Wideband characterization of aluminum nitride substrates and high power-high frequency thick film applications

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 (<i>AIN</i>) 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 <i>AIN</i> 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 <i>AIN</i> are addressed, and short and long term aging effects on several circuit parameters are studied. To evaluate the performance of <i>AIN</i> 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 <i>AIN</i> perform considerably better than those on alumina.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph. D.

Level thesis:degree_level

doctoral

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Electrical Engineering

Department dc:contributor.department

Electrical Engineering

Grantor dc:publisher

Virginia Tech

Year dc:date.issued

1992

Author dc:creator

• Farzanehfard, Hosein

Chair dc:contributor.committeechair

• Elshabini-Riad, Aicha A.

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Johnson, Lee W.
• Rahman, Saifur
• Riad, Sedki Mohamed
• Safaai-Jazi, Ahmad

Statement dc:rights

• In Copyright

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

Language dc:language.iso

en

Dc Identifier Other

etd-10122005-134447

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/39788