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www.us-tech.com 50 Years of Thick Film: A Look Back and a Look Ahead By David J. Malanga, Vice President, Heraeus Electronics — Americas
ebrating 50 years in the thick-film business. Over the years, there has been a dramatic transformation of thick-film technology. If the past pace of progress is any indication, the future will be a time of even greater innovation. There have been a number of
H
“game-changer” moments as thick- film technology has advanced. The rapid acceptance and standardiza- tion of PCBs in the 1970s and 1980s was a huge challenge for the thick- film industry. The industry had to reinvent itself to sustain business by focusing on areas where PCBs could not be used, such as highly complex multilayer circuits, harsh environ- ments, automotive electronics and sensors, and high-frequency applica- tions.
Other changes include: the
adoption of low-temperature, co-fired ceramic tapes (LTCC), used to fabri- cate high-frequency circuits; the transition from precious-metal-based electrodes in multilayer chip capaci- tors (MLCCs) to base metal electron- ics, such as nickel; the advent of strict environmental regulations that limited the variety of elements and
Printable and etchable gold ink, which will be introduced by Heraeus at IMAPS 2018
volume application of thick-film pastes. As miniaturization continues,
how can thick-film technology deliver greater performance as devices
as well as to reduce costs, the contin- uous advancement in raw materials is one of the main pathways to suc- cess. This development is being aided by new materials, such as nanopow-
eraeus Electronics reaches an important milestone this year —its “golden” anniversary cel-
materials that could be used in thick- film materials; and the growth of photovoltaics (PV) as a new, high-
shrink? This has been in constant evolution since the beginning of mi- croelectronics. To meet these targets,
ders, and highly engineered organics with new formulations. As thick-film continues to ad-
vance, so do the opportunities to ex- pand into new applications. One of the main strengths of thick-film tech- nology is its ability operate at higher temperatures and in extremely harsh environments. Applications for power electronics, down-hole well drilling, and sensors and controls for electric vehicles are currently in de- velopment. Much of Heraeus’ success comes
from continuous investment and in- novation, as well as a true under- standing of customers’ needs. Gain- ing a deep understanding of the cus- tomer’s applications and require- ments is invaluable in process devel- opment.
With so much progress and in-
novation, the years ahead may come to be seen as a “golden age” for the
thick-film industry. Contact: Heraeus, Inc., 24
Union Hill Road, West Conshohocken, PA 19428 % 215-944-9981 E-mail:
jeffery.oddo@heraeus.com Web:
www.heraeus-electronics.com r
See at SMTAI, Booth 808
September, 2018
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