Reactive metallic layers produced on AIN, Si3N4 and SiC ceramics

The paper presents the results of studies on the joining of non-oxide ceramics with copper with the use of intermediary metallic layers. AIN ceramics was covered with Mo, Mn, FeSi, Ti intermediary layers, Si3N4 ceramics-with Cu, Mn, Ti layers, and SiC ceramics-with Cr, TiCu layers. Although the individual metallic layers were synthesized under different conditions, all the structures contained barrier layers formed during the synthesis process. With the AIN and Si3N4 ceramics, the barrier layer was composed of TiN, which was well wetted by the metallic and oxide phases. With the SiC ceramics, the role of the barrier layer was played by the Ti3SiC2 phase. The thickness of the barrier layers of both types (TiN, Ti3SiC) was about 1 gym. They were well wetted by the metallic solders, coherent with the ceramic surface, and, within the brazed multi-layer joints, they constituted a continuous microstructure. (C) 2004 Kluwer Academic Publishers.