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Story 054 – 2015 – Products

Turbo – not only for e-mobility

DCB copper strips for power electronics

Power electronics are being used in more and more applications. Wieland has developed a special product for this purpose which meets the special requirements in the production of DCP (Direct Copper Bonding) boards.

Modern chip generations have the ability to transmit comparatively high electric currents. Power electronics has developed from this trend. It works with controllable, passive power semiconductors, which, unlike relays, for example, do not require mechanical parts.
A prerequisite for this are ceramic DCB (direct copper bonding) cards, onto which copper is applied (bonded) whilst close to melting point. The eutectic bonding process used here requires alloys with a clearly definable, relatively low melting point. In addition, the copper used for this must have a high degree of purity due to the desired excellent electrical conductivity. And it must have a stable microstructure in order to retain its properties despite the high temperatures involved in the manufacture of DCB cards.

Wieland has therefore developed a product which optimally meets the special requirements for DCB applications in power electronics. It not only enables reliable connection of the only 50 to 400 micrometres thin copper wires, but also ensures good etchability, and allows clear laser marking and thus for subsequent processes to be carried out in a stable, reliable and cost-effective manner. As DCB cards are available with a wide variety of ceramic insulators, Wieland offers these copper strips in thicknesses between 0.1 and 0.6 millimetres.

Power electronics - and thus also DCB copper from Wieland - are used in a wide range of applications. For example in inverters for wind turbines or in switch-mode power supplies, but especially in electronic drives and thus also in e-mobility. In other words, in areas which play a central role for a sustainable future and which are forecast to experience strong growth. Wieland will continue to offer suitable copper materials for further foreseeable developments in power electronics in close contact with its customers.

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Strip for power electronics

Thanks to the stable microstructure of copper, the power electronics chips can be applied directly to the DCB card at high temperatures.