Abstract: To provide a lead-free solder the heat resistance temperature of which is high and thermal conductive property of which are not changed in a high temperature range. A semiconductor device of the present invention includes a solder material containing more than 5.0% by mass and 10.0% by mass or less of Sb and 2.0 to 4.0% by mass of Ag, and the remainder consisting of Sn and inevitable impurities, and a bonding layer including the solder material, which is formed between a semiconductor element and a substrate electrode or a lead frame.

Abstract: A semiconductor device has a U terminal with an internal joint portion at one end that is joined to a circuit board, an intermediate portion that is embedded in a case, and an external joint portion at another end that is exposed from the case, the U terminal being provided with a shock absorbing portion that is positioned between an inner surface of the case and the internal joint portion and absorbing stress that acts upon the internal joint portion. Due to the presence of the shock absorbing portion, even when the entire semiconductor device deforms or there is local deformation such that stress becomes concentrated at the joined surfaces of the internal joint portion and the circuit board, the stress is absorbed by the shock absorbing portion.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a heat-dissipating base, a first conductive layer bonded to the top surface of the heat-dissipating base, an AlN insulating substrate bonded to the top surface of the first conductive layer, and an electrode terminal having one edge bending to form a bonding edge whose bottom surface faces the top surface of the second conductive layer and is solid-state bonded to a portion of the top surface of the second conductive layer. The crystal grain diameter at the bonded interface of the second conductive layer and electrode terminal is less than or equal to 1 ?m, and indentations from the ultrasonic horn are left in the top surface of the bonding edge.

Abstract: A semiconductor device has a module structure in which a semiconductor element and a circuit layer are electrically connected to each other by a wire. A front metal layer is formed on a surface of a top side electrode of the semiconductor element and the wire is bonded to the front metal layer by wire bonding. The front metal layer has a higher hardness than the top side electrode or the wire. A bonding interface of the wire with the metal film has a recrystallization temperature that is equal to or higher than 175° C. According to this structure, it is possible to improve the power cycle resistance of the semiconductor device.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a radiation base having a plurality of dents formed and overlapped with each other in the rear surface thereof. The dents in the rear surface of the radiation base are formed by performing a shot peening process on the rear surface of the radiation base. The average particle size of the shot material is preferably set to 0.3 to 6 mm when a shot material is SUS, the processing time is 20 seconds, and the ultrasonic wave amplitude is 70 ?m as the processing conditions of the shot peening process. If a radiation fin is provided via a thermal compound in the rear surface of the radiation base which has been subjected to the shot peening process under such processing conditions, the adhesion to the thermal compound will improve due to an anchor effect of the overlapped dents of the radiation base.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a plurality of semiconductor elements; insulating circuit boards each including an insulating substrate, a circuit portion on a front surface of the insulating substrate connected to one semiconductor element, and a metal portion on a rear surface of the insulating substrate; a metal plate joined to the metal portions of the plurality of insulating circuit boards; and a joint member joining the plurality of insulating circuit boards to the metal plate. The metal plate has a front surface in which the insulating circuit boards are arranged apart from each other, and a rear surface including first regions corresponding to positions of the metal portions and second regions other than the first regions. At least a part of a surface of each of the first regions has a surface work-hardened layer, and the second regions have a hardness different from that of the surface work-hardened layer.

Abstract: A highly reliable semiconductor device capable of heavy current conduction and high temperature operation has a module structure in which a semiconductor chip and a circuit pattern are electrically connected via a wire. A front surface metal film is formed on a front surface electrode of the chip, and the wire is bonded to the front surface metal film by wire bonding. The chip has a front surface electrode on the front surface of an Si substrate or an SiC substrate, and has a rear surface substrate on the rear surface thereof. The front surface metal film is a Ni film or a Ni alloy film of having a thickness ranging from 3 ?m to 7 ?m. The wire is an Al wire having an increased recrystallizing temperature and improved strength due to controlling the crystal grain sizes before wire bonding to a range of 1 ?m to 20 ?m.

Abstract: A solder joint layer has a structure in which plural fine-grained second crystal sections (22) precipitate at crystal grain boundaries between first crystal sections (21) dispersed in a matrix. The first crystal sections (21) are Sn crystal grains containing tin and antimony in a predetermined proportion. The second crystal sections (22) are made up of a first portion containing a predetermined proportion of Ag atoms with respect to Sn atoms, or a second portion containing a predetermined proportion of Cu atoms with respect to Sn atoms, or both. The solder joint layer may have third crystal sections (23) which are crystal grains that contain a predetermined proportion of Sb atoms with respect to Sn atoms. As a result, solder joining is enabled at a low melting point, and a highly reliable solder joint layer having a substantially uniform metal structure can be formed.

Abstract: A semiconductor device has a module structure in which a semiconductor element and a circuit layer are electrically connected to each other by a wire. A front metal layer is formed on a surface of a top side electrode of the semiconductor element and the wire is bonded to the front metal layer by wire bonding. The front metal layer has a higher hardness than the top side electrode or the wire. A bonding interface of the wire with the metal film has a recrystallization temperature that is equal to or higher than 175° C. According to this structure, it is possible to improve the power cycle resistance of the semiconductor device.

Abstract: Provided is a wire bonding apparatus for electrically connecting an electrode and an aluminum alloy wire to each other by wire bonding. The apparatus includes a wire feeding device which feeds the wire. The wire has a diameter not less than 500 ?m and not greater than 600 ?m. The apparatus includes a heating device heats the wire to a temperature that is not lower than 50° C. and not higher than 100° C. The apparatus further includes a pressure device which presses the wire against the electrode. The apparatus further includes an ultrasonic wave generating device which generates an ultrasonic vibration that is applied to the wire that is pressed by the pressure device.

Abstract: An ultrasonic welding tool is used to bond end portions of an external connection terminal to circuit patterns of an insulating substrate, with a Vickers hardness not lower than 90. Bonding end portions are provided integrally with a bar in the external connection terminal. A bonding end portion located substantially in the lengthwise center of the bar is bonded first, then others are bonded alternately in order toward either end. Hardness of the bonding end portions is increased so that strength of the ultrasonic welding portions is increased, and displacement of the bonding end portion in either end from its regular position is suppressed to keep bonding strength high. Bonding strength of the ultrasonic welding portions between the external connection terminal and the circuit patterns of the insulating substrate can be increased so that long-term reliability can be secured in a semiconductor device.

Abstract: An ultrasonic welding tool is used to bond end portions of an external connection terminal to circuit patterns of an insulating substrate, with a Vickers hardness not lower than 90. Bonding end portions are provided integrally with a bar in the external connection terminal. A bonding end portion located substantially in the lengthwise center of the bar is bonded first, then others are bonded alternately in order toward either end. Hardness of the bonding end portions is increased so that strength of the ultrasonic welding portions is increased, and displacement of the bonding end portion in either end from its regular position is suppressed to keep bonding strength high. Bonding strength of the ultrasonic welding portions between the external connection terminal and the circuit patterns of the insulating substrate can be increased so that long-term reliability can be secured in a semiconductor device.

Abstract: Hardness of bonding end portions of an external connection terminal to be bonded to circuit patterns of an insulating substrate which is not lower than 90 in Vickers hardness is disclosed. An ultrasonic welding tool is used. In the external connection terminal in which the bonding end portions are provided integrally with a bar, one of the bonding end portion located substantially in the lengthwise center of the bar is first bonded, and the other bonding end portions are bonded alternately in order toward either end. The hardness of the bonding end portions is increased so that strength of the ultrasonic welding portions is increased.

Abstract: Hardness of bonding end portions of an external connection terminal to be bonded to circuit patterns of an insulating substrate which is not lower than 90 in Vickers hardness is disclosed. An ultrasonic welding tool is used. In the external connection terminal in which the bonding end portions are provided integrally with a bar, one of the bonding end portion located substantially in the lengthwise center of the bar is first bonded, and the other bonding end portions are bonded alternately in order toward either end. The hardness of the bonding end portions is increased so that strength of the ultrasonic welding portions is increased.