Indium Blog

Solder Redefined Part 1 – Introduction

Category:
  • Solder

  • Seth Homer: Hybrid electric vehicles, green energy and power management are just a few of the industries taking advantage of insulated gate bipolar transistors technology or IGBTs. But when you consider the relentless push for higher power densities, coupled with higher power cycling, a lot is being asked of this technology. The demand increase on IGBT cascades down into the interconnect level of the device. Traditionally we have relied on the physical attributes of a properly manufactured and applied solder material to achieve consistency. However, these conventions are being challenged by the demands on reliability and performance. The only logical way to achieve superior performance and reliability is to redefine the role of solder in this process.
     
    In this series, I will explore considerations for redefining solder at three attach levels of peak concern in the IGBT stackup: the die level, the substrate level and the baseplate level. At the die-attach level our goal is to achieve low-voiding and improved wetting. For DBC substrate to baseplate, it is critical to achieve consistent bondline thickness or co-planarity. And when it comes to baseplate to heat-sink level we must ensure that the thermal transfer capabilities are resistant to degradation. This video is one of a four video series in which I will share with you detailed considerations and unique solutions developed by Indium Corporation to address the challenges at each level.
     
    If at any point you have questions please contact me directly at shomer@indium.com. Thank you.