Nickel-Carbon And Nickel-Cobalt-Carbon Brazes And Brazing Processes For Joining Ceramics And Metals And Semiconductor Processing And Industrial Equipment Using Same

Abstract

A joining method includes the steps of placing a brazing element between an interface area of a first ceramic piece and an interface area of a second ceramic piece to create a joining pre-assembly, placing the components of said joining pre-assembly into a process chamber, removing oxygen from said process chamber, and heating at least said brazing element of said joining pre-assembly, thereby hermetically joining said first ceramic piece to said second ceramic piece. The brazing element consists of Nickel and Carbon.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A joining method, said joining method comprising the steps of:
 placing a brazing element between an interface area of a first ceramic piece and an interface area of a second ceramic piece to create a joining pre-assembly, wherein said brazing element consists of Nickel and Carbon;   placing the components of said joining pre-assembly into a process chamber;   removing oxygen from said process chamber; and   heating at least said brazing element of said joining pre-assembly, thereby hermetically joining said first ceramic piece to said second ceramic piece.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said first ceramic piece comprises a ceramic from the group of aluminum nitride, alumina, beryllium oxide, and zirconia, and said second ceramic piece comprises a ceramic from the group of aluminum nitride, alumina, beryllium oxide, and zirconia. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein said step of heating at least said brazing element comprises:
 heating at least said brazing element to a first temperature below the eutectic temperature of said brazing element; and   heating at least said brazing element to second temperature above said eutectic temperature of said brazing element.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein said brazing element comprises Carbon in the range of 8-10 atomic percent and the remainder of said brazing element is Nickel. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein said brazing element comprises Carbon in the range of 1-80 atomic percent and the remainder of said brazing element is Nickel. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said first ceramic piece comprises a ceramic from the group of aluminum nitride, alumina, beryllium oxide, and zirconia. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of removing oxygen from said process chamber comprises applying a pressure of lower than 1×10E −4  Torr to said process chamber. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein said step of heating at least said brazing element comprises:
 heating at least said brazing element to a first temperature below the eutectic temperature of said brazing element; and   heating at least said brazing element to second temperature above said eutectic temperature of said brazing element.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said second ceramic piece comprises a ceramic from the group of aluminum nitride, alumina, beryllium oxide, and zirconia. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said step of heating at least said brazing element comprises:
 heating at least said brazing element to a first temperature below the eutectic temperature of said brazing element; and   heating at least said brazing element to second temperature above said eutectic temperature of said brazing element.   
     
     
         11 . A joining method, said joining method comprising the steps of:
 placing a brazing element between an interface area of a first ceramic piece and an interface area of a second ceramic piece to create a joining pre-assembly, wherein said brazing element consists of Cobalt and Carbon;   placing the components of said joining pre-assembly into a process chamber;   removing oxygen from said process chamber; and   heating at least said brazing element of said joining pre-assembly, thereby hermetically joining said first ceramic piece to said second ceramic piece.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein said first ceramic piece comprises a ceramic from the group of aluminum nitride, alumina, beryllium oxide, and zirconia, and said second ceramic piece comprises a ceramic from the group of aluminum nitride, alumina, beryllium oxide, and zirconia. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein said step of heating at least said brazing element comprises:
 heating at least said brazing element to a first temperature below the eutectic temperature of said brazing element; and   heating at least said brazing element to second temperature above said eutectic temperature of said brazing element.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein said brazing element comprises Carbon in the range of 8-10 atomic percent and the remainder of said brazing element is Nickel. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein said brazing element comprises Carbon in the range of 1-80 atomic percent and the remainder of said brazing element is Nickel. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein said first ceramic piece comprises a ceramic from the group of aluminum nitride, alumina, beryllium oxide, and zirconia. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the step of removing oxygen from said process chamber comprises applying a pressure of lower than 1×10E −4  Torr to said process chamber. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein said step of heating at least said brazing element comprises:
 heating at least said brazing element to a first temperature below the eutectic temperature of said brazing element; and   heating at least said brazing element to second temperature above said eutectic temperature of said brazing element.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein said second ceramic piece comprises a ceramic from the group of aluminum nitride, alumina, beryllium oxide, and zirconia. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein said step of heating at least said brazing element comprises:
 heating at least said brazing element to a first temperature below the eutectic temperature of said brazing element; and   heating at least said brazing element to second temperature above said eutectic temperature of said brazing element.