Ceramic substrates play an important role in thick film hybrid
microelectronic circuits. Existing substrates such as alumina and beryllia do not
meet satisfactorily the desired requirements. The newly developed aluminum
nitride (AIN) substrate shows a great deal of promise and potentially embraces the
best qualities of alumina and beryllia.
The objective of this dissertation is to study the electrical properties, thick
film interaction, and environmental effects on AIN substrates, and also to examine
the performance of this material for high power - high frequency hybrid thick film
applications. In particular, wideband dielectric constant measurements of A1N and
other ceramic substrates are performed, oxidization and humidity effects on surface
properties of AIN are addressed, and short and long term aging effects on several
circuit parameters are studied.
To evaluate the performance of AIN in high power and high frequency
applications, two circuits; an impulse generator and a power converter, are realized,
tested and compared with those on alumina substrates. The thick film circuits realized on AIN perform considerably better than those on alumina.
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