Overview of the current performance and capabilities of thick-film materials

Quentin Reynolds

There is significant current interest in low cost fabrication technologies for wireless communication systems operating at microwave and mm-wave frequencies. Recent developments in thick-film materials technology have yielded low-loss dielectrics and conductors capable of providing high performance microwave circuits. In particular, within recent years ranges of photoimageable thick-film materials have become available that meet the requirements for low-cost, high performance circuits extending into the low mm-wave region. An area of significant current interest is LTCC (low temperature co-fired ceramic) technology and this is being actively developed by industry as a medium for achieving high density MCM (multichip modules) for microwave applications.

09 October 2002  Electronics channel