Research & Development

Research & Development Policy

         

As the world moves toward achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the demand for clean energy applications, especially for environmental conservation, is increasing every year. We will promote product development with a focus on metal ceramic substrates, which are at the core of those applications. Based on our advanced bonding and material technologies, we will actively conduct joint research and development not only within our company and group, but also with companies, customers, and universities both in Japan and abroad in order to introduce superior products to customers.

Research & Development Organization

Our strength lies in our superior research and development capabilities that allow us to introduce high-quality products to customers. We have established an original joint research organization in collaboration with global companies in Germany, the USA, and other countries, as well as with universities in Japan and abroad.

Development Department

New Development Section

Searching for new bonding technologies that will lead to next generations developing materials, and searching for new designs and process technologies.

Product Development Section

Developing new aluminum metalized substrates and improving the characteristics of aluminum-metalized Integrated Substrates

Engineering Department

Engineering Section

Improving the characteristics of and developing new copper metalized substrates

Evaluation Technology for Advanced Research & Development

Bonding quality evaluation

C-SAM (C-mode Scanning Acoustic Microscope), transmission x-ray inspection, shear strength test, peel strength test, cross-sectional observation & analysis

Electrical performance evaluation

insulation resistance measurement, dielectric withstand test, Voltage-time characteristics test, partial discharge measurement, electrical conductivity measurement

Mechanical properties & reliability evaluation

material strength evaluation, thermal cycle test, thermal shock test, constant temperature and humidity test

Shape & dimensions evaluation

optical dimension measurement,3D shape measurement

Assembly evaluation

wire bondability evaluation, solderability evaluation, ultrasonic welding test, laser marking & code readability test

Morphological observation & material evaluation

optical microscope, confocal laser scanning microscopy, SEM-EDX, WDX-XRF, XRD, TG-DTA, Vickers hardness test

Technical drawing

2D CAD,3D CAD

Simulation

thermal stress analysis, heat transfer analysis, thermal-fluid Analysis, casting process simulation, CALPHAD

Major Achievements and Awards

Development achievements (examples)

Development of "molten aluminum direct bonding"

We developed "molten aluminum direct bonding," which results in higher bonding yield, higher strength and higher heat dissipating properties than the bonding methods of our competitors.

Development of "aluminum-metalized Integrated Substrates"

We developed "aluminum-metalized Integrated Substrates," a one-of-a-kind product that integrates an insulating substrate, aluminum base, and heat dissipating fins into a single unit.

Awards

Research & Development History

1985

Began research on DBC (direct bonded copper) alumina substrates.

Started shipping samples of DBC (direct bonded copper) alumina substrates.

1987

Began research on AMB (active metal brazed) aluminum nitride (brazing method) substrates.

1993

Began mass production of DBC (direct bonded copper) alumina substrates for industrial applications.

1994

Began research on ALMIC substrates (molten aluminum method).

Developed a brazing method.

1995

Began mass production of AMB (active metal brazed) aluminum nitride (brazing method) substrates for industrial applications.

1996

Developed AMB (active metal brazed) aluminum nitride (brazing method) substrates with fillet for stress relief.

1997

Began mass production of ALMIC substrates (molten aluminum method) for automotive applications.

1998

Began mass production of AMB (active metal brazed) aluminum nitride (brazing method) substrates with fillet for stress relief for traction applications.

2001

Began mass production of thin DBC (direct bonded copper) alumina substrates for industrial applications.

2003

Began mass production of alloy-type ALMIC substrates (molten aluminum method) for automotive applications.

2007

Began mass production of alloy-type ALMIC substrates (molten aluminum method) for traction applications.

2011

Began mass production of Integrated Substrates (molten aluminum method) for new energy applications.

2014

Began mass production of thin AMB (active metal brazed) aluminum nitride (brazing method) substrates for industrial applications.

2016

Began mass production of Integrated Substrates (molten aluminum method) with cooling fins for automotive applications.

2017

Developed partial discharge improvement, developed electroless partial silver plating, established pure aluminum crystal refining technology, established bonding warpage control technology.

2018

Established manufacturing process for large-size substrates, established manufacturing process for 0.8 mm copper metallization.

2020

Developed new Integrated Substrates (molten aluminum method).

2021

Began mass production of aluminum-metalized Integrated Substrates (molten aluminum method) for traction applications.