PCB Types / Ceramic PCB
When FR-4 melts at 130°C and aluminum MCPCB can't handle 400°C operating temperatures, ceramic PCBs take over. Alumina (Al₂O₃) and aluminum nitride (AlN) substrates with thick-film or direct-bonded copper metallization — for UV LEDs, IGBT power modules, and hermetic packaging.
Technology Overview
Ceramic PCBs use aluminum oxide (Al₂O₃, alumina) or aluminum nitride (AlN) as the insulating substrate instead of FR-4 or polyimide. These ceramics offer thermal conductivity 20-100× better than FR-4, can operate at temperatures exceeding 400°C, and provide a hermetic (moisture-impermeable) platform for sensitive electronics.
Three metallization technologies serve different needs: DBC (Direct Bonded Copper) for thick copper power applications, DPC (Direct Plated Copper) for fine-line resolution, and AMB (Active Metal Brazing) for AlN substrates where DBC doesn't bond well.
Technical Specifications
| Substrate Materials | Al₂O₃ 96% (20-24 W/m·K) · AlN (170-230 W/m·K) · ZTA · BeO (evaluation) |
| Metallization Types | DBC (Direct Bonded Copper) · DPC (Direct Plated Copper) · AMB (Active Metal Brazing) · Thick-Film Au/Ag/PdAg |
| DBC Copper Thickness | 100 – 300 µm (0.1 – 0.3 mm); 200/300µm most common |
| DPC Copper Thickness | 10 – 100 µm with additional plating build-up; Ti adhesion + Ni/Au finish |
| Min. Trace / Space (DPC) | 1 / 1 mil (25 / 25 µm) — semiconductor-grade resolution |
| Min. Trace / Space (DBC) | 8 / 8 mil (0.2 / 0.2 mm) — limited by thick Cu etch |
| Substrate Thickness | 0.25 – 1.0 mm (Al₂O₃); 0.38 – 1.0 mm (AlN); 0.38/0.63mm standard |
| Surface Finish | ENIG (<2µ") · ENEPIG · Immersion Ag · Ni/Au (electrolytic) · Wire-bondable Au |
| Via / Through-Hole | Laser-drilled 0.2-0.5mm; filled with Ag/PdAg or Cu/Ni/Au |
| Max Panel Size | 120 × 120 mm (standard); up to 190 × 140 mm evaluation |
| Quality Standard | IPC-6012 Class 3 · MIL-PRF-38534 (hermetic) · IATF 16949 · ISO 9001 |
Copper foil is directly bonded to ceramic at 1065°C using a copper-oxygen eutectic. Thick copper (up to 300µm) handles high current. Standard for IGBT power modules, EV/HEV traction inverters, and industrial motor drives.
Thin-film sputtering of Ti/Cu seed layer followed by electrolytic Cu plating. Achieves 1/1 mil trace resolution — semiconductor-grade. Used in UV LED submounts, laser diode carriers, and high-density ceramic interposers.
Active metal (typically Ti or Zr) braze paste bonds copper to AlN ceramic at ~900°C. Necessary because DBC doesn't bond well to AlN. Enables AlN's superior thermal conductivity for SiC MOSFET and GaN HEMT power modules.
Conductor paste screen-printed onto ceramic and fired at 850°C. Lower cost than DPC for medium-resolution designs. Used in hybrid microcircuits, resistor networks, and sensor substrates.
Manufacturing Process
The DPC process begins with sputtering a thin titanium adhesion layer followed by a copper seed layer onto the ceramic substrate. Photolithography defines the circuit pattern with semiconductor-grade resolution. Electrolytic copper plating builds the traces to the target thickness (typically 30-70µm), followed by Ni/Au finish for wire bonding and soldering. The result: 1-mil traces on a substrate that can handle 400°C.
UV-C sterilization, horticulture COB, laser diode submount
IGBT, SiC MOSFET, GaN HEMT, IPM module base plate
Thick-film RF hybrid, T/R module, LNA substrate
Hermetic package, radar T/R, space-grade DC-DC converter
EV inverter IGBT substrate, OBC power module, 48V DCDC
Pressure sensor, gas sensor, flow sensor, biosensor substrate
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