Thermal requirements for aerospace and military electronics pose significant issues for traditional PCBs. Under extreme environmental conditions, organic PCBs suffer from numerous reliability concerns with delamination and moisture absorption being prime concerns. The TCE of organic materials further introduces a source of failure from via integrity. One of the most reliable substrate materials available for military and aerospace applications is multi-layer ceramics, specifically LTCC which allows for the use of noble metal conductors providing low loss, excellent conductivity, and long-term reliability. The ceramic dielectric material exhibits a stable dielectric constant independent of temperature and frequency, while the low TCE insures that via integrity is maintained even in the harshest of environments. Test data has conclusively demonstrated sustained operation at temperatures in excess of 500 degrees C. The ceramic substrate is relatively immune, therefore, to the majority of all reliability concerns when operating in a high temperature environment. Limiting the use of LTCC has been the cost when compared to organic materials. By applying newer additive manufacturing processes such as three dimensional printing and utilizing Omegas proprietary plating system in the fabrication of LTCC substrates, these perceived impediments to the use of LTCC can be reduced or eliminated.;
Benefit: The benefits from the new substrate fabrication processes and materials along with additional improvements in existing LTCC fabrication techniques will allow lower cost, quicker turn prototypes, low volume, and high volume LTCC production to be attainable. This innovative LTCC substrate approach will allow for increased Size, Weight, and Power (SWaP) requirements to be met, cost targets attained, improved performance at all frequencies realized, and higher temperature and higher reliability substrates to be fabricated which outperform and are directly cost-competitive with higher end organic PCBs. The new materials and processes will find immediate military opportunities with the U.S. Air Force and other branches of the DoD supporting programs and platforms as varied as engine control modules, missile guidance systems, avionics, radars, electronic warfare (EW), electronic counter measures (ECM), and communications.
