Advanced DBC (direct bonded copper) substrates for high power and high voltage electronics

Direct bonded copper substrates have been proven for many years as an excellent solution for electrical isolation and thermal management of high power semiconductor modules. The advantages of DBC substrates are high current carrying capability due to thick copper metallization and a thermal expansion close to the one of silicon at the copper surface due to high bond strength of copper to ceramic. The main disadvantage of standard DBC substrates for high voltage applications is a start of partial discharge at relatively low voltages. The newly developed DBC technologies of the liquid cooled and the partial discharge free substrates presented in this paper have a great potential to expand further application fields of DBC substrates as well as high power semiconductor modules in the near future