What is copper-clad ceramic substrate and DPC process

Copper clad ceramic substrate is made on top of the ceramic substrate metallized copper to achieve better electrical performance and thermal conductivity. In many areas it is also used as an insulating thermal conductive plate. Today we will share some of the characteristics of copper clad ceramic substrate, process, procedure, application.

the characteristics and advantages and disadvantages of copper-clad ceramic substrate

1. aluminium nitride ceramic plate copper thickness and copper clad ceramic substrate double-sided copper thickness

Whether it is aluminum nitride ceramic plate copper cladding or alumina ceramic plate copper cladding is no more than one side or both sides of the ceramic substrate to do copper metallization, the thickness of the conventional 35 microns, generally 500 microns or less can be done, special needs to be done to assess whether you need to do the thickness of the metal copper or to determine the demand and cost of the product to start the thickness of the copper cladding aluminum nitride ceramic plate copper cladding and copper cladding of ceramic substrates on both sides of the copper cladding thickness. Thickness.

2. copper coated ceramic substrate airtightness

Ceramic copper-clad substrate after copper thickness metallization, you can achieve better electrical and thermal conductivity, because the insulation of ceramic is very good, copper conductivity and outstanding, airtight or good. There are professional mass spectrometry leak detectors to check whether the copper-clad ceramic substrate can be known as airtight.

3. Copper coated ceramic substrate size

Copper coated ceramic substrate size, copper coated ceramic substrate size is mainly based on the customer’s production requirements to custom processing, conventional copper coated ceramic substrate mainly alumina copper coated ceramic substrate and copper coated aluminum nitride ceramic plate, only the customer’s size is not more than the conventional alumina ceramic substrate maximum size of 120mm * 120mm, aluminum nitride ceramic substrate maximum size of 110mm * 140mm. special 200mm * 200mm need special customization.

4. Copper coated ceramic substrate specifications

Copper clad ceramic substrate specifications, divided into alumina copper clad ceramic substrate and aluminum nitride copper clad ceramic substrate, specifications, then, the maximum size of alumina does not exceed 120mm * 120mm, the maximum size of aluminum nitride does not exceed 110mm * 140mm, the substrate thickness of 0.15mm ~ 3.0mm, the copper thickness of the general default of 35 microns, you can do 500 microns, the specific requirements of workmanship or the need for a comprehensive assessment. Comprehensive assessment.

5.copper-clad ceramic substrate thickness

The thickness of the copper-clad ceramic substrate is the thickness of the plate plus the thickness of the metallization layer. For example, the thickness of the plate is 0.25MM, copper thickness is 35 microns, then the thickness of the plate is the thickness of the two conversions added.

6. Advantages and disadvantages of copper-coated ceramic substrates

The advantages and disadvantages of copper clad ceramic substrate, mainly in the ceramic substrate above, thought the use of ceramic substrate as a substrate, with good thermal conductivity, insulation properties, through the copper clad ceramic substrate, electrical performance is also very good. Copper-coated ceramic substrates and ceramic substrates with good thermal conductivity at the same time, but also has the characteristics of ceramic easily broken. Especially thin, such as alumina ceramic substrate thickness of 0.15MM, relatively more fragile.

What is the DPC Process?

Direct Plating Copper (DPC) process: is a process method used to prepare high density electronic packaging materials. This process is the main method for metal film deposition in microelectronics manufacturing, mainly using evaporation, magnetron sputtering and other surface deposition processes for substrate surface metallization, first sputtering titanium under vacuum conditions, then copper particles, and finally plating thickening, followed by a common pcb process to complete the line fabrication, and then finally electroplating/chemical plating deposition to increase the thickness of the line.

Process Flow

Through the above steps, the copper-clad ceramic substrate DPC process can produce substrates with high thermal conductivity, excellent dimensional stability and reliable electrical properties. Such substrates are commonly used in high-power electronics, radio frequency (RF) circuits, microwave devices, LED lighting, etc. to meet the requirements of high-performance electronics for thermal conductivity and signal transmission. Specific steps and parameters in the process may vary depending on the manufacturer and specific product, and need to be adjusted and optimized accordingly.

The copper-clad ceramic substrate (DPC) process offers the following advantages:

Excellent thermal conductivity: DPC substrate adopts ceramic as the base material, which has good thermal conductivity and can effectively conduct and dissipate the heat generated by high-power electronic devices, improving the reliability and performance of the devices.

Superior high frequency characteristics: DPC substrates have a low dielectric constant and dielectric loss, enabling low signal transmission loss in high frequency and microwave bands, making them suitable for high frequency and RF applications.

High density packaging capability: DPC substrates have high line density and fine line width/fine line spacing capabilities, enabling more compact circuit layouts and higher line densities, which are conducive to miniaturization and integrated designs.

Excellent mechanical properties: DPC substrates have high mechanical strength and hardness, and can withstand environmental stresses such as vibration, shock and thermal expansion, improving device reliability and durability.

Good dimensional stability: DPC substrates have a low coefficient of thermal expansion at high temperatures, which maintains good dimensional stability and reduces the risk of mismatch and rupture caused by thermal stress.

Excellent sealing performance: The copper film on the surface of the DPC substrate has good sealing performance, allowing reliable circuit connections and sealing.

High reliability and durability: The material and structural design of DPC substrates enable high reliability and durability to meet the requirements of harsh operating environments and long-term use.

Copper Clad Ceramic Substrates (DPC) Application Areas

Communication and radio frequency (RF) field: DPC substrate has a wide range of applications in RF power amplifiers, antennas, filters, wireless communication equipment , etc. Its low dielectric loss and good high frequency characteristics enable it to meet the requirements of high frequency signal transmission and RF power.

Power electronics field: DPC substrate is suitable for manufacturing power amplifiers, inverters, motor drives, electric car chargers and other power electronics. Its excellent thermal conductivity and mechanical strength can effectively handle the heat and stress generated by high-power devices.

LED Lighting: The high thermal conductivity of DPC substrates makes them ideal for LED lighting modules and packages. It can effectively dissipate heat and improve the luminous efficiency and lifetime of LEDs.

Automotive electronics: DPC substrates have a wide range of applications in automotive electronics, such as power modules for electric vehicles, battery management systems, and in-vehicle communication equipment. Its high temperature stability and durability enable it to meet the requirements of the automotive environment.

High temperature applications: Due to its high temperature stability and corrosion resistance, DPC substrates are suitable for high temperature applications such as aerospace and gas turbine control systems.

These are just a few examples of common applications. In fact, the copper-clad ceramic substrate DPC process can be useful in many other electronic devices that require high density, high thermal conductivity and high reliability. The specific needs and requirements of the application will determine the suitability of the DPC process.