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High performance low temperature co-fired ceramic (LTCC) dielectrics is highly desired for next generation information technology. The rational design is a key issue for the development of new LTCC materials. In comparison to the design of conventional electroceramics, more attention should be paid on the formation process of the material structure for that of LTCC, in addition to the physical properties, due to the special requirement in fabrication processing. In this paper, sintering mechanism of three types of LTCC materials, i.e., glass-ceramics, glass ceramic composite, and glass bonded ceramics, as well as important factors of their dielectric properties are discussed and summarized, and the design strategies for LTCC dielectrics, based on new matrix materials with much lower sintering temperature or higher quality, are proposed. As an example for rational design, oxyfluoride glass-ceramic based dielectrics, a new class of LTCC materials with low εr, is analyzed.


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Towards rational design of low-temperature co-fired ceramic (LTCC) materials

Show Author's information Ji ZHOU*( )
State Key Laboratory of New Ceramics and Fine Processing, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China

Abstract

High performance low temperature co-fired ceramic (LTCC) dielectrics is highly desired for next generation information technology. The rational design is a key issue for the development of new LTCC materials. In comparison to the design of conventional electroceramics, more attention should be paid on the formation process of the material structure for that of LTCC, in addition to the physical properties, due to the special requirement in fabrication processing. In this paper, sintering mechanism of three types of LTCC materials, i.e., glass-ceramics, glass ceramic composite, and glass bonded ceramics, as well as important factors of their dielectric properties are discussed and summarized, and the design strategies for LTCC dielectrics, based on new matrix materials with much lower sintering temperature or higher quality, are proposed. As an example for rational design, oxyfluoride glass-ceramic based dielectrics, a new class of LTCC materials with low εr, is analyzed.

Keywords: dielectric properties, sintering, LTCC, material design

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Publication history

Received: 29 May 2012
Accepted: 07 June 2012
Published: 08 September 2012
Issue date: June 2012

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© The author(s) 2012

Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 90922025, 51032003, and 50921061), and National High Technology Research and Development Program of China (Grant No. 2012AA030403). The author thanks Prof. Li Longtu, Prof. Bo Li, and Dr. Rui Wang, for their cooperation in related work.

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