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DPC (Direct Plated Copper)Metallized Ceramic- By Tong Hsing

DPC (Direct Plated Copper)Metallized Ceramic Substrate
Smaller, Thinner Thin Film, Thick Film Design.
Better Heat Dissipation; Longer Lifetime DPC Substrate

Why DPC Metallized Substrate?
DPC is created for better electrical performance and flexibility because fine line capability and solid copper via fill. DPC is also a cost effective alternative for the reasons of more flexible manufacturing capability, especially for thinner metallization.

How To Make DPC Substrate?

flow-chart-dpc-metallized-ceramic

 Comparison Of DPC To Other Technologies

Key Attributes

DPC

Thin Film 

Thick Film 

Conductor Electrical Conductivity

Very good. Thick copper conductor.

Poor conductivity due to very thin film thickness.

Good conductivity. Lowered by presence of glass phase.

Via Electrical Conductivity

Very good. Vias filled with pure copper.

Very good. Vias filled with pure copper.

Poor. Vias filled with 50% metal and 50% glass or pores.

Feature Resolution

Goood. Depends on Cu thickness.

Very good.

Goood. Determined by screen print capability.

Cost

Low to moderate. Vias and metal deposited in same process.
Low cost substrate.

High cost. Expensive substrate. Lapp and polish required after via deposition.

Low to moderate. Expensive metal pastes. Low cost substrate and low cost deposition technology.

Thermal Performance

Very good. AIN or alumina substrate and high thermal conductivity metal.

Good. AIN or alumina substrate. Metal layer too thin for heat spreading.

Moderate. Alumina substrate. Conductivity through the metal is poor due to glass phase.

Suitability for Power Applications

Very suitable. Copper conductors carry high currents.

Not suitable. Thin film layers can not carry high currents.

Suitable. Conductors with glass phase have moderate conductivity.

Suitability for High Frequency Applications

Suitable. Good conductivity and line resolution

Very suitable. Excellent line resolution.

Not suitable.

Green

Yes

Yes

No. Often contain Pb additives.

Summary
Overall, copper plating perfoms superior compared to other technologies in terms of its features and applications.

DPC Features:
Higher circuit density
Outstanding high-frequency characteristics
Excellent thermal management and heat-transfer performance
Outstanding solderability and wire-bonding assembly characteristics
Low tooling costs and quick turnaround of prototypes
Applications of DPC:
HBLED
Substrates for solar concentrator cells
Power semiconductor packaging including automotive motor control
Hybrid and electric automobile power management electronics
Packages for RF
Microwave devices