MSU Technologies

Controlled Wetting and Spreading of Silver on Ceramics Using Porous Nickel Interlayers

Executive Summary

Ceramic substrates such as alumina, aluminum nitride, or beryllium oxide are highly thermally conductive and can dissipate heat quickly across a surface, preventing heat build-up and improving the life of the semiconductors junctions on a printed circuit board (PCB). Therefore, ceramic substrates are ideal for high amperage and high temperature devices. Nickel is often used in industry as a connector for the screen printing process and bridges the gap between circuit material and ceramic substrate.

Description of Technology

The patent pending technology is a method of creating silver circuits on ceramic substrates. In this process, a porous interlayer of nickel is used as a connection between silver and the ceramic substrate. Spreading of molten silver on the ceramic substrates is controlled by the nickel producing defined circuit patterns. Thick film silver circuits can be custom designed in complicated shapes for high temperature/high power applications. The materials designated for the circuit design allows for a low-cost method of generating silver circuits on a ceramic substrate.

Key Benefits

Devices produced can remain stable at high temperatures for longer periods of time compared to the alternatives.
Screen printing process is cheaper than physical vapour deposition (PVD) alternatives.
Tailored circuit thickness allows for unique designs and resistance control.

Applications