High performance thermal stack for electrical components

Abstract

A thermal stack laminate and a process for producing the same are disclosed. The thermal stack laminate includes a baseplate formed from a heat sink material that has on a first surface a very thin thermally sprayed alumina layer to serve as a dielectric and attached to the alumina is a kinetic spray applied solderable layer. An electrical component is attached to the thermal stack laminate by solder. The thermal stack laminate optionally includes a kinetic spray applied first and/or second metal matrix composite layer between the baseplate and the alumina layer and between the alumina layer and the solderable material. In addition, one other optional layer comprises a first layer of the solderable material applied via a thermal spray process followed by the remainder of the solderable material applied by a kinetic spray process.

1 . A method for formation of a thermal stack laminate for coupling to an electronic component comprising the steps of: 
 a) providing a heat sink material having a first surface;    b) applying a layer of alumina onto the first surface of the heat sink material by a thermal spray process; and    c) applying a layer of a solderable material onto the layer of alumina by a kinetic spray process, thereby forming a thermal stack laminate.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein step a) comprises providing a heat sink material comprising copper or aluminum.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein step b) comprises applying a layer of alumina having a thickness of from 50.0 to 210.0 microns.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein step b) comprises applying a layer of alumina having a thickness of from 75.0 to 130.0 microns.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein step b) comprises applying the layer of alumina by one of a plasma thermal spray process or a high-velocity oxyfuel thermal spray process.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein step c) comprises providing one of copper or a copper alloy as the solderable material and applying the solderable material onto the layer of alumina by a kinetic spray process.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein step c) comprises applying a layer of a solderable material having a thickness of from 250.0 microns to 1.0 centimeters onto the layer of alumina by a kinetic spray process.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein step c) further comprises applying a first layer of the solderable material by a thermal spray process onto the layer of alumina and then applying the remainder of the solderable material by a kinetic spray process.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , comprising applying the first layer of the solderable material to a thickness of from 50.0 microns to 130 microns and the remainder of the solderable material to a thickness of from 200.0 microns to 1.0 centimeters.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of applying a metal matrix composite layer comprising a mixture of at least one metal, or at least one alloy, or a combination of at least one metal and at least one alloy with at least one ceramic by a kinetic spray process onto the first surface of the heat sink material and then applying the layer of alumina onto the metal matrix composite layer by a thermal spray process.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , comprising applying a metal matrix composite layer comprising a mixture of aluminum and silicon carbide.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , comprising applying a metal matrix composite layer having a thickness of from 500.0 microns to 1.1 centimeters.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , comprising applying a metal matrix composite layer having a thickness of from 500.0 microns to 5.0 millimeters.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , comprising applying a metal matrix composite layer having a thickness of from 500.0 microns to 2.1 millimeters.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising the step of applying a metal matrix composite layer comprising a mixture of at least one metal, or at least one alloy, or a combination of at least one metal and at least one alloy with at least one ceramic by a kinetic spray process over the layer of alumina prior to step c).  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of applying a metal matrix composite layer comprising a mixture of at least one metal, or at least one alloy, or a combination of at least one metal and at least one alloy with at least one ceramic by a kinetic spray process over the layer of alumina prior to step c).  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , comprising applying a metal matrix composite layer comprising a mixture of aluminum and silicon carbide.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , comprising applying a metal matrix composite layer having a thickness of from 500.0 microns to 1.1 centimeters.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , comprising applying a metal matrix composite layer having a thickness of from 500.0 microns to 5.0 millimeters.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , comprising applying a metal matrix composite layer having a thickness of from 500.0 microns to 2.1 millimeters.  
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising the further step after step c) of soldering an electrical chip to the solderable material layer.  
     
     
         22 . A thermal stack laminate for attachment to an electrical component, said thermal stack laminate comprising: 
 a baseplate of a heat sink material having a first surface;    attached to said first surface a thermal spray applied layer of alumina having a thickness of from 50.0 to 210.0 microns; and    attached to said layer of alumina a kinetic spray applied layer of a solderable material.    
     
     
         23 . A thermal stack laminate as recited in  claim 22 , wherein said baseplate of a heat sink material comprises copper or aluminum.  
     
     
         24 . A thermal stack laminate as recited in  claim 22 , wherein said layer of alumina has a thickness of from 75.0 to 130.0 microns.  
     
     
         25 . A thermal stack laminate as recited in  claim 22 , wherein said solderable material comprises one of copper, aluminum, or a copper alloy.  
     
     
         26 . A thermal stack laminate as recited in  claim 22 , wherein said layer of a solderable material has a thickness of from 250.0 microns to 1.0 centimeters.  
     
     
         27 . A thermal stack laminate a recited in  claim 22 , further including an electrical chip soldered to said layer of solderable material.  
     
     
         28 . A thermal stack laminate for attachment to an electrical component, said thermal stack laminate comprising: 
 a baseplate of a heat sink material having a first surface;    attached to said first surface a kinetic spray applied layer of a metal matrix composite layer comprising a mixture of at least one metal, or at least one alloy, or a combination of at least one metal and at least one alloy with at least one ceramic;    attached to said layer of a metal matrix composite a thermal spray applied layer of alumina having a thickness of from 50.0 to 210.0 microns; and    attached to said layer of alumina a kinetic spray applied layer of a solderable material.    
     
     
         29 . The thermal stack laminate of  claim 28 , wherein said layer of a metal matrix composite comprises a mixture of aluminum and silicon carbide.  
     
     
         30 . The thermal stack laminate of  claim 28 , wherein said layer of a metal matrix composite has a thickness of from 500.0 microns to 1.1 centimeters.  
     
     
         31 . The thermal stack laminate of  claim 28 , wherein said layer of a metal matrix composite has a thickness of from 500.0 microns to 5.0 millimeters.  
     
     
         32 . The thermal stack laminate of  claim 28 , wherein said layer of a metal matrix composite has a thickness of from 500.0 microns to 2.1 millimeters.  
     
     
         33 . The thermal stack laminate of  claim 28 , further comprising a second layer of a metal matrix composite applied by a kinetic spray process, said second layer of a metal matrix composite located between said layer of alumina and said layer of a solderable material.  
     
     
         34 . The thermal stack laminate of  claim 28 , further comprising an electrical chip soldered to said layer of a solderable material.  
     
     
         35 . A thermal stack laminate for attachment to an electrical component, said thermal stack laminate comprising: 
 a baseplate of a heat sink material having a first surface;    attached to said first surface a thermal spray applied layer of alumina having a thickness of from 50.0 to 210.0 microns;    attached to said layer of alumina a kinetic spray applied layer of a metal matrix composite layer comprising a mixture of at least one metal, or at least one alloy, or a combination of at least one metal and at least one alloy with at least one ceramic; and    attached to said layer of a metal matrix composite a kinetic spray applied layer of a solderable material.    
     
     
         36 . The thermal stack laminate of  claim 35 , wherein said layer of a metal matrix composite comprises a mixture of aluminum and silicon carbide.  
     
     
         37 . The thermal stack laminate of  claim 35 , wherein said layer of a metal matrix composite has a thickness of from 500.0 microns to 1.1 centimeters.  
     
     
         38 . The thermal stack laminate of  claim 35 , wherein said layer of a metal matrix composite has a thickness of from 500.0 microns to 5.0 millimeters.  
     
     
         39 . The thermal stack laminate of  claim 35 , wherein said layer of a metal matrix composite has a thickness of from 500.0 microns to 2.1 millimeters.  
     
     
         40 . The thermal stack laminate of  claim 35 , further comprising an electrical chip soldered to said layer of a solderable material.  
     
     
         41 . A thermal stack laminate for attachment to an electrical component, said thermal stack laminate comprising: 
 a baseplate of a heat sink material having a first surface;    attached to said first surface a thermal spray applied layer of alumina having a thickness of from 50.0 to 210.0 microns; and    attached to said layer of alumina a thermal spray applied layer of a solderable material and a kinetic spray applied layer of a solderable material applied to said thermal spray applied layer of a solderable material.    
     
     
         42 . A thermal stack laminate as recited in  claim 41 , wherein said thermal spray applied layer of a solderable material has a thickness of from 50.0 to 130.0 microns and said kinetic spray applied layer of a solderable material has a thickness of from 200.0 microns to 1.0 centimeters.