# US 2017/0290169 A1 · Multi-level metalization on a ceramic substrate

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- Number: US 2017/0290169 A1
- Document ID: US20170290169A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 15/627,703
- Filed: 2017-06-20
- Published: 2017-10-05
- Earliest claimed: 2013-02-07
- Assignees: CeramTec GmbH
- Applicants: CeramTec GmbH
- Inventors: Sigurd Adler; Roland Dilsch; Alfred Thimm
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20170290169A1

## CPC

- H05K 3/1216: {by screen printing or stencil printing}
- C22F 1/08: of copper or alloys based thereon
- H05K 1/0306: {Inorganic insulating substrates, e.g. ceramic, glass}
- H05K 3/22: Secondary treatment of printed circuits {(H05K3/1283 takes precedence; embedding circuits in grooves by pressure H05K3/107)}
- H10W 70/098: {Applying pastes or inks, e.g. screen printing (H10W70/095 takes precedence)}
- H10W 70/658: {for devices provided for in groups H10D8/00 - H10D48/00}
- Y10T 428/24355: Continuous and nonuniform or irregular surface on layer or component [e.g., roofing, etc.]
- H05K: PRINTED CIRCUITS; CASINGS OR CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF ELECTRIC APPARATUS; MANUFACTURE OF ASSEMBLAGES OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS
- C22F: CHANGING THE PHYSICAL STRUCTURE OF NON-FERROUS METALS AND NON-FERROUS ALLOYS (surface treatment of metallic material involving at least one process provided for in class C23 and at least one process covered by this subclass, C23F17/00)
- H10W: GENERIC PACKAGES, INTERCONNECTIONS, CONNECTORS OR OTHER CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10
- Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION

## Abstract

A method for producing a copper multi-level metallization on a ceramic substrate consisting of AlN or Al2O3. High power regions with metallization having a high current-carrying capacity and low power regions with metallic coatings having a low current-carrying capacity are created on one and the same ceramic substrate. The metallization is printed multiple times in the high power range.

## Claims

### Claim at position 1

1-8. (canceled)

### Claim 9

A method for producing a multi-level metallization of copper on a ceramic substrate of AlN or Al2O3, wherein high-power areas having metallizations with greater current-carrying capacity and low-power areas having metallizations with less current-carrying capacity are created on one and the same ceramic substrate, wherein the following method steps are carried out sequentially:
e) printing a common base metallization for the high-power area and the low-power areas from a glass-containing copper-based paste using screen printing or pad printing to a thickness of 20 to 50 μm,
f) reinforcing the base metallization in the high-power areas by printing, several or many times, a copper-reinforcement paste without any glass component onto the base metallization by means of screen printing or stencil printing up to a total copper thickness of 300 to 500 μm,
g) annealing the metallized ceramic substrate with the high-power areas and the low-power areas together at 850 to 950° C. in nitrogen,
h) mechanical levelling of the high-power areas (1) n order to create a planar surface with a roughness Rz<5 μm.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

A method according to claim 9, wherein after the levelling the high-power areas or the low-power areas are currentlessly provided with a metallization, such as Ni, NiP+Pd+Au, Ag or Ni+Au.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

A method according to claim 9, wherein the ceramic substrate is processed by laser scribing before or after the printing in order to prepare for subsequent separation of the ceramic substrate into individual sub-substrates.

### Claim 12 (depends on 9)

A method according to claim 9, wherein during the levelling 100 to 150 μm are removed.

### Claim 13 (depends on 9)

A method according to claim 9, wherein the glass component of the glass-containing copper-based paste is between 4 and 8%.

### Claim 14 (depends on 9)

A method according to claim 9, wherein after the levelling the metallization of the high-power area has a thickness of 180 to 220 μm.

### Claim 15 (depends on 9)

A ceramic substrate of AlN or Al2O3 having a multi-level metallization of copper with high-power areas, having a metallization with greater current-carrying capacity, and low-power areas, having a metallization with less current-carrying capacity, produced by the method according claim 9, wherein the thickness of the metallization amounts in the high-power area to 180 to 220 μm and in the low-power area to 20 to 50 μm, and the adhesive strength of the metallizations is above 60 N/mm2.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

A ceramic substrate according to claim 15, wherein the edge steepness of the metallization of the high-power areas given a total copper thickness of 200 μm lies at 120 μm.