METALLIZED CERAMIC PRODUCTS

INTA Technologies Corporation 2281 Calle de Luna, Santa Clara, CA 95054

|| Tel: 408-748-9955 || Fax: 408-727-3027

Table of Contents

 What is metallized ceramic?

 Is nickel plating necessary?
 Where can I find design assistance?
 Is there a sales rep who can visit my location and help with my project?
 Does INTA Technologies Corp. sell ceramic?
 Does INTA metallize customer supplied material?
 What is the typical lead time for metallized ceramic?
 What is a typical peel strength achieved by the metallized coating bond?
 How much does it cost for custom metallized ceramic components?
 What is the smallest part INTA can make?
 What is the largest part INTA can make?
 Is it difficult to metallize ceramic?
 If I need metallized ceramic right away, can I speed up my order by paying extra?
 What type of ceramic should I use? 96% or 99%?
 Does INTA sell Al-N?
 What types of ceramic does INTA sell?
 What is a typical flatness spec?
 Sharp edge or radius – which is cheaper?
 What information should be included on all drawings?
 What is the thickness of the metallized layer?
 What is the max temp INTA’s products can withstand?
 What about BeO?
 Can I easily braze metallized ceramic products?
 How should I store metallized ceramic products?
 What is the CTE of BeO?
 What is the CTE for Macor?
 Does INTA metallize AlSiC?
 What type of ceramic is recommended for metallization?
 What is the CTE of Al-N?
 How would you describe the thermal conductivity of fused silica (SiO2)?
  What is the best insulating ceramic thermal conductor?
 How thick is the metallization layer?
 What types of coatings can I specify for ceramics?
 What about gold plating of ceramic?
 What type of coating do I need if I would like to solder or braze to a ceramic component?
 What metals join well to ceramic?
 Why metallize the ceramic?
 What other options exist besides metallizing?
 What is a seed layer?
 Is ceramic expensive?
 How long are the lead times?
 Where is the ceramic made?
 How is the ceramic made?
 Are there any resources available to technical staff interested in metallized ceramic
products?

What is metallized ceramic?

Metallized ceramic is a product that generally consists of a ceramic insulator and a metal
conductive coating. The coating can be applied automatically or by hand. The item is then dried
and fired at high temperatures in special furnaces. When the coating is applied it offers very little
conductivity but after firing the coating is quite conductive.

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Is nickel plating necessary?

If the metallized ceramic component is to be brazed into a package or to another component,

often nickel plating is necessary to guarantee good adhesion depending on the chosen braze
material. Nickel also helps protect the molybdenum contained in many thick film metallization
formulation. Electrolytic nickel per QQ-N-290 is commonly employed. Another popular choice
for post-metallization plating is electroless nickel (in particular, nickel boron per AMS 2433).
Nickel plating is not always necessary but it is very common and helpful.

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Where can I find design assistance?

INTA Technologies Corporation offers design assistance. Contact Jerry Walias 408-748-9955
x106 jerry@intatech.com

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Is there a sales rep who can visit my location and help with my project?
INTA Technologies Corporation has several reps available to visit qualified customers and
prospects in many parts of North America. In Texas,Arkansas, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri or
Mexico contact:
Mr. George Dossett
2808 Bent Oaks Drive
Burleson, TX 76028
(817)447-2075
(817)447-3186 fax
gdoss@aol.com

Mr. E.C. "Woody" van der Woude

228 Peach Tree Drive
Murphy, TX 75094
(972)422-1683
(972)424-4863 fax
woody@dossettindustrialsales.com

For all other North America locations, contact 408-748-9955 x113 or sales@intatech.com

We have reps covering most of the United States and parts of Mexico. Most of our reps reside in
their home regions. When you contact our main office, request a rep visit or call and we will
check availability and set up a meeting if possible. The reps are mainly used to help with large
orders and large customers but we aim to help all customers large and small if we can.

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Does INTA sell ceramic?

Yes, INTA supplies bare ceramic and metallized ceramic products. Some are available off-the-
shelf but most of the products are custom made according the customer specifications and
requirements.

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Does INTA metallize customer supplied material?

Yes. When sending a request for quotation (RFQ) please indicate if the material will be customer
supplied or INTA supplied.

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What is the typical lead time for metallized ceramic?

Lead times depend on several factors, such as material lead times. If the customer supplies the
ceramic, the lead time is often 2-3 weeks. If INTA Technologies supplies the ceramic, it will
likely add three or more weeks to the lead time.

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What is a typical peel strength achieved by the metallized coating bond?

10-20 lbs. We regularly perform and analyze our own peel strengths tests. Contact INTA for
further details.

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How much does it cost for custom metallized ceramic components?

Prices vary depending on the size, complexity, tolerances and surface finishes among other
factors. Each project is unique and volume plays a role in many cases. To receive a quote, please
provide a drawing with specs and desired quantity to Blake Kneedler 408-748-9955 x113
bkneedler@intatech.com

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What is the smallest part INTA can make?

INTA Technologies makes very small parts including .2” or 5mm diameter. We also make thin
ceramic parts, for example .030” Each project is unique, contact us for a free design review and
quote.

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What is the largest part INTA can make?

INTA Technologies is limited in terms of maximum size. Typically, items larger than 12” in
diameter and/or longer than 16” may be currently too large for INTA.

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Is it difficult to metallize ceramic?

The metallization process itself is not overly complicated but it requires equipment such as
gauges, microscopes, furnaces and an XRF machine. The process also requires qualified staff
and well trained supervisors and inspectors.

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If I need metallized ceramic right away, can I speed up my order by paying extra?

In many cases, yes. The service is called expedite, speak to Blake Kneedler for further details.
408-748-9955 x113

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What type of ceramic should I use? 96% or 99%??

The answer depends on the application. In most cases, specifying 96% min purity alumina on the
drawing is adequate. Technical data is available at http://ceramics.net/materials/alumina.shtml

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Does INTA sell Al-N?

Yes, INTA sells bare Al-N substrates and metallized Al-N substrates.

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What types of ceramic does INTA sell?

INTA sells many types of ceramic including Al-O, Al-N, Be-O and all the ceramics listed on
www.ceramics.net

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What is a typical flatness spec?

As fired flatness is .006”/inch. A flatness of .001”/inch is also achievable but more costly.

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Sharp edge or radius – which is cheaper?

The answer depends on the application. For bare ceramic, a chamfer may be preferred because
during the manufacturing process chips can be encountered. If a print calls for sharp edges, a
chipped edge could cause WIP to be scrapped. If, on the other hand, there is a .025 max chamfer
callout and the edge is chipped .015, there is no loss. DfM (design for manufacturability) is
important at INTA.

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What information should be included on all drawings?

The following information should be included as notes on all drawings and
specifications if applicable:

1) Sole source for metallized ceramics:

INTA Technologies Corporation

 2281 Calle de Luna

Santa Clara, CA 95054

408-748-9955

408-727-3027 fax

2) Workmanship specification – indicate whether fine scratches are acceptable, indicate max
allowable blister/bump/nodule diameter and height.

3) Indicate dimensions pre or post metallization

4) Indicate forming method – generally iso-pressed (contact sales@intatech.com for assistance)

5) Nickel plating? (many metallized ceramic products need nickel plating to aide in subsequent
joining/brazing processes)

6) Indicate type of metallization (MoMn, Ag, etc.)

7) Indicate areas to be metallized

8) Require XRF printout to document metallization layer thickness

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What is the thickness of the metallized layer?

A typical thickness is 300-1200u” MoMn and 100-200u” Ni.

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What is the max temp INTA’s products can withstand?

INTA’s metallized ceramic components typically are used at temperatures below 800 degrees C.

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What about BeO?

INTA Technologies readily metallizes and plates beryllium oxide (BeO). BeO is very popular for
many reasons including the fact that the material is an electric insulator yet it has a very high
thermal conductivity. BeO also has a very high melting point. BeO’s CTE is in the order of 7
ppm/deg C at room temperature. The density is roughly 2.9 gm/cc. BeO’s thermal conductivity is
280 W/mK. (All at RT). INTA supplies bare BeO, metallized BeO and also metallizes customer-
supplied BeO and other materials.
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Can I easily braze metallized ceramic products?

Metallized ceramic products sent from INTA Technologies should arrive clean and ready to
braze. Be sure to inform INTA at the time of your order and/or RFQ the application and type of
braze and technique you plan to use. INTA uses many types of metallization formulations and
customer/vendor communication is key to ensure a speedy and high quality turnaround. For
assistance with your brazing project please contact Blake Kneedler, Manufacturing Engineer
408-748-9955 x113 or blake@intatech.com.

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How should I store metallized ceramic products?

Metallized ceramic products should be stored in cool & dry places. The products should be
contained in air-tight containers such as bags, trays and cases. Metallized ceramic products can
chip or break if handled with force, suitable padding, popcorn or foam should be used to ensure
product conformity. If you do not plan to use your metallized ceramic products for a long period
of time, simply vacuum seal the remaining items or return items to the original packaging
supplied by INTA and reseal. If items are left in hot or cold areas or in areas of high humidity
quality can quickly become compromised.

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What is the CTE of BeO?

The coefficient of thermal expansion for BeO is roughly 7 parts per million per degree Celsius (7
ppm/deg C) at room temperature. The CTE varies over a range of temperatures.

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What is the CTE for Macor?

Macor is often chosen by designers due to certain material properties and a low cost factor. The
CTE for Macor is roughly 9.3 ppm/deg C (@RT). Keep in mind, the maximum rated temperature
for Macor is lower than most ceramics due to the high frit (glass) content. The large amount of
frit allows the material to be machined with conventional tooling but it chips easily and is not
readily metallized (but can be in an expensive process). The thermal conductivity of Macor is
about 1.5 W/mK at room temperature making Macor very attractive as an insulator.

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Does INTA metallize AlSiC?

No need to metallize AlSiC, it is electrically conductive. INTA does not manufacture AlSiC
components but a good source is CPS Technologies of Norton, MA. INTA can plate precious or
non-precious metals and combinations thereof onto AlSiC substrates and/or base materials.

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What type of ceramic is recommended for metallization?

There is not one particular type of ceramic which metallizes better than other materials. In
general, 96% min Al-O, 97-99.99% Al-O, all types of BeO and sapphire metallize very well.
Materials which are difficult to metallize include Al-N, glass, quartz and fused silica.

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What is the CTE of Al-N?

At room temperature, the CTE of Al-N is approximately 4.5 ppm/deg C. The density at RT is
approx 3.3 gm/cc. Regarding thermal conductivity, Al-N (aluminum nitride) has a very high rate
of thermal conductivity compared to other ceramics. At RT, the thermal conductivity is rated at
about 200 Watts per meter*Kelvin (W/mK).

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How would you describe the thermal conductivity of fused silica (SiO2)?

Thermal conductivity of fused silica at room temperature is very low (in the range of 1.3 W/mK)
in comparison to other materials. For example, silica (Si) has a thermal conductivity rating of
approximately 150 W/mK and 96% minimum purity aluminum oxide (Al2O3) has a value of
~30 W/mk. Designers looking for a robust material with a high melting and softening
temperature (600 deg C +) will consider fused silica if thermal isolation is critical.

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What is the best insulating ceramic thermal conductor?

The best insulating (electrical) ceramic thermal conductive material is beryllium oxide (BeO).
The material is an electric insulator yet conducts heat at the alarming rate of 280 W/mK (on
average at room temperature). The next best is Al-N followed by Si and Al-O. BeO is versatile,
easily metallized and can be used for many applications. There are some safety issues associated
with BeO but when coated and placed in a package the concerns are greatly diminished.

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How thick is the metallization layer?

Coatings are generally applied in the form of liquid inks. The liquid contains metal particles and
binders. The wet metallization layer ranges according to application. Typical values are roughly
300-1500u” or .0003-.0015”. After firing in a controlled atmosphere furnace, a diffusion layer is
formed and the actual metal layer becomes somewhat thinner than the original ‘wet’ layer.
Subsequent to a metallizing step and thermal set, additional metals such as nickel, copper, silver
and/or gold are typically deposited. Nickel is by far the most common selection. Nickel
thicknesses range according to application 50-300u” in general. The subsequent coatings are
optional (help protect the MoMn metallization layer) but are frequently included because they
help aid solder/braze wetting.

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What types of coatings can I specify for ceramics?

The types of coating available for most ceramics include:

MoMn

Nickel

Silver

Copper

Gold

Platinum

Palladium

Glaze – glass

Teflon

Electroless (nickel, copper)

ENIG (outsourced)

Immersion silver (outsourced)

Lead free HASL (outsourced)

Liquid photo imageable s/m (outsourced)

Immersion gold (outsourced)

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What about gold plating of ceramic?

Yes, gold plating of ceramic is very common and readily done. A common specification is MIL-
G-45204. When specifying a gold coating on ceramic, unless noted, MoMn and nickel ‘primer’
layers [undercoats] can be expected. If specified – No MoMn (or Ag) – another process will be
used which omits MoMn or Ag (thick film). If the second process is used (plating process) a
ultra-thin layer of copper and/or nickel may be required by INTA.

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What type of coating do I need if I would like to solder or braze to a ceramic

component?

The answer depends on the type of attachment planned. If soldering with a tin alloy, tin plating
may be recommended. If the project calls for a AuGe wire-bond, a thin gold coating may be
necessary. For copper brazing, copper plating is recommended. For CuAg brazing, nickel works
very well. Please contact Blake Kneedler, Manufacturing Engineer (blake@intatech.com) for
more detailed information relevant to your design implementation.

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What metals join well to ceramic?

Popular metals used in ceramic-to-metal joints include:

Kovar (iron-nickel-cobalt)

Steel (most grades including stainless)

Copper

Indium

Tin

Silver

Molybdenum alloys

Tungsten alloys

Nickel

Difficult materials include titanium and hastalloy.

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Why metallize the ceramic?

Ceramics are usually non-conductive insulators. In order to transport electrons in a specific

manner or prepare the ceramic for a solder/braze attach the substrate is generally coated via a
screen-printer, lathe, automatic dispenser, spin-coater, etc. After metallization and nickel plating,
the ceramic is ready to be soldered into a circuit or package. Active metal brazing makes it
possible to join ceramic and other materials without the metallization step. Active metal brazing
is very robust, creates vacuum tight joints and has proven very effective over the years. Active
metal brazing is done in a vacuum environment and there are some limitations to its application.
Conventional brazing, on the other hand, requires metallization because without the metallized
layer there will be no adhesion of the molten solder/braze material and there will be no practical
joint formed. Here is a simple experiment – drop molten solder (AgSn works well) onto a bare
ceramic piece. Note the adhesion of ceramic to metal and vice versa.

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What other options exist besides metallizing?

Some epoxies can be used to create conductive paths and/or to generate joints. Keep in mind
most epoxies are not quite vacuum tight and can be a source of outgassing. Rather than coating
non-conductors such as ceramics another process involves using stick-back metal foil. The foil
can be effective for PoC and prototypes but can prove costly in production. INTA only offers the
metallizing option, shying away from epoxies or glued metal foils.

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What is a seed layer?

The seed layer is a very thin layer of metal used to activate the surface of a non-conductive
material such as Si, Al-O or BeO. In a thick film process, the seed layer is not critical. Seed layer
is important for thin film applications and plating-on-conductor implementations.

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Is ceramic expensive?

No particularly but it varies according to project complexity, weight, volume and other factors.
Some ceramic costs less than one cent, other pieces cost over $25k each.

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How long are the lead times?

Lead times vary according the product specifications. INTA has many products and sizes in
stock and can ship in about 1-2 weeks but most items need to be made from scratch. Lead times
can be as long as 8-10 weeks but for thin pieces with thickness < .070”, the lead time is in the
range of 4-6 weeks but can be longer or shorter depending on workload and complexity.

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Where is the ceramic made?

All of INTA’s ceramic is made in the USA. Most of our ceramic comes from our sister company
(STC) located in Saint Albans, Vermont. The balance of our ceramic comes from the Western
United States. INTA usually buys blanks or raw material and adds value (grinding, cutting,
honing, general machining) in the California facilities.

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How is the ceramic made?

For more information please visit our sister company’s website  http://ceramics.net/methods

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Are there any resources available to technical staff interested in metallized ceramic
products?

Ceramic Industry Magazine offers many interesting and informative articles. We recommend
viewing online editions or ordering a subscription to this monthly publication.
www.ceramicindustry.com