NOVELTY - The element (100) has a sintered contact part fixed to a circuit carrier (102) that is electrically connected to a conductive lead. A contact pin (108) contacts an external electronic component. The contact pin is connected to the sintered contact part by force-fit and form-fit connection. The contact pin is arranged partly within a first receptacle element (106) of the sintered contact part. The sintered contact part comprises a protrusion, which is partly inserted into a second receptacle element provided at the contact pin.    USE - Contact element for electrically connecting a power semiconductor module (claimed) to an external electronic component i.e. printed circuit board, for high-power applications. Uses include but are not limited to automotive applications, wind applications, solar applications, energy management applications and industrial motor applications.    ADVANTAGE - The element provides high contact strength achieved by a sintered layer between chips and substrates. The element allows sintered layers to realize high load cycling capability and improves accuracy of chip position relative to substrates compared to the accuracy achieved by soldering techniques. The element provides stable and reliable connection between the circuit carrier and the element, thus reducing cost of the element, providing high reliability and current carrying capacity and saving cleaning processes and related costs and clean room footprint requirement.    DETAILED DESCRIPTION - The circuit carrier comprises a ceramic substrate, a direct copper bonding (DCB) circuit carrier, a direct aluminum bonding substrate and an insulated metal substrate (IMS). An INDEPENDENT CLAIM is also included for a method for fabricating a power semiconductor module.    DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING(S) - The drawing shows a cross-sectional view of a contact element provided with a press-fit contact pin.    Contact element (100)    Circuit carrier (102)    Receptacle element (106)    Contact pin (108)    Flange-shaped protruding collar (112)    Funnel-shaped bezel (116)