Method of mounting a circuit component and joint structure therefor
AssigneeDelphi Technologies, Inc.
InventorCharles T. Eytcheson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A joint structure and method for bonding together two components, such as when attaching an electrical circuit element to a conductor on a substrate. The joint structure comprises a mesh infiltrated by a solder material, in which the mesh is preferably formed of a material having a higher thermal conductivity than the solder material. The joint structure is able to offer improvements in thermal conductivity, electrical conductivity, reflow processing, and stress distribution between the structures it connects. Each of these attributes of the joint structure can be tailored to some degree by the choices of materials for the mesh and the solder material.
Claims36
An electrical circuit assembly comprising two components bonded together with an electrically-conductive joint structure therebetween, the joint structure comprising a flexible mesh infiltrated by a solder material that bonds the mesh to the components and the components to each other, a solder-free portion of the mesh extending outside of the joint structure and from between the components to define a flexible jumper to a first of the components.
An electrical circuit assembly comprising two components bonded together with a joint structure, the joint structure comprising a flexible mesh infiltrated by a solder material, wherein a first of the components comprises multiple electrical devices with a first set of terminals, each electrical device comprising a said terminal bonded with the solder material to the joint structure so as to hold the electrical devices together, a second of the components is a conductor on a substrate, and the joint structure bonds the first set of terminals to the conductor.
A semiconductor assembly comprising a heat-generating semiconductor device that is attached to a conductor on a substrate with an electrically-conductive joint structure located between the semiconductor device and the conductor, the joint structure comprising an electrically-conductive flexible mesh infiltrated by a solder material that bonds together the semiconductor device, the conductor and the mesh, a solder-free portion of the mesh extending outside of the joint structure and from between the semiconductor device and the conductor to define a flexible jumper to the semiconductor device, the mesh being formed of a material having a higher thermal conductivity than the solder material, the mesh substantially establishing the thickness of the joint structure.
A method of bonding together two components with an electrically-conductive joint structure, the method comprising the steps of placing a first portion of a flexible mesh between the components and bonding the first portion of the mesh to the components with a solder material that infiltrates the first portion of the mesh but does not infiltrate a second portion of the mesh, the first portion of the mesh and the solder material forming the joint structure between the components, the second portion of the mesh extending outside of the joint structure and from between the components to define a solder-free flexible jumper to a first of the components.
A method of bonding together two components with a joint structure, the method comprising the step of forming the joint structure of a flexible mesh infiltrated by a solder material, wherein a first of the components is a circuit element comprising multiple electrical devices, each electrical device comprising a terminal that cooperates to form a first set of terminals, a second of the components is a conductor on a substrate, and the joint structure is formed by infiltrating the mesh with the solder material so that the solder material bonds the first set of terminals to the mesh so as to hold the electrical devices together and so that the solder material bonds the mesh to the conductor so as to attach the first component to the conductor.
A method of attaching a heat-generating semiconductor device to a conductor on a substrate with an electrically-conductive joint structure, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing on the conductor a preliminary structure comprising a flexible mesh and a solder material, the mesh being formed of a material having a higher thermal conductivity than the solder material;
- placing the semiconductor device on the preliminary structure so that the solder material and a first portion of the mesh is between the semiconductor device and the conductor and a second portion of the mesh is not between the semiconductor device and the conductor;
- and then
- forming the joint structure by heating the preliminary structure so that the solder material melts, infiltrates the first portion of the mesh, and bonds together the semiconductor device, the conductor and the first portion of the mesh, the second portion of the mesh extending outside of the joint structure and from between the semiconductor device and the conductor to define a solder-free flexible jumper to the semiconductor device, the mesh substantially establishing the thickness of the joint structure.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.