Ceramic Packaging Materials

Alumina - High Temperature Co-fired Ceramic (HTCC)

Alumina (Al2O3) has been utilized in the electronic industry since the 1940s and features several important physical and electrical characteristics that make it a prime candidate for high-reliability applications:

• Mechanically Robust
• Higher Dielectric Constant
• Metal Component Braze for Hermeticity: Seal Rings, Heat Sinks, RF Connectors
• Excellent Insulation Resistance
• Passive Components for Integration into HTCC:
  • Inductors
  • Caps to ~100 pF
  • Couplers
  • Filters
  • Antennas

Alumina - Low Temperature Co-fired Ceramic (LTCC)

Also known as glass ceramic, this material is often used in high-frequency applications due to its low dielectric constant. Typically precious metals such as gold or silver are used for conductor traces to further enhance operation at X-band and above. LTCC-Cu is a new, lower-cost alternative from Kyocera International and is now available for prototypes only. LTCC-Cu is also an excellent choice for embedded filters.

• Low Dielectric Constant
• Metal Component Braze (except LTCC-Cu) for Hermeticity: Seal Rings, Heat Sinks, RF Connectors
• Caps to ~100pF embedded to 1k
• Filters
• Antennas
• Resistors
• Inductors

Beryllium Oxide - BeO

Beryllium Oxide (BeO) ceramic is an electronic packaging material well-suited for high thermal conductivity applications and performs well from DC to medium frequencies. Its intermediate coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) is closely matched with GaAs and Si devices. BeO is also used in TO-XXX packages for high current and high voltage operation.

Aluminum Nitride - AlN

Aluminum Nitride is typically used as a high thermal-conductivity alternative to alumina. The increased ability to draw heat away from integrated circuits makes AlN ideal for densely-packed devices and can also be used in applications such as cauterizing heaters used in surgical applications or for thermo-electric coolers.

Silicon Nitride - Si3N4

Silicon Nitride has been utilized in industrial ceramic applications such as cutting tools, ball bearings, and heat exchangers. Si3N4 is now being used for GaN and SiC power semiconductors. Si3N4 Active Metal Bond (AMB) substrates have high flexural strength, high current vias, copper pins and are available in a hermetic package configuration. Download an information sheet on Kyocera's Si3N4 Active Metal Bond substrates, please click here: Si3N4 Info Sheet.

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