| PATENT ASSIGNEE'S COUNTRY | Germany |
| UPDATE | 07.00 |
| PATENT NUMBER | This data is not available for free |
| PATENT GRANT DATE | 25.07.00 |
| PATENT TITLE |
Process for producing a ceramic-metal substrate |
| PATENT ABSTRACT |
The invention relates to a novel process for producing a copper ceramic substrate with at least one through-plated hole, with a ceramic layer which has at least one opening for the through-plating, on one surface side is provided with a first metal coating and on the opposite surface side with a second metal coating which extends into at least one opening and is connected to the first metal coating, for formation of the first metal coating a copper foil being applied by DCB technique to one surface side of the ceramic layer. |
| PATENT INVENTORS | This data is not available for free |
| PATENT ASSIGNEE | This data is not available for free |
| PATENT FILE DATE | 12.11.98 |
| PATENT FOREIGN APPLICATION PRIORITY DATA | This data is not available for free |
| PATENT REFERENCES CITED | This data is not available for free |
| PATENT CLAIMS |
What is claimed is: 1. A process for producing a copper ceramic substrate with at least one through-plated hole, having a ceramic layer which has at least one opening for through-plating, on one surface side of the ceramic layer is provided a first metal coating and on an opposite surface side of the ceramic layer is provided a second metal coating which extends into the at least one opening and is connected to the first metal coating, application of the first metal coating to one surface side of the ceramic layer is done by direct copper bonding, further comprising the steps of: applying the second metal coating layer as a thin auxiliary metal layer, by chemical precipitation, such that the thin auxiliary metal layer extends into the at least one opening and reaches as far as the first metal coating; the thin auxiliary metal layer is selectively reinforced by applying or precipitating a reinforced copper layer thereon; the thin auxiliary metal layer is then removed on areas not covered by a reinforced copper layer placed thereon; and then heating in an inert gas atmosphere at a temperature ranging from 1025.degree. C. to 1083.degree. C. to form a connection between the first metal coating and the second metal coating by means of direct copper bonding. 2. A process for producing a copper ceramic substrate which has at least one through-plated hole, comprising the steps of: a) applying by direct copper bonding a first metal layer onto an entire surface side of a substrate and a second metal layer onto an opposite side of the substrate, the substrate having at least one opening to form a composite; b) providing on at least a surface side of the composite, wherein the second metal layer is a thin auxiliary metal layer which extends into the at least one opening and reaches as far as the first metal layer; c) selectively reinforcing the thin auxiliary metal layer at least in the one opening by application of a galvanic copper layer; d) removing the thin auxiliary metal layer which is not reinforced by the galvanic copper layer by etching; and e) heating in an inert gas atmosphere at a temperature ranging from approximately 1025.degree. C. to 1083.degree. C. so that a connection is formed between the first metal layer and the second metal layer by direct copper bonding. 3. The process as claimed in claim 2, wherein the thin auxiliary metal layer is applied to at least one partial area of the first metal coating. 4. The process as claimed in claim 2, wherein the thin auxiliary metal layer on the second metal layer is reinforced by application of a copper layer having a thickness greater than that of the thin auxiliary metal layer at least in an area around the at least one opening. 5. The process as claimed in claim 4, wherein the application of the copper layer which reinforces the thin auxiliary metal layer also takes place on a partial area of the first metal layer. 6. The process as claimed in claim 2, wherein a copper foil which forms the first metal coating is applied by means of direct copper bonding to the substrate already provided with at least one opening, and wherein a reinforcing copper layer is applied in an area of the at least one opening to the surface of the first metal coating exposed in this at least one opening. 7. The process as claimed in claim 6, wherein the reinforcing copper layer is selectively applied using a masking technique. 8. The process as claimed in claim 2, wherein a copper foil which forms the first metal coating after application to the substrate and before precipitation of the thin metal auxiliary layer is structured by masking and etching. 9. The process as claimed in claim 8, wherein masking takes place after application of the thin auxiliary metal layer and before reinforcing of the auxiliary metal layer provided on the second metal layer using a photoresist, exposure and developing. 10. The process as claimed in claim 2, wherein the thin auxiliary metal layer is applied with a thickness ranging between 0.1 and 10 microns. 11. The process as claimed in claim 2, wherein the galvanic copper layer is applied electrolytically. 12. The process as claimed in claim 2, wherein the galvanic copper layer is applied with a thickness ranging from approximately 10 to 100 microns. 13. The process as claimed in claim 2, wherein the thin auxiliary metal layer provided on the second metal layer is oxidized before reinforcement. 14. The process as claimed in claim 13, wherein oxidation occurs in from 1 to 10% of the thickness of the thin auxiliary metal layer. 15. The process as claimed in claim 2, wherein the thin auxiliary metal layer is copper or silver. 16. The process as claimed in claim 2, wherein the first metal coating is structured before applying the thin auxiliary metal layer. 17. The process as claimed in claim 2, wherein the at least one opening is produced for at least one through-plated hole only after applying a copper foil which forms the first metal coating to the substrate, whereby selective removal of the first metal coating in the area of the at least one through-plated hole occurs, and wherein before applying the thin auxiliary metal layer and reinforcing it, the at least one opening is made in the ceramic layer. 18. The process as claimed in claim 17, wherein the at least one opening is made by a mechanical process or a laser process. 19. The process as claimed in claim 17, wherein structuring of the first metal coating takes place in the area of the at least one through-plated hole by etching, masking, or by a mechanical process. 20. The process as claimed in claim 2, wherein the first metal layer is made up of a copper foil which is already provided with the at least one opening necessary for the through plating in the first metal coating. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| PATENT DESCRIPTION |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to a process for producing a copper ceramic substrate with at least one through plated hole. Producing a metal coating on a ceramic is known, for example on an aluminum oxide ceramic using the DCB (direct copper bond technology) process. This type of coating is required for the production of printed conductors, terminals, etc. Metal or copper foils, or metal or copper sheets, which form the substrate coating on the desired device, are applied as a coating (fusing layer) composed of a chemical compound of the metal and a reactive gas, preferably oxygen onto a side of the device's substrate. In this process, described for example in U.S. Pat. No. 37 44 120 or in DE-PS 23 19 854, this layer or this coating (fusing layer) forms a eutectic with a melting point below the melting point of the metal (for example, copper) so that by placing a foil on the ceramic and by heating all the layers they can be joined to one another by fusing the metal or copper exclusively in the area of the fusing layer, or the oxide layer. This DCB process includes the following process steps: oxidation of a copper foil such that a uniform copper layer results; placing a copper foil on the ceramic layer; heating the composite to a process temperature between roughly 1065 to 1083.degree. C., for example to roughly 1071.degree. C.; cooling to room temperature; The object of the invention is to provide a process with which it is possible to produce metal-ceramic substrates for electrical circuits economically and reliably, with at least one through-plated hole. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The process as claimed in the invention allows production of ceramic-metal substrates and especially ceramic-copper substrates for electrical circuits in an economical and reliable form, with through-plated holes. Surprisingly, it is possible in the invention to effect the respective contact by connecting the metal coating formed by a copper film, and provided on one side of the ceramic layer, by means of DCB technology to the galvanically precipitated second metal coating in the area of at least one opening which forms the through-plated hole. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention is detailed below using the following FIGS. FIG. 1 shows a ceramic-copper substrate with a through-plated hole, produced using the process as claimed in the invention; FIGS. 2-12 show different process steps for producing the substrate of FIG. 1; FIG. 13 shows in a view similar to FIG. 1 another possible embodiment of the ceramic-copper substrate as claimed in the invention with a through-plated hole; and FIGS. 14-18 show different process steps for producing the substrates of FIG. 13. |
| PATENT EXAMPLES | This data is not available for free |
| PATENT PHOTOCOPY | Available on request |
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