Development of advanced low temperature co-fired ceramics (LTCC)

An important advantage of LTCC is the huge variability concerning an attainable property spectrum. Both crystalline and glassy raw materials can be combined and different material concepts (e.g. glass ceramic composites, glass bonded ceramics) are available. The combination of tapes with tailored proper-ties (e.g. permittivity, sintering behaviour....) inside of one laminate further expands the variability of LTCC. Special miniaturized microwave modules were produced by combination of LTCC tapes with low and medium permittivities. Low shrinkage in lateral direction and low tolerances of shrinkage are an indispensable precondition for high-density component configuration in LTCC modules. A proper combination of tapes with separate sintering ranges can be used to prevent lateral shrinkage. First results of this alternative "zero shrinkage" concept (without sacrificial tapes) are presented.