ELECTROCONDUCTIVE MATERIAL, AND CONNECTION METHOD AND CONNECTION STRUCTURE USING SAME

Provided is an electroconductive material which has excellent strength in high temperatures, has good diffusion of a first metal and a second metal in a soldering step when the material is used, for example, as a solder paste, produces an intermetallic compound having a high melting point at a low temperature and in a short time, and wherein after soldering, almost none of the first metal remains. Also provided are a connection method and connection structure using the material and having high connection reliability. The electroconductive material includes a metal component containing a first metal and a second metal having a higher melting point than the first metal, and has a configuration in which the first metal is Sn or an alloy containing Sn, and the second metal is a Cu-Al alloy which forms, with the first metal, an intermetallic compound exhibiting a melting point of 310°C or higher. The first metal can be Sn alone or an alloy containing Sn and at least one of Cu, Ni, Ag, Au, Sb, Zn, Bi, In, Ge, Al, Co, Mn, Fe, Cr, Mg, Pd, Si, Sr, Te, and P.