thermoelectric material which comprising an alloy series of Bi2Te3, GeTe, PbTe, CoSb3, or Zn4Sb3.