Reasons for the Widespread Use of Aluminum Nitride Ceramic Circuit Boards

Aluminum nitride ceramic circuit boards have gained widespread use due to various factors. Currently, high-power integrated circuit materials typically involve alumina or BeO ceramics. While beryllium oxide (BeO) boasts excellent overall performance, its high production cost and toxic nature limit its widespread use. On the other hand, aluminum oxide (AL2O3) substrates exhibit low thermal conductivity, and their thermal expansion coefficient doesn't quite match with silicon, making them less ideal for electronic applications. Neither functionally, economically, nor environmentally can AL2O3 ceramic substrates meet the requirements of high-power electronic devices, necessitating the exploration of alternative solutions.

Aluminum nitride ceramic circuit boards offer a solution to these challenges. The material has garnered significant attention as a new generation of advanced ceramics with exceptional overall performance. Its high thermal conductivity, low dielectric constant, low dielectric loss, excellent electrical insulation, matched thermal expansion coefficient with silicon, and non-toxic nature make it an ideal material for high-density, high-power, and high-speed integrated circuit boards and packaging substrates.

The formation of ceramic substrates primarily involves three methods: pressing, dry pressing, and tape casting. Among these, tape casting stands out as the most efficient, allowing for high-powered production, continuous operation, automation, improved product quality, and cost reduction. Substrate thickness can be reduced to below 10μm or increased to above 1mm. Tape casting represents a crucial step in the practical application of aluminum nitride ceramic circuit boards, holding promising prospects.

Aluminum nitride ceramic circuit boards excel in thermal conduction. The most noticeable property among a series of important characteristics is their high thermal conductivity. The main mechanism involves the transfer of lattice vibrations or heat waves. Despite impurities and defects in aluminum nitride, leading to a thermal conductivity below the theoretical value, it remains the highest among circuit boards available in the market.

The tape casting process encompasses slurry preparation, ball milling, shaping, drying, and peeling the base. This method stands out for its simplicity, stable processes, continuous operation, high production speed, and potential for automation. However, it demands strict adherence to optimize each step in the process for the successful production of functional aluminum nitride ceramic boards. Factors affecting the boards include slurry viscosity, de-bonding, and pre-sintering, influencing substrate flatness and thermal conductivity, among other properties.

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