Tape casting of high dielectric ceramic substrates for microelectronics packaging

The production of ceramic green tapes is integral to the production of multilayer ceramic packages and capacitors. This article presents a batch type process for producing alumina ceramic green tape down to 150 μm thickness. The process parameters relevant to the precise control of the thickness of an alumina-based ceramic tape have been investigated using a float glass tape caster. Results indicate that the cast tape thickness was dependent on the blade gap until it reached a limiting value. This limiting thickness in turn was dependent on the casting speed, with a higher speed producing thinner tapes. Optimal casting was shown to exist when the blade gap was set at or beyond the limiting value, with the casting speed the controlling factor for the final thickness.