With the rise of third-generation semiconductor (SiC/GaN) packaging, how does vacuum reflow address its key soldering challenges?

Introduction:

With the rapid development of electric vehicles, 5G communications and new energy industries, the third-generation semiconductors silicon carbide (SiC) and gallium nitride (GaN) are rapidly becoming the core of power devices. However, these high-performance materials also present unprecedented packaging challenges. Traditional reflow soldering processes have struggled to meet their extremely high reliability requirements. This article explores these challenges and explains why vacuum reflow technology is an indispensable solution.

Industry pain point analysis:

High void rate, thermal resistance increases: SiC modules are usually large in area, and it is difficult for the gas evolved from the flux to be completely discharged during traditional reflow soldering, resulting in a high void rate. This will seriously increase the interface thermal resistance, affecting the chip heat dissipation and performance, and even lead to early failure.

Oxidation problems, low soldering strength: In the high temperature soldering process, the ordinary atmosphere environment can not completely prevent the oxidation of the pad and solder paste, resulting in poor wettability and reduced solder strength.

Narrow process window, requiring extremely high precision: third-generation semiconductor materials are extremely sensitive to temperature, requiring excellent stability and precision of the soldering process, any small fluctuations may affect the yield.

Vacuum reflow solution:

In the face of these challenges, vacuum reflow technology provides the perfect answer:

Extremely low voiding (<1%): At the critical stage of the reflow process, the vacuum system drastically reduces the air pressure inside the oven chamber, effectively extracting flux residues and air and forcing air bubbles to escape from the molten solder, thus reducing the voiding rate to less than 1%, which greatly improves thermal conductivity and reliability.

Oxygen-free environment, perfect wetting: The vacuum environment essentially isolates oxygen, completely eliminating oxidization during the soldering process, ensuring good solder wetting and higher solder bonding strength.

Precise process control: advanced vacuum reflow soldering equipment (such as our VRS series) with multi-stage vacuum adjustable, precise temperature control system (± 1 ° C) and controllable cooling rate, can be tailored for the SiC / GaN soldering of the optimal temperature-vacuum curve, to ensure process repeatability and stability.

Conclusion:

The choice of vacuum reflow soldering, is no longer a simple process upgrade, but toward high-end manufacturing, to ensure the core competitiveness of the product strategic decision. It is not only the key to solving the third generation of semiconductor packaging problems, but also for the future of high-performance electronic equipment to pave the way.