RF Electronics Chapter 11: Circuit Manufacture Page 379
2022, C. J. Kikkert, James Cook University, ISBN 978-0-6486803-9-0.
Figure 11.12. 3D lens mounted on waveguide (L) and being tested (R). [36]
The above show some examples of 2D and 3D PCB printers and printing materials. These
techniques will continue to develop in performance, cost and accuracy and will become
dominant for producing prototype PCBs.
Low Temperature Cofired Ceramic (LTCC)
Figure 11.13. LTCC process flow. [38]
The Low Temperature Cofired Ceramic (LTCC) technology [38 - 41] is a means of
producing small 3D and multilayer circuits at a relatively low cost. The technique is
similar to thick film techniques, except many layers of ceramic are used, each of which
has conductive, dielectric, and / or resistive pastes applied to them. The pastes are applied
to ceramic sheets that have not yet been fired. These are called, 'green-sheets' and are
normally supplied on a tape [41,42]. The printed sheets are then laminated together and
fired in one process, resulting in structures as shown in figure 11.13 [38] and figure 11.14
[39, 40].
RF Electronics: Design and Simulation
379 www.cadence.com/go/awr
