Formation of Metal Electrode on Si3N4Substrate by Electrochemical Technique

There is a close relationship between the performance and the heat generation of the electronic device. Heat generation causes a significant degradation of the durability and/or efficiency of the device. It is necessary to have an effective method to release the generated heat. Based on demands of the printed circuit board (PCB) manufacturing, it is necessary to develop a robust and reliable plating technique for substrates with high thermal conductivity, such as alumina ( Al₂O₃ ), aluminium nitride (AlN), and silicon nitride ( Si₃N₄ ). In this study, the plating of metal layers on an insulating silicon nitride ( Si₃N₄ ) ceramic substrate was developed. We formed a Pd- TiO₂ adhesion layer and used APTES(3-Aminopropyltriethoxysilane) to form OH groups on the surface and adhere the metal layer on the insulating Si₃N₄ substrate. We used an electroless Ni plating without sensitization/activation process, as Pd particles were nucleated on the TiO₂ layer. The electrical resistivity of Ni and Cu layers is 7.27×10⁻⁵ and 1.32×10⁻⁶ohm-cm by 4 point prober, respectively. The adhesion strength is 2.506 N by scratch test.