Friction stir welding (FSW) of steel is often performed with an insert made of polycrystalline cubic boron nitride (PCBN). Specifically, MS80 is a grade of PCBN made by Smith MegaDiamond that has been optimized for the FSW process. The PCBN insert is attached to a tungsten carbide (WC) shank by a compression fitting. However, FSW tools manufactured by this method inevitably fail by fracture in the PCBN. Permanently bonding PCBN to WC would likely solve the fracturing problem and increase the life of PCBN FSW tools to be economically viable. Partial transient liquid phase (PTLP) bonding, a process used to join ceramics with thin metallic interlayers, was proposed as a method to permanently bond PCBN to WC. PTLP bonding is often performed using three layers of pure elements. On heating, the two thin outer interlayers melt and bond to the ceramics. Concurrently, these liquid layers diffuse into the thicker refractory core until solidification has occurred isothermally. A procedure was developed to reduce the number of possible three-layer PTLP bonding setups to a small set of ideal setups using logical filters. Steps in this filtering method include a database of all existing binary systems, sessile drop testing of 20 elements, and a routine that calculates maximum interlayer thicknesses. Results of sessile drop testing showed that the PCBN grade required for this research could only be bonded with an alloy of Ti, Cu, Mg, and Sb. Two PTLP bond setups were tested using this special coating on the PCBN, but a successful bond could not be achieved. However, a PTLP bond of WC to WC was successful and proved the usefulness of the filtering procedure for determining PTLP bond setups. This filtering procedure is then set forth in generalized terms that can be used to PTLP bond any material. Also, recommendations for future research to bond this grade of PCBN, or some other grade, to WC are presented.

L'objectif d'un avion plus électrique conduit à l'utilisation croissante de systèmes d'électronique y compris dans des zones de haute température. Les modules de puissance classiques doivent être adaptés à cet environnement: les composants en SiC sont commercialement disponibles mais l'environnement de la puce est à modifier. Cette thèse s'intéresse aux techniques d'attaches de puces basses température que sont le frittage d'argent et la brasure en phase liquide transitoire (TLPB) or-étain. Dans une première partie, les enjeux de l'électronique de puissance et plus particulièrement des applications haute température est donnée. Les mécanismes physique (mouillage, diffusion)qui régissent le frittage et le TLPB (Transient liquid Phase Bonding) sont ensuite décrits avec précision. La deuxième partie de cette thèse s'intéresse à la mise en oeuvre d'un protocole fiable d'attache de puce par frittage d'une nanopoudre d'argent commerciale. Une fois établie, la méthode a ensuite été optimisée pour différentes tailles de composants. La caractérisation de l'attache a été réalisée en shear-test et par des images en microscopie optique. La troisième et dernière partie de ce travail a pour objet la réalisation d'attaches de puces par TLPB or-étain. Ce chapitre traite de la mise en oeuvre expérimentale de la technique, depuis la métallisation des wafers jusqu'à la caractérisation des attaches en microscopie (optique et MEB). Ce travail de thèse est très expérimental car même si un protocole de mise en oeuvre existe (pour le frittage), il est indispensable de l'adapter aux conditions expérimentales pour l'optimiser. Ce travail a aussi mis en évidence certaines difficultés techniques de préparation des surfaces. / More electric aircaft projects lead to the increasing use of power electronic systems including in high temperature areas. Classical power modules must be adapted to this harsh environment: SiC devices are now commercially available but the packaging of the dies must be completely changed. This thesis focus on alternative die-backside attaches aand particularly on sintering and Transient Liquid Phase Bonding (TLPB) which are classified as Low Temperature Joining Techniques. In the first part, importance of power electronic systems for high temperature applications is given. Theoretical considerations about physical mechanisms (diffusion, wetting) involved in sintering and TLPB are described precisely. The purpose of the second part of this thesis is to establish a realiable protocole of die-attach using commercial silver nanopaste.the method has been optimized for different sizes of devices. Caracterization was provided using optical pictures and shear-test results. The third chapter of this work is about the realization of die-attaches using TLPB method. A description of surfaces preparation is given and diffusion results are discussed using SEM and optical pictures. This work is very experimental because sintering classical procedure must be adapted and optimized for each kind of devices. This thesis has clealy shown the difficulties for surfaces preparation.