J. Schmitt, M.D. Healy, M. Khosravi, H. Bartzsch, M. Gittner, B.J. Soller
Nitride Global,
United States
Keywords: aluminum oxynitride films, power semiconductors, thermal management, AMB/DBC cermics
Summary:
Power semiconductors and other electronic applications demand two critical factors: electrical isolation and highly efficient cooling of devices. Achieving an optimal balance between electrical isolation, thermal expansion coefficient, thermal resistance, and thermal reliability poses significant challenges. Current market solutions often compromise in one or more of these areas. Today, metallic plates bonded to rigid ceramics—known as AMB (Active Metal Brazing) and DCB (Direct Copper Bonding) substrates—are commonly used for such applications. However, these technologies are limited in thermal conductivity due to the thickness of the rigid ceramic, which is typically around 250µm. Additionally, their performance is constrained by the inherent mechanical fragility of the base ceramic material. AlON thin film technology provides an optimal combination of these essential characteristics while offering exceptional mechanical robustness. It is capable of withstanding significant mechanical forces. Furthermore, our proprietary deposition system ensures atomic bonding with the substrate, achieving near 100% density, defect-free layers, and is applied at low temperatures (<300°C). These films are extremely thin, ranging from 100 nm to 50 µm or more, with typical applications requiring only 10–15 µm to support voltage standoff levels exceeding 5000 volts. In this presentation, we will present results on the electrical isolation, thermal conductivity, film stress, and adhesion properties of AlON films. Additionally, it will discuss how these properties depend on film thickness and the quality of the substrate surface.