Structural Understanding of Direct-Sintered Al2O3-to-Cu Joints Through Damage Modeling

Abstract

Al2O3-to-Cu/3 μm Ni/1 μm Au assemblies were direct-sintered with a paste consisting of micron-sized Ag2O particles and a reducing solvent that provokes Ag2O-to-Ag reduction during processing accompanied by the formation of Ag nanoparticles. The variation of process temperature, pressure and time resulted in different porosity and shear strength. This experimental data set was used to calibrate a finite element model of the assembly considering the elasto-visco-plastic joint properties and the joint porosity. Local analyses within the sintered Ag layer yielded a damage function D f and a damage criterion that could assess the joint strength as a function of geometry, microstructure and process conditions. The developed damage model introduced a parameter ζ, i.e. the product of equivalent creep strain e cr,eq and stress triaxiality η, that balanced the tolerable equivalent plastic strain e pl,eq at fracture. A Fortran subroutine (UVARM) visualized the damage distribution over the sintered layer. The predominant crack initiation and propagation were identified in good agreement with the experimental fracture behavior. A numerical parameter study subsequently revealed the complex interaction between the ceramic–metal interfacial porosity, the total bulk porosity and the shear strength.