Novel processes for an Al2O3/AlN composite system as dielectric substrate for microelectronics application

Abstract

Recent development of higher power and higher speed in integrated circuits has led to a corresponding demand in improvement for dielectric substrate materials. Conventional Al2O3 system has probably reached its maximum possible performance, with AlN being a prospective alternative, due to its significantly higher thermal conductivity and its matching thermal expansion coefficient with Silicon. The present study aims to produce an Al2O3 and AlN composite system to combine the properties of these two materials for use as a microelectronics material. A mixture of 80%Al2O3 and 20%AlN (by weight) powders has been mechanically alloyed, spray-dried and then plasma sprayed to result in a synthesized Al2O3/AlN composite powder system. Analysis using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM) with Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDX) showed that the Al2O3/AlN composite powder system was successfully produced, with both components evenly integrated at a micron scale.