Inventors:
Jonathan H. Harris - Scottsdale AZ, US
Frank J. Polese - San Diego CA, US
Robert J. Tesch - Phoenix AZ, US
Stephen P. Nootens - San Diego CA, US
Sorin Dinescu - San Diego CA, US
William L. Bradbury - San Diego CA, US
International Classification:
C04B 37/00
H05K 13/00
US Classification:
174 94 R, 156 60, 156280, 156 8912, 403272
Abstract:
A monolithic, substantially hermetic joining or bonding of two or more aluminum nitride (“AlN”) ceramic components is made by promoting transient liquid phase sintering near the contact areas between the components. In a first approach, AlN particles are combined with a rare earth oxide sintering additive such as yttrium oxide (Y2O3) in a joining paste can be applied between the joining surfaces of fired ceramic preformed components prior to final firing to weld the components together. In a second approach, the additive is added to green mixture, and the components having different shrinkage aspect ratios are mated and cofired in an atmosphere containing a partial pressure of the additive. The additive encourages wetting and diffusion of the liquid phases present on the surfaces of ceramic interface particles in the contact areas during final firing. Such processes can be used to form complex ceramic structures such as a ceramic susceptor used in integrated circuit fabrication. The components can have a plurality of embedded metallized electronic traces which can be electrically interconnected across the interface between the components.
