Low-temperature-cofired ceramic technology for diverse electronic- packaging applications

The talk deals with low-temperature-cofired ceramic (LTCC) technology and realization of specific application-oriented products using the same. LTCC is an emerging technology and finds wide application in the realization of micro-systems and micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) incorporating fluidic components. This technology is also being used in analytical and implantable systems because of its bio-compatible nature and hermeticity. The fabrication process broadly consists of steps, which include - slitting of tapes, punching of orientation holes, forming and filling of vias, printing of metallization tracks, stacking, lamination and co-firing in order to realize a complex ceramic module. It is a potential technology for microwave applications, and has low loss and a stable dielectric constant over a broad frequency range. LTCC is a stable material at high temperatures and the heat dissipation capacity can be increased by providing thermal-vias. Its thermal coefficient of expansion matches with Si and it is a prospective technology for high density packaging of devices and realization of multi-chip-modules (MCMs).