Issues
Journal of Ceramic Science and Technology 4/2015
Vol. 6, No. 4
Topical Issue
Low Temperature Co-fired Ceramics - LTCC
Guest Editors
Torsten Rabe and Uwe Partsch
Preface
Dear Readers,
Since 2005, the Ceramic Interconnect and Ceramic Microsystems Technologies (CICMT) conferences have brought together a diverse set of disciplines with the goal to share experiences and to promote opportunities to accelerate research, development, and application of ceramic interconnect and ceramic microsystems technologies. The 1st CICMT conference, organized by the International Microelectronics and Packaging Society (IMAPS) and the American Ceramic Society (ACerS), took place in Baltimore. After two conferences in Denver 2006 and 2007, organizers decided to internationalize the conference. In 2008, the 4th CICMT conference was thus hosted in Munich, co-sponsored by the Deutsche Keramische Gesellschaft (DKG). Subsequent CICMT conferences were held in Denver (2009), Tokyo (2010), San Diego (2011), Erfurt (2012), Orlando (2013), and Osaka (2014). This year´s CICMT took place in Dresden at the Fraunhofer Institute for Ceramic Technologies and Systems (IKTS). The event offered about 70 talks from 17 countries. As in previous CICMT conferences, progress in low temperature co-fired ceramics (LTCC) processes, materials, and applications have been a key aspect of the contributions.
The versatile approach to design and manufacture high performance and reliable three-dimensional microelectronic packages by ceramic multilayer technology is a major topic of CICMT. Many activities in this field are based on LTCC materials and processes. LTCC has been available for many years and are preferably used as interconnect device in microelectronics, where miniaturization, harsh environmental conditions and high reliability are demanded. Today, LTCC multilayer structures are variously used as compact circuit boards in telecommunication, in aerospace, and especially in automotive industry. The established multilayer technology supports cost-effective, high-density solutions for high-volume production. Advanced LTCC materials provide low relative permittivity and dissipation factor, even at high frequencies. Hence, LTCC has become an enabling technology for a variety of wireless applications at radio and microwave frequencies.
Sintering of LTCC is driven by viscous flow of the glassy phase. Complete densification of LTCC multilayer can be achieved at 900°C or below. This low sintering temperature facilitates co-firing with highly conductive metallization, such as silver or gold. A large variety of different glass and crystal powder combinations enables tuning of materials properties and functionality. Broad fields of application can thereby be made accessible. The control of solution precipitation processes is the key to design microstructure and phase composition of the sintered material. Integration of functionally different materials into 3D packages further expands the application range of the technology. Hybrid components with integrated dielectric, conducting, magnetic, and piezoelectric materials offer a variety of possibilities for the realization of complex and reliable microsystems. Such multilayer hybrid integrated circuits can include resistors, inductors, capacitors, and active components in the same package. Furthermore, high flexibility in structuring the LTCC tapes and green laminates enables integration of customized three dimensional microstructures like channels and cavities in the multilayer. This leads to various applications in microfluidics, sensors and related micro- and mesosystems. Ceramic multilayer offer a number of advantages for reactor systems because of their high temperature stability and chemical resistance. In addition, micro-reactions can be precisely controlled and monitored by integrated heater structures, sensor elements and optical windows.
All these possibilities of LTCC technology give reason for versatile research activities. A selection of 12 papers of LTCC-related research that has been presented at CICMT 2015 is compiled in this Topical Issue of Journal of Ceramic Science and Technology (JCST). The content comprises future perspectives of materials and processes of LTCC technology beyond microelectronics packaging and new fields of LTCC applications. At this point we would like to thank all authors and reviewers that contributed to this issue.
We hope that readers will find many inspiration for their own research activities in this Topical Issue of JCST. Enjoy reading the contributions.
Torsten Rabe
(Federal Institute for Material Research and Testing (BAM), Berlin)
Uwe Partsch
(Fraunhofer Institute for Ceramic Technologies and Systems IKTS, Dresden)
Source: 
| Thermography and Complementary Measurements as Tools to Detect Micro-Irregularities in Electronic Components S. Röhrig, I. Petschenig, R. Bermejo, M. Hofstätter, F. Aldrian, R. Danzer, P. Supancic Vol. 6, No. 4, Pages 255-260 DOI: 10.4416/JCST2015-00052 Keywords: Electroceramics, PTC, LTCC, inhomogeneities, microthermography, focused ion beam |
Source:
| Stress and Strain Modeling of Low-Temperature Cofired Ceramic (LTCC) Seal Frame and Lid D. Krueger, J. Porter, K. Peterson Vol. 6, No. 4, Pages 261-266 DOI: 10.4416/JCST2015-00064 Keywords: LTCC, EMI, shielding, isolation, Kovar |
Source:
| Tolerance-Optimized RF Structures in LTCC for mm-Wave Frequencies Applications J. Balcells-Ventura, T. Klein, P. Uhlig, C. Günner, R. Kulke Vol. 6, No. 4, Pages 267-272 DOI: 10.4416/JCST2015-00058 Keywords: LTCC, tolerances, Gysel power splitter |
Source:
| Structuring of LTCC Substrates by a Combination of Pressure-Assisted Sintering and Hot Embossing B. Brandt, T. Rabe Vol. 6, No. 4, Pages 273-278 DOI: 10.4416/JCST2015-00051 Keywords: Low-temperature co-fired ceramics, pressure-assisted sintering, glassy carbon, hot embossing, structuring |
Source:
| A 10 MHz to 80 GHz Low-Temperature Cofired Ceramic Ball Grid Array Board-to-Interposer Transition for Chip Scale Packages B.A. Thrasher, W.E. McKinzie III, D.M. Nair, M.A. Smith, A. Beikmohamadi, E.D. Hughes, and J.M. Parisi Vol. 6, No. 4, Pages 279-284 DOI: 10.4416/JCST2015-00054 Keywords: LTCC, BGA interconnect, chip scale package, millimeter-wave, transition |
Source:
| Micro-Positioning Stages for Adaptive Optics Based on Piezoelectric Thick Film Actuators S. Gebhardt, D. Ernst, B. Bramlage, O. Pabst, A. Oberdörster Vol. 6, No. 4, Pages 285-290 DOI: 10.4416/JCST2015-00060 Keywords: PZT, thick film, screen printing, actuator, adaptive optics |
Source:
| Materials and Processes of Microelectronic Packaging including Low-Temperature Cofired Ceramics Technology (Past, Present and Future) Y. Imanaka Vol. 6, No. 4, Pages 291-300 DOI: 10.4416/JCST2015-00050 Keywords: Low-temperature cofired ceramics (LTCC), microelectronic packaging, flexible electronics, aerosol-type nanoparticle deposition (NPD), embedded passive |
Source:
| Design, Fabrication and Characterization of Heat Spreaders in Low-Temperature Co-Fired Ceramic (LTCC) utilizing Thick Silver Tape in the Co-Fire Process T. Welker, S. Günschmann, N. Gutzeit, J. Müller Vol. 6, No. 4, Pages 301-304 DOI: 10.4416/JCST2015-00042 Keywords: LTCC, thermal management, thick silver tape, heat spreader |
Source:
| Small-Size Low-Loss Bandpass Filters on Substrate-Integrated Waveguide Capacitively Loaded Cavities Embedded in Low Temperature Co-Fired Ceramics V. Turgaliev, D. Kholodnyak, J. Müller, and M.A. Hein Vol. 6, No. 4, Pages 305-314 DOI: 10.4416/JCST2015-00053 Keywords: Substrate-integrated waveguide (SIW), low temperature co-fired ceramics (LTCC), capacitively loaded cavities, dual-mode resonators, bandpass filters. |
Source:
| LTCC-Based Multi-Electrode Arrays for 3D in Vitro Cell Cultures H. Bartsch, M. Himmerlich, M. Fischer, L. Demkó, J. Hyttinen, A. Schober Vol. 6, No. 4, Pages 315-324 DOI: 10.4416/JCST2015-00056 Keywords: Low-temperature cofired ceramics (LTCC), three-dimensional hybrid multi-electrode array (3D MEA), in vitro cell culture, thick-film gold electrode, primary neuron culture |
Source:
| Miniature Low-Pass Filters in Low-Loss 9k7 LTCC Steve Dai, Lung-Hwa Hsieh Vol. 6, No. 4, Pages 325-328 DOI: 10.4416/JCST2015-00033 Keywords: Low-temperature cofired ceramics (LTCC), multilayer, miniature low-pass filter. |
Source:
| 3D Focalization Microfluidic Device Built with LTCC Technology for Nanoparticle Generation using Nanoprecipitation Route H.C. Gomez, M.R. Gongora-Rubio, B.O. Agio, J. de Novais Schianti, V. Tiemi Kimura, A- Marim de Oliveira, L. Wasnievski da Silva de Luca Ramos, A.C. Seabra Vol. 6, No. 4, Pages 329-338 DOI: 10.4416/JCST2015-00062 Keywords: Nanoprecipitation, fluid flow focusing, LTCC, nanoparticles. |
