Study of Copper-Nickel Nanoparticle Resistive Ink Compatible with Printed Copper Films for Power Electronics Applications.

Jiri Hlina,Jan Reboun,Ales Hamacek

doi:10.3390/ma14227039

Abstract

This paper is focused on copper–nickel nanoparticle resistive inks compatible with thick printed copper (TPC) technology, which can be used for power substrate manufacturing instead of conventional metallization techniques. Two types of copper–nickel inks were prepared and deposited by Aerosol Jet technology. The first type of ink was based on copper and nickel nanoparticles with a ratio of 75:25, and the second type of ink consisted of copper–nickel alloy nanoparticles with a ratio of 55:45. The characterization of electrical parameters, microstructure, thermal analysis of prepared inks and study of the influence of copper–nickel content on electrical parameters are described in this paper. It was verified that ink with a copper–nickel ratio of 55:45 (based on constantan nanoparticles) is more appropriate for the production of resistors due to low sheet resistance ~1 Ω/square and low temperature coefficient of resistance ±100·10−6 K−1 values. Copper–nickel inks can be fired in a protective nitrogen atmosphere, which ensures compatibility with copper films. The compatibility of copper–nickel and copper films enables the production of integrated resistors directly on ceramics substrates of power electronics modules made by TPC technology.

Highlights

The main requirements for these resistors are a low resistance, high stability over a wide range of temperatures and low temperature coefficient of resistance (TCR) [2]. These resistors are usually used in the discrete form such as wire-wound resistors or thick-film resistors soldered to the copper metallization of substrates because conventional techniques for power substrate manufacturing such as direct bonded copper (DBC)—based on the bonding of copper foil to ceramics through Cu-Cu2 O eutectic [3,4]—
Atformula: a temperature from 400 °C to 600 °C, the copper–nickel film does not sinter yet, which corresponds with results of test firings at temperatures of 420
In the case of ink CuNi 75:25 prepared from copper and nickel nanoparticles, there is no visible endothermic peak at the melting point of copper at 1083 ◦ C on the heat flow curve, which means that copper and nickel particles were well sintered and the copper–nickel alloy was

Summary

Introduction

Typical applications of resistors in power electronics are shunt resistors or current sensing resistors [1]. The main requirements for these resistors are a low resistance, high stability over a wide range of temperatures and low temperature coefficient of resistance (TCR) [2]. These resistors are usually used in the discrete form such as wire-wound resistors or thick-film resistors soldered to the copper metallization of substrates because conventional techniques for power substrate manufacturing such as direct bonded copper (DBC)—based on the bonding of copper foil to ceramics through Cu-Cu2 O eutectic [3,4]—

Methods

Results

Conclusion