Method of manufacturing power semiconductors with pressed contacts

Claim 1

In a method of manufacturing power semiconductor devices with pressed contacts comprising the following stages: formation of a monocrystalline semiconductor wafer of silicon in which semiconductor junctions are formed, a first surface of this wafer comprising at least a first, a second and a third zone; formation of a contact plate fixed on the second surface of the wafer; formation by serigraphic deposition of a first contact electrode and of a second contact electrode on said first and second zones respectively, the thickness of this second electrode being greater than that of the first; formation of a first metal contact unit and of a second metal contact unit disposed on said electrodes and on said plate respectively and constituting the main terminals of the device; and formation of clamping means pressing said two contact units against said plate, so as to ensure contact of the first contact unit with the second electrode and of the second contact unit with said contact plate; the improvement wherein said stage of forming a first contact electrode and second contact electrode comprises the following steps: depositing a first continuous thin metal layer of aluminum on said first surface of the semiconductor wafer providing good ohmic contact on the plate, before said serigraphic deposition; local etching of said first metal layer to cause it to remain only on said first and second zones; said deposit by serigraphy being in the form of a thick layer of paste on said second zone, said paste containing a proportion of silver by weight of more than 50% and a viscous binding agent; and baking the layer of paste at a temperature on the order of 510° C. to 540° C. for a sufficient time to remove the binding agent of the paste to transform said layer of paste into a second compact metal layer.