Ceramic PCB | Thick Film | Thin Film

GESP TECH -TRUSTWORTHY ONE-STOP PCB SERVICES CERAMIC PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARD

Introduction

With the growth demand of electronics industry,traditional PCBs with organic laminates as the foundation material are evolving towards higher density, precision, and dependability. Ceramic PCB, a new type of substrate PCB that has been widely used in the electronics industry for years, It more flexible option for PCB designers and is regarded as an effective solution for achieving the miniaturization of modern electronics and electronic assembly technology. Ceramic PCB is more versatile, less complex, and offers higher performance due to its excellent thermal conductivity and minimal expansion coefficient in comparison to standard printed circuit boards.

WHAT IS A CERAMIC PCB?

Ceramic PCB is a thermally conductive organic ceramic circuit board. also known as a ceramic substrate, which is a ceramic board with one or more layers of lines. The printed circuit board possesses excellent thermal conductivity, airtightness, insulation, and electrical qualities. Prepared utilizing conductive ceramic powder and organic adhesives at temperatures below 250 °C . its thermal conductivity ranges from 9 to 20 W/m.k. Types of ceramic circuit boards include alumina PCB, aluminum nitride ceramic PCB. copper-clad ceramic PCB, zirconia ceramic-based PCB, etc. by material.

BENEFITS OF CERAMIC PCB

Extremely High Thermal Conductivity

Boards made of ceramic work well in heat environments. This board’s heat conductivity is exceptionally high. Besides, ceramic has a great insulating capacity. Therefore, heat may travel through the substrate with relative ease. Additionally, this safeguards the board’s components from any damage.

Stable Insulation Performance

Because ceramic is the basic material of ceramic boards. the dielectric property of this board is stable. So Radio frequency loss would decreased as a result of this stability. As a result, this PCB’s usefulness in electronic devices is expanded. Ceramic PCB is also resistant to chemicals.

Superior Sturdiness

Ceramic PCBs are quite durable. A few other crucial characteristics of ceramic add to its longevity. This board resists wear and tear thanks to its durability.

Strong Mechanical Strength

The main material used to manufacture ceramic plates has a great mechanical strength. As a result, As a result, these plates can carry various components more effectively . At the same time, these boards can support other components. In addition, due to their strong processing properties, manufacturers can achieve multilayer PCBs.

FEATURED CERAMIC PCB

Thick Film Ceramic PCB

Thin Film Ceramic PCB

DCB Ceramic PCB

CERAMIC PCB MANUFACTURING PROCESS

Thick Film Ceramic Circuit Boards

These boards consist of gold and dielectric paste printed on a ceramic base. and baked at a temperature of slightly less than 1000 °C. . Thick film ceramic printed circuit boards can utilize either gold or copper. with copper being the most used due to its lower cost. To prevent oxidation, the circuit boards are baked in nitrogen gas.

Low Temperature Co-fired Ceramic (LTCC) PCBs

LTCC utilizes co-firing, where the material, which may be non-glass. glass composite, or glass crystal, is simultaneously burned. The traces are usually gold for high thermal conductivity, and the board is baked at 900 °C.

High Temperature Co-fired Ceramic (HTCC) PCB

HTCC utilizes aluminum oxide and an adhesive. as well as plasticizers, solvents, and lubricants. Circuit tracing may be metal, such as tungsten or molybdenum. and baking temperatures can be as high as 1600° to 1700°C . This method is best used for small-scale circuit boards and carrier circuits.

GESP- CERAMIC PCB MANUFACTURER

Ceramic printed circuit boards are available from GESP PCB for your PCB needs. With good heat conductivity and a low expansion coefficient. they provide appropriate substrates for electrical circuits (CTE). The multilayer ceramic PCB is very adaptable. and can replace a whole standard PCB with a simpler design and higher performance. They utilized in high-power circuits, chip-on-board modules, proximity sensors, and other applications.

In addition to their desirable thermal properties and expansion coefficient. ceramic boards can operate at temperatures as high as 350 degrees Celsius. resulting in a smaller package size. Ceramic boards also provide superior high-frequency performance. and can be packaged in hermetically sealed containers to prevent water absorption. Ceramic PCBs can help reduce the total cost of the system. and are very cost-effective for dense packages due to their parallel processing layers.

APPLICATION OF CERAMIC PCB

Storage Module

Usually Using the multilayer ceramic board to created a 1 Mbit SRAM memory module. This board’s capacity to function in severe temperatures that suitable for memory modules.

Digital PCB

Low-temperature ceramic PCB for analog/digital PCB design. So, this reduces parasitic capacitance. Additionally, it reduces circuit weight and volume and eliminates crosstalk interference.

Module for Transmission

The ceramic board utilized to develop a receiving/transmission module for radar systems. Additionally, aluminum nitride has a low CTE and a high heat conductivity. In this module, this sets the groundwork for ceramic PCB.

CERAMIC PCB FAQs

What’s a Ceramic PCB?

A ceramic printed circuit board is a PCB that made with copper. directly on a ceramic substrate instead of the more common FR4. Ceramic substrate possibilities include Al2O3, AlN (Aluminium Nitride) and SiN (Silicon Nitride).

Why use a ceramic PCB?

The main benefits of using ceramics are that they can handle heat. and used for high frequency applications because they lose little signal. Because of heat, many high-power packages need substrates . that can handle high operating temperatures. The highest temperature that DK-Daleba ceramic substrates can work at is over 800°C . and they have a high Thermal Conductivity of up to 180W/mK. They also have a very low Coefficient of Thermal Expansion and can’t hold any water. which is good for hermetic packages.

What is the Thermal Conductivity of Ceramic substrates?

Depending on the material, it can range from 24-180W/mK.

What is the most commonly used ceramic base?

Al2O3 (Alumina Oxide) 96% is the most common substrate and a very cost-effective choice. It has a thermal conductivity of about 24W/mK. There is also a 99.6% option.

What are the benefits of AlN, also known as aluminum nitride?

When thermal conductivity is the most important factor, Aluminum Nitride is often chosen. With a thermal conductivity of about 170W/mK, it is the best choice for systems that need a lot of power.

What are the benefits of using SiN (silicon nitride) in car parts?

Silicon Nitride is more resistant to shocks than other substrates. because it is tougher to break and has a higher bending strength. So, it is a good choice for car parts where structural reliability is important.

How are DBC ceramics and DPC ceramics different?

Direct Bonded Copper used when a thick copper layer of 140um (4oz) to 350um (10oz). A high-temperature oxidation process used to bond the copper. to the Ceramic substrate on one or both sides. Direct Plated Copper (DPC) is the newest innovation in the field of Ceramic Substrate PCBs. Using this method, the copper thickness can range from 10um (about 1/3 oz) to 140um (4oz). With DPC, the thin Copper is then used to print and etch tracks. which lets for very fine tracks and less undercutting.

How big are the panel sizes for ceramic circuits?

The standard size of a panel is 115 mm by 115 mm, but special panels can be up to 170 mm by 250 mm.

After taking into account the tools, the usable areas are 105 x 105 mm and 160 x 240 mm.

What kinds of finishes can be put on ceramic circuits?

For ceramics, you can use finishes like ENIG, ENEPIG. EPIG, Immersion Silver, Immersion Tin, and OSP.

Ceramic Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs)