Preparation by tape casting and hot pressing of copper carbon composites films

During this last decade, the use of metal matrix composites (MMCs) such as AlSiC or CuW for heat dissipation in microelectronic devices has been leading to the improvement of the reliability of electronic power modules. Today, the continuous increasing complexity, miniaturization and density of components in modern devices requires new heat dissipating films with high thermal conductivity, low coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE), and good machinability. This article presents the original use of copper carbon composites, made by tape casting and hot pressing, as heat dissipation materials. The tape casting process and the sintering have been adapted and optimised to obtain near fully dense, flat and homogeneous Cu/C composites.A good electrical contact between carbon fibres and copper matrix and a low porosity at matrix/copper interfaces allow obtaining a low electrical resistivity of 3.8 μΩ cm−1 for 35 vol.% carbon fibre (electrical resistivity of copper = 1.7 μΩ cm−1). The CTE and the thermal conductivity are strongly anisotropic due to the preferential orientation of carbon fibres in the plan of laminated sheets. Values in the parallel plan are, respectively, 9 × 10−6 °C−1 and 160–210 W m−1 K−1 for 40 vol.% fibres. These CTE and thermal conductivity values are in agreement with the thermo-elastic Kerner's model and with the Hashin and Shtrikman model, respectively.