____________________________________________ Heraeus
“ External companies produce the chips, which then need to be integrated into power modules and converted into functional electronic devices; all the packaging materials surrounding these components, including wires, sinter paste, and solder paste, come from us. We develop and optimize these materials to make them compatible with increasingly demanding operating conditions, particularly higher temperatures,” he details.“ Key considerations include matching the coefficient of thermal expansion( CTE), as well as achieving higher electrical and thermal conductivity to ensure that heat can be effectively dissipated. CTE matching is particularly important because these devices experience repeated temperature changes when they are switched on and off. The materials expand and contract, and if the CTEs do not match, there is a risk of cracking or delamination.
“ At the substrate level, we also focus on thermomechanical stability, ensuring that there is no bowing, bending, or warping. Ultimately, all these material properties contribute to greater longevity and higher reliability as the performance requirements of these systems continue to increase.”
Innovation is at the core of Heraeus Electronics’ operation, as the company continues to develop materials that enable more compact designs while also reducing energy requirements. One recent example is its Welco solder paste portfolio, which enables improvements in miniaturization, reliability and sustainability.
“ Our Welco solder pastes are unique materials because they use ultra-fine, highly homogeneous, spherical solder powder. These characteristics allow for smaller and more miniaturized system designs, which in turn can help save resources, and they also result in highly reliable, zero-defect packaging,” Michael says.
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