Introduction

Thick film hybrid technology is a widely-used technology for the manufacture of a ceramic or other type of circuit boards. Due to its high degree of integration, thick film substrates form the basis of High Density Packages (HDP).

Thick film technology enables a very simple and flexible manufacture of multilayers with several conductive layers on the front and back side of the substrate.

Minimum structure resolutions of 80 - 100 µm can be achieved with this technology. One key advantage for the circuit designer is complete freedom in the choice of resistor value in thick film technology. Printed resistors can be trimmed to a output signal of a hybrid circuit. In principle all electronic components can be assembled on a thick film substrate. Therefore solderable as well as bondable surfaces are available. The standard thick film process are printing, drying and firing.Gold, silver and platinum or palladium alloys are generally used as conductive materials. The firing process at about 850 °C guarantees the final film properties such as electrical values and adhesive strength.

thick film circuits are used as a priority in areas which are characterised by harsh environmental conditions (high/low temperatures, temperature changes, moisture, vibrations, accelerations, etc). This technology meets the requirements of the highest integration, reliability, lifetime and environmental compatibility. Areas of application include industrial electronics, medical electronics as well as automotive, aerospace and defense.