Method of embedding semiconductor components in plastics

#The invention relates to a method of embedding semiconductor components in plastics.

#The use of semiconductor components, for example solar cells, usually requires them to be surrounded on all sides by a material which is resistant to weathering. Certain plastics such as glass-reinforced epoxy resins or polyesters are suitable for this purpose.

#A terrestrial solar cell generator is known from German Offenlegungsschrift No. 24 45 642 (published Sept. 25, 1974), in which the solar cells are protected from damaging environmental effects by the fact that the solar cells and their connection elements are surrounded on all sides by a single material. The use of a glass-fibre-reinforced plastic, a thermoplastic or glass is provided for as this material.

#In a method of embedding semiconductor components such as solar cells in plastic material, the plastic material surrounding the semiconductor components is hardened after insertion of the components by irradiation with high energy beams.

#In addition to the relatively short hardening time which can be achieved and which makes immediate further processing of the arrangement possible and promotes rational/continuous manufacture, one advantage of the invention lies in the possibility of manufacturing and hardening thin plastic layers without the addition of reaction products such as peroxide. Definite hardening may take place in relation to the degree and the time, i.e. no re-hardening or setting of the residual monomer content is provided for during the weathering phase. Cracking in the surface of the plastics due to tension is avoided. A further advantage lies in the improvement in bonding between the semiconductor components and the plastic layer due to electron radiation. Bonding may be further improved by the introduction of a bonding agent between the semiconductor components and the plastic layer, so that the layer of bonding agent may also be irradiated with high-energy beams.

#The thickness of the hardened plastic layer and/or of the hardened layer of bonding agent is set specifically by metering the energy of the beam as a function of the physical properties of the high-energy beams. Thus it is possible for example, that in the case where polyester is being used with an irradiation dose of approximately 15-20 Mrad, the surface becomes extremely hard while at the same time at the side and towards the semiconductor component a lesser degree of hardening takes place due to the residual dose of approximately 10-12 Mrad. Thus the differing coefficients of expansion between the semiconductor component and the plastic layer may be matched to each other.