Ceramic Substrates

A wide range of different key components for electronic applications (e.g. electronic circuit carriers) can be manufactured from ceramic substrates, which fulfil their function permanently and safely in various areas of application.

We offer a wide range of solutions for your specific requirements, whether medical technology, telecommunications, consumer electronics, electromobility or power generation - ceramic substrates are used everywhere due to their thermal, mechanical, insulating and chemical properties and enable us to network our world and advance modern technologies.

CeramTec is your One-Stop-Shop for all common ceramic substrates and offers everything from a single source: aluminium oxide, aluminium nitride (with a bending strength of 450 Mpa), zirconium toughened aluminium oxide ZTA, zirconium oxide ZrO₂ and since spring 2024 also silicon nitride.

In addition to the ceramic substrates, this also includes engineering as well as laser processing and metallization of the substrates. The comprehensive one-stop-shop portfolio of ceramic materials enables our customers to source all major ceramic substrates from a single European manufacturer, supplement them as needed and streamline their supply chains.

Performance & Advantages

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Lasered vs. Metallised

CeramTec Substrates in Comparison

Material	Bending strength [MPa]	Fracture toughness *IF Method [MPa√m]**	CTE [10^-6/K]	Thermal conductivity [W/mK]	Dielectric strength [kV/mm]
Al₂O₃	500	3.0	7 - 9	24	15
AlN	450	3.0	5 - 6	170	15
ZTA	700	3.5	7 - 10	27	25
Si₃N₄	700	6.5	3 - 4	90	25

Aluminium Oxide Substrates

Best cost/performance ratio
Most commonly used substrate in high-performance electronics
Fields of application: Industrial, Renewable and Vehicle Electrification

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Aluminium Nitride Substrates

High thermal conductivity
CTE (Coefficient for Thermal Expansion) very close to silicon
Fields of application: Train, Industrial, Renewable and LED

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Zirconia Toughened Alumina Substrates

Improved flexural strength
Increased fracture toughness
Fields of application: Industrial, Renewable and Vehicle Electrification

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Silicon Nitride Substrates

High flexural strength
High fracture toughness
Good thermal conductivity
Fields of application: Electro Vehicle, Vehicle Electrification, Industrial and Renweable

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Zirconia ZrO2 Substrates

High flexural strength
High thermal insulation strength
Ideally suited for heating & sensor applications
Proven material in automotive applications

Improved heat management thanks to the excellent thermal conductivity and high specific heat capacity of our ceramic substrates. Our technology also allows our customers to integrate a thick copper metallisation (DCB, AMB or SMB), which efficiently dissipates heat towards the heat sink.

Our ceramic substrates are characterised by a high packing density in terms of size and weight, which is achieved through their excellent ampacity, thermal conductivity and efficient heat spread with a thick copper metallisation by the customer.

At the same time, the low specific weight is maintained due to the low bulk density of the ceramic compared to, for example, metal. This makes our ceramic substrates the optimal choice for demanding applications where efficiency and performance are paramount.

First-class electromagnetic behaviour of ceramic: Thanks to the outstanding magnetic permeability of ceramic, the magnetic force effect remains unchecked and is not weakened by the ceramic.

Outstanding thermal conductivity of our ceramic materials, such as aluminium nitride (AlN), aluminium oxide (Al2O3), zirconium oxide-aluminium oxide (ZTA) and silicon nitride (Si3N4).

Thanks to the extraordinary lattice vibrations in ceramics (phonon resonance), they achieve remarkable heat dissipation compared to plastics. These properties make ceramics a first-class choice for heat-sensitive applications.

Increased longevity of our substrates through properties such as high bending strength and high fracture toughness. Our solutions are tailor-made to ensure extended service life of power modules in electric cars (e-mobility power modules) or longer maintenance intervals in wind power modules.

The chemically inert, corrosion resistant, catalytic and biocompatible properties of ceramics such as Al2O3, ZTA, AlN and Si3N4 offer our customers high chemical resistance.

Mechanical resistance through great elastic stiffness characterise our substrates. They offer exceptional strength under compressive loads as well as high hardness and wear resistance. Even at high temperatures, our materials retain their shape and properties, with a low density compared to metal.

Outstanding electrical insulation capacity of ceramics, which is achieved by the highest volume resistivity.

High dielectric constant of ceramics resulting from the excellent polarizability of this material in the electric field.

The excellent suitability for use in the high frequency range is ensured by a low dielectric loss factor or tan delta of the ceramic materials. A low dielectric loss factor is essential to ensure that the material has minimal energy loss and low attenuation effects on high frequency signals. This leads to improved efficiency and performance of high frequency components and systems.

At CeramTec, we manufacture and process ceramic substrates using various processes depending on the application, material, geometry and number of pieces: From punching, lasering and dry pressing to various hard machining processes.

In addition, we also metallise the substrates ourselves, making them ideal for direct assembly with electronic components. The metallisation pastes are developed by ourselves and are characterised by high adhesive strength, good solder flow and excellent resistance in solder baths. In the process, a conductive layer is applied to the substrate to create the conductor paths and connections for the electronic components and to protect the substrate from corrosion or other environmental influences.

Lasered vs. Metallised Substrates

Laser, stamp and press substrates

RoHS Certification

A key prerequisite for CeramTec’s successful partnership with the electronics industry is the ability to deliver the right materials.

CeramTec offers the world’s top ceramic materials for thick and thin film technology and provides ceramics optimally designed to meet your specification profiles.