Synthesis of a nano-silver metal ink for use in thick conductive film fabrication applied on a semiconductor package

PLoS One. 2014 May 15;9(5):e97484. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0097484. eCollection 2014.

Abstract

The success of printing technology in the electronics industry primarily depends on the availability of metal printing ink. Various types of commercially available metal ink are widely used in different industries such as the solar cell, radio frequency identification (RFID) and light emitting diode (LED) industries, with limited usage in semiconductor packaging. The use of printed ink in semiconductor IC packaging is limited by several factors such as poor electrical performance and mechanical strength. Poor adhesion of the printed metal track to the epoxy molding compound is another critical factor that has caused a decline in interest in the application of printing technology to the semiconductor industry. In this study, two different groups of adhesion promoters, based on metal and polymer groups, were used to promote adhesion between the printed ink and the epoxy molding substrate. The experimental data show that silver ink with a metal oxide adhesion promoter adheres better than silver ink with a polymer adhesion promoter. This result can be explained by the hydroxyl bonding between the metal oxide promoter and the silane grouping agent on the epoxy substrate, which contributes a greater adhesion strength compared to the polymer adhesion promoter. Hypotheses of the physical and chemical functions of both adhesion promoters are described in detail.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Electronics
  • Ink*
  • Metal Nanoparticles / chemistry*
  • Metals / chemistry
  • Microscopy, Electron, Scanning
  • Oxides / chemistry
  • Polymers
  • Powders
  • Semiconductors*
  • Silanes / chemistry
  • Silver Compounds / chemistry*
  • Solvents
  • Surface Properties
  • Temperature

Substances

  • Metals
  • Oxides
  • Polymers
  • Powders
  • Silanes
  • Silver Compounds
  • Solvents

Grants and funding

This evaluation work was support by National University of Malaysia and Infineon Technologies (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd. Infineon Technologies (Malaysia) only provided the scholarship for their employee, Lai Chin Yung but did not have any additional role in the study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.