Semiconductor device, sintered metal sheet, and method for manufacturing sintered metal sheet

A sintered metal sheet to be interposed between a semiconductor element and a support substrate to bond the semiconductor element and the support substrate together,

• the sintered metal sheet comprising
• a low porosity region disposed inward of an outer edge of the semiconductor element with the semiconductor element and the support substrate bonded together, the low porosity region being lower in porosity than a remaining region, except the low porosity region, of the sintered metal sheet, and
• the sintered metal layer has, as the low porosity region, a pillar-shaped low porosity region extending from an upper surface to a lower surface of the sintered metal layer, and
• a plurality of the pillar-shaped low porosity regions is disposed immediately below a position inward of the outer edge of the semiconductor element so as to spread over the entire sintered metal layer at predetermined spacings.

A method for manufacturing a sintered metal sheet,

• the method comprising:
• preparing a sintered metal sheet by sintering a paste material containing a metal fine particle;
• and
• forming a low porosity region lower in porosity than a remaining region, except the low porosity region, of the sintered metal sheet, by placing a pair of electrodes on an upper surface and a lower surface of the sintered metal sheet at predetermined positions of the sintered metal sheet, and energizing a region of the sintered metal sheet, the region being located between the electrodes.