US3766634A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method of direct bonding metals to non-metallic substrates
Assignee: General Electric Co
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Filing: 1972-04-20
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Granted: 1973-10-23
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Expires: 1992-04-20
Abstract
Abstract A method is described for direct bonding of metallic members to non-metallic members at elevated temperatures in a controlled reactive atmosphere without resorting to the use of electroless plating, vacuum deposition or intermediate metals. The method comprises placing a metal member such as copper, for example, in contact with a non-metallic substrate, such as alumina, heating the metal member and the substrate to a temperature slightly below the melting of the metal, e.g., between approximately 1,065*C. and 1,080*C. for copper, the heating being performed in a reactive atmosphere, such as an oxidizing atmosphere, for a sufficient time to create a copper-copper oxide eutectic melt which, upon cooling, bonds the copper to the substrate. Various metals, non-metals and reactive gases are described for direct bonding.
Inventors
- 👤 G Babcock
- 👤 W Bryant
- 👤 C Neugebauer
- 👤 J Burgess
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 08:03
CPC Classifications
C; C04; C04B; C04B37/00; C04B37/02; C04B37/021; H; H05; H05K; H05K3/00; H05K3/38; C04B2235/00; C04B2235/65; C04B2235/656; C04B2235/6567; C04B2235/658; C04B2235/6583; C04B2235/6584; C04B2235/6586; C04B2237/00; C04B2237/02; C04B2237/04; C04B2237/06; C04B2237/08; C04B2237/30; C04B2237/32; C04B2237/34; C04B2237/341; C04B2237/343; C04B2237/345; C04B2237/346; C04B2237/40; C04B2237/403; C04B2237/405; C04B2237/406; C04B2237/407; C04B2237/408; C04B2237/50; C04B2237/54; C04B2237/60; C04B2237/70; C04B2237/706; C04B2237/708; C04B2237/74
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said metallic member is selected from the group consisting of copper, nickel, cobalt, iron and chromium and the step of heating in a reactive atmosphere forms said eutectic with the selected metallic member.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method of claim 2 wherein said reactive gas is oxygen.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 2 wherein said reactive gas is a sulfur-bearing gas.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 2 wherein said reactive gas is a phosphorus-bearing gas.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said substrate is alumina or beryllia and the metallic member is copper.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
46 words
The method of claim 6 wherein said copper member is in the form of a sheet having a thickness of between approximately 1 and 250 milli-inches and said reactive atmosphere is argon, helium or nitrogen with approximately 0.01 to 0.5 per cent by volume of oxygen.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 7 wherein said eutectic is copper-copper oxide which forms at a temperature of approximately 1,065*C.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 2 wherein said metallic member has a thickness of between approximately 1 and 250 mils.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 2 wherein said non-metallic material is selected from the group of alumina, beryllia and fused silica, titanates and spinnels.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 1 further comprising placing a second non-metallic material in contact with said metallic member to bond said non-metallic materials together.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 1 further comprising placing a second metallic member in contact with said non-metallic material to form bonds on opposite surfaces of said non-metallic material.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the step of cooling is followed by selective masking and etching of the metallic member.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said reactive atmosphere includes a partial pressure of a reactive gas in excess of the equilibrium partial pressure of the reactive gas in the metal at or above the eutectic temperature.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said metallic member is selected from the group of alloys consisting of copper-nickel, nickel-cobalt, copper-chromium, copper-cobalt, iron-nickel, silver-gold and beryllium-copper.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
92 words
A method of bonding a metallic member to a non-metallic member comprising: placing a metallic member selected from the group consisting of copper, nickel, cobalt, iron and chromium in contact with a non-metallic member; providing a reactive gas atmosphere which at an elevated temperature will react with the metal surface to form a eutectic; forming said eutectic with said metallic member in said reactive atmosphere at a temperature below the melting point of the members, said eutectic wetting said metallic and non-metallic members; and cooling said members to form a bond therebetween.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 16 wherein the step of cooling is followed by bonding a semiconductor device to said metallic member.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 16 wherein the step of cooling is followed by patterning said metallic member.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method of claim 16 wherein the step of forming a eutectic comprises: flowing a mixture of a substantially inert gas with approximately 0.01 and 0.5 per cent by volume of a reactive gas over said metallic and non-metallic members.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 19 wherein said reactive gas is oxygen in a percentage of between approximately 0.03 and 0.1 by volume of the reactive atmosphere.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-10-22 | 1977-04-23 | 1977-10-23 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-10-22 | 1981-04-23 | 1981-10-23 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-10-22 | 1985-04-23 | 1985-10-23 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |