The effect of heat treatment on adhesive strength of metal coating on the surface of AlSiC metal-matrix composite

Background. An important element in the design of power semiconductor devices (PSD) is a thermal compensator (TC). In modern technologies for the manufacture of TC, a metal matrix composite material based on silicon carbide micropowder and an aluminum matrix alloy (MMCM AlSiC) is used, on the surface of which a multilayer metallic coating is applied. The reliability of PSD is largely determined by the adhesion strength of this coating. The aim of the work is to study the effect of heat treatment on the adhesion strength of a multilayer metallic coating deposited on the surface of MMKM AlSiC. Materials and methods. The studied samples of MMKM AlSiC were manufactured by the method of vacuum-compression impregnation. Aluminum alloy AK9 was used as the matrix of the composite, and silicon carbide micropowder with particle size distribution F100+10% M10P was used as the filler. A metal coating with the structure of Al-Ti-Ni-Ag layers was deposited on the surface of the MMKM AlSiC samples under investigation by the method of magnetron sputtering. The adhesive strength of the coating compound with the surface of the composite was determined by the peeling method. Results. The adhesion strength of a metallic coating was measured as a function of the duration and temperature of isothermal annealing in vacuum and hydrogen atmosphere. Conclusions. Heat treatment of the studied samples in vacuum or in the atmosphere of hydrogen for more than 30 minutes at a temperature of 450$^{\circ}C$ leads to an increase in the adhesion strength of the metal coating about 3 times.