Ceramic Substrates

Laser Services provides quality ceramic substrates for today's demanding microelectronics market. By carrying a large inventory of alumina in various dimensions, we deliver cost competitive custom substrates fast. We also stock a large supply of as-fired standard alumina sizes for immediate delivery. In addition, our customers can take advantage of our stocking plan, whereby we inventory their substrates and process it on a just-in-time basis.

Some of the highlights of our microelectronic substrate services include:

· Large ceramic inventory from major suppliers

· Optical alignment capability for post fabrication processing

· Coordinate measuring capacity to ± 5 microns

· Water-based polymer protective coating to protect the surface from the laser machining process debris

· Flex circuit skiving and programmed pattern cutting

· Single, dual and quad beam systems to provide production job matching and flexibility

· Access to knowledgeable senior applications specialists who will happily assist you with laser compatible substrate design considerations

· Computerized job tracking for efficient expediting

L&L Special Furnace WB and WQ Series furnaces are designed for the purpose of annealing borosilicate glass although they may be used for other applications such as weld pre-heating and annealing. The heated furnace portion is a counterbalanced rectangular "bell" that lifts entirely out of the way when loading the furnace. The furnace features proprietary ceramic element holders for easy low cost replacement of elements and maximum element life, all low density ceramic fiber and mineral wool insulation and a completely digital programmable temperature control for automated cycling

WB Maximum temperature is 1500°F (815°C.)

WQ Maximum temperature is 2200°F (1200°C)

WB Features - Options - Specifications

WQ Features - Options - Specifications

Watlow's thick film heaters on ceramic provide superior thermal characteristics, small heater profile, chemical compatibility and ultra-pure materials which are critical to successful wafer processing, testing, and packaging. Aluminum Nitride (AlN) and Alumina (Al 2 0 3 ) are preferred heater materials for many semiconductor applications.

Watlow has developed specialized processes using hybrid thick film materials to manufacture precision heater circuits on Aluminum Nitride and Alumina substrates. Thick film heaters on ceramics can now be designed with multiple circuits and ramp rates of up to 40°C (104°F) per second depending on the substrate material and application details. Thick film on ceramic is capable of high operating reliability at temperatures of 300°C (572°F) for Aluminum Nitride and 500°C (932°F) for Alumina. Contact the factory for details of ongoing extensions to both of these capabilities.

Temperature uniformity, rapid response and thickness down to 1.27 mm (0.050 in.) for 300 mm pedestal heaters make Aluminum Nitride the preferred heater material for many semiconductor applications. Watlow thick film technology gives designers the capability of multi-zoning the heater for optimum temperature performance.

Alumina, a widely used semiconductor material due to availability, relatively low cost and stable physical properties is a well established material for use in demanding semiconductor applications. It is relatively easy to fabricate into a range of shapes while remaining strong at high temperatures. It is available in purity levels of 96 percent.

Applications: • Wafer pre-heat bake stations • Photolithography track systems • Annealing • Wafer probers • Chip bonding • IC test • Atmospheric rapid thermal processing

Features and Benefits:

Multiple circuit design capability and heater patterning • Optimize heater performance for a specific application and precise temperature profile • Multi-zone capability

High thermal conductivity materials • Rapid thermal response in applications requiring fast heat up and cool down • Promotes uniform surface temperature

Thin ceramic substrate • Allows heater to be designed with a lower profile • Reduces heater mass for faster thermal cycling

High dielectric material and thick film system • Ideal for applications requiring high isolation resistance

Material compatibility • Ideal for most ultra-pure semiconductor applications • Ideal for use in demanding applications

Specifications: • Maximum operating temperatures of 300°C (572°F) for Aluminum Nitride and 500°C (932°F) for Alumina • Voltages of up to 480V~(ac) • Watt densities up to 23.25 W/cm2 (150 W/in 2) for Aluminum Nitride and 3.56 W/cm2 (23 W/in2) for Alumina • Ramping capabilities of up to 40°C (104°F) per second • Flat shapes of up to 355.6 mm (14.0 in.) square • Cylindrical shapes of up to 50.8 mm (2.0 in.) in diameter • Thickness from 0.5 mm (0.025 in.) up to 12.5 mm (0.500 in.)

Chromalox® announces a new ceramic-sheathed immersion heater, designed to supply temperatures up to 2100° F for direct immersion in processes. The innovative ceramic sheath provides extreme temperature protection for the heating elements inside. The non-metallic design also provides unmatched corrosion protection as well as exceptional abrasive resistance and non-conductive qualities.

The ceramic-sheathed immersion heater is designed for use in molten metal baths, abrasive or corrosive service, high pressure, vacuum, and other extreme temperature applications. This extreme service heater is limited only by the capacity of the heating wire inside the sheath and currently uses a NiChrome wire rated at 2100° F. The company is also evaluating Kanthal wire alloys rated at 2400° F and tungsten wires rated at 3000° F. While most metal-sheathed heaters are limited by the properties of the sheath material, this ceramic sheath is composed of SiAlON tubing and can withstand temperatures to 3100° F.

This unique immersion heater is ideally suited for direct immersion in molten aluminum and is impervious to aluminum disassociation. It is also designed for use in fluidized bed or catalytic reactors for processing highly-corrosive or acidic fluids, gases and vapors.

The thermally conductive nature of the ceramic sheath reduces the temperature gradient between core and sheath temperatures. Cold ohms standard specifications are +10/-5 percent without annealing the coils. The zoned construction allows for multiple coil configurations, which can provide multi-zone heating with varying heat flux along the length of the heater.

Heaters may be designed with one, two or three coils with leads that fit into a ¾ inch NPT coupling. Parallel elements are electrically isolated from the sheath wall with a refractory insulation material. The riser and housing assembly is hydrostatic pressure tested at 300 psi for NEMA 7 rating. Fittings can be any housing with NPT adapter, pipe plug, 1 ½" NPS or larger flanges, or other customer specified metallic mounting plates.

These ceramic-sheathed immersion heaters are available in 28mm (1 1/8") OD only, and all standard lengths from 450mm (17 ¾") to 1905mm (75"). The units operate up to 480 volts in single or three phase configurations and have a watt density rating of 60 wpsi maximum.

When multiple immersion heaters are installed, users can independently monitor and control the heat to individual zones to achieve optimum performance. Temperature control for the new ceramic-sheathed immersion heater can be achieved with just about any resistive heating control system. This can be a PID logic controller and SCR power pack, which will provide low hysteresis for tight temperature control. Chromalox supplies a complete line of DIN temperature controllers and SCR power packs for this purpose, including multiple loop controllers with features such as soft-start, ramp and hold, and automated fuzzy logic PID tuning.

Chromalox® announces a new ceramic-sheathed immersion heater, designed to supply temperatures up to 2100° F for direct immersion in processes. The innovative ceramic sheath provides extreme temperature protection for the heating elements inside. The non-metallic design also provides unmatched corrosion protection as well as exceptional abrasive resistance and non-conductive qualities.

The ceramic-sheathed immersion heater is designed for use in molten metal baths, abrasive or corrosive service, high pressure, vacuum, and other extreme temperature applications. This extreme service heater is limited only by the capacity of the heating wire inside the sheath and currently uses a NiChrome wire rated at 2100° F. The company is also evaluating Kanthal wire alloys rated at 2400° F and tungsten wires rated at 3000° F. While most metal-sheathed heaters are limited by the properties of the sheath material, this ceramic sheath is composed of SiAlON tubing and can withstand temperatures to 3100° F.

This unique immersion heater is ideally suited for direct immersion in molten aluminum and is impervious to aluminum disassociation. It is also designed for use in fluidized bed or catalytic reactors for processing highly-corrosive or acidic fluids, gases and vapors.

The thermally conductive nature of the ceramic sheath reduces the temperature gradient between core and sheath temperatures. Cold ohms standard specifications are +10/-5 percent without annealing the coils. The zoned construction allows for multiple coil configurations, which can provide multi-zone heating with varying heat flux along the length of the heater.

Heaters may be designed with one, two or three coils with leads that fit into a ¾ inch NPT coupling. Parallel elements are electrically isolated from the sheath wall with a refractory insulation material. The riser and housing assembly is hydrostatic pressure tested at 300 psi for NEMA 7 rating. Fittings can be any housing with NPT adapter, pipe plug, 1 ½" NPS or larger flanges, or other customer specified metallic mounting plates.

These ceramic-sheathed immersion heaters are available in 28mm (1 1/8") OD only, and all standard lengths from 450mm (17 ¾") to 1905mm (75"). The units operate up to 480 volts in single or three phase configurations and have a watt density rating of 60 wpsi maximum.

When multiple immersion heaters are installed, users can independently monitor and control the heat to individual zones to achieve optimum performance. Temperature control for the new ceramic-sheathed immersion heater can be achieved with just about any resistive heating control system. This can be a PID logic controller and SCR power pack, which will provide low hysteresis for tight temperature control. Chromalox supplies a complete line of DIN temperature controllers and SCR power packs for this purpose, including multiple loop controllers with features such as soft-start, ramp and hold, and automated fuzzy logic PID tuning.

Marking

The generic term for making some kind of readable marking on the surface of a component. Marks are technically one of the following kinds of effects: engraving, ablation, annealing, color change or foaming.

Micromachining

Another generic term used to describe marking on the surface of a target where the purpose of the mark is not to make a part number or logo or other readable mark, but to engrave a pattern for mechanical reasons. These reasons may include liquid conduits through a metal block, antennae patterns on metal parts, etc.

The actual processes are called (alphabetically):

• Ablation

• This is where one material is removed by laser from the top of another, dissimilar material. Common example are "Day/Night" lighted switches in automobiles. These are commonly translucent white plastic bodies which are dipped in paint. The paint is then selectively burned off to expose some pattern or symbol which appears white during the day and which is illuminated from the rear at night.
• Annealing

• Annealing is a heating process used on steel and titanium alloys where the surface of the material is selectively heated with the laser to near the melting point. This has the effect of discoloring the material to a black color, which gives excellent contrast against the surrounding steel. This process when properly done does not remove material. It is very commonly used for surgical tools and implants where there is high contrast and permanence and no trenches or crevices are created for bacteria, etc., to hide. Annealing has the disadvantage that if the material is exposed to extreme heat the annealed mark will disappear. Also, annealing only works on steel and titanium.
• Color Change

• Color change is a process in plastic where the color of the material changes under the laser light. Some plastics do this naturally, and others have additives which absorb specific laser wavelengths in order to achieve this effect. Typically, no material, or a trivial amount of material, is removed from the surface of the target. One of the classic examples, photos of which can be found on nearly every laser website in the world, is marking on ear tags for cattle. Many consumer electronics products have this kind of marking on their cases.
• Cutting

• Lasers can be used to cut certain materials. Very thin materials (up to a few thousandths thick) can be cut by normal marking lasers, although some materials exhibit unsightly heat-effect zones on the material. Thicker materials can be cut with higher power lasers, and sheet steel, fabrics, fiberboards, etc., are all cut in industrial situations with lasers. These lasers can have power in the many thousands of watts.
• Deposition

• Commercially available ceramic paints and films can be applied to the surface of a material and then melted in place with a laser beam, leaving behind a raised and very permanent laser mark. Often used with decorative glass items. Somewhat labor-intensive process to apply the material and then remove the excess. Also can be expensive. However, the mark can be very attractive when done properly.
• Engraving, light

• Probably the most common kind of laser marking is engraving. This is where the laser beam is used to remove material from the surface of the device being marked, but the material is homogeneous. The laser acts like a chisel in this case and blows away pieces of the subject material. Light engraving is where a relatively shallow trench is created, between .0001" and .005". The depth achievable depends on the material, the power of the laser and the dwell time of the laser.
• Engraving, deep

• Deep engraving is something that only high power lasers can do. Deep engraving is used for making molds and dies, stamps, etc. The depth that can be achieved is entirely dependent on how the material absorbs the laser, how much energy the laser has, and how long the laser can dwell on the target. Deep engraving is usually a fairly slow process.
• Polishing

• Similar to annealing is polishing. In polishing, the laser beam is used to selectively melt the very top few molecules of material, and when it cools, which is usually instantaneously, the surface finish will appear different from the surrounding finish. This will then reflect light differently and while there is no real color change, it will appear different. This is often used in electronics for nickel and gold packages.
• Welding

• Lasers can be used to create weld joints in many materials, including metals, plastics, and certain ceramics. Typically, weld lasers are higher power and are used in systems where the laser beam is stationary and the product moves underneath the laser - similar to the table travel of a milling machine.

Please click on the links to the right for more information or request a quote today!