Abstract:
A description is given of an electronic sandwich structure which has at least a first (1) and a second part (2) to be joined, which are sintered together by means of a sintering layer (3). The sintering layer (3) is formed as a substantially uninterrupted connecting layer, the density of which varies in such a way that at least one region of higher density (4a) and at least one region of lower density (4b) alternate with one another. A description is also given of a method for forming a sintering layer (3) of an electronic sandwich structure, in which firstly a sintering material layer (3) is applied substantially continuously to a second part (2) to be joined as a connecting layer (3), this sintering material layer (3) is subsequently dried and, finally, alternating regions of higher density (4a) and of lower density (4b) of the connecting layer (3) are produced by sintering the second part to be joined (2) with the sintering layer (3) on a first part to be joined (1). The sintering material may be applied in points or stripes. The to-be-joined surfaces of the first part to be joined (1) and the second part to be joined (2) may be arranged plane-parallel, in which case the sintering layer (3) is formed with its surface regularly uneven, i.e. it has in particular regions of greater thickness (3a) and regions of smaller thickness (3b) in defined patterns, which has the effect that, after the sintering process, there are regions of higher density (4a) in the regions (3a) of thicker sintering paste application and regions of lower density (4b) in the regions (3b) of thinner sintering paste application. Alternatively, the to-be-joined surfaces of the first part to be joined (1) and the second part to be joined (2) may at least in certain regions be not arranged plane-parallel, wherein, with an initially completely uniform sintering paste application, a thinner sintering layer is obtained in the regions (4a) where the parts to be joined (1, 2) are at a smaller distance after the sintering, whereas a thicker sintering layer is formed in the regions (4b) where the distance is greater, which finally has the effect that a higher density forms in the regions (4a) where the two parts to be joined (1, 2) are at a smaller distance from one another, than in the regions (4b) where the distance between the parts to be joined (1, 2) is greater. A high lifetime of the electronic sandwich structure connected by sintering is achieved even for parts to be joined (1, 2) that have different coefficients of thermal expansion, in particular in components for power electronics.