Cutting and Drilling Welding Marking and Etching
Ceramic substrate general specifications and tolerances

Use the tolerances and specifications listed below as general engineering guidelines. But please note: we have the capability to yield significantly tighter tolerances based upon your requirements and/or the demands of specific applications. Our coordinate measuring system has resolution capability to within 1 micron repeatability and to within 6 microns X-Y linear accuracy. Unless otherwise noted on your specifications, our standard tolerances (shown below) will be applied.

Specifications shown in inches. To convert:
inches   millimeters  
=

Minimum distance between laser machined features or singulated edges: Greater than or equal to ceramic thickness when measured from the most narrow distance between features.

Average scribe depth and laser pulse spacing: per table below

Substrate
Thickness
Ref. Pulse Depth,
External Scribe
Avg. Pulse Depth,
Internal Scribe
Avg. Pulse Spacing,
Internal Scribe
0.010” 40-70% 35-65% 0.003-0.005”
0.015” 40-65% 35-65% 0.004-0.006”
0.020” 40-65% 35-65% 0.004-0.006”
0.025” 45-65% 35-65% 0.005-0.007”
0.030” 45-65% 40-65% 0.005-0.007”
0.040” 45-70% 45-70% 0.006-0.008”
> 0.040” 50-70% 50-70% 0.006-0.008”

Internal machined or scribed feature to internal feature: tolerance ± 0.001”, non-cumulative.

Overall length and width tolerance for cut edges: ± 0.002”

Length and width tolerance for singulated edges:

Substrate
Thickness
Tolerance
< 0.016” +0.003/-0.002”
0.017-0.030” +0.004/-0.003”
0.031-0.040” +0.005/-0.003”
0.041-0.060” +0.006/-0.004”
> 0.061 +0.007/-0.005”

Singulated edge to internal feature: tolerance +0.003/-0.002” (Figure 1)

Hole diameter: ±0.002” for Exit Diameter (Figure 3)

Hole taper: tolerance 10% of substrate thickness, 0.005” maximum (Figure 3)

As-fired edge to internal feature, mechanically aligned: tolerance ±0.010”

As-fired edge to internal feature, optically aligned: tolerance ±0.005”

Optically determined feature to internal feature, optically aligned: tolerance ±0.002”

Slag height: 0.001” maximum above ceramic surface when measured with a micrometer.

Thickness, non-lapped: ±10% of standard manufacturer’s thicknesses.

Thickness, lapped: per lapping purchase order specifications.

Surface finish, non-polished: per table below.

Substrate Type Finish
96% Alumina 15-35 microinches
99.6% Alumina 3-5 microinches
Aluminum Nitride, Thick Film 15-35 microinches

Surface finish, polished: per polishing purchase order specifications.

Camber, as fired:

Substrate Thickness Camber
<= 0.010” +0.004”/inch
0.011-0.030” +0.003”/inch
0.031-0.040” +0.002”/inch
> 0.041” +0.003”/inch


Figure 1. Lasered ceramic substrate:

(a) Typical view

fig1a

(b) Singulated edge and feature tolerance

fig1b


Figure 2. Typical laser scribed line:

(a) Top View ["A" Face of Substrate]

fig2a

(b) Cross Section

fig2b


Figure 3. Typical laser drilled features (cross section)

fig3

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