Effects of metallization thickness of ceramic substrates on the reliability of power assemblies under high temperature cycling

This study focuses on the influence of metallization thickness of ceramic substrates on reliability and lifetime of electronic power assemblies under high temperature cycling. The paper presents experimental and numerical results on different test vehicles with a number of DCB substrates with AlN ceramic and different copper thicknesses. It will be shown the influence of the DCB metallization on failure modes such as ceramic fracture and solder delamination under high temperature cycles. Finally, these samples will be compared with DCB substrates equipped with dimples and DAB substrates. Furthermore, the main factors that could increase the lifetime expectancy of power modules in such harsh environments will be identified.