500 μm heavy micro-alloyed Cu wire for IGBT application: The study on microstructure characteristics, electrical fatigue fracture mechanism and bonding reliability

In this study, we introduced trace amounts of silver and nickel into 500 μm diameter copper wires to form micro-alloyed copper wires used in insulated gate bipolar transistors (IGBT). The addition of silver and nickel enhanced the mechanical properties of the conductors and suppressed the work hardening effect, significantly improving the power cyclic lifetime. Additionally, this study conducted chlorination and high-temperature oxidation test to compare the application characteristics of the heavy micro-alloyed copper wires with pure copper wires, through tensile and bending test, as well as electrical property comparisons. Finally, Cu50Ni (50 ppm Ni) wires were selected and nickel ceramic substrates for wire bonding to evaluate module electrical properties and bonding reliability.

In the chloride test, there was no significant pitting corrosion observed in copper wire, and the micro-alloyed copper wire outperformed the pure copper wires in terms of bending lifetime and power cycling performance. In the high-temperature oxidation test, an oxide layer of cuprous oxide formed on the surface of all wires. The pure copper wire exhibited a significant increase in resistance. Notably, the micro-alloyed copper wires had better resistance to oxidation. Regarding wire bonding, the use of Cu50Ni wires and nickel ceramic substrates reduced the diffusion rate of nickel atoms from the substrate to the copper wire, forming a thinner alloy diffusion layer. This prevented electrical degradation and achieved high bonding reliability, especially under higher bonding forces. These findings confirm that micro-alloyed copper wires are suitable for high-power applications.