Kyocera combines copper conductors and alumina ceramic

07/01/2002

TOKYO - Kyocera Corp. has developed a new ceramic packaging technology that combines features of low-temperature co-fired ceramics (LTCC) with tradition alumina ceramics.

LTCC is often used so that conductors with a lower melting point, such as copper alloys, can be used as the interconnect material within the package. Copper is the preferred material because of its low electrical resistance. Standard alumina requires higher temperature processing, so higher melting point materials, such as tungsten alloys, must be used for the interconnect. These materials have a higher resistance than copper, typically about 3X more.

A drawback of LTCC technology, though, can be its mechanical strength and heat dissipation capability. The implementation of high electrical performance conductors in the more robust and thermally conductive alumina should create some new applications for the packaging technology.