What is a Ceramic PCB
YiYanPCB offers ceramic PCBs (printed circuit boards) for your company’s needs. Many users of PCBs find ceramic boards have an advantage over traditional boards made of other materials. This advantage is because these PCBs provide suitable ceramic substrates for electronic circuits with high thermal conductivity and low coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE).
The ceramic PCB is extremely versatile and can replace a complete traditional PCB with a less complex design and increased performance. You can use them in multiple products, like high-power circuits, chip-on-board modules and proximity sensors.
Advantages of a Ceramic PCB
Besides its enviable thermal properties and low CTE, ceramic PCBs come with a few other benefits. Review some of their advantages below:
- Safe operation in temperatures up to 800 degrees Celsius
- Simple implementation of high-density circuit tracing
- Exceptional high-frequency performance
- Versatile packaging, with an option to come in hermetic packages to prevent water absorption
- Tough chemical erosion resistance
Another ceramic PCB advantage is a lower overall system cost, which can be especially cost-effective for dense packages, since you have parallel processing of layers. Check out the differences between ceramic PCB, FR-4 boards, and MCPCB.
Main Ceramic PCB Types
Ceramic PCBs are usually made up of ceramic cores, with alumina and aluminum nitride (AIN) being two of the primary types. Both of these kinds of boards provide better thermal performance than metal core PCBs because there isn’t a need for an electric layer between the core and the circuits. Find out more about these two main kinds of ceramic PCB types below:
- AIN: For high thermal conductivity, aluminum nitride boards are ideal, providing greater than 150 w/mK. AIN is a top choice for many other reasons as well, such as its good dielectric properties, non-reactiveness with various semiconductor process chemicals and low CTE.
- Alumina: Since aluminum nitride boards are expensive, those opting for less expensive ceramic PCBs may find themselves with Alumina boards. These PCBs are made out of aluminum oxide and offer about 18-36 w/mK.
Material – Aluminum Nitride and Aluminum Oxide
For high thermal conductivity, aluminum nitride boards are ideal, providing greater than 150 w/mK. Since aluminum nitride boards are expensive, however, those opting for less expensive ceramic PCBs may find themselves with aluminum oxide boards, which offer about 18-36 w/mK. Both types will provide better thermal performance than metal core printed circuit boards, because there is no need for an electric layer between the core and the circuits.
Using silver for the printing traces — covered with glass for protection — will further increase thermal conductivity (406 W/mK). Other ceramic material options include boron nitride, beryllium oxide, and silicon carbide. Ceramic boards are not finished with OSP, HASL, or other traditional surface finishes because of the high operational temperatures. However, you can get your ceramic printed circuit boards with gold plating to protect the exposed pads if silver corrosion may be a problem, such as in high sulfur environments.
Other Ceramic PCB Material Options
Using silver for the printing traces — covered with glass for protection — will further increase thermal conductivity (406 W/mK). Other ceramic material options include boron nitride, beryllium oxide and silicon carbide.
Ceramic boards are typically not finished with OSP, HASL, Pb-free HASL surface finishes because of the high operational temperatures. However, you can get your ceramic PCBs with ENIG (Electroless nickel immersion gold) or ENEPIG (Electroless nickel electroless palladium immersion gold) surface finish to protect the exposed pads if silver corrosion may be a problem, such as in high sulfur environments.