The power semiconductor joining technology through sintering of copper nanoparticles is well-suited for die attachment in wide bandgap (WBG) semiconductors, offering high electrical, thermal, and mechanical performances. However, sintered nanocopper will be prone to degradation resulting from corrosion in sulfur-containing corrosive environments such as offshore areas. In this study, experiments, including aging test and corrosion characterization, and simulations based on density functional theory (DFT) studies were conducted to explore the corrosion behavior and mechanism of elemental sulfur (S₈) and hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) on sintered nanocopper. The experimental results indicated that loose corrosion products were observed on the sintered nanocopper during the ageing process involving S₈, and compact layered corrosion products formed during the ageing process involving H₂S. Furthermore, similar corrosion product compositions (Cu₂O, Cu₂S, CuO, CuS, and potentially Cu₂SO₄ or CuSO₄) were observed in both the S₈- and H₂S-ageing processes. However, the S₈-ageing process exhibited more noticeable corrosion penetration. This was explained in simulations results: the unsaturated Cu sites on the oxide layer [Cu₂O(1 1 1)] of the sintered nanocopper could adsorb both H₂S and S₈, while the saturated Cu sites only exhibited the potential to adsorb S₈.

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Sintered nanocopper (nanoCu) paste, exhibiting excellent electrical, thermal, and mechanical performances, offers promise for interconnections in wide bandgap (WBG) semiconductors operating at higher temperatures. However, sintered nanoCu is prone to severe corrosion in environments containing H2S, with on-site characterization methods for the composition of corrosion products currently lacking. In this study, a novel method was proposed for the rapid characterization of corrosion products during the corrosion process based on hyperspectral imaging (HSI) technology. Sintered nanoCu samples were subjected to 336 h H2S gas corrosion tests with bulk Cu as the reference, followed by correlating the corrosion element content with hyperspectral characteristic parameters. Then, the morphology and composition of corrosion products were researched using focused ion beam scanning electron microscope (FIB-SEM) and transmission electron microscope (TEM) analysis. The results showed that (1) during the corrosion process, a linear relationship was established between the Cu, O elemental atomic contents on the sample surfaces and their hyperspectral characteristic parameters. (2) The elemental atomic content of S exhibited an exponential relationship with the characteristic parameter. (3) The change rate in the spectral characteristic parameters during the corrosion process reflected the severity of corrosion, which was confirmed by comparing the thickness of the corrosion products of the sintered nanoCu and bulk Cu. This study offers a foundation for the further investigation of rapid on-site characterization of sintered nanoCu corrosion involving H2S.@en

Electromigration (EM) is a crucial failure mode in Aluminum (Al) interconnection wires those are widely used in high density semiconductor packaging. This study systematically investigated the influence of EM on the mechanical properties of Al interconnects via nanoindentation experiments and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. The results are list as follows. (1) The indentation depth gradually increases with the increase in indentation load, resulting in a gradual increase and stabilization of the Young’s modulus and hardness of the structure. Within a specific range, the influence of the loading rate on the indentation depth and mechanical properties is relatively small. (2) The region where Young’s modulus of the interconnect decreases correlates with the location where EM-induced voids initiate. EM-induced voids have a direct impact on the material’s mechanical properties, particularly the decrease in Young’s modulus. (3) These EM-induced voids affect the nucleation and formation of dislocations. With the increase in void concentration and indentation depth, The generation and slip of dislocations increase as the void concentration and indentation depth increase, leading to a decrease in the material’s mechanical properties over time. This comprehensive findings expand the knowledge on mechanical behavior degradation of Al interconnects when EM failure occurs, providing a scientific basis for designing and optimizing high density semiconductor packaging.@en

During operation in environments containing hydrogen sulfide (H₂S), such as in offshore and coastal environments, sintered nanoCu in power electronics is susceptible to degradation caused by corrosion. In this study, experimental and molecular dynamics (MD) simulation analyses were conducted to investigate the evolution and mechanism of H₂S-induced corrosion of sintered nanoCu, and bulk Cu was used as the reference. The following results are obtained: (1) Both sintered nanoCu and bulk Cu reacted with O₂ prior to reacting with H₂S, forming Cu₂O, Cu₂S, CuO, and CuS. In addition, sintered nanoCu exhibited more severe corrosion. (2) For both sintered nanoCu and bulk Cu, H₂S-induced corrosion resulted in the deterioration of electrical, thermal, and mechanical properties, and sintered nanoCu experienced a greater extent of deterioration. (3) As was ascertained through Reactive Force Field (ReaxFF) MD simulations, the penetration of H₂S and O₂ combined with the upward migration of Cu resulted in the formation of a corrosion film. In addition, compared to bulk Cu, the H₂S and O₂ penetration in the sintered nanoCu structure was observed to occur to a greater depth, accounting for the more pronounced performance degradation.

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