Precision copper pattern plating on ceramic for high performance MCMs

A wide choice of substrate materials is available for MCMs. One of the major drivers which is not often cited is time to market. A substrate technology is described that is easy to understand and implement, where the unexpected is minimized because of the seamless integrations of several effective manufacturing technologies, and therefore offers the product developers of new high performance systems an excellent opportunity for success. The process patterns robust and precise copper conductors on ceramic in an inherently 2-sided structure similar to a 2-sided PCB and achieves micro-vias in an environmentally friendly, simple and cost effective manner. The addition and integration of multilayer circuitry using thick-film conductors, dielectrics and resistor materials provides additional functional flexibility that solve new product development problems. Different types of products are fabricated with this technology and some have a very high percentage of surface area filled with silicon. However, this sometime definition of a MCM and others, which attempt to fit all of the functioning electronics into a single IC, can be a restraint on the system designer. Several compact product development and manufacturing projects are described that delivered functionality, performance and cost effective circuits under a market timeline because of this technology´s attributes. Demonstrations of performance at high frequencies are also indicative of opportunities that exist in a wide range of applications for this technology