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What is PCB Pinner? – Best Technology

September 19th, 2024

What is a Pinner in PCB?

What is a Pinner in PCB? A Pinner in PCB manufacturing is a specialized tool or mechanism used to align and secure various components or layers during the assembly process of printed circuit boards (PCBs). It ensures that all elements, whether they are individual electronic components or stacked layers in multilayer boards, remain accurately positioned until the final bonding or soldering process is completed. In simple terms, it acts as a “placeholder,” holding everything firmly in place to avoid any shifts or misalignments that could compromise the performance or quality of the PCB.

Pinners can be manual, semi-automatic, or fully automated, depending on the scale and precision requirements of the production line. While manual pinners are often used for small-scale production or prototypes, automatic pinners are prevalent in large-scale manufacturing due to their high efficiency and accuracy.

What is PCB Pinner? - Best Technology

Function of PCB Pinner

The function of a PCB pinner is primarily to align and secure PCB layers or components during the assembly process, ensuring that everything is held in place precisely before final soldering or bonding. Here’s a breakdown of its essential functions:

1. Component Placement Stability

One of the key functions of a PCB pinner is to provide stability to the components placed on the PCB. Whether it is a surface-mounted component, a through-hole part, or different layers in a multilayer PCB, the pinner holds these elements firmly in place to prevent any shifting during further processes such as soldering, wave soldering, or selective soldering.

2. Accurate Layer Alignment

In multilayer PCB manufacturing, aligning the various layers accurately is a complicated but crucial task. A pinner ensures that each layer is positioned perfectly over the others, preventing any misalignment that could result in short circuits, poor signal transmission, or weak connections between layers. In multilayer PCBs, where hundreds of traces may overlap in different layers, alignment is critical to ensure the board functions correctly.

3. Minimization of Errors

Errors such as misaligned components or layers can lead to significant issues like short circuits or signal interference in PCBs. By keeping everything in place with high precision, the PCB pinner reduces the chances of human or machine errors during assembly.

4. Support During Automated Processes

In automated assembly lines, the PCB pinner often works in coordination with other machines such as pick-and-place machines and soldering stations. While components are being positioned by a robotic arm or soldering is taking place, the pinner ensures that none of the components shift out of alignment.

5. Enabling High-Density PCB Designs

As PCB designs become more complex and denser with miniaturized components, the risk of misalignment increases. A pinner helps overcome this challenge by holding even the smallest components in the exact position, preventing misplacement in densely packed circuits.

6. Enhancing Overall Manufacturing Efficiency

Using a pinner enhances the overall efficiency of the manufacturing process. It allows other automated systems to perform their functions more swiftly because there’s less risk of a production halt due to misaligned components.

7. Reducing Rework and Scrap

The precision offered by PCB pinners means there are fewer instances of defective boards, which in turn means less rework and lower scrap rates. By ensuring proper alignment, pinners contribute to a higher yield of functional PCBs, reducing the amount of waste produced during manufacturing.

Types of PCB Pinner

The selection of a PCB pinner depends on the specific requirements of the assembly process, the type of components being used, and the complexity of the PCB design. Below are some common types of PCB pinners:

Through-Hole Pinners

These are designed for use in through-hole PCB assembly, where components have leads that pass through holes in the board. Through-hole pinners secure these leads in place, ensuring they remain stable during the soldering process. They are especially useful for components with multiple leads, such as integrated circuits.

What is PCB Pinner? - Best Technology

Surface Mount Pinners

Surface mount technology (SMT) is a widely used method for mounting components directly onto the surface of a PCB without the need for leads to pass through the board. Surface mount pinners are specifically designed to hold these components in place on the board’s surface, preventing movement during reflow soldering.

High-Precision Pinners

Certain PCB assemblies require extremely high precision, especially in fields like aerospace or medical devices. High-precision pinners are engineered to hold components with micron-level accuracy, ensuring even the slightest misalignment is avoided. These pinners are often used alongside advanced placement machines that demand exact component positioning.

Custom Pinners

In some cases, standard pinners may not meet the unique needs of a specific PCB assembly process. Custom pinners can be designed and manufactured to accommodate specialized component shapes, board layouts, or particular assembly requirements. These pinners are typically developed through collaboration between PCB designers and pinner manufacturers to meet the exact specifications of the production line.

How Does a PCB Pinner Work?

A PCB pinner works by using pins or clamps to hold the PCB layers or components in place during the assembly process. When layers of a PCB are stacked or when components need to be placed with high precision, the pinner ensures they remain aligned. The pins are positioned strategically to avoid any areas where components will be placed or where soldering will occur. Once the components are secure, the pins can be removed without disturbing the alignment, leaving the PCB ready for soldering or bonding.

In automated systems, the pinner operates in sync with other assembly tools, such as pick-and-place machines or soldering stations, making the entire process seamless and highly efficient.

Advantages of Using PCB Pinner

There are several key advantages to using a PCB pinner in the manufacturing process:

1. PCB pinners ensure that all components and layers are perfectly aligned, reducing errors that could lead to faulty boards.

2. By securing the components, the pinner allows other machines to work faster without the risk of misalignment, speeding up the overall assembly process.

3. A well-aligned PCB means fewer errors and less rework. This not only saves time but also reduces material waste and associated costs.

4. Consistently aligned components lead to more reliable PCBs, which translates into higher product quality and fewer defects.

5. PCB pinners can be used with various PCB types, including single-layer, multilayer, and flexible PCBs.

What is Pinner in PCB Factory?

In a factory setting, where large volumes of PCBs are produced, PCB pinners are often integrated into the assembly line as part of a highly automated process. These pinners work in conjunction with other assembly machines, such as pick-and-place machines and soldering stations, to create a streamlined manufacturing process. By securing the PCB layers or components in place, pinners prevent shifts that can occur due to vibration, movement, or machine interaction, ensuring that the assembly process proceeds without errors.

In sectors where precision is vital, such as aerospace, automotive, medical devices, and telecommunications, even the slightest misalignment can lead to failure or reduced performance. PCB factories that operate in these high-precision fields rely heavily on pinners to ensure that all components are perfectly placed and secured before final assembly. The reliability and quality of the final PCB often depend on how well the pinner performs its job in maintaining alignment throughout the process.

PCB Surface Finish Lead-Free HASL

September 19th, 2024

There are many different surface finishes used in the manufacturing of printed circuit boards (PCBs), of which HASL (Hot Air Solder Leveling) is a widely used technology.

What is HASL in PCB?

HASL is hot air solder leveling, which is a commonly used surface finish in the printed circuit board (PCB) industry.

HASL forms a coating that resists copper oxidation and provides good solderability by coating molten tin-lead solder on the surface of the PCB and using heated compressed air for leveling. This coating not only helps protect the copper from oxidation, but also ensures good soldering performance.

PCB Surface Finish Lead-Free HASL

There are two types of HASL: leaded and lead-free, making it one of the lower-cost PCB surface finishes. The leaded version was more common in the electronics manufacturing industry in the past, but with the improvement of environmental protection requirements, the lead-free version of HASL has also been widely used.

What is the difference between HASL and ENIG finish?

The main differences between HASL and ENIG surface finishes are their process flow, cost, corrosion resistance, applicable scenarios, and environmental protection. ‌

‌Process flow‌:

  • HASL (hot air leveling) is a traditional surface treatment process that provides good soldering performance by coating a layer of lead-tin alloy on the surface of the PCB.
  • ENIG (electro-nickel-gold) improves soldering performance and corrosion resistance by electroplating a thin layer of nickel and gold on the copper surface.

‌Cost‌:

  • HASL has a relatively low cost because it is a mature and widely used process.
  • In contrast, ENIG has a higher cost because it has stricter control requirements for the manufacturing process and uses higher material costs.

‌Corrosion resistance‌:

  • ENIG provides better corrosion resistance due to the presence of nickel and gold layers, especially for applications that require long-term reliability and stability.
  • Although HASL can also provide certain corrosion resistance, it is not as good as ENIG in terms of corrosion resistance.

‌Applicable scenarios‌:

  • HASL is suitable for most general applications due to its low cost and good soldering performance.
  • ENIG is more suitable for application scenarios with higher requirements for soldering performance and corrosion resistance.

‌Environmental protection‌:

  • HASL used to mainly use lead-containing materials, but with the restrictions of environmental regulations, lead-free HASL has gradually become the standard, but there are still potential environmental problems.
  • ENIG has no obvious environmental problems in this regard because it does not contain any hazardous substances.

In short, choosing HASL or ENIG depends on the specific application requirements, cost budget and environmental impact considerations. Each process has its unique advantages and applicable occasions. The right choice can significantly improve the performance and market competitiveness of multi-layer PCBs.

What is the difference between lead-free HASL and HASL?

The main difference between lead-free HASL and traditional HASL is the different materials used. ‌

PCB Surface Finish Lead-Free HASL

Traditional HASL (hot air leveling) uses lead-containing solder, which was once one of the most commonly used surface treatment technologies in electronic assembly.

However, due to restrictions on environmental regulations, lead-containing HASL has been gradually eliminated and replaced by lead-free HASL. Lead-free HASL uses non-lead metals or lead-free solder alloys to replace traditional lead-containing solder to meet environmental protection requirements.

The advantages of lead-free HASL include lower cost and good soldering performance. Compared with traditional HASL, lead-free HASL is more environmentally friendly and can pass environmental assessments such as RoHS certification.

However, the mechanical strength and glossiness of lead-free HASL may not be as good as traditional lead-containing HASL, and there may be some challenges in soldering fine components, especially in the case of poor surface flatness, which is easy to produce tin beads and short circuits for fine-pitch pin components. ‌

In general, lead-free HASL is an improvement on traditional HASL, with the main purpose of improving environmental performance. Although there may be some limitations in some aspects, it is currently a necessary choice to meet environmental regulations.

Is HASL with lead bad?

Lead-containing HASL is not an ideal choice because it has multiple disadvantages and limitations. ‌

First, the main disadvantages of lead-containing HASL include uneven surfaces, which are not suitable for fine-pitch applications.

PCB Surface Finish Lead-Free HASL

In addition, it faces problems of thermal shock and solder bridging, which may cause the plated through hole (PTH) to be blocked or reduced, as well as thickness/topography differences between large and small pads.

These problems make leaded HASL unsuitable for SMD and BGA with a pitch less than 20 mil, and unsuitable for HDI products and wire binding. Therefore, leaded HASL is gradually regarded as a suboptimal choice in modern electronic manufacturing.

Secondly, environmental protection is also an important consideration for leaded HASL. Due to environmental regulations, leaded versions of HASL have been gradually phased out in some areas, and lead-free HASL has become an alternative, but its soldering performance is slightly inferior to that of the leaded version.

Does HASL oxidize?

HASL (hot air leveling) does oxidize. ‌HASL protects the connection wires by coating a layer of tin-lead alloy, including anti-sulfurization treatment.

However, the surface flatness of HASL is relatively low, which may not be suitable for high-density, fine-pitch circuit design. In addition, due to the lead issue, the surface oxidation resistance of lead-free HASL is weak, and the long-term reliability is not as good as other advanced processes.

Therefore, although HASL provides some protection, it is not a complete solution to prevent oxidation, especially in long-term use or under certain environmental conditions, its protection effect may be affected.

Is HASL RoHS?

HASL is not RoHS compliant. ‌

HASL (hot air solder leveling) is a traditional PCB surface treatment process that contains lead (SnPb) solder. However, the RoHS (Restriction of Hazardous Substances) directive aims to restrict the use of certain hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment, specifically lead (Pb), mercury (Hg), cadmium (Cd), hexavalent chromium (Cr6+), polybrominated biphenyls (PBB) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE).

Because the leaded solder used in the HASL process does not meet the RoHS standard for the restriction of hazardous substances, the traditional HASL process is not considered RoHS compliant. ‌

To meet RoHS standards, lead-free HASL (Lead-Free HASL) has become an alternative, which uses lead-free solder alloys such as tin-copper, tin-nickel or tin-copper-nickel alloy to replace traditional lead-containing solder.

Although lead-free HASL meets environmental requirements, it is not suitable for all situations, especially when dealing with fine-pitch components and dense wiring.

For projects that need to comply with RoHS standards, lead-free processing processes such as lead-free tin spraying or other RoHS-compliant surface treatment technologies should be given priority.

What is the best surface finish for PCB?

There are many surface treatment processes for PCBs, each with its specific advantages and applicable scenarios. The following are some common surface treatment processes and their characteristics:

  • ‌Hot Air Leveling (HASL): This is a traditional surface treatment method that is cost-effective and suitable for most general electronic products.
  • ‌Electroless Nickel Gold (ENIG): Especially suitable for PCBs with fine line spacing and high density, a layer of nickel is first deposited on the copper surface, and then a thin layer of gold is plated. The gold layer acts as a protective layer to prevent the nickel layer from oxidizing and provides long-term soldering reliability and good solderability.
  • ‌Organic solderability preservative (OSP)‌: An environmentally friendly and cost-effective surface treatment technology, especially suitable for low to medium complexity PCBs.
  • ‌Electroplating silver (immersion silver)‌: A layer of silver is deposited on the copper surface through a chemical reaction, providing excellent conductivity and solderability, and also has good corrosion resistance.

In summary, choosing the best surface treatment process requires comprehensive consideration of the specific needs, cost, and environmental factors of the product.

HASL, as a traditional PCB surface treatment process, has the advantages of good solderability, low cost, and wide applicability. In practical applications, it is necessary to select a suitable surface treatment process based on factors such as the type of PCB, the use environment, and environmental requirements.

High Voltage Printed Circuit Board & Safety Standards

September 18th, 2024

What is High Voltage PCB?

High voltage printed circuit boards (HV PCBs) are specialized boards designed to handle electrical voltages significantly higher than standard levels. These PCBs are used in industries like power distribution, telecommunications, and electric vehicles, where safe management of high voltage is critical. HV PCBs need to be carefully constructed using materials that can withstand electrical stress, heat, and prevent arcing between components. Their design also ensures that they meet strict safety standards, as high voltages can pose serious risks if not managed properly.

High Voltage Printed Circuit Board & Safety Standards

What is the High Voltage Warning on a PCB?

You may have seen a high voltage warning symbol on some PCBs. This is not just a cautionary mark; it’s a key safety feature. This warning typically comes in the form of a printed symbol, often a lightning bolt enclosed in a triangle, accompanied by a numerical value indicating the voltage present. These labels are essential for preventing accidents or injuries, as working with high voltage circuits without the proper knowledge or safety precautions can result in serious harm.

In addition to warning symbols, there might be specific color coding used on the board to indicate areas of high voltage. Some manufacturers use bright colors, like yellow or red, to highlight hazardous zones on the PCB. These visible indicators help ensure that anyone handling the PCB knows which areas to avoid or treat with extreme caution.

High voltage warnings also serve a legal function by complying with industry safety standards, such as those set by IPC (Institute for Interconnecting and Packaging Electronic Circuits). These standards mandate the inclusion of warning labels on PCBs to reduce the risk of electrocution, equipment damage, or unintended malfunctions.

High Voltage Printed Circuit Board & Safety Standards

In environments where multiple boards or systems are interconnected, high voltage warnings prevent confusion. Technicians can immediately identify which components or boards require extra care. By prominently displaying these warnings, PCBs protect users from accidental contact with potentially lethal voltages.

What is the Best Material for High Voltage PCBs?

Choosing the best material for a high voltage PCB involves selecting one that can withstand electrical stress and provide effective insulation. Standard PCBs typically use FR4, which is a glass-reinforced epoxy laminate material. While FR4 is suitable for low to medium voltage applications, it may not be the ideal choice for high voltage circuits, where electrical insulation and heat resistance are critical.

  • Polyimide

For high voltage PCBs, materials like polyimide and ceramic are considered superior options:

Polyimide: This material offers excellent thermal stability, making it highly resistant to high temperatures generated by high voltage circuits. Polyimide is also flexible, allowing for its use in flexible PCB designs while maintaining strong electrical insulation properties. It’s an ideal choice for high voltage applications where heat and electrical performance are both concerns.

  • Ceramics

Ceramic-based materials are preferred for extreme high voltage applications due to their outstanding dielectric properties. Ceramics can handle higher voltages than polyimide or FR4 and offer better thermal management. They are often used in power electronics, aerospace, and medical equipment where high voltage and reliability are paramount. Ceramic substrates provide a lower coefficient of thermal expansion, making them more durable under electrical stress.

  • PTFE (Polytetrafluoroethylene)

PTFE-based laminates, such as those branded as Teflon, are also used in high voltage PCBs. PTFE provides excellent dielectric strength, low dissipation factors, and is highly resistant to temperature fluctuations. This material is useful for RF (radio frequency) applications as well, where both high voltage and high frequencies are factors.

What is the Clearance for High Voltage PCB?

Clearance refers to the physical distance between two conductive elements on a PCB that are not electrically connected. In high voltage PCBs, clearance is a critical factor to prevent electrical arcing or discharge between components. The clearance depends on the operating voltage and the environment the board is exposed to. Typically, the higher the voltage, the more clearance is required. For example, a PCB handling 1,000 volts will need significantly more space between traces than one dealing with 100 volts.

Clearance values are not arbitrary; they are determined by international safety standards like IPC-2221. The clearance required depends on the operating voltage, with higher voltages demanding larger gaps between conductive traces or components. As a general guideline:

  • For voltages up to 100V, a clearance of about 0.1mm is sufficient.
  • Between 100V and 1000V, the clearance typically ranges from 0.6mm to 5mm.
  • For very high voltages above 1000V, clearances of 5mm or more might be necessary.

These values can also be influenced by environmental conditions such as humidity, contamination, or the presence of conductive particles. Higher humidity levels, for example, can reduce air’s insulating capacity, increasing the risk of electrical arcing. To account for these factors, many designers apply a safety margin to the clearance requirements, ensuring the PCB operates reliably even in less-than-ideal conditions.

Clearance vs Creepage in High Voltage Circuits

In high voltage circuits, both clearance and creepage are critical to maintaining electrical isolation and preventing breakdowns. Though often confused, these two terms refer to distinct aspects of circuit design:

  • Clearance

As discussed earlier, clearance is the shortest distance between two conductive points through the air. It is essential in preventing electrical arcing between parts of a circuit, especially in high voltage PCBs. The higher the operating voltage, the greater the required clearance to ensure safety and functionality.

  • Creepage

Creepage, on the other hand, refers to the distance along the surface of an insulating material between two conductive elements. This measurement is especially important in high voltage environments because surface contamination (like dust, moisture, or debris) can reduce the effective distance, allowing unintended current flow across the board’s surface.

While clearance deals with the air gap, creepage accounts for the surface path. In high voltage designs, both need to be carefully calculated, as inadequate distances can lead to unintended arcing, short circuits, or the degradation of the PCB over time.

Several factors influence creepage requirements:

1. Voltage Level: Higher voltages require longer creepage distances to prevent leakage currents.

2. Pollution Degree: The environmental conditions in which the PCB will operate affect creepage. In cleaner environments (like medical devices or sealed electronics), the required creepage can be lower. However, in industrial or outdoor applications, where dirt and moisture are present, larger creepage distances are needed.

3. Material: The type of insulation material used on the PCB affects creepage. Different materials have varying levels of resistance to surface conductivity, so choosing a high-quality insulating material can reduce creepage risk.

Designers must account for both clearance and creepage when building high voltage PCBs. Ignoring these factors can lead to dangerous conditions, equipment failure, or accidents. Following guidelines like those outlined by IPC-2221 ensures that both clearance and creepage distances are adequate, protecting the PCB from high voltage hazards.

How Much Voltage Can a PCB Handle?

The amount of voltage a PCB can handle depends on several factors, including the materials used, the layout design, and the operating environment. Typically, standard PCBs can handle voltages up to around 100 volts without special considerations. However, high voltage PCBs are designed to safely manage thousands of volts. For instance, some power distribution PCBs can handle upwards of 10,000 volts, provided they’re made with appropriate materials and have sufficient clearance and creepage.

High Voltage Printed Circuit Board & Safety Standards

What is Solder Mask for High Voltage PCBs?

The solder mask is the protective layer applied over the copper traces on a PCB. For high voltage PCBs, the solder mask plays an important role in preventing short circuits and electrical arcing. A thicker or more specialized solder mask may be used for high voltage boards to provide extra insulation. It also helps prevent corrosion and protects the copper from environmental damage, extending the PCB’s lifespan in harsh conditions.

How Do You Check PCB Voltage?

Checking the voltage of a PCB requires careful handling, especially in high voltage applications. To check the voltage of the PCB (printed circuit board), you can do it in the following ways:

‌1. Use a voltmeter to measure directly

This is the most direct and accurate method. First, ensure that the circuit is in the off state, and select the appropriate voltmeter, according to the voltage range of the PCB select the appropriate voltmeter. If the PCB voltage is in the low voltage range, you can choose a digital multimeter for measurement; If the voltage is high, select a high voltage meter. Connect the positive and negative terminals of the voltmeter to the positive and negative terminals of the PCB respectively to ensure that the range of the voltmeter is set correctly to prevent damage to the voltmeter or PCB. Read the reading on the voltmeter, which is the PCB voltage ‌12.

‌2. Check the circuit diagram

The circuit diagram is an important tool to understand the PCB voltage. If you have a circuit diagram at hand, you can determine the voltage of the PCB by consulting the circuit diagram. The circuit diagram will mark the voltage of each part, such as power input, output, etc. ‌.

‌3. Check product manual

The product manual usually describes the PCB parameters in detail, including the voltage. By referring to the product manual, you can get accurate voltage information ‌.

‌4. Find the circuit sign

Generally, many PCBs will mark the voltage value, especially commercial finished PCBs. These identifiers are usually printed on the surface of the board, or near the connector. Look for printed voltage labels, which usually end in “V”, such as “5V”, “12V”, etc ‌.

Warm tips: Observe safety when measuring, especially when operating in high voltage environment. Wear insulation gloves to prevent electric shock!!!

Voltage Breakdown and Safety Margins

When designing a PCB for high voltage applications, engineers often build in safety margins to ensure that the board can handle voltage spikes or surges. The actual operating voltage of a PCB is typically lower than the maximum voltage it can handle to ensure reliability and durability over time. For example, if a PCB is designed for a 1000V application, it might be tested to handle surges of up to 1500V or more.

Breakdown Voltage is a critical parameter to consider. It is the maximum voltage that a material or PCB can withstand before it loses its insulating properties and begins to conduct. Once the breakdown voltage is exceeded, the PCB could experience catastrophic failure, with arcing between layers, damaged components, or even fire hazards.

High Voltage Printed Circuit Board & Safety Standards

Common High Voltage Applications

  • Power electronics
  • Medical devices
  • Telecommunications
  • Aerospace
  • Electric vehicles (EVs)
  • Military
  • Industrial control system
  • Communication

Best Technology make many high voltage PCBs for our customers, from industrial control PCB to aerospace, we have such experience in this area. If you have similiar projects, welcome to contact us.

Ceramic PCB board, Low Volume&Customization

September 18th, 2024

In the field of electronics, ceramic circuit boards are quietly opening a new revolution with their unique charm and excellent performance. Ceramic circuit boards are gradually becoming the focus of the electronics industry, leading the industry to a more efficient, stable and advanced technological era.

What is a ceramic pcb board?

ceramic pcb board, also known as ceramic printed circuit board, is a printed circuit board that uses ceramic as a substrate instead of traditional fiberglass or epoxy resin. Compared with traditional substrates, ceramic materials have a variety of advantages, making them ideal for high-performance electronic applications.

Ceramic PCB board, Low Volume&Customization

What are the different types of ceramic PCB?

There are several types of ceramic materials commonly used in PCB boards, including aluminum oxide (Al₂O₃), aluminum nitride (AlN), and beryllium oxide (BeO). Each material has its own unique properties and advantages.

1. Alumina ceramic pcb board

Alumina is the most widely used ceramic material in PCB boards. It has excellent electrical insulation, high thermal conductivity and good mechanical strength. Alumina ceramic pcb boards are suitable for a wide range of applications, including power electronics, LED lighting and automotive electronics.

Ceramic PCB board, Low Volume&Customization

2. Aluminum Nitride ceramic pcb board

Aluminum nitride is a high-performance ceramic material with extremely high thermal conductivity. This makes it ideal for applications where heat dissipation is a key factor, such as high-power LEDs, power modules, and RF/microwave equipment.

3. Beryllium Oxide ceramic pcb board

Beryllium oxide is a highly toxic material, but it has excellent thermal conductivity and electrical insulation. Due to its toxicity, beryllium oxide ceramic pcb boards are only used in special applications where other materials cannot meet the performance requirements.

What is the high temperature ceramic PCB?

High temperature ceramic PCB‌ is a special ceramic circuit board designed for high temperature environments, commonly known as high temperature co-fired ceramic (HTCC) circuits. This circuit board is made by mixing adhesives, lubricants, solvents, plasticizers, and aluminum oxide to make raw ceramics, and then forming circuits.

The main feature of high temperature ceramic PCBs is their high temperature resistance, which allows them to work stably under extreme temperature conditions, making them ideal for applications that require high reliability and long-term stability.

In addition, during the manufacturing process of high-temperature ceramic PCB, the copper foil and the ceramic substrate are bonded together. This bonding method not only has strong bonding strength, but also the copper foil will not fall off, thus ensuring the performance stability in harsh environments such as high temperature and high humidity.

The materials of high-temperature ceramic PCB usually include ceramic materials such as aluminum oxide (Al2O3), beryllium oxide (BeO), aluminum nitride (AlN), silicon carbide (SiC) and boron nitride (BN). These materials are not only very effective in conducting heat, but also good electrical insulators, making high-temperature ceramic PCBs perform well in applications that require high thermal conductivity and excellent electrical properties.

In general, high-temperature ceramic PCB is a high-performance, high-reliability circuit board, especially suitable for applications that require high thermal conductivity, excellent electrical properties, and stable operation in harsh environments, such as aerospace, military electronics, etc.

What are the manufacturing processes involved in ceramic pcb boards?

The manufacturing process of ceramic pcb boards is more complicated than that of traditional PCB boards. It generally involves the following steps:

1. Substrate preparation

Ceramic substrates are prepared by sintering ceramic powder at high temperatures. The sintered substrate is then polished and cleaned to ensure a smooth surface for subsequent steps.

2. Circuit pattern formation

Circuit patterns are formed on ceramic substrates using various methods, such as screen printing, photolithography, or laser ablation. In screen printing, a conductive paste is printed onto the substrate to form a circuit pattern. Photolithography involves the use of a photomask and photoresist to create a circuit pattern. Laser ablation uses a laser to remove unwanted ceramic material to form a circuit pattern.

3. Metallization

After the circuit pattern is formed, the substrate is metallized to provide conductivity. This is usually done by sputtering or electroplating a thin layer of metal, such as copper or gold, onto the substrate.

4. Component mounting

Electronic components are then mounted onto the ceramic pcb board using surface mount technology (SMT) or through-hole technology (THT). SMT involves soldering components directly onto the surface of the PCB board, while THT involves inserting components into holes in the PCB board and soldering them to the bottom surface.

What are the advantages of ceramic pcb boards?

ceramic pcb boards have several advantages over traditional PCB boards, making them ideal for high-performance electronic applications. Some of the main advantages include:

  • 1. High thermal conductivity: Ceramic materials have excellent thermal conductivity, which allows for efficient heat dissipation.
  • 2. High electrical insulation: Ceramic materials have high electrical insulation, which reduces the risk of electrical short circuits and improves the reliability of electronic devices.
  • 3. Good mechanical strength: Ceramic materials have good mechanical strength, making them resistant to vibration and shock.
  • 4. Small size and light weight: ceramic pcb boards can be made very thin and lightweight, making them ideal for portable electronic devices.
  • 5. High-frequency performance: Ceramic materials have low dielectric losses and high frequency stability, making them suitable for high-frequency applications such as RF/microwave equipment.

What is a ceramic PCB used for?

Ceramic PCBs have a wide range of applications, including:

  • 1. Power Electronics: Ceramic PCBs are widely used in power electronics applications such as power modules, inverters, and converters. The high thermal conductivity and electrical insulation of ceramic materials make them ideal for handling high power levels.
Ceramic PCB board, Low Volume&Customization
  • 2. LED Lighting: Ceramic PCBs are used in LED lighting applications due to their excellent heat dissipation properties. The high thermal conductivity of ceramic materials helps to extend the life of LEDs by reducing operating temperatures.
  • 3. Automotive Electronics: Ceramic PCBs are used in automotive electronics applications such as engine control units, power steering systems, and airbag controllers. The high mechanical strength and reliability of ceramic materials make them suitable for use in harsh automotive environments.
  • 4. Aerospace and Defense: Ceramic PCBs are used in aerospace and defense applications due to their high performance and reliability. The small size and light weight of ceramic PCBs make them ideal for satellite and missile systems.
  • 5. Medical Devices: Ceramic PCBs are used in medical devices such as pacemakers, defibrillators, and hearing aids. The high electrical insulation and biocompatibility of ceramic materials make them suitable for use in medical applications.

How is ceramic pcb board developing?

As the electronics industry continues to develop, there is a growing demand for high-performance PCB boards that can meet the growing requirements of advanced electronic devices. ceramic pcb boards are expected to play an important role in meeting this demand. Some future trends in ceramic pcb board technology include:

1. Increased use of high-performance ceramic materials

As the performance requirements of electronic devices continue to increase, there is a growing demand for high-performance ceramic materials such as aluminum nitride and silicon carbide. These materials have higher thermal conductivity and electrical insulation than traditional ceramic materials, making them ideal for next-generation electronic devices.

2. Passive component integration

In order to reduce the size and weight of electronic devices, there is a growing trend to integrate passive components such as resistors, capacitors, and inductors onto PCB boards.

3. 3D printing of ceramic pcb boards

3D printing technology is emerging as a promising method for manufacturing ceramic pcb boards. 3D printing can create complex geometries and structures that are difficult to achieve using traditional manufacturing methods.

4. Development of hybrid PCBs

Hybrid PCBs that combine ceramic and traditional substrates are being developed. Hybrid PCBs can use ceramic substrates for the power section and traditional fiberglass substrates for the signal section.

Ceramic PCBs are a revolutionary technology that offers several advantages over traditional PCBs. As the electronics industry continues to grow, ceramic PCBs are expected to play an increasingly important role in meeting the growing demand for advanced electronic devices.

Ceramic pcb, High Mixed&Customization

September 18th, 2024

In today’s era of rapid technological development, electronic devices have become an indispensable part of our lives. Behind this, a new type of circuit board material, ceramic pcb, is gradually becoming the most favored object in the field of electronics.

What is a ceramic pcb?

Ceramic circuit board, as the name suggests, is a circuit board made of ceramic as the substrate. Compared with traditional organic circuit boards, ceramic pcb have many unique advantages. Ceramic materials have extremely high heat resistance, insulation and mechanical strength, and can work stably under extreme environmental conditions.

Ceramic pcb Manufacturer, High Mixed&Customization

At the same time, ceramic pcb also have good thermal conductivity, which can effectively dissipate the heat generated by electronic components and improve the reliability and stability of electronic equipment.

Briefly describe the manufacturing process of ceramic pcb

The manufacturing process of ceramic pcbs is very complicated and requires multiple processes to complete.

First, it is necessary to select suitable ceramic materials, such as aluminum oxide, aluminum nitride, etc. These ceramic materials have different performance characteristics and can be selected according to specific application requirements.

Then, through precise processing technology, the ceramic material is made into the required shape and size. Next, advanced printing technology is used to print circuit graphics on the ceramic substrate.

Finally, through high-temperature sintering and other processes, the circuit pattern is fixed on the ceramic substrate to form a ceramic pcb.

What are the different types of ceramic PCB?

  • Alumina ceramic PCB:

Alumina ceramic PCB is one of the most commonly used types of ceramic PCBs in the current market. It has the advantages of low price, good thermal conductivity, high resistance, high hardness, high electrical insulation, strong corrosion resistance, and high biocompatibility.

Ceramic pcb Manufacturer, High Mixed&Customization

It is mainly used in white light, infrared, VCSEL LED lamps and other fields, usually used for 3W to 5W power LEDs. In the alumina PCB market, there are 75%, 96% and 99% alumina PCBs. The higher the purity, the better the performance, but the higher the cost.

  • Aluminum nitride ceramic PCB:

The thermal conductivity of aluminum nitride ceramic PCB is 7 to 10 times higher than that of alumina PCB. It has the advantages of high thermal conductivity and resistance, high hardness, high mechanical strength, high electrical insulation, strong corrosion resistance, high biocompatibility, and thermal expansion coefficient close to Si.

It is considered to be the most promising ceramic PCB in the future and is widely used in high-power LEDs, power modules, laser fields, etc.

  • Silicon nitride ceramic PCB:

Silicon nitride ceramic PCB has the advantages of high thermal conductivity, high strength, high fracture toughness, etc., and is mainly used in IGBT modules, vehicle modules, military industry, aerospace, aviation modules and other fields.

Unlike brittle traditional ceramic materials, at high temperatures, silicon nitride PCB has good mechanical strength and fracture toughness, and the thermal expansion coefficient matches that of Si. But the manufacture of silicon nitride PCB is not easy, the bonding of the circuit layer to the ceramic substrate is unstable, and the resistance and insulation are low.

  • Silicon carbide ceramic PCB:

Silicon carbide ceramic PCB has the advantages of good strength even at 1400°C, extremely high thermal conductivity and resistance, good semiconductor conductivity, high hardness, etc.

Mainly used in the laser field, it is easy to work at 1000°C. At present, the manufacturing cost of silicon carbide PCB is extremely expensive, but with the advancement of manufacturing technology in the future, it is expected to be more widely used.

What are the advantages of ceramic pcb?

  • 1. High thermal conductivity: Ceramic materials have good thermal conductivity and can effectively dissipate the heat generated by electronic components.
  • 2. High insulation: Ceramic materials have extremely high insulation properties, which can effectively prevent short circuits and leakage between circuits.
  • 3. High mechanical strength: Ceramic materials have high mechanical strength and can withstand large external forces and vibrations.
  • 4. Good dimensional stability: The thermal expansion coefficient of ceramic materials is very small, and they can maintain dimensional stability under different temperature environments.
  • 5. Good chemical stability: Ceramic materials have good chemical stability and can resist the erosion of various chemical substances.

What are the application areas of ceramic pcb?

  • 1. LED lighting: Since LED lamps generate a lot of heat when working, circuit boards with good thermal conductivity are needed to dissipate heat.
  • 2. Power electronics: Power electronic devices usually need to withstand high voltages and high currents, so circuit boards with good insulation and mechanical strength are needed.
  • 3. Aerospace: The aerospace field has very high requirements for the reliability and stability of electronic equipment, so it is necessary to use circuit boards with good heat resistance, insulation and mechanical strength.
  • 4. Medical equipment: Medical equipment has very high requirements for the safety and reliability of electronic equipment, so it is necessary to use circuit boards with good insulation and chemical stability.
  • 5. Communication equipment: Communication equipment has very high requirements for the high-frequency performance and stability of electronic equipment, so it is necessary to use circuit boards with good high-frequency performance and dimensional stability.

How thick is ceramic PCB?

The thickness of ceramic PCB varies depending on different types and application scenarios. Generally speaking, the thickness of common ceramic PCBs ranges from 0.25mm to 1.5mm.

Ceramic pcb Manufacturer, High Mixed&Customization

The thickness of alumina ceramic PCBs is usually 0.5mm – 1.5mm. Alumina ceramics are widely used because of their low cost, and the choice of board thickness usually depends on the specific application requirements.

In some occasions where space requirements are not high but a certain mechanical strength is required, thicker alumina ceramic PCBs may be selected, such as 1.2mm or 1.5mm thickness. In some small electronic devices with limited space, thinner alumina ceramic PCBs, such as 0.5mm or 0.8mm thickness, may be selected.

The thickness of aluminum nitride ceramic PCB is relatively thin, generally between 0.25mm – 1.0mm.

Aluminum nitride has better thermal performance, but it is also more expensive. Due to its high thermal conductivity, in some applications with extremely high heat dissipation requirements, such as heat dissipation substrates for high-power semiconductor chips, thinner aluminum nitride ceramic PCBs may be selected to achieve better heat dissipation and more compact design.

In some high-end electronic devices, aluminum nitride ceramic PCBs with a thickness of 0.5mm or 0.6mm may be used.

In short, the thickness of ceramic PCBs has a certain flexibility and can be selected according to specific application scenarios and performance requirements.

At what temperature does ceramic PCB melt?

Ceramic PCBs usually do not “melt” like metals.

Ceramic materials have very high melting points, such as the melting point of alumina ceramics is about 2050℃, and the melting point of aluminum nitride ceramics is about 2200℃. In the normal use environment of electronic equipment, ceramic PCBs will hardly reach such high temperatures.

It should be noted that although the ceramic PCB itself will not melt, the metal circuits, solder, etc. on it may change or be damaged at too high a temperature.

As an innovative treasure in the field of electronics, ceramic pcbs have many unique advantages and broad application prospects. It is believed that in the near future, ceramic pcbswill become the mainstream circuit board material in the electronics field and make greater contributions to the development of electronic technology.

Street Light MCPCB,MCPCB Factory&Manufacturer

September 18th, 2024

Being the market leader, we offer high quality range of LED Street Light MCPCB or Street Light PCB. These PCB are manufactured using high grade raw material under the supervision of expert and professional team with international quality standards.

Street Light

Street Light PCB

5w12V led street light mcpcb,size:14x14mm ① 10mm 5W 12V 2C2B 300mA 120- 130lm+/W
10w24V led street light mcpcb,size:18x18mm ① 13mm 10W 24V 4C2B 300mA 120-130lm+/W
15w30V led street light mcpcb,size:19x19mm ① 16mm 15W 36V 6C2B 300mA 120-130lm+/W
20w30V led street light mcpcb,size:24x24mm 019mm 20W 30V 5C4B 600mA 120-130lm+/W
20w30V led street light mcpcb,size:56x40mm 24x24mm 20W 30V 5C4B 600mA 120- 130lm+/W
30w30V led street light mcpcb,size:56x40mm 24x24mm 30W 30V 5C6B 900mA 120-130lm+/W
50w32V led street light mcpcb,size: 56x40mm 24x24mm 50W/4 32V 5C9B 1.5A 120-130lm+/W
50w42V led street light mcpcb,size: 56x40mm 24x24mm 50W/4 42V 7C7B 1A 120-130lm+/W
50w32V led street light mcpcb,size:56x40mm 24x24mm 50W 32V 5C10B 1.5A 120-130lm+/W
200w36V led street light mcpcb,size:194mm ① 185mm 200W 36V 10C5BM 1.5Ax4 130- 140lm+/W

These Street Light PCB are available for our valuable customers at affordable cost in market. Due to their precise design and high functionality our offered materials are ideal for making wide variety of led street light of various watt and models.

Street Light MCPCB

MCPCB production process

Substrate preparation: Select appropriate metal substrates, such as aluminum, iron, copper, indium copper, tungsten-molybdenum alloy, etc., as the base of MCPCB. These metal substrates have good thermal conductivity and are the core components of MCPCB.

Insulating dielectric layer coverage: Cover the metal substrate with an insulating dielectric layer. Common insulating dielectrics include modified epoxy resin, polyphenylene ether, polyimide, etc. This layer not only provides the insulation performance required by the circuit, but also enhances the mechanical strength and durability of the MCPCB.

Copper layer laying: Lay the copper layer on the insulating dielectric layer to form the conductive part of the circuit. The copper layer is made through the production process of printed circuit boards, and the corresponding circuits are laid according to the needs of electronic circuits.

Thermocompression bonding process: The metal substrate, insulating dielectric layer and copper layer are combined together through the thermocompression bonding process to form the basic structure of the MCPCB. This step ensures the close bonding between the layers and improves the stability and reliability of the MCPCB.

Circuit production: According to the design requirements, circuit lines are made on the copper layer. This includes drilling, dry film covering, exposure, development and other steps to ensure the accuracy and conductivity of the circuit line.

‌Inspection and testing‌: Inspect and test the completed MCPCB to ensure that its performance meets the design requirements. This includes inspection of the circuit surface and aluminum base surface, as well as testing of conductivity and insulation performance.

What are the advantages of mcpcb

Excellent heat dissipation performance: MCPCB usually adopts aluminum substrate or copper substrate, which has good thermal conductivity, can effectively dissipate the heat generated by electronic components, and improve the stability and reliability of the circuit board. This excellent heat dissipation performance makes MCPCB particularly suitable for high switching power applications, such as LED lighting, power modules, automotive electronics and power electronics, among which LED lighting is one of the most widely used fields of MCPCB.

‌High mechanical strength: The base material of metal core PCB is thicker, with high mechanical strength and bending and torsion resistance, which is conducive to the assembly and transportation of electronic products. This feature makes MCPCB perform well in environments that need to withstand greater physical pressure or frequent movement.

‌Reliable welding performance: After the surface of metal core PCB is coated with solder paste, it has good welding performance and is suitable for surface mount technology (SMT) and plug-in welding technology. This feature improves the applicability of MCPCB in PCBA processing, making it a preferred material in the manufacture of modern electronic products.

‌Corrosion and wear resistance: Metal core PCB has strong corrosion resistance and wear resistance, which is suitable for electronic products in harsh environments. This feature enables MCPCB to work stably for a long time under high temperature, humidity or other extreme conditions, improving the durability and reliability of the product.

‌Space saving‌: Compared with traditional FR-4 substrates, MCPCB has higher heat dissipation performance, which can design smaller electronic products and save space. This advantage is particularly important in devices with limited space, such as portable electronic devices such as smartphones and tablets.

‌Improve reliability‌: Good welding performance and corrosion resistance can improve the reliability and stability of the circuit board and reduce the failure rate. This is especially important in critical systems and equipment, such as medical equipment, industrial control systems, etc., where reliability and stability are crucial factors.

What accessories does a street lamp have?

  1. Lamp holder. The lamp holder of a street lamp is usually an LED lamp, which is the core part of the street lamp. It is responsible for converting electrical energy into light energy to provide lighting services for people. The quality of the lamp holder directly affects the lighting effect and life of the street lamp.
  2. Lamp pole. The lamp pole is the part that supports the lamp holder. It is usually made of metal and has various shapes such as conical poles and prismatic poles. Street lamps in different scenes may require lamp poles of different heights and shapes to meet lighting needs. In addition, safety issues should also be considered, such as anti-theft design and prevention of excessive wind force. In addition, installation accessories such as clamps are also used to fix the lamp pole.
  3. Light source. The light source is an important part of the street lamp, including LED lamp beads, bulbs, etc. The choice of light source is related to key indicators such as brightness, energy consumption and life of the street lamp. At present, LED light sources are widely used in street lamps due to their high efficiency, energy saving and long life.
  4. Electrical control device. The electrical control device includes components such as ballast, trigger, light control switch, etc., which are used to control the working state of the street lamp and protect the circuit safety. For example, light-operated switches can automatically turn streetlights on and off according to ambient light, saving energy. In addition, some advanced streetlights may also be equipped with intelligent control systems to achieve remote monitoring and management.
  5. Installation accessories. These include small parts such as clamps and screws. Although these parts are not conspicuous, they are very important for the installation and maintenance of streetlights. For example, clamps are used to fix the connection between the top of the lamp pole and the lamp head, and screws are used to fix various parts to ensure the stability and safety of the streetlight.

What are the street lights?

Ordinary street lights
Ordinary street lights are the most common lighting facilities on the streets. They usually use light bulbs or LED lamp heads and are installed on light poles to provide basic lighting for pedestrians at night.

Solar street lights
Solar street lights are an environmentally friendly street light that uses solar panels to absorb solar energy, converts energy into electrical energy, stores it in batteries, and lights up the street lights at night through control devices. Solar street lights do not need to be connected to an external power supply, have low maintenance costs, and are widely used in parks, suburban roads and other places.

LED street lights
LED street lights use light-emitting diodes as light sources, which have the advantages of high efficiency, energy saving, long life, safety and reliability. LED street lights have good lighting effects and can be intelligently adjusted according to different environments. They are the first choice for modern urban street light renovation.

Landscape street lights
In addition to the basic lighting function, landscape street lights also emphasize artistic decorative effects. It is usually integrated with the surrounding environment, with unique design and diverse shapes, and is used to increase the beauty and cultural atmosphere of street landscapes.

Multifunctional street lights
Multifunctional street lights integrate multiple functions such as lighting, monitoring, and communication. In addition to providing lighting, this type of street lamp is also equipped with cameras, display screens and other devices for urban management and security monitoring.

What are the ceramic pcb material?

September 16th, 2024

In this ever-changing era, electronic devices are changing our lives at an unprecedented speed. From smartphones to cars to industrial automation equipment, these products all hide an important component – ceramic printed circuit boards (Ceramic PCBs).

What are the commonly used materials for ceramic PCB substrates?

Imagine that in a tiny space, there are countless electronic components, which are closely arranged and interconnected to form a complex and sophisticated network. This is the working environment of ceramic PCBs. In order to ensure that these components can work normally under harsh conditions such as high temperature and high pressure, it is crucial to choose a suitable substrate.

Commonly used ceramic PCB substrates are mainly the following:

1. Alumina (Al2O3):

  • It is one of the preferred materials for its excellent insulation performance, good thermal conductivity and high mechanical strength.
What are the ceramic pcb material?
  • Alumina substrates are usually used to make single-layer ceramic PCBs, which are suitable for applications under medium temperature and pressure conditions.
  • It has extremely high chemical stability and is not easy to react with other substances, thus ensuring the long-term reliability of the circuit.

2. Aluminum nitride (AlN):

  • Compared with aluminum oxide, aluminum nitride has higher thermal conductivity and can dissipate heat more effectively, making it an ideal choice for manufacturing high-performance electronic products.
What are the ceramic pcb material?
  • Aluminum nitride substrates are often used to make double-layer or multi-layer ceramic PCBs, especially for high-frequency signal transmission and high power density applications.
  • In fields such as semiconductor packaging and LED lighting, the outstanding performance of aluminum nitride makes it one of the indispensable materials.

3. Silicon nitride (Si3N4):

  • It is known for its excellent heat resistance and chemical stability, and it still performs well in extreme environments.
  • Silicon nitride substrates not only have extremely high mechanical strength, but also can withstand a higher temperature range. They are widely used in demanding scenarios such as aerospace, automotive electronics and military equipment.

What are the commonly used conductor materials for ceramic PCBs?

Conductor materials play an extremely important role in ceramic PCBs. They are responsible for transmitting signals and electricity and are the link between various functional modules.

Common conductor materials include precious metals such as copper, gold, and silver, as well as nickel plating. Among them, copper is widely used for its good conductivity and affordable price; gold shines in high-end applications for its excellent corrosion resistance; silver is between the two, combining cost-effectiveness and reliability.

  • As the most commonly used conductor material, copper foil is soft enough to easily combine with ceramic substrates to form a durable circuit path.
  • Gold foil is mainly used in occasions that require high reliability and long life, such as aerospace, medical equipment, etc. The oxidation resistance and corrosion resistance of gold enable it to maintain stable electrical performance in extreme environments, ensuring the normal operation of key components.
  • Silver foil is widely used in mid- and low-end products due to its good conductivity and low cost. Silver’s conductivity is second only to gold, but it is more affordable in terms of cost and is suitable for large-scale production and application. In certain specific fields, such as high-frequency circuits and wireless communication equipment, silver foil can also play an important role.

What are the types of ceramic PCBs?

With the advancement of technology, ceramic PCBs have also developed into various types to adapt to various application scenarios:

1. Single-layer ceramic PCB:

  • Simple structure, low cost, suitable for occasions with low performance requirements.
  • This type of PCB usually has only one layer of ceramic substrate, on which a layer of conductor material is laid to form a basic circuit layout.
  • Single-layer ceramic PCBs are mainly used for entry-level electronic products, such as ordinary household appliances and basic communication equipment.

2. Double-layer or multi-layer ceramic PCB:

  • By stacking multiple layers of ceramic substrates and setting interconnection channels between them, more complex circuit designs can be achieved, which is suitable for high-end products that require high-density integration.
What are the ceramic pcb material?
  • This type of PCB can accommodate more electronic components and more complex circuit structures, and is widely used in high-performance computing, advanced medical equipment and high-end automotive electronic systems.
  • Multilayer ceramic PCBs have high design flexibility and can be customized according to specific needs to achieve optimal performance.

3. Hybrid ceramic PCB:

  • Combining ceramic substrates of different materials, giving full play to their respective advantages, suitable for use in special environments.
  • This type of PCB usually uses two or more ceramic materials, such as a combination of alumina and aluminum nitride, which can ensure good thermal conductivity and provide sufficient mechanical strength.
  • Hybrid ceramic PCBs are suitable for applications with extreme temperature changes and high pressure conditions, such as deep-sea exploration equipment and space exploration instruments.

Advantages and characteristics of ceramic PCB

The reason why ceramic PCBs stand out among many materials is inseparable from their unique advantages:

High temperature resistance:

  • It can remain stable at temperatures up to 1000℃, making it an ideal choice for high-temperature working environments.
  • Ceramic materials themselves have extremely high melting points and are not easy to deform or damage even under extremely high temperature conditions, which enables ceramic PCBs to operate reliably in extreme environments.

High reliability:

  • It will not deform or damage even under long-term exposure to extreme conditions, ensuring the continuous and reliable operation of the system.
  • Ceramic materials have high chemical stability and are not easy to react with other substances, so they can maintain stable electrical performance in harsh environments.

Excellent thermal management capabilities:

  • Efficient heat dissipation helps to extend the life of components and improve overall efficiency.
  • The high thermal conductivity of ceramic materials enables it to quickly conduct heat away, effectively reducing the temperature of the circuit board, thereby improving the reliability and service life of the system.

Environmentally friendly and pollution-free:

  • The production process meets green environmental protection standards and is easy to recycle and reuse after disposal.
  • The production process of ceramic PCBs produces less waste, and the discarded materials can be recycled, which is in line with the concept of sustainable development.

These characteristics make ceramic PCBs an important force in promoting scientific and technological progress, and continue to lead the industry to a higher level.

What are the applications of ceramic PCBs?

From aerospace to medical equipment, from automotive electronics to communication facilities, ceramic PCBs are everywhere.

In satellite navigation systems, ceramic PCBs ensure positioning accuracy with their reliable signal transmission capabilities; in medical devices such as pacemakers, they rely on their ability to accurately control current to protect patient safety. In addition, in the construction of 5G base stations, ceramic PCBs also play an irreplaceable role, supporting the demand for high-speed data transmission.

Specific application cases are as follows:

  • 1. Aerospace: In satellite communication systems, the high reliability of ceramic PCBs ensures the accuracy of data transmission. During long-term flight, ceramic PCBs can resist extreme temperature changes, maintain stable electrical performance, and ensure unimpeded communication between satellites and ground stations.
  • 2. Medical equipment: In implantable medical devices such as pacemakers, the miniaturization and high reliability of ceramic PCBs become key factors. Ceramic materials have good biocompatibility and will not have adverse effects on human tissues. At the same time, they can provide precise current control to ensure therapeutic effects.
  • 3. Automotive electronics: In modern automobiles, ceramic PCBs are widely used in key components such as engine control systems, sensors, and navigation systems. The high temperature resistance of ceramic PCBs enables it to operate reliably in high-temperature environments in the engine compartment, ensuring the safety and comfort of the vehicle.
  • 4. 5G communication: In the construction and maintenance of 5G base stations, the efficient heat dissipation capacity and high-density integration characteristics of ceramic PCBs make them an ideal choice. Ceramic PCBs can handle a large number of data transmission tasks and ensure the high-speed and stable operation of 5G networks.

What is the production process of ceramic PCB?

The production process of ceramic PCBs is very delicate, and every step needs to be strictly controlled to ensure the high quality of the final product.

  • 1. Raw material preparation: First, the required ceramic powder and other raw materials need to be prepared to ensure their purity and uniformity.
  • 2. Molding: The ceramic powder is made into a substrate by pressing or casting. The temperature and pressure need to be strictly controlled during the molding process to ensure the flatness and consistency of the substrate.
  • 3. Sintering: The formed substrate is placed in a high-temperature furnace for sintering. The sintering process requires precise control of the temperature curve to ensure the density and stability of the ceramic substrate.
  • 4. Metallization: A layer of conductor material such as copper, gold or silver is applied to the ceramic substrate by electroplating, spraying or other means. This process requires highly precise operation to ensure the uniform distribution and good adhesion of the conductor layer.
  • 5. Circuit design and etching: According to the circuit design drawings, etching is performed on the conductor layer to form the required circuit pattern. The etching process requires the use of special chemicals, and the time and temperature need to be precisely controlled to ensure the accuracy and clarity of the circuit pattern.
  • 6. Testing and inspection: Finally, the completed ceramic PCB is fully tested and inspected to ensure that its electrical and mechanical properties meet the design requirements. The test items include resistance, voltage, current and other indicators.

Through this series of fine process flows, ceramic PCBs have excellent performance and reliability and have become an indispensable part of the electronics industry.

What are the development trends and prospects of ceramic PCBs?

With the continuous advancement of science and technology and the growing social needs, ceramic PCBs are also constantly developing and improving. In the future, ceramic PCBs will show greater potential in the following aspects:

  • 1. Miniaturization and integration: As electronic products develop towards smaller and higher integration, ceramic PCBs will continue to shrink in size while accommodating more electronic components. This means achieving more complex functions in a limited space and improving the performance of the overall system.
  • 2. High performance and high reliability: In the future, ceramic PCBs will pay more attention to high performance and high reliability, especially in applications under extreme environments. The application of new materials and new technologies will further enhance the temperature resistance, mechanical strength and electrical stability of ceramic PCBs, enabling them to play a role in a wider range of fields.
  • 3. Environmental protection and sustainable development: As the global awareness of environmental protection increases, the production process of ceramic PCBs will pay more attention to environmental protection and sustainable development. The research and development and application of new environmentally friendly materials will become an important direction to reduce the impact on the environment.
  • 4. Intelligence and automation: Ceramic PCBs in the future will be more intelligent and automated. By introducing advanced manufacturing technology and intelligent control systems, production efficiency and product quality can be further improved, costs can be reduced, and market demand can be better met.

In short, as an advanced electronic material, ceramic PCBs have unique advantages and broad application prospects, making them an important force in promoting scientific and technological progress. With the continuous advancement of technology and changes in social needs, ceramic PCBs will continue to show greater potential and development space in various fields.

Ceramic base pcb-Fast Delivery&Customization

September 16th, 2024

In this field full of innovation and challenges, ceramic base pcb have quietly emerged and quickly attracted the attention of the industry with their excellent performance and broad application prospects.

What is a ceramic base pcb?

Ceramic base pcb are made of ceramic as the matrix material through complex and sophisticated processes. This type of circuit board has many unique properties, which makes it widely used in many fields.

Ceramic base pcb-Fast Delivery&Customization

Ceramic substrates are easier to break than glass fiber boards, and the process is more difficult than ordinary PCB boards, and the process technology requirements are high. In the production process, there are important process links such as drilling, copper coating, and etching.

The copper coating process plays a key role in the ceramic substrate PCB process. The commonly used copper coating processes are DBC process and DPC process. In the DPC process, the electroplating process is adopted, and the adhesion layer and seed layer are formed on the ceramic surface through the sputtering process to increase the adhesion strength of the metal circuit and play a conductive role.

The etching of ceramic-based circuit boards is divided into inner layer etching and outer layer etching. Different etching methods have different processes and characteristics. At the same time, some problems may occur in the etching process, such as incomplete film removal, board surface oxidation, incomplete copper etching, excessive copper etching, etc., and corresponding improvement methods need to be adopted.

In short, ceramic base pcb occupy an important position in the electronics field due to their unique properties and complex manufacturing processes.

What are the different types of ceramic PCB?

(I) Classification by material

  • Alumina ceramic substrates are the most commonly used substrate materials in the electronics industry. They have high strength and chemical stability, rich raw material sources, and are suitable for various technical manufacturing and different shapes.
  • Beryllium oxide ceramic substrates have a higher thermal conductivity than metal aluminum and are used in situations where high thermal conductivity is required, but the temperature drops rapidly after exceeding 300°C, and their toxicity limits their own development.
  • Aluminum nitride ceramic substrates have high thermal conductivity and expansion coefficients that match Si, and are ideal large-scale integrated circuit heat dissipation substrates and packaging materials.
  • Silicon nitride ceramic substrates have higher mechanical strength than other ceramics and can achieve long life in harsh working environments and HEV/EV and other renewable energy application conditions.

(II) Classification by process

  • Thick film ceramic PCBs use screen printing technology to coat metal slurry on the surface of ceramic substrates, which are dried and sintered at high temperature. Its advantage is that the process is relatively simple and the cost is low.
  • Low-temperature co-fired ceramic (LTCC) PCB first mixes inorganic alumina powder with about 30% – 50% glass material and organic binder to make a slurry, scrapes it into sheets to form a green embryo, then drills through holes according to the design of each layer, uses screen printing technology to fill holes and print circuits, and finally sintered at 850 – 900℃.
  • High-temperature co-fired ceramic (HTCC) PCB first adds ceramic powder to an organic binder to make a paste slurry, scrapes it into sheets to form a green embryo, then drills through holes, uses screen printing technology to fill holes and print circuits, and sintered at 1300 – 1600℃.

What are the characteristics of ceramic base pcb?

(I) Performance advantages

  • First, it has strong mechanical stress, can maintain a stable shape in various complex use environments, and is not easily deformed by external forces.
Ceramic base pcb-Fast Delivery&Customization
  • High thermal conductivity is one of its notable features. For example, the thermal conductivity of alumina ceramic substrates is between 28 and 35 W/(m・K), and the theoretical thermal conductivity of aluminum nitride ceramic substrates at room temperature is 319W/(m・K), which allows the heat generated by electronic components to be quickly dissipated, effectively avoiding circuit failures caused by local overheating.
  • High insulation ensures the safe and stable operation of the circuit and prevents leakage. Good thermal cycle performance is also one of its advantages, with a cycle number of up to 50,000 times and high reliability.
  • In an environment with extreme temperature changes, ceramic base pcb can still maintain stable performance, which is crucial for some electronic devices that need to work in harsh environments.

(II) Comparison with traditional PCBs

Compared with conventional PCBs, ceramic base pcb have obvious advantages.

  • In terms of thermal conductivity, traditional PCBs usually require heat dissipation holes, inner metal planes, heat dissipation platforms, and active cooling devices such as fans to remove heat from hot components. However, ceramic base pcb, with their high thermal conductivity, do not require these additional components and can easily transfer heat to active cooling components, thermal landings, or device packaging.
  • In terms of mechanical strength, ceramic base pcb have higher compressive strength and surface hardness, higher durability, and longer service life.
  • In terms of corrosion resistance, ceramic materials are extremely resistant to most chemicals and are suitable for applications in harsh environments.

However, ceramic base pcb also have some disadvantages.

  • The cost is higher than that of standard PCBs, which is due to the relatively complex materials and manufacturing processes.
  • Reduced availability, because the current production scale of ceramic base pcb is relatively small and the manufacturing difficulty is relatively high.
  • Fragility is one of the main disadvantages of ceramic base pcb, and currently only small-area circuit boards can be manufactured.

Manufacturing process of ceramic base pcb

(I) Drilling process

Ceramic substrates are generally drilled by laser. Laser drilling technology has many advantages over traditional drilling technology, such as high precision, high surface flatness, roughness of 0.1μm~0.3μm, laser drilling aperture of 0.15mm-0.5mm, and even below 0.06mm.

(II) Copper coating process

Commonly used copper coating processes include DBC process and DPC process.

In the DPC process, electroplating process is adopted. Copper coating refers to covering the area without wiring on the circuit board with copper foil, which is connected to the ground wire to increase the ground wire area, reduce the loop area, reduce the voltage drop, and improve the power supply efficiency and anti-interference ability.

In addition to reducing the ground wire impedance, copper coating also has the functions of reducing the loop cross-sectional area and enhancing the signal mirror loop.

Therefore, the copper coating process plays a very critical role in the ceramic substrate PCB process. Incomplete, truncated mirror loop or incorrectly positioned copper layer often leads to new interference, which has a negative impact on the use of the circuit board.

(III) Etching process

The etching of ceramic substrates is divided into inner layer etching and outer layer etching. The inner layer etching adopts acid etching, and wet film or dry film is used as resist; the outer layer etching adopts alkaline etching, and tin-lead is used as resist.

1. The alkaline etching process is as follows:

  • Defilming: Use film stripping liquid to remove the film on the circuit board surface to expose the unprocessed copper surface.
  • Etching: Use etching liquid to etch away the unnecessary bottom copper, leaving a thickened circuit.
  • New washing liquid: Use monohydrated ammonia without copper ions, and use ammonium chloride solution to remove the residual liquid on the board surface.
  • Hole filling: Mainly remove excess palladium ions in non-plated through holes to prevent gold ions from being deposited in the gold immersion process.
  • Tin stripping: Use nitric acid solution to strip the tin-lead layer.

2. Acid copper chloride etching process:

  • Development: Use sodium carbonate to dissolve the part of the dry film that has not been irradiated by ultraviolet light, and retain the part that has been irradiated.
  • Etching: According to a certain proportion of solution, the copper surface exposed to the outside after the dry film or wet film is dissolved is dissolved with acidic copper chloride etching solution.
  • Film stripping: According to a certain proportion of solution, the protective film on the circuit is dissolved under a specific temperature and speed environment.

Common problems and improvement methods of etching process:

  • 1. Incomplete film stripping: It may be that the film stripping solution concentration is not enough or the operation time is insufficient. It is necessary to adjust the film stripping solution concentration or extend the operation time.
  • 2. Board surface oxidation: It may be that the exposure time is too long or the ambient humidity is high during the etching process. The exposure time should be shortened as much as possible and the ambient humidity should be controlled.
  • 3. Incomplete copper etching: It may be that the etching solution concentration is low or the etching time is short. The etching solution concentration needs to be increased or the etching time needs to be extended.
  • 4. Excessive copper etching: It may be that the etching time is too long or the etching solution concentration is too high. The etching time should be reduced or the etching solution concentration should be reduced.

What is a ceramic PCB used for?

(I) High-frequency applications

Ceramic base pcb perform well in high-frequency applications. Due to its high dielectric constant and low dielectric loss tangent value, it can maintain good stability and reliability in high-frequency signal transmission.

In high-frequency electronic equipment such as mobile phones, microwave ovens, radars, communication equipment and other fields, ceramic base pcb can effectively reduce noise interference and improve signal transmission quality. In addition, ceramic base pcb can withstand higher output power to meet the power requirements of high-frequency equipment.

Ceramic base pcb-Fast Delivery&Customization

(II) Aerospace

ceramic base pcb have important application value in the aerospace field. Its thermal expansion coefficient is very close to silicon and much lower than most common metals, which enables it to work well with other electronic components in an environment with extreme temperature changes and will not damage the chip due to thermal expansion and contraction.

In key parts of aircraft electronic equipment, navigation systems, rocket engines, etc., ceramic base pcb can withstand harsh environments such as high temperature, high pressure, radiation, and corrosion to ensure the reliability of the equipment.

(III) Other fields

ceramic base pcb are also widely used in power devices, communication substrates, mobile phone application module substrates, automotive electronic substrates and other fields.

In the field of power devices, such as the power electronic system of electric vehicles, DPC ceramic circuit boards, as ideal electronic substrates, play an important role in battery management systems, motor drive systems and fast charging systems.

In terms of communication substrates, ceramic substrates, that is, high-frequency filters used in high-frequency ceramic substrates, are used in 5G network equipment. They have low high-frequency loss and low dielectric constant. The dielectric loss of signals propagating in them can reach the lowest among all current PCBs, which is particularly suitable for high-frequency communications such as 5G.

In the mobile phone application module substrate, ceramic base pcb can meet the requirements of mobile phones for miniaturization and high performance. In the field of automotive electronic substrates, new energy vehicles have high requirements for heat dissipation. Ceramic substrates have good heat dissipation effects and can dissipate high heat in the power system in time to ensure the normal operation of large power loads.

Development prospects of ceramic base pcb

(I) Market size growth

In recent years, the market size of ceramic base pcb has shown a trend of continuous growth.

First, with the development of miniaturization, high performance and multi-functionality of electronic equipment, the requirements for heat dissipation performance, insulation performance and high-frequency characteristics of circuit boards are getting higher and higher.

Secondly, technological progress has driven the cost reduction and production efficiency improvement of ceramic base pcb, which will further promote the expansion of its market size.

Finally, the continuous emergence of emerging application fields has also brought a broad market space for ceramic base pcb.

(II) Industry challenges and opportunities

Technical barriers: The ceramic base pcb industry is a technology-intensive industry. Its research and development and production require knowledge of multiple disciplines such as electronics, computers, materials, and chemicals, and there are many product types, long processes, and complex process technologies.

Fundamental barriers: The ceramic base pcb industry has complex process technologies, many links, and high customization requirements. In the early stage, a large amount of capital investment is required for the purchase of equipment, new plant buildings and supporting facilities, procurement of raw materials, and the employment of R&D and production personnel.

Talent barriers: The ceramic circuit board industry is highly professional. Technical and R&D personnel not only need to have professional knowledge in multiple fields, but also need to have a deep understanding and familiarity with product applications, process flows, equipment improvements, etc.

In summary, although the ceramic base pcb industry faces many challenges, it has also ushered in rare development opportunities. Driven by policy support, market demand growth, and technological innovation, the ceramic base pcb industry is expected to achieve sustained and rapid development.

LTCC Ceramic PCB Manufacturer, High Quality&Customization

September 16th, 2024

What is LTCC?

What is LTCC?LTCC low temperature cofired ceramic technology.What is the full name of LTCC?LTCC Ceramic PCB English full name Low temperature cofired ceramic, low temperature cofired ceramic technology is a multilayer circuit made by stacking unfired cast ceramic materials together, with printed interconnecting conductors, components, and circuits inside, and sintering the structure into an integrated ceramic multilayer material.

What are the advantages of LTCC?

  1. Green: LTCC technology uses materials and production processes that are more environmentally friendly, meeting the requirements of green manufacturing.
  2. Good compatibility: Compared with traditional high-temperature co-fired ceramic technology, LTCC is more compatible and can be adapted to more application scenarios.
  3. High production efficiency: LTCC technology has high production efficiency and can meet the needs of mass production.
  4. Low operating costs: LTCC technology has relatively low operating costs due to its productivity and compatibility advantages.
  5. High quality factor: In the RF microwave field, LTCC has the advantages of high quality factor, high stability, high integration, etc., which is suitable for high-performance electronic systems.
  6. Miniaturization and high density: LTCC technology can realize the miniaturization and high density of the circuit, which is conducive to the compact design and light weight of the system.
  7. Excellent electrical properties: LTCC material dielectric constant can be changed in a wide range, increasing the flexibility of circuit design, and at the same time has excellent high-frequency high-Q characteristics, the use of frequency can be as high as tens of GHz.
  8. High conductivity: the use of Ag, Cu and other metal materials with high conductivity as a conductor material, is conducive to improving the quality factor of the circuit system.
  9. Good temperature characteristics: good temperature characteristics, such as smaller coefficient of thermal expansion, smaller temperature coefficient of dielectric constant, etc., to ensure the stability and reliability of the circuit.
  10. High-temperature characteristics: can adapt to high current and high-temperature characteristics requirements, and has a better thermal conductivity than ordinary PCB circuit substrate, to improve the life and reliability of the circuit.
  11. Non-continuous production process: allows for inspection of raw substrates, improving yield and reducing costs.

What are LTCC materials?

LTCC materials can basically be categorized into two main groups:
① Low dielectric constant materials (εr below 10), which are mainly used for passive integration, system level packaging and multilayer circuit substrates. In principle, the dielectric constant of such materials should be as low as possible to meet the requirements of high-speed signal transmission in the circuit; ② materials with medium to high dielectric constant, mainly used in passive integration, system-level packaging and multilayer circuit substrates.
② materials with medium-high dielectric constant (εr in 10 or more), mainly used to meet the special needs of various types of microwave devices.

From the material composition and structure division, the current low-temperature co-fired ceramic material system can be divided into three major categories: glass ceramics, ceramic-glass composites and glass bonded ceramics.

What is the LTCC process?

What is the LTCC process?

Cast:The purpose of casting is to transform ceramic powders into raw ceramic tapes for subsequent processing. A suitable binder is added to the ceramic powder, which is ball-milled and mixed to form a high-viscosity paste.
Perforation: perforation is a multilayer ceramic substrate manufacturing is extremely critical process technology, perforation hole size, location, precision, etc., directly affect the substrate internal alignment of the pass-through, wiring density, substrate quality and yield.
Fill holes: fill holes is the use of fill holes in the bottom of the machine airbag pressure will be masked filler plate filling paste extruded into the corresponding raw ceramic sheet through-hole, after drying, to complete the metallization process of raw ceramic.
Stacking and hot pressing: Stacking is printed raw porcelain in accordance with the design of the number and order of layers stacked together in a certain temperature and pressure, so that the raw porcelain tightly bonded to form a complete multi-layer substrate blanks.
Slicing: Slicing is to cut the raw porcelain blanks after lamination into raw porcelain blocks according to the design size requirements.
Co-firing: After lamination and slicing, the raw ceramic blocks are put onto the support in the sintering furnace, and sintered into qualified substrates under the appropriate curves and atmospheric conditions.
Inspection: Inspection is the basis for judging the quality of the substrate.

What is the firing temperature of LTCC?

LTCC technology, or Low Temperature Co-Fired Ceramic Technology, is an advanced passive integrated and hybrid circuit packaging technology. This technology introduces a glass phase by adding a certain amount of glass powder to the ceramic slurry, allowing for a firing temperature that can be lower than 950°C. Specifically, the main feature of LTCC technology is the use of low-temperature (800°C~900°C) sintering materials and organic binder/incremental enhancers mixed in a certain ratio to generate raw ceramic wafers or raw embryo wafers by casting, followed by punching and laser punching, metallized wiring and through-hole metallization on the raw ceramic tape, followed by stacking, hot pressing, slicing, and gluing rows, and finally sintering at about 900°C to make multilayer Wiring substrate. This technology is easier to control during the sintering process and has a lower sintering temperature, which enables the realization of passive/active integrated functional modules, further miniaturizing the circuits and making them more dense, and is particularly suitable for components for high-frequency communication.

What is the difference between LTCC and HTCC?

Sintering Temperature: LTCC (Low Temperature Co-fired Ceramics) are generally sintered at temperatures between 800°C and 950°C, while HTCC (High Temperature Co-fired Ceramics) are sintered at temperatures between 1600°C and 1800°C. This difference in temperature directly affects the temperature of the components used. This temperature difference directly affects the choice of materials used and manufacturing process.
Materials Used: LTCC primarily uses metals with low melting points such as silver, gold, copper and palladium-silver, while HTCC uses metals with high melting points such as tungsten, molybdenum and manganese. In addition, LTCC uses dielectric materials such as glass-ceramics, ceramic-glass composites, and glass-bonded ceramics, while HTCC mainly uses high-temperature ceramic materials such as alumina and aluminum nitride.
Manufacturing process: The manufacturing processes of LTCC and HTCC are similar, both including the preparation of slurry, casting molding, drying of raw ceramic substrates, drilling of guide through holes, screen printing to fill the holes, screen printing lines, stacked sintering and other steps. However, the differences in firing temperatures and materials used result in different specific operations during the manufacturing process.
Areas of application: Due to LTCC’s lower sintering temperature and the use of low melting point metals, it is more suitable for high frequency circuits, RF modules, microwave circuits, and so on. HTCC, on the other hand, due to its higher sintering temperature and use of high melting point metals, is more suitable for high temperature, high power and high frequency applications such as power electronics, sensors and aerospace electronics.

What is the difference between LTCC and MLCC?

Materials: LTCCs use dielectric materials such as glass ceramics, ceramic-glass composites, and glass-bonded ceramics, while MLCCs use barium titanate (BaTiO3), titanium oxide (TiO2), calcium zirconate (CaZrO3), or other dielectric ceramic materials.
Sintering Temperature: LTCC is generally sintered between 800°C and 950°C, which is a low temperature sintering, while MLCC is generally sintered between 1100°C and 1350°C, which is a high temperature sintering.
Product type: LTCC technology is mainly used for manufacturing filters, diplexers, couplers, baluns, antennas, ceramic substrates, ceramic package housings, etc., while MLCC is mainly used for capacitors.
Application areas: LTCC application areas are mainly focused on high frequency circuits, RF modules, microwave circuits and other areas that require high frequency characteristics; MLCC is widely used in consumer electronics, automotive electronics, communication equipment and many other areas.
Manufacturing process: LTCC’s manufacturing process involves laser drilling, microvia slurry injection, precision conductor paste printing, etc., which enables the integration of passive components; MLCC’s manufacturing process focuses on the basic construction and sintering process of multilayer ceramic capacitors.

Application of ltcc?

Communication field: LTCC technology is widely used in high-frequency communication components, especially in emerging fields such as 5G communication, Internet of Things, artificial intelligence, etc. Its high-density packaging technology can meet the demand for miniaturization and high-density of electronic components in these fields.
Automotive electronics: with the development of automotive electronics technology, the control system of modern automobiles depends more and more on electronic and information technology. LTCC technology can provide a high temperature, high humidity working environment to ensure the high reliability of the circuit system, so it has important applications in the field of automotive electronics.
Medical equipment: LTCC technology can greatly reduce the size of the three-dimensional structure of the circuit design, to adapt to the needs of medical equipment for miniaturization, high performance, and therefore has a wide range of applications in the field of medical equipment.
Aerospace: LTCC technology was first applied in aviation, aerospace and military electronic equipment, such as the development of satellite control circuit components, showing its reliability and high performance in extreme environments.

What is a ceramic substrate pcb? What is it used for?

September 13th, 2024

Ceramic substrate PCB is a printed circuit board with ceramic material as substrate. With its excellent performance and unique technical advantages, it occupies an important position in today’s rapidly developing electronics industry. Its high thermal conductivity, high insulation, high temperature resistance, corrosion resistance and other characteristics enable it to be widely used in many fields.

What is a ceramic substrate?

‌Ceramic substrate is a special process board in which copper foil is directly bonded to the surface (single or double sides) of alumina (Al2O3) or aluminum nitride (AlN) ceramic substrate at high temperature. ‌

What is a ceramic substrate pcb? What is it used for?

This ultra-thin composite substrate has excellent electrical insulation properties, high thermal conductivity, excellent soft solderability and high adhesion strength, and can be etched with various patterns like PCB boards, with great current carrying capacity.

Therefore, ceramic substrate has become the basic material for high-power power electronic circuit structure technology and interconnection technology.

It has a wide range of applications, including but not limited to semiconductor modules, integrated circuits and electronic ceramics, among which alumina is one of the most commonly used ceramic substrate materials.

The characteristics of ceramic substrates include strong mechanical stress, shape stability, high strength, high thermal conductivity, high insulation, strong bonding, corrosion resistance, and good thermal cycling performance, with a cycle number of up to 50,000 times and high reliability.

In addition, the operating temperature range of ceramic substrates is wide, from -55°C to 850°C, and its thermal expansion coefficient is close to that of silicon, which simplifies the production process of power modules.

How thick is a ceramic substrate?

The thickness of ceramic substrates is generally between tens and hundreds of microns. ‌ This material usually has a flat surface for connecting and supporting microelectronic components.

What is a ceramic substrate pcb? What is it used for?

The thickness of ceramic substrates can be precisely processed according to specific needs to meet different application scenarios.

The thickness of alumina ceramic substrates can be adjusted between 0.2-1.5mm, which shows that the thickness range of ceramic substrates is quite wide and can be customized according to specific application needs. ‌

What is a ceramic PCB used for?

Due to its unique performance and functions, ceramic PCB is widely used in many fields, including but not limited to LED lighting, semiconductor coolers, high-power semiconductor modules, power control circuits, electronic heaters, intelligent power devices, power hybrid circuits, high-frequency switching power supplies, automotive electronics, solid-state relays, military electronics, aerospace, communications, etc.

What is a ceramic substrate pcb? What is it used for?

The requirements for electronic products in these application fields are to become thinner, smaller, and have more functions. As a new type of circuit material, ceramic PCB effectively provides a solution for the miniaturization of modern electronic products. Its advantages are:

  • Heat dissipation performance and current carrying capacity‌: The heat dissipation performance, current carrying capacity, insulation, thermal expansion coefficient, etc. of ceramic substrates are better than those of ordinary glass fiber PCB boards, and are particularly suitable for high-power power electronic modules, aerospace, military electronics and other products.
  • Thermal conductivity‌: Ceramic PCB has excellent thermal conductivity and can effectively dissipate the heat generated by components, making it the first choice for applications that generate a lot of heat and require efficient thermal management.
  • ‌Electrical performance‌: The excellent electrical performance of ceramic materials at high frequencies makes ceramic PCBs particularly suitable for radio frequency (RF) and microwave applications, which can maintain signal integrity and minimize signal loss.
  • ‌Durability and mechanical strength‌: Ceramic PCBs have impressive mechanical strength and durability, and can withstand challenging mechanical stress and vibration, while having good chemical resistance and the ability to withstand harsh environments.

In summary, ceramic PCBs occupy an important position in high-performance electronic applications due to their excellent physical and electrical properties, as well as high reliability and stability, and are an important part of the development of modern electronic technology.

What is the difference between ceramic substrate and FR-4?

The main differences between ceramic substrates and FR-4 are their physical and electrical properties, cost, production cycle, application areas, and high-frequency performance. ‌

What is a ceramic substrate pcb? What is it used for?

‌Physical and electrical properties‌:

  • Ceramic substrates use ceramic substrates, such as alumina ceramic substrates, aluminum nitride ceramic substrates, silicon nitride ceramic substrates, etc., with good heat dissipation and insulation, thermal conductivity between 25w and 230w, and insulation resistance greater than or equal to 10 to the 14th power.
  • In contrast, FR-4 is made of glass fiber, which has poor heat dissipation performance and no insulation performance. It needs to add an insulation layer to transfer heat, and its heat dissipation performance is only a few watts.

‌Cost and production cycle‌:

  • The production cost of ceramic substrates is high, and the production cycle is usually 10~15 days.
  • In contrast, the production cost of FR-4 substrates is lower, and the production cycle is shorter. Some can be shipped in 24 hours.

‌Application areas‌:

  • Ceramic substrates are widely used in high thermal conductivity, high current, high insulation, high frequency and other fields due to their high thermal conductivity, excellent insulation, high frequency performance, high temperature resistance and corrosion resistance.
  • FR-4 substrates are more widely used and in high demand due to their low cost and short production cycle.

‌High frequency performance‌:

  • The dielectric constant of ceramic substrates is relatively stable and low, generally around 7~10, with high high frequency performance and low dielectric loss, faster and more stable signal transmission, so it is suitable for high frequency communication.
  • In contrast, the high frequency performance of FR-4 is not as good as that of ceramic substrates.

In summary, there are significant differences between ceramic substrates and FR-4 in terms of physical and electrical properties, cost, production cycle, and application areas.

What is a ceramic substrate for power electronics?

‌The ceramic substrate for power electronics is a special process board made by directly bonding copper foil to the surface (single or double sides) of an alumina (Al2O3) or aluminum nitride (AlN) ceramic substrate at high temperature.

This ultra-thin composite substrate has excellent electrical insulation properties, high thermal conductivity, excellent soft solderability and high adhesion strength, and can be etched with various patterns like a PCB board, with a large current carrying capacity.

Therefore, ceramic substrates have become the basic materials for high-power power electronic circuit structure technology and interconnection technology.

The characteristics of ceramic substrates include strong mechanical stress, stable shape, high strength, high thermal conductivity, high insulation, strong bonding, corrosion resistance, good thermal cycle performance (cycle times up to 50,000 times, high reliability), no pollution, no pollution, wide operating temperature (-55℃~850℃), thermal expansion coefficient close to silicon, and simplified production process of power modules.

These characteristics make ceramic substrates widely used in the field of power electronics, especially in application scenarios that require high heat dissipation, low thermal resistance, long life, and voltage resistance, such as home appliance indicator lights, car lights, street lights, and large outdoor billboards.

In addition, the market for ceramic substrates is expected to increase by 94.27% in the next three years, showing a strong demand for localization. With the improvement of production technology and equipment, product prices have accelerated rationalization, further expanding its application areas in the LED industry.

The development trend of diversification and structural integration of ceramic substrates has put forward higher requirements on the performance of packaging substrates. They have been widely used in electronic device packaging, such as thin film ceramic substrates, thick film printed ceramic substrates, and direct bonding ceramic substrates. These substrates have high thermal conductivity, good heat resistance, low thermal expansion coefficient, high mechanical strength, good insulation, corrosion resistance, and radiation resistance.

Conclusion:

Ceramic substrate PCB has shown great value in the electronics industry with its excellent performance and wide range of uses. With the continuous advancement of science and technology, ceramic substrate PCB will surely be more deeply applied and developed in more fields, contributing to the innovation and progress of electronic technology.

As a professional ceramic circuit board manufacturer, BEST Technology has advanced production technology and a strict quality control system. It is always committed to providing customers with high-quality products and professional services, and continuously promoting the development of the ceramic circuit board industry.