Tech Brief Describes Fabrication Choices for Power Electronic Performance and Yield

Many solid-state power electronics, including those used in high-powered LED, RF/Microwave, electric vehicle, train and rail, electrical infrastructures, and military applications rely on physically and thermally robust ceramic materials as a base. These ceramic materials are bonded to thermally and electrically conductive metals to help transfer thermal energy to heat spreaders/ heat sinks and away from the critical device or component active areas, while electrically insulating the power electronics from grounded shielding and enclosures.

Due to the diversity of solid-state power electronic devices and components, as well as the applications, there is a wide range of substrate fabrication technologies and pre-processing that can be done. Choosing among the various options and prefab processing stages necessary to prepare a ceramic material, or substrate, for fabrication can be a challenge in and of itself.

This technical brief includes a discussion of several of the most common power electronic substrate fabrication methods and associated prefabrication processing steps essential to meeting high-power electronic performance requirements for a wide range of applications. Further insights regarding the impact that ceramic material choices have with each substrate fabrication process are also detailed.

To learn more, download our tech brief, "Power Electronic Fabrication Choices Vital to Performance and Yield."