Abstract
The strength and characteristics of the soldering interface of the power semiconductor chip in a power module has been firstly surveyed by the peel strength measurement method. A power module is combined with several power chips which generally has 30∼400$\textrm{mm}^2$ chip area to allow several tens or bigger amps in current rating, so that the traditional methods for interface characterization like shear test could not be applied to high power module. In this study power diode modules were fabricated by using lead-tin solder with 10${\times}$10$\textrm{mm}^2$ or 7${\times}$7$\textrm{mm}^2$ soldering interface. The peel strengths of soldered interfaces were measured and then the microscopic investigation on the fractured surfaces were followed. The peel test indicated that the crack propagated either through the bulk of the soft lead-tin solder which has 55-60 kgf/cm peel strength or along the interface between the solder and the plated nickel layer which has much lower 22 kgf/cm strength. This study showed that the peel test would be a useful method to quantify the solderability as well as to recognize which is the worst interface or the softest material in a power module with a large soldering area.
