The Alumina PCB Authority in China

Unleash Possibilities with Our Alumina PCB

PCBMay has the ability to meet the needs of a variety of customers. Please contact us if you have any questions about Alumina PCB design. Whatever your preference is, we will deliver the same high-quality grade.

• Our Alumina PCBs have a wide range of applications in a variety of industries.
• We will provide you with excellent service at a fair price.
• Size, surface quality, number of holes, design, and so on are all available in a variety of configurations.
• You can change the layout of the board based on your needs and intended use.

PCBMay uses cutting-edge technologies to create a castellation PCB. For any application, the board combines exceptional performance, solid functionality, and appeal. Our PCB quality is consistent, and the price is fair. You can receive a board that meets your budget and final spec requirements.

PCBMay has a lot of experience with PCB production control. There is no minimum order requirement for Alumina PCB; you can certainly order only one piece. We’ll make it our mission to help you reach your business objectives and meet your actual demands.

PCBMay’s Alumina PCB and other PCB products have undergone extensive testing. They’re put to the test in terms of efficiency and mechanical strength. We’ve got a strong technical team that ensures the highest degree of PCB quality!

You may count on us to assume full responsibility for being your PCB supply partner. After 12 years and counting, PCBMay has shown to be a reliable and long-term vendor for many international business.

After all, we’ve been through this process before.

Give us a call right away for your Alumina PCB orders.

Alumina PCB | The Ultimate FAQ Guide

As the electrical industry is growing very fast, the need for Alumina PCB is undeniable. This type of PCB is growing in popularity due to its heat dissipation.

It has undergone a series of experimentation and development over the course of many years due to its ongoing use. The unquestionable advance in Alumina PCB has elevated it to the level of well-characterized performance that has a demonstrated track record in the industry.

PCBMay is a renowned PCB manufacturer. We have been manufacturing, assembling, and testing Alumina circuit board since 2008. Our long-time experience with this PCB gives us the edge over the rest of the competition.

We will discuss every facet of this PCB in this FAQ guide. We cannot wait to tell you more. Stay tuned.

What Is Alumina PCB?

Thermally conductive ceramic powder (Al2O3) with an organic binder, alumina PCB, has a strong heat capacity and a relatively low coefficient of expansion (CTE).

Due to its superior thermal conductivity compared to epoxy glass fiber, this PCB provides superior cooling through conduction. It has the ability to rapidly dissipate heat from hot places while simultaneously transporting heat away from the hot spot.

As a result, the junction temperature of elements on Alumina PCBs is often lower than that of components on conventional PCBs.

Leadless ceramic chip carriers have a compatible CTE with these devices, which have improved heat capacity, durability, and inertia.

Alumina PCB

What Are The Types Of Alumina PCB Based On Aluminium Oxide (Al2O3)?

There are three primary varieties of Alumina Oxide used in PCBs made from aluminum oxide. Among them is Alumina substrate 99.6 percent, Alumina substrate PCB 99.5 percent, and Alumina substrate 96 percent. The PCB manufacturers often alumina to aluminum for this PCB.

Each of these substrates is very efficient, and as a result, each of these devices is deserving of praise.

Alumina Substrate PCB 96%

The Alumina substrate PCB 96 percent is ideal for hybrid devices because of its low cost, good technical quality, and wide availability. Aside from that, it offers the best combination of chemical resistance, thermal conductivity, dimensional stability, and mechanical strength.

Alumina Substrate PCB 99.5%

The grain size is higher on the 99.5% surface, so it may attain a max finish. Additionally, the heat conductivity of the materials has been lowered by a significant amount. You may get larger sizes and a greater thickness with this, which is a huge plus.

Alumina Substrate PCB 99.6%

Its high purity and fine particle size guarantee that the Alumina substrate 99.6% provides a smoother surface with no defects. This is beneficial for common thin-film substrates.

99.6% of Alumina substrate PCB have surface roughness ≤ 1u-in. You can count on this for the finest wear resistance and mechanical performance. It also has a low thermal conductivity, outstanding dielectric characteristics, and effective electrical insulation.

Alumina PCB Types

What Is The Dielectric Constant Of Alumina PCB?

An insulating layer of dielectric material is sandwiched between two copper conductors. FR-4 is the most popular dielectric material. However, you must carefully analyze its qualities before using it on your board.

The dielectric constant of conventional FR4 substrates is around 4.5, but the weave design employed in the substrates will change the actual value. To minimize losses by a magnitude and modify the dielectric constant Al2O3 material.

When it comes to alumina circuit boards, the usual dielectric constant is around 9.8. When the frequency rises,  it’s dielectric constant drops. However, there are exceptions to this rule. Permittivity varies more slowly in some materials.

You can use a parallel plate capacitor’s capacitance to estimate the dielectric constant. An Alumina substrate PCB  without metal substrate is put into the microwave. The dielectric properties are calculated using scattering characteristics based on microwave reflection.

Alumina PCB Dielectric Constant

What Is The Structure Of Alumina PCB?

Alumina PCB consists of a copper layer, a dielectric layer, and an aluminum core.

The copper foil layer

The aluminum CCL and the circuit layer must carry a significant current. Thus a copper circuit of 1oz to 10oz is used.  To increase the peel-off strength, the copper foil must be chemically oxidized on the backside and zinced and brass-plated on the surface side.

Dielectric Layer

The dielectric layer must be between 50m and 200m thick to achieve low thermal resistance. Withstanding both mechanical and thermal stress, it has strong anti-aging properties.

Base Aluminum

Aluminum substrate, which serves as the foundation for an aluminum base layer, is a part of aluminum substrate. Suitable for mechanical production, such as drilling and cutting, it must be very thermally conductive.

The aluminum base membrane

This membrane acts as a barrier between the aluminum surface and scrapes and etching agents, protecting it from damage. There are two membrane types: conventional (for temperatures below 120°C) and anti-high temperature (for temperatures beyond 250°C).

Aluminum PCB Structure

What Are The Surface Finishes You Can Use On Alumina PCB?

You may use organic or metallic elements to finish your PCBs. How do you choose the optimal surface finish for your PCB? They are similar, yet each has its own pros and downsides.

The surface treatment of your PCB will significantly affect its durability and use inside its parent element. The finish avoids oxidation of the copper layer on the PCB, reducing solderability. Prior to soldering the components, a finish shields the board from oxidizing.

These PCBs have a variety of surface finishes, including-

HASL

Industry-standard HASL has fallen out of conformity with RoHS requirements, causing it to become outdated. To reduce environmental and health hazards, lead-free HASL has gained popularity.   The HASL finish is achieved by immersing the PCB in a tin-lead solder.

OSP

OSP PCBs are RoHS compliant, thanks to the shortage of hazardous chemicals. Like the HASL technique, this water-based finish offers a flat surface for connecting extra PCB components.

ENIG

Despite its increased cost, ENIG surface finishing consistently produces high-quality goods. It is heat resistant, solderable, and appropriate for wire bonding.

It has two layers of nickel and gold covering. The gold also covers the nickel’s base copper layer because of the nickel’s anti-corrosion properties.

HASL is not very good at making PCB parts like plated holes, so that ENIG can be used in these situations. It has excellent flatness and is suitable for fine pitch devices, like OSP.

Alumina PCB Surface Finish

What Is The Manufacturing Process Of Alumina PCB?

Alumina PCB’s materials have a wide range of characteristics compared to other choices on the market. When opposed to fire-resistant substances or metals, its properties are unique. Several ceramic parts make up this PCB.

This is why Alumina PCB production differs from other PCB types. As a result, the PCB industry uses Alumina or ceramics for a specialized purposes.

Alumina is the ideal material to use when other PCBs would not fit well. The rigidity and strength of these PCB materials make them suitable for supporting its components.

This alternative will be an excellent addition to the PCB’s surface mounting requirements. It performs well when compared to its competition. The heat conductivity of the materials is also taken into consideration.

In addition, compared to other materials, the temperature consistency is greater. As a potential complication, the material may be more costly than usual. W75hen you utilize it for necessary high-end gadgets, this is frequently the case.

Its high thermal dielectric, excellent high-frequency performance, and minimal expansion make it the most demanding.  This is typically used in heating and cooling equipment, medical systems, LED panels, sensor units, as well as other high-frequency equipment.

Alumina PCB Manufacturing Process

How To Reduce The Temperature Of Alumina PCB?

Heat dissipation solutions are critical as electronics get more powerful and Alumina PCBs become more compact. Here are several tried and true methods:

Thermal Arrays

As seen above, incorporating thermal through arrays over copper-filled portions on an Alumina substrate PCB can make it an onboard heat sink. The goal is for heat to travel from components to copper and dissipate via the air through vias.

Remember that to disperse heat, thermal via arrays efficiently must have a diameter of at least 0.1 mm. Also, vias should be padded holes linked to the copper region on both sides, not thermal relief pads. Increase the number of thermal vias to dissipate heat.

Expand Traces

High-current copper traces heat up. Widening the trace helps dissipate energy into the surrounding atmosphere as quickly as possible. This minimizes thermal resistance and heat spots on the trace.

Using Heatsinks and Fans

Passive heat dissipation methods like thermal through arrays may not be sufficient if the Alumina circuit board creates too much heat. In this case, you will require heatsinks and fans.

Alumina PCB Thermal Management

What Are Differential Signals In Alumina PCB?

A differential signal consists of two traces routed side-by-side, each carrying an equal magnitude and opposing polarity signal. High-speed digital protocols use single-ended PCB traces that are impedance regulated; each trace has a defined impedance.

Binary data will always be carried by differential pair signals, even if a more sophisticated protocol like PAM4 allows many bits to be sent at once. It is important to note that a differential signal is distinct from a conventional digital trace in that it is recovered and treated unequally.

PCB Differential Signal

How Can You Specify Impedance Control In Alumina PCB?

There are several ways in which you may control the impedance of an Alumina PCB before it is even manufactured. In a circuit, resistance and reactance work together to produce a certain resistance level.

Impedance significantly impacts how quickly a circuit fulfills its tasks, so it is vital in electronic circuits. It has a considerable influence on the timeliness and integrity of critical processes.

Designers must specify the number of parameters to determine impedance:

• Target impedance
• Trace height
• Trace width
• A layer or layers are used for the impedance trace.
• Copper component spacing on regulated traces

Adding a visual depiction of the specified activated alumina specifications will alleviate any uncertainty.  In certain circumstances, specifying impedance control is a little additional effort.

Delays may arise if designers neglect to indicate impedance control by omitting certain parameters from the datasheet.   There may be times when the fabricator has to ask the design team for clarification.

It may take many rounds of questions before the manufacturer is convinced that work may continue on very complicated boards or outrageously deficient specs.  It takes a lot of time to go through all of these questions. Specifying impedance control effectively and thoroughly is vital to ensuring that projects go as planned.

Alumina PCB Impedance Control

What Is The Design Consideration Of Alumina PCB?

Throughout the whole process of making an alumina PCB, PCB design has an important part to play. The design process has six phases.

PCB Design Consideration

1. Idea

After assessing the necessity for an Alumina PCB, the design idea is determined. The PCB’s characteristics, interconnections with other circuits, position in the finished product, and estimated dimensions are defined during this step.

2. Diagram

The next step is to design the circuit diagram. Component names, value, rating, and manufacturer part numbers are all shown in this diagram.

3. Board Block Diagram

Next, construct a board-level block diagram, which describes the PCB’s ultimate dimensions. Mark regions for each block, parts of components linked for electrical or constraint reasons.

Keep similar components together to keep traces short. You can calculate the trace on your own, and it is one of the primary things you should know while designing PCB.

4. Component Positioning

Component placement defines where each piece will be placed on the board. You may need to refine component location multiple times.

5. Routing via First-Pass

Next, establish the circuit’s routing and priority.

6. Tests

After you finish the design, test it to make sure it fulfills your requirements. If so, the design is finished. That means going back to the stages when modifications are needed. The following video will be helpful for you to understand it clearly:

What Are The Advantages Of Alumina PCB?

With Alumina Ceramic PCB, you will get several advantages. Advantages of using Alumina PCBs include the following:

• The high working temperature of up to 350 degrees Celsius
• Due to the low expansion coefficient of 6-8 ppm/degree C, the load on solder joints is reduced.
• Thermal conductivity of 22-24 W/mK
• A superior ability to function at high frequencies
• Due to the integration and multi-layer capabilities, the package is smaller.
• Hermetic packaging is feasible, with water absorption of 0% or less.
• Due to its white tone, this PCB provides excellent light reflection.
• Outgassing is kept to a minimum.
• Solid rigid material
• The calcined alumina price is reasonable

PCB Outgassing Issue

What Are The Sectors In Which You Can Use Alumina PCB?

Alumina PCB has a plethora of uses. This PCB is used on a regular basis by manufacturers. You can use Alumina PCBs in a variety of ways.

• High current UV LEDs and spotlights
• Power regulators
• Optical systems with variable parameters
• Car power regulators
• Power generation device for industrial use
• Semiconductor cooling device
• Integrated circuit arrays
• Toner-Based Laser Devices
• Amplification devices for audio systems
• Substrate for solar panels
• Transistors and arrays of transistors with high power
• Applications that need a lot of processing power
• Laser-based Lidar
• Conversion of light into electricity through the photoelectric effect
• conversion of heat into electricity
• Power supply for radio frequency devices (RF Generator)
• Measurement Equipment for the Industrial Sector

Alumina PCB In Power Regulator

What Are The Differences Between Alumina PCB And FR4 PCB?

Comparing an alumina PCB to an FR4 is a popular question. Though they share a function, they are distinct.

In this part, I compare an aluminum PCB to an FR4 and discuss their differences and similarities.

FR4 means Flame Resistant. This term is usually used in reinforced Fiberglass sheets used in printed circuit boards.

In terms of cost, alumina substrate PCBs are somewhat more costly than FR4. Also, alumina PCB outperforms FR4 in terms of performance.

These PCBs have a more excellent heat conductivity than FR4. As such, they are widely used in LED lighting.

In an alumina PCB, the dielectric element is the thermal bridge, which connects the metal plate to the components.

FR4 employs mechanical techniques like drilling, routing, and countersink counterbore. This implies you will need another heat sink to transmit heat.

An alumina PCB substrate is usually one-sided, but an FR4 substrate may be single-sided or double-sided.

Although FR4 has more applications than alumina PCB, most LED developers choose alumina PCB.

FR4 PCB

What Are Some Of The Drawbacks Of Alumina PCB?

It is no secret that alumina PCBs are among the most popular PCBs in the world. But there are some drawbacks as well. An alumina PCB substrate has the following disadvantages:

• Ceramics, in general, are brittle and prone to breakage.
• They are generally more expensive than standard FR4 and metallic base PCBs.

What Are The Testing Methods Of Alumina PCB?

The Alumina PCB manufacturing process is complex and influenced by many variables. A single board might include hundreds of parts and hundreds of solder joints, and without sufficient verification, the whole process is hit or miss.

To solve this problem, the electronics manufacturing sector and product developers established numerous inspection and testing techniques. The PCB Test points are the sports where manufacturers test the PCB.

Visual Testing

Alumina PCBA examination is classified as electrical or visual. Visual examination finds apparent problems such as component alignment, missing components, and board stains using a magnification or the technician’s own eyes. This is the most fundamental way of examination.

In-Circuit Testing

This is the most used PCBA testing method for big batches and mature items—automated testing with up to 90% fault coverage. It involves sending currents through the board at certain test places using a bed of nails-like arrangement.

Checking for missing components, poor soldering, and wrong diode/transistor orientation are all possibilities for shorts and exposed circuits.  Custom test jigs can operate in-circuit faster and more effectively for big or repetitive batches.

Automated Optical Inspection (AOI)

For each PCB, AOI compares photos from 2D or 3D cameras to images from a prototype pcb of the same design or a database of good and poor boards. AOI machines can be easily connected to the manufacturing line, providing immediate quality control and process modifications.

AOI covers all the tests that human visual inspection might miss and can detect poorly positioned components if visible. The template approach is more exact, but it takes time to set up and is not ideal for changing prototype designs.

Burn-In Testing

Using burn-in testing allows you to assess performance and uncover hidden issues before releasing the boards into the field. For early failure detection and load capacity testing, burn-in testing exposes boards to circumstances that exceed rated operating conditions.

Unlike many inspection procedures, burn-in testing replicates high operational conditions to provoke breakdowns. Temperature, voltage/current, operating frequency, and other design parameters may be examined. The data obtained may assist engineers in analyzing faults and enhancing design or production processes.

Automated Optical Inspection PCB Testing

How You Can Choose The Best Alumina PCB Manufacturer?

You may be curious about what the top Alumina PCB manufacturers can do for you because of the many industries in which they can be used. Alumina PCB manufacturers like ours can provide you with a wide range of excellent services.

Manufacturing and engineering experts

Alumina PCB manufacturers like ours have a team of experts ready to help you choose the finest product for your needs. Consequently, you can be confident that these employees are aware of your demands and have the necessary expertise to provide high-quality solutions for you.

Checking Design Rules

The best manufacturers use a Design Rule Verification. As a result, clients may be certain that the boards they get have been suitably space-optimized. Your board’s optimum layout is guaranteed when you use this DRC program.

Quality assurance

PCB quality assurance policies are in place at top manufacturers. This ensures that consumers are only receiving boards of the highest quality possible. The Alumina PCB is also subjected to quality control checks at every step of manufacture. Having this in place guarantees that they fulfill industry standards as well as the needs of the consumer.

DFM for the PCB (Design for Manufacturability)

Using design for manufacturability strategies will improve your PCB’s manufacturability. Production of Alumina PCBs is now simple, and it meets all quality and product standards.

With enhanced manufacturing design, you can reduce production costs, speed up the product launch, assure PCB safety and compliance, and increase customer satisfaction.

PCB Manufacturer In China

Check this video for a better understanding of this issue:

Conclusion

Alumina PCBs are suitable substrates for PCBs requiring strong heat conductivity and a low thermal expansion, respectively. Metal cores are often used in Alumina PCBs.

PCBMay is one of the biggest PCB manufacturers across China. We design, manufacture, assemble and test Alumina PCB with great care.

We tried to cover every information regarding Alumina PCB. We hope you will find this FAQ guide helpful. If you have any further questions or need a quote, please contact us.