Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
200 words
An aluminum nitride-based sintered body which comprises aluminum nitride, at least one compound of a Group IIa metal and at least one compound of a Group IIIa metal of the Periodic Table and which has a thermal conductivity of greater than 110 W/mK and a relative density of at least 90%, wherein said Group IIa metal compound is present in an amount sufficient to provide a content of the Group IIa metal of from 0.01 to 5.0% by weight calculated as an oxide, said Group IIIa metal compound is present in an amount sufficient to provide a content o the Group IIIa metal of from 0.01% to 10.0% by weight calculated as an oxide, the residual oxygen content of the sintered body, which is calculated by subtracting the total amount of oxygen which can be bound to the Group IIa metal and the Group IIIa metal present in the sintered body as an oxide of each metal from the total oxygen content of the sintered body, is not greater than 5.0% by weight, and the Si content of the sintered body is not greater than 1.0% by weight, all the percentages being based on the weight of the sintered body.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
200 words
An aluminum nitride-based sintered body which comprises aluminum nitride, at least one compound of a Group IIa metal and at least one compound of a Group IIIa metal of the Periodic Table and which has a thermal conductivity of greater than 110 W/mK and a relative density of at least 90%, wherein said Group IIa metal compound is present in an amount sufficient to provide a content of the Group IIa metal of from 0.01 to 5.0% by weight calculated as an oxide, said Group IIIa metal compound is present in an amount sufficient to provide a content o the Group IIIa metal of from 0.01% to 10.0% by weight calculated as an oxide, the residual oxygen content of the sintered body, which is calculated by subtracting the total amount of oxygen which can be bound to the Group IIa metal and the Group IIIa metal present in the sintered body as an oxide of each metal from the total oxygen content of the sintered body, is not greater than 5.0% by weight, and the Si content of the sintered body is not greater than 1.0% by weight, all the percentages being based on the weight of the sintered body.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
22 words
An aluminum nitride-based sintered body according to claim 1 wherein said aluminum nitride is prepared by direct nitriding of metallic aluminum powder.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
97 words
An aluminum nitride-based sintered body according to claim 1 wherein said Group IIa metal compound is present in an amount sufficient to provide a content of the Group IIa metal of from 0.03 to 2.6% by weight as an oxide, said Group IIIa metal compound is present in an amount sufficient to provide a content of the Group IIIa metal of from 0.23 to 9.6% by weight as an oxide, the residual oxygen content of the sintered body is not greater than 3% by weight, and the Si content thereof is not greater than 0.5% by weight.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
21 words
An aluminum nitride-based sintered body according to claim 1 wherein said sintered body has a relative density of at least 92%.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
36 words
An aluminum nitride-based sintered body according to claim 1 wherein said Group IIa metal is Ca, Sr, or Ba, and said Group IIIa metal is Y, Yb, Ho, Eu, Dy, Sm, Lu, Nd, Gd, or Er.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
176 words
An aluminum nitride-based sintered body which comprises aluminum nitride at least one calcium compound and at least one yttrium compound and which has a thermal conductivity of greater than 110 W/mK and a relative density of at least 92%, wherein said calcium compound is present in an amount sufficient to provide a Ca content of from 0.01 to 2.6% by weight calculated as CaO, said yttrium compound is present in an amount sufficient to provide a Y content of from 0.23 to 9.6% by weight calculated as Y 2 O 3 , the residual oxygen content of the sintered body, which is calculated by subtracting the total amount of oxygen which can be bound to the Ca and Y contents of the sintered body as CaO and Y 2 O 3 , respectively, from the total oxygen content of the sintered body, is not greater than 3.0% by weight, and the Si content of the sintered body is not greater than 0.7% by weight, all the percentages being based on the weight of the sintered body.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
176 words
An aluminum nitride-based sintered body which comprises aluminum nitride at least one calcium compound and at least one yttrium compound and which has a thermal conductivity of greater than 110 W/mK and a relative density of at least 92%, wherein said calcium compound is present in an amount sufficient to provide a Ca content of from 0.01 to 2.6% by weight calculated as CaO, said yttrium compound is present in an amount sufficient to provide a Y content of from 0.23 to 9.6% by weight calculated as Y 2 O 3 , the residual oxygen content of the sintered body, which is calculated by subtracting the total amount of oxygen which can be bound to the Ca and Y contents of the sintered body as CaO and Y 2 O 3 , respectively, from the total oxygen content of the sintered body, is not greater than 3.0% by weight, and the Si content of the sintered body is not greater than 0.7% by weight, all the percentages being based on the weight of the sintered body.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
22 words
An aluminum nitride-based sintered body according to claim 6 wherein said aluminum nitride is prepared by direct nitriding of metallic aluminum powder.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
35 words
An aluminum nitride-based sintered body according to claim 6 wherein the Ca content as CaO and the Y content as Y 2 O 3 are within the region confined by lines E-F-G-H-I-J-E in FIG. 1.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
87 words
An aluminum nitride-based sintered body according to claim 6 wherein said Ca compound is present in an amount sufficient to provide a Ca content of from 0.1 to 2.5% by weight as CaO, said Y compound is present in an amount sufficient to provide a Y content of from 0.3 to 8.0% by weight as Y 2 O 3 , the residual oxygen content of the sintered body is not greater than 2.7% by weight, and the Si content thereof is not greater than 0.4% by weight.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
30 words
An aluminum nitride-based sintered body according to claim 6 wherein said sintered body has a thermal conductivity of greater than 120 W/mK and a relative density of at least 95%.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
36 words
An aluminum nitride-based sintered body according to claim 1, which consists essentially of aluminum nitride, said at least one compound of a Group IIa metal and said at least one compound of a Group IIIa metal.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
28 words
An aluminum nitride-based sintered body according to claim 6, which consists essentially of aluminum nitride, said at least one calcium compound and said at least one yttrium compound.