Optoelectronic device with a component which is surface-mounted on a frame support structure, and reflective composite material for such a device

Abstract

An optoelectronic device (LV) with a reflective composite material (V) having a carrier (1) consisting of aluminium, having an interlayer (2) composed of aluminium oxide present on one side (A) of the carrier (1) and having a reflection-boosting optically active multilayer system (3) that has been applied via the interlayer (2). The interlayer (2) consisting of aluminium oxide has a thickness (D.sub.2) in the range from 5 nm to 200 nm and that, on the opposite side (B) of the carrier (1) from the reflection-boosting optically active multilayer system (3), a superficial layer (9) of a metal or metal alloy having, at 25° C., a specific electrical resistivity of not more than 1.2*10.sup.−1 Ωmm.sup.2/m has been applied. The thickness (D.sub.9) of the superficially applied layer (9) is in the range from 10 nm to 5.0 μm. For an optoelectronic device (LV), the leadframe (LF) has a metallic material with an aluminium carrier (1), on the surface (A) of which a metallic joining layer (FA) not consisting of aluminium has been applied locally at the bonding site (SP) of an electronic surface-mounted device (SMD) to a wire (D).

Claims

1. An optoelectronic device, comprising, a leadframe for an electronic surface-mounted device, wherein the leadframe comprises a metallic material and wherein the electronic surface-mounted device lies and is mounted on a top side of the leadframe, and is electrically contacted to the leadframe by a wire, the leadframe comprises a metallic material having an aluminium carrier, on a surface of which a metallic joining layer not consisting of aluminium has been applied locally at a site of bonding to the wire; wherein a metal of the metallic ioining layer penetrates one or more layers present on a surface of the leadframe, the one or more layers consisting of an optical multilayer system, or an interlayer having an aluminium oxide formed atop the carrier.

2. An optoelectronic device according to claim 1 further comprising, the metallic material of the leadframe is a reflective composite material and the electronic surface-mounted device is a light-emitting diode in the form of a chip.

3. An optoelectronic device according to claim 1 further comprising, the metallic joining layer consists of silver.

4. An optoelectronic device according to claim 1 further comprising, the metallic joining layer in a top view has a circular, a polygonal, or a rectangular form, covering an area having a diameter or an equivalent diameter or having edge lengths in the range from 10 μm to 200 μm.

5. An optoelectronic device according to claim 1 further comprising, the metallic joining layer has a thickness in the range from 0.5 μm to 5.0 μm.

6. An optoelectronic device according to claim 1 further comprising, the metallic joining layer is applied by a cold gas welding, where an oxygen content in the metallic joining layer is less than 0.5 per cent by weight.

7. An optoelectronic device according to claim 1 further comprising, a cohesive bond has been formed between a metal of the metallic joining layer and the aluminium carrier of the leadframe.

8. An optoelectronic device according to claim 1 further comprising, the wire consists of a one or more metal in the form of gold, silver, copper, platinum or aluminium, or of alloys and material combinations of the one or more metals.

9. An optoelectronic device according to claim 1 further comprising, the wire has a surface coating composed of gold, silver, copper, platinum or aluminium or alloys of gold, silver, copper, platinum or aluminium.

10. An optoelectronic device according to claim 1 further comprising, the wire has a diameterin the range from 15 μm to 35 μm.

11. An optoelectronic device according to claim 1 further comprising, the wire at a site of the joining layer is bonded to the leadframe by ultrasound welding.

12. An optoelectronic device according to claim 1 further comprising, a composite composed of the electronic surface-mounted device and the leadframe on an underside of the leadframe is cohesively bonded in an electrically conductive manner to a printed circuit board.

13. An optoelectronic device according to claim 12 further comprising, the leadframe has been connected to the printed circuit board via a tin-containing solder layer.

14. An optoelectronic device according to claim 12 further comprising, the device is a light-emitting device the electronic surface-mounted device is a light-emitting diode in the form of a chip.

15. A reflective composite material adapted for use as a leadframe in an optoelectronic device according to claim 1 further comprising, an interlayer of aluminium oxide atop the carrier on one side and having a reflection-boosting optically active multilayer system that has been applied to the interlayer, the interlayer consisting of aluminium oxide having a thickness in the range from 5 nm to 200 nm and in that, on an opposite side of the carrier from the reflection-boosting optically active multilayer system, a superficial layer of a metal or a metal alloy having a specific electrical resistivity at 25° C. of not more than 1.2*10.sup.−1 Ωmm.sup.2/m has been applied, where the thickness of the superficially applied layer is in the range from 10 nm to 5.0 μm.

16. A composite material according to claim 15 further comprising, the superficial layer of a metal or metal alloy that has been superficially applied on the opposite side of the carrier from the reflection-boosting optically active multilayer system has a specific electrical resistivity at 25° C. of not more than 2.7*10.sup.−2 Ωmm.sup.2/m.

17. A composite material according to claim 15 further comprising, the interlayer consisting of aluminium oxide having a thickness in the range from 10 to 100 nm.

18. A composite material according to claim 15 further comprising, an adhesion promoter layer of a transition metal, formed of one or more of titanium, chromium or nickel, is disposed between the aluminium carrier and the superficially applied layer of a metal or metal alloy.

19. A composite material according to claim 15 further comprising, the superficially applied layer of a metal or metal alloy is a silver layer, having a thickness in the range from 10 nm to 500 nm.

20. A composite material according to claim 15 further comprising, a passivation layer which consists of one or more of Ag, Ni, Pd and Au and having a thickness in the range from 10 nm to 500 nm, is deposited atop the superficially applied layer of a metal or metal alloy.

21. A composite material according to claim 15 further comprising, a silver layer as the superficially applied layer or as a passivation layer present thereon or as a reflection layer of the reflection-boosting optically active multilayer system is in the form of an alloy and comprises, one or more rare earth elements including one or more of palladium, platinum, gold, copper, indium, titanium, tin and molybdenum.

22. A composite material according to claim 15 further comprising, one or more of the layers arranged atop the interlayer, and the superficially applied layer of a metal or metal alloy or the passivation layer are sputtered layers, produced by reactive sputtering, CVD layers or PECVD layers, or layers produced by evaporation, by electron bombardment or from thermal sources.

23. A composite material according to claim 15 further comprising, the aluminium in the carrier has a higher purity than 99.0%.

24. A composite material according to claim 15 further comprising, the carrier has a thickness of 0.1 to 1.5 mm.

25. A composite material according to claim 15 further comprising, a total light reflectance determined according to DIN 5036, Part 3 (11/79 edition) on the one side of the optical multilayer system is greater than 97%.

26. A composite material according to claim 15 further comprising, formation as a coil with a width of up to 1600 mm.

27. A composite material according to claim 15 further comprising, the leadframe for an electronic surface-mounted device is a light-emitting device, wherein the electronic surface-mounted device lies on and is secured to a top side of the leadframe and is electrically contacted to the leadframe by the wire via a metallic joining layer, and wherein the composite composed of the electronic surface-mounted device and the leadframe is cohesively bonded on an underside in an electrically conductive manner to a printed circuit board.

28. A composite material according to claim 15 further comprising, a formation as a leadframe for a surface-mounted device, wherein the leadframe in a top view has the shape of an H, a crossbar of which runs obliquely between tracks in the form of fingers, and wherein the leadframe has been manufactured as a stamped or bent part or by laser cutting.

29. A composite material according to claim 28 further comprising, formation as a frame device in the form of a circuit board in strip form, in which a multitude of the leadframes are combined in fields in the form of line and column elements via connectors.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The invention is elucidated in detail by a working example illustrated by the appended drawing. The figures show:

(2) FIG. 1 is an enlarged basic section diagram through one embodiment of a composite material according to the invention, wherein the layer thicknesses are shown purely schematically and not to scale,

(3) FIG. 2 is a top view of a subregion of one embodiment of a light-emitting device as an example of an optoelectronic device according to the invention,

(4) FIG. 3 is a top view of one embodiment of a leadframe formed from a composite material according to the invention for an optoelectronic, especially light-emitting, device according to the invention, and

(5) FIG. 4 is a cross section through one embodiment of a light-emitting device as an example of an optoelectronic device according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(6) With regard to the description which follows, it is emphasized explicitly that the invention is not limited to the working example, nor is it limited to all or multiple features of combinations of features that are described. Instead, every single component feature of the working example can also have inventive significance in isolation from all other component features described in connection therewith, on its own and also in combination with any other suitable features.

(7) In the various figures of the drawing, the same parts are also always given the same reference numerals, and so they are generally also each described only once.

(8) As apparent from FIG. 1, first of all, a reflective composite material V according to the invention has a carrier 1 consisting of aluminium, an interlayer 2 of aluminium oxide present atop the carrier 1 on a side A, and a reflection-boosting optically active multilayer system 3 applied to the interlayer 2. The carrier 1 may take the form of a coil having a width of up to 1600 mm, preferably of 1250 mm, and having a thickness D.sub.1 of about 0.1 to 1.5 mm, preferably of about 0.2 to 0.8 mm. Since all thin layers present atop the carrier, especially the interlayer 2 and that of the optically active multilayer system 3, are negligibly small by comparison, the carrier thickness D.sub.1, in terms of its size, is simultaneously also representative of a total thickness DG of the composite material V according to the invention.

(9) The aluminium in the carrier 1 may especially have a higher purity than 99.0%, which promotes its thermal conductivity. This can prevent the formation of thermal peaks. For example, the carrier 1 may alternatively be an Al 98.3 aluminium sheet in strip form, i.e. with a purity of 98.3 percent. It is also possible to use aluminium alloys, for example an AlMg alloy, as carrier 1, especially in that the interlayer 2 can be formed therefrom by anodic oxidation.

(10) The optically active multilayer system 3 may, for example, as shown, consist of at least three layers, of which two upper layers 4, 5 are dielectric and/or oxidic layers, and the lowermost layer 6 beneath is a metallic layer, for example one consisting of aluminium or silver, which forms a reflection layer 6.

(11) Additionally shown in the case presented is an optionally present protective nonmetallic outer layer 7 consisting of a low-absorption material, for example silicon dioxide. Such a layer structure is known from German utility model DE 2 98 12 559 U1, to which reference is made in full in this connection. For instance, the dielectric and/or oxidic layers 4, 5 of the optical multilayer system 3 may each have a thickness D.sub.4, D.sub.5, for example, in the range from 30 nm to 200 nm, where this thickness D.sub.4, D.sub.5 in each case is preferably a quarter of the average wavelength of the spectral region of the electromagnetic radiation to be reflected, in order that the layers 4, 5 can act as reflection-elevating interference layers. The thickness D.sub.7 of the protective layer 7 may be in the range from 0.5 nm to 20 nm, preferably in the range from 0.5 nm to 10 nm. It may also be the case that a protective silicon nitride layer has been applied as outer layer 7 to the optical multilayer system 3.

(12) The optical multilayer system 3, including the outer layer 7 and advantageously also the layer 9 of a metal or metal alloy described hereinafter, especially in the form of a copper layer can be applied in a technologically advantageous manner using a continuous vacuum belt coating process. More particularly, layers 4, 5, 6, 7, 9 may be sputtered layers, especially layers produced by reactive sputtering, CVD or PECVD layers, or layers produced by evaporation, especially by electron bombardment or from thermal sources.

(13) The reflection layer 6 may optionally be attached to the interlayer 2 via an adhesion promoter layer (not shown) consisting, for example, of aluminium oxide, titanium oxide and/or chromium oxide. In addition, the reflection layer 6 may optionally be embedded on the top side and underside between barrier layers (not shown), for example composed of nickel, nickel alloys or palladium, in order to increase the thermal stability.

(14) The upper dielectric and/or oxidic layer 4 of the optical multilayer system 3 is a layer with a higher refraction index than the lower dielectric and/or oxidic layer 5 of the optical multilayer system 3, where the upper layer 4 may preferably consist of TiO.sub.2, Ta.sub.2O.sub.5, Nb.sub.2O.sub.5, MoO.sub.3 and/or ZrO.sub.2, and the lower layer 5 preferably of Al.sub.2O.sub.3 and/or SiO.sub.2.

(15) According to the invention, the interlayer 2 consisting of aluminium oxide and especially formed from anodically oxidized aluminium has a thickness D.sub.2 in the range from 5 nm to 200 nm, preferably in the range from 10 to 100 nm. As already stated, as shown in FIG. 2, advantageously in accordance with the invention, in the context of what is called wire bonding, firstly welding of a wire D, especially the ultrasound welding of a gold wire, on the front or top side A of the composite material V according to the invention is possible, such that an electrical connection (weld point SP) is possible without difficulty between the surface A of the composite material V and an electronic surface-mounted device SMD applied atop the composite material V by surface mounting.

(16) It is preferable here that the surface of the interlayer 2 has an arithmetic mean roughness Ra in the range of less than 0.05 μm, especially of less than 0.01 μm, more preferably of less than 0.005 μm. In the presence of the aforementioned high total light reflectance, this serves to establish a minimum diffuse light reflectance determined according to DIN 5036. If a higher diffuse light reflectance is required, the roughness can be correspondingly increased.

(17) On the opposite side B of the carrier 1 from the reflection-boosting optically active multilayer system 3, there is optionally a further layer 8 consisting of aluminium oxide, which can form simultaneously as a result of the preparation, for example in the course of eloxation of the top side A. However, if need be, the formation thereof can be avoided by coverage of side B. There are also known methods of removing layers of this kind if appropriate. If the further layer 8 consisting of aluminium oxide is present, the thickness D8 thereof should be within the same range as the thickness D.sub.2 of the interlayer 2, i.e. within the range from 5 nm to 200 nm, preferably within the range from 10 to 100 nm.

(18) A further feature essential to the invention is that, on the opposite side B of the carrier 1 from the reflection-boosting, optically active multilayer system 3, a superficial layer 9 of a metal or metal alloy which has a specific electrical resistivity at 25° C. of not more than 1.2*10.sup.−1 Ωmm.sup.2/m has been applied, where the thickness D.sub.9 of the superficially applied layer 9 is in the range from 10 nm to 5.0 μm.

(19) More particularly, this may be a copper layer which has been applied with a thickness D.sub.9 in the range from 0.1 μm to 5.0 μm, preferably in the range from 0.2 μm to 3.0 μm, more preferably in the range from 0.5 μm to 1.5 μm.

(20) In another preferred embodiment of the invention, the superficially applied layer 9 is a silver layer having a thickness D.sub.9 in the range from 10 nm to 500 nm, especially having a thickness D.sub.9 in the range from 50 nm to 250 nm.

(21) The specific electrical resistivity of the superficially applied layer 9 of a metal or metal alloy may preferably have a maximum value at 25° C. of 2.7*10.sup.−2 Ωmm.sup.2/m, more preferably a maximum value of 1.8*10.sup.−2 Ωmm.sup.2/m.

(22) With regard to the values for the specific electrical resistivity which forms the basis for various materials, reference is made to Table 1 below, which is compiled on the basis of values cited in various places in the literature.

(23) TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Values of specific electrical resistivity ρ at 25° C. MATERIAL ρ in 10.sup.−2 Ω mm.sup.2/m ρ ≤ 1.8 * 10.sup.−2 Ω mm.sup.2/m particularly preferred in accordance with the invention Ag 1.59 Cu 1.69-1.72 ρ ≤ 2.7 * 10.sup.−2 Ω mm.sup.2/m preferred in accordance with the invention Al 2.65 Au 2.21 ρ ≤ 1.2 * 10.sup.−1 Ω mm.sup.2/m according to the invention W 5.3 Ni 6.9-7.1 Pt 10.5 Pd 10.7 Sn 10.9

(24) An overview of specific electrical resistivity p of ten different binary alloys (Al/Cu, Al/Mg, Cu/Au, Cu/Ni, Cu/Pd, Cu/Zn, Au/Pd, Au/Ag, Fe/Ni, Ag/Pd) each with different composition can be found, for example, in the scientific article “Electrical resistivity of ten selected binary alloy systems”, author: Ho, C. Y. et al., in J. Phys. Chem. Ref Data, Vol. 12 No. 2, 1983, p. 183 to 322. On establishment of a particular chemical composition in the layer 9 envisaged in accordance with the invention, reference may be made to these values.

(25) Alternatively, direct measurement is possible according to ASTM F390-11 “Standard Test Method for Sheet Resistance of Thin Metallic Films With a Collinear Four-Probe-Array”. This standard also contains details of how a sheet resistance determined in the unit Ω or “Ω square” can be converted to a specific electrical resistivity taking account of the sheet geometry, i.e. the length, width and thickness thereof.

(26) Between the carrier 1 consisting of aluminium or the further, optionally present layer 8 consisting of aluminium oxide and the copper layer 9, in a preferred form, an adhesion promoter layer 10 which consists, for example, of a transition metal, especially of titanium, chromium or nickel, and has a thickness D.sub.10 which may preferably be in the range from 5 nm to 25 nm, more preferably in the range from 10 nm to 20 nm, may be provided.

(27) As likewise already mentioned, the effect of this is advantageously that the electrical contact resistance on the reverse side or underside B of the composite material V according to the invention is negligibly small. Thus, this side B can be soldered onto a printed circuit board PCB or be applied by means of a similar cohesive bonding method. The cohesive bonding layer is identified by reference sign L in each of FIG. 1 and FIG. 4. Soldering can advantageously be accomplished using, for example, standard tin-containing electrical solders, for example Sn96.5Ag3Cu0.5.

(28) In spite of a relatively thin surface layer 9 of the metal or metal alloy, especially a copper layer, it has been found that there is no formation of brittle intermetallic phases that are of high thickness relative to the layer thickness D.sub.9 between the composite material V according to the invention and the solder, which could lead to mechanical, and as a result also to electrical, failure of the solder joint through thermal stresses. For instance, thermal storage for up to 1000 h led only to the formation of an intermetallic phase of a few hundreds of nm in thickness. It was also found that the solder bond of the bonding layer L advantageously passed typical tests in that a pull-off force or shear force between the connected LF, COB components was reduced only by less than a factor of 2 after thermal storage, for example at 120° C. for 1000 h.

(29) Atop the superficially applied layer 9 of a metal or metal alloy, especially atop the copper layer, there may optionally be a passivation layer (not shown). This may preferably consist of Ag, Ni, Pd and/or Au (Ag/Ni/Pd/Au) and have a typical thickness in the range from 10 nm to 500 nm, preferably in the range from 50 nm to 250 nm. Owing to better wettability of the noble metal surface by the solder, such a layer also promotes the solderability of the finished SMD component to the PCB.

(30) A light-emitting device LV according to the invention, see FIG. 2 and FIG. 4, comprises the reflective composite material V according to the invention, which can form a leadframe LF for the electronic surface-mounted device SMD, such as a light-emitting diode in the form of a bare chip DIE. Such a leadframe LF is shown in FIG. 3. In the form shown, in top view, it has the shape of an H, with the crossbar Q thereof, between the tracks identified as fingers F, running not at right angles but, as shown, frequently obliquely. Such a leadframe LF can be manufactured in a technologically advantageous manner, for example, as a die-cut part or by laser cutting. If required, additional formation in the form of a bent part is also possible, since the composite material V can be bent without any problem and without loss of quality.

(31) In this case, a multitude of leadframes LF can first be combined in a frame device in the form of a circuit board in strip form, in which the leadframes LF are incorporated in the form of fields, i.e. as line and column elements, via connectors. The leadframes LF can simply be removed from the frame device, for example broken out or die-cut, such that automated mass production in particular of light-emitting devices LV according to the invention is advantageously readily possible. The leadframes LF may already have been provided here with electronic chips SMD on the top side.

(32) In the light-emitting device LV according to the invention, the electronic surface-mounted device SMD/DIE lies on the top side, i.e. on the side A, atop the leadframe LF, and has been electrically contacted with the leadframe LF by means of at least one separate wire D. As well as the LED-die (reference sign: DIE), FIG. 2 additionally shows, bottom right, a Zener diode Z as a further electronic surface-mounted device SMD. The composite composed of the electronic surface-mounted device SMD or, in the case shown, the two electronic surface-mounted devices SMD (DIE and Z) shown and the leadframe LF has been cohesively bonded in an electrically conductive manner to a printed circuit board PCB on the lower side (side B).

(33) In a departure from the working example shown, it is also possible for other reflection-boosting systems 3 with further layers to be present atop the carrier 1. In this regard, particular mention should be made of the system of DE 10 2015 114 095 A1 with the reflection-boosting silver layer, if it is configured in accordance with the invention. By contrast, the system described in WO 2017/032809 A1 necessarily envisages the presence, in the interlayer 2, of an organic layer-forming lacquer of thickness of up to 5 μm, which should be avoided in accordance with the invention. According to the application, the wording “interlayer 2 of aluminium oxide” should preferably be considered to be conclusive in the sense of “consisting exclusively”, but the existence of component layers in the interlayer 2 should possibly not be entirely ruled out in the application. However, in this aspect, the thickness D.sub.2 of the overall interlayer 2 should then in each case be in the range from 5 nm to 200 nm.

(34) Although the optical multilayer system 3 cannot only have the above-described layers 4, 5, 6, however, it must not be the case in accordance with the invention that an organic or organosilicon lacquer layer, for example based on a sol-gel layer as likewise described in the prior art, is applied thereon as outer layer 7.

(35) It is apparent especially from FIGS. 2 to 4, which show the optoelectronic device LV, especially the light-emitting optoelectronic device LV, according to the invention and the detail thereof that, atop the surface of the optoelectronic device LV, locally at the weld point SP, i.e. at the site of connection to the wire D, a metallic joining layer FA not consisting of aluminium has been applied in accordance with the invention to the leadframe LF. This metallic joining layer FA may preferably consist of silver and, in top view, may have a circular shape or else be polygonal, especially rectangular, covering an area having a diameter or equivalent diameter or having edge lengths K (see FIG. 2) in the range from 10 μm to 100 μm, especially in the range from 20 μm to 40 μm. The metallic joining layer FA may have a thickness DF in the range from 0.5 μm to 5.0 μm, preferably in the range from 1.0 μm to 3.0 μm. The joining layer FA may have been applied by cold gas welding, where the oxygen content in the joining layer FA is especially less than 0.5 percent by weight, preferably less than 0.1 percent by weight.

(36) The wire D may, as already mentioned, consist of metal, especially of gold, silver, copper, platinum or aluminium, or of alloys and material combinations of these metals, and/or else have a superficial coating of gold, silver, copper, platinum or aluminium or alloys of these metals. It may preferably have a diameter DD in the range from 15 μm to 35 μm and has preferably been cohesively bonded to the leadframe LF by means of ultrasound welding at the site of the joining layer FA.

(37) Within the scope of the claims, the person skilled in the art will be able to envisage further appropriate modifications of the invention without leaving the scope of the invention. For example, in FIG. 4, the surface of the light-emitting device LV according to the invention has been encapsulated with a transparent mass M, for example with an epoxy resin. Alternatively or additionally, it would also be possible to provide optical lens systems above the electronic surface-mounted device SMD in the form of the LED chip DIE.

(38) Where a silver layer is discussed above, especially as a reflection layer 6, this includes the possibility that such a layer can contain alloy elements within the range from 0.001 percent by mass to 5.0 percent by mass, especially within the range from 0.5 percent by mass to 3.0 percent by mass. The alloy elements may, for example, be a rare earth element, such as neodymium. Elements of this kind may migrate, for example, to the particle boundaries of the silver and/or accumulate at the surface of the silver layer, such that they are more likely to be oxidized there than the more noble silver and form a microscopically thin protective layer on the silver grains. The efficacy of these alloy elements can be enhanced further by additional inclusion in the alloy of palladium, platinum, gold and/or copper. This also brings about inhibition of diffusion and counteracts coalescence of silver crystallites, especially at high temperatures as can occur in the state of operation. This advantageously results in deceleration of the ageing of the reflection layer, i.e. a delay in the drop in reflectivity over time and/or with temperature.

(39) Palladium can also be included in an alloy with the silver as a main alloy element, preferably in a proportion by mass within the range from 0.5 percent by mass to 3.0 percent by mass of the alloy, in which case, in a smaller proportion or at most the same proportion, one of the elements aluminium, gold, platinum, copper, tantalum, chromium, titanium, nickel, cobalt or silicon may additionally be present as the third alloy component.

(40) Indium, titanium and/or tin may also be provided as alloy elements for the silver. In this regard, for example, a suitable alloy appears to be one that preferably contains indium and/or tin and/or else antimony and/or bismuth within the range from 0.5 percent by mass to 3.0 percent by mass, the remainder consisting of silver.

(41) A suitable target for generating silver alloy layers in a sputtering process is also described in EP 3 196 334 A1.

(42) While the above description constitutes the preferred embodiment of the present invention, it will be appreciated that the invention is susceptible to modification, variation and change without departing from the proper scope and fair meaning of the accompanying claims.