Properties of non-conductive die attach pastes affecting their performance
Thermal conductivity and heat dissipation
The thermal conductivity of silver-filled die attach pastes makes it excellent for heat dissipation, but in electronic applications where a high thermal conductivity must be combined with low electrical conductivity, ceramic fillers such as alumina and silica are good alternatives. Examples are packaging materials for power semiconductor devices where the heat generated needs to be dissipated to ensure its long life and reliability.
Thermal dissipation through the die attach occurs mainly through conduction and convection. Therefore, the morphology of the filler materials, their shapes, sizes and their distribution in the resin influence the process. Smooth ceramic powders less than 20 µm in diameter are typical.
Thermal conductivity and type of non-conductive filler
The thermal conductivity of diamond is impressive, as high as 1500-2000 W/m·K depending on its purity, and that of diamond-filled pastes can exceed 12 W/m·K. However, the price of diamond is prohibitive for everyday applications. Fillers that have found commercial use are alumina (99%, 40 W/m·K), aluminum nitride (170-260 W/m·K), boron nitride (130-260 W/m·K), and silicon carbide (270 W/m·K).
Percentage of filler and flow properties
Boron nitride at a loading level of 40 wt% can produce a mixture with a bulk thermal conductivity of 8-10 W/m·K, although the thixotropic end result can be difficult to dispense. On the other hand, alumina is low cost and a popular choice due to its more manageable flow properties. When mixed with organic resin, the resulting paste has a thermal conductivity of 1.5 W/m·K at a loading level of 75 wt%.
Therefore, although the thermal conductivity of a paste may be increased by adding more filler as far as the density of the resin will allow (typically, 85%–90% by weight and 40%–50% by volume), there is a point where doing so is no longer beneficial, negatively impacting other properties of the paste, e.g., viscosity. To counter this, thixotropic additives are introduced to improve flow properties. You will find that many commercially available die attach pastes are formulated using similar core resins, fillers, and catalysts but differ in the quantities of these ingredients.
Another factor affecting the thermal conductivity of a paste other than type and percentage of filler is the curing requirement of the paste.