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About Elements
Creating technology to support society
for a beautiful future
TANAKA is a precious metals specialist that excels at delivering innovation to the world that brings value to society. “Elements” is an online media circulated by TANAKA Precious Metals that focuses on technology and sustainability information in line with the business and values of the company. It provides hints for creating a better society and prosperous earth for the future in response to the rapid paradigm shift of the modern world.
A media for disseminating
information about technology to
support society for a beautiful future.
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Evolution of power semiconductors supporting GX promotion and the spread of EVs: A closer look at the current state of the material development supporting its foundation
Major roles of power semiconductors: power supply control and motor control- Power semiconductors reduce power consumption due to the spread of generative AI
- Next-generation power semiconductors using “SiC” and “GaN”
- Expectations for the U.S., China, and India
- TANAKA Precious Metals maximizes the potential of precious metal materials
TANAKA Precious Metals maximizes the potential of precious metal materials
Minamikawa: What do you think of the role that TANAKA Precious Metals should play under such circumstances?
Abe: We are a manufacturer of cutting-edge materials using precious metals. One of our roles is to maximize the potential of precious metal materials. Another is to contribute to the industry by using processing technology cultivated through many years of technological development.
The first point for maximizing the potential of materials is the development of cutting-edge materials that take advantage of the unique material qualities of precious metals, such as low resistance, high electrical conductivity, low chemical reaction, and reliability.
There is no limit to the technological development of adding functionality not only to pure materials, but also alloys and additives. In addition, although precious metals have an impression of being expensive, we will respond to industry needs while drawing a roadmap for cost reduction, such as reducing the content of precious metals.
Another point is materials other than precious metals that we have handled over our long history, and a typical example of this is bonding wire for power semiconductors, which includes products made from aluminum and copper-based materials. We originally supplied gold wire for semiconductors, and by applying that processing technology, we were the first to develop and mass produce aluminum bonding wire as well.
The strength of TANAKA Precious Metals is that we can apply our technological development capabilities, with precious metals at the core, to develop materials other than precious metals that suit the applications.
We would like to grasp the trends in the industry as a whole, including final applications, while continuing to develop cutting-edge materials ahead of time.
Minamikawa: In terms of materials development, we are now in an era where new materials are being developed with the help of AI—and I am not just talking about semiconductors.
You may be able to create new materials that do not fit within the framework of semiconductors. I would very much like to see you do that.
Abe: Thank you for the great idea.
TANAKA Precious Metals will celebrate its 140th anniversary in July 2025, and a new search team called “Dock2085” has been established within the company with the aim of becoming a 200-year-old company.
Thus, we are researching interesting functional expressions, even if their applications not yet known, and exploring business fields in which precious metals have never been involved before. We will continue to promote both the strengthening of our current business and the sowing of seeds for the future.
Thank you very much for the supportive comments. We hope to continue to do our best as one of the companies that can contribute to the semiconductor industry.
TANAKA Precious Metals’ Products for Power Devices, Offering Total Solutions
Bonding Wires
Al Wire/Ribbon
- Good bondability
- Good moisture resistance
Cu Wire/Ribbon
- Low electrical resistance
- High fusing current
Die Bonding Materials
(Silver Adhesive Pastes)
Ag-Adhesive
- Good adhesion to bare Si
Hybrid Ag-Adhesive
- High thermal conductivity
- Good reliability
Pure sinter-Ag
- High thermal conductivity
- High Hot-DSS
Active Brazing Filler Metall/Copper Composite Material
Thick Cu circuit formation
- Etching-less method
- Possible to thinner brazing metal layer
Binderless
- Easy maintenance of the furnace
Shorter heat processing time
- Lower brazing temperature
Various Types of Electrodes and Metalized Layers
Plating Processes
Metalized Layers for Bonding Pads
- Ni/Pd/Au, Ni/Au, Ag, etc.
- Proposals appropriate for material combinations of bonding wires and pads
- Balance of high reliability and high productivity
Rear-side Electrodes for Ohmic Contacts
- Ni/Au, etc.
- Limit wafer warping through low stress
- Good die-attach bondability
For Lead Frames, Copper Clips, and PCBs
- Ni/Pd/Au, etc.
- Prevent spreading of Ni layer
- Make Au layer into a thin film and reduce overall costs
Sputtering Targets
Various Types of Precious Metal and Alloy Targets
- Pure precious metal targets such as Au, Ag, Pt, Pd, and Ir
- Precious metal alloy targets
- High-purity targets suitable for various types of electrodes and metalized layers
- Deposition that is free of pinholes, oxides and gases
- Silver alloy targets with high environmental resistance (sulfur resistance and humidity resistance)
Related Information
Technology Trend and Advanced Packaging Material for Power Device
Power device is key component for a wide range of applications such as smartphones, electronic devices, next-generation mobility including EV and HEV, cellular base stations, power control for renewable energy and so on. Its technology development is thriving day by day.
We introduce advanced packaging technology trends and cutting-edge materials designed to address challenges such as high heat dissipation, high heat resistance, reliable bonding in manufacturing, and miniaturization.
