White Papers

Processing Rogers Bonding Materials with LPKF Prototyping Equipment

RF technology faces increasingly discriminating standards for miniaturization and short design cycles. Because of this, finding reliable, efficient prototyping processes has become more important than ever, with multilayer applications presenting an ever bigger challenge. In-house PCB prototyping, however, offers a series of intriguing benefits for RF research and development.

Fabrication of a PCB-embedded Half-Bridge Module

Embedding power semiconductor devices into printed circuit boards (PCB) has been investigated for several years. With this technology the PCB is built-up around a bare semiconductor chip. Compared to the conventional approach, where packaged semiconductors are soldered to a PCB, which serves as circuit carrier only, embedding of power semi- conductors (such as MOSFET or IGBT) offers several benefits.

Structuring CuFlon on LPKF ProtoLaser R

The application report documents how laser technology is significantly expanding the options for micromaterials processing. With resolutions in the range of the laser beam’s focus diameter – around 15 μm in the system under consideration here – a rapid beam guidance through high-quality optics, and a broad parameter range, the laser can be used for many tasks in micromaterials processing.

LPKF ProtoLaser R Application Report: Structuring and Cutting LTCC Carbon Tape

The LPKF ProtoLaser R is the first ultra-short pulse laser system that can ablate material without thermal influence and can also machine transparent materials.

Fast Prototyping of Flexible PCBs Using LPKF ProtoLaser

Flexible PCBs, typically based on a thin polyimide (PI) film, are multifunctional and can be produced as single, double or multilayer with plated through holes and surface treatment similar to rigid circuit boards. LPKF’s ProtoLasers play a key role in the prototyping of flexible PCBs. LPKF has carried out various tests to determine which laser system is best suited for which material application.

Microstrip Bandpass Filter – A Comparison of Different Production Methods

The application report describes three different methods of producing a circuit board prototype of a microstrip bandpass filter and compares the results with one another.

LPKF ProtoLaser R – Structuring and Cutting Titanate

The LPKF ProtoLaser R is the first ultra-short pulse laser system with highly flexible software and guaranteed laser class 1 user safety dedicated for laboratory use. It can ablate material without thermal influence and can also be used for micro-machining of transparent materials.

ProtoLaser U4 (UV) Millimeter Wave Antenna Development on LTCC

A link to four white papers through IEEE Xplore details laser etching capabilities offered with the newer LPKF ProtoLaser U4 for microwave (MW) and millimeter wave (MMW) applications ranging from 10 MHz to 100 GHz.

Substrate Options for PCB Laser Etching:

General application notes to match your design to the right substrate material for rapid laser etched PCB’s

IEEE April 2016 issue volume 64 #4 pages1176 to 1185. RF Theory and Technologies.
A miniaturized uniplanar metamaterial-based EBG for parallel-plate switching noise suppression
Stuart Barth ; Dept. of Electr. & Comput. Eng., Univ. of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada ; Ashwin K. Iyer
As a demonstration of the advanced surface metallization laser etching, drilling and cutting capabilities possible on the LPKF ProtoLaser U3, this paper details results from a novel one-dimensional uniplanar EBG based on transmission-line metamaterials for parallel-plate noise suppression, and is analyzed using multiconductor transmission-line theory.
The full article is available for download or purchase here

Journal of Microelectronics and Electronic Packaging 2015

Laser Ablation of Thin Films on Low Temperature Cofired Ceramic

Bringing Rapid Prototyping In-House

Productivity. Innovation. Time to market. Day to day, year over year, businesses are forced to make critical R.O.I.-related decisions that impact the future and the bottom line. For a growing number of electronics manufacturers, many of those decisions revolve around whether a function should be performed by an outside contractor or kept in-house. But for many companies in the RF/microwave industry this decision is often concerned with continuing to employ an outside printed-circuit-board (PCB) fabricator for prototype PCBs, or to make a $10,000 to $100,000 investment in an in-house, rapid PCB prototyping machine that may represent a key competitive advantage.

Securing Capital Equipment for Engineers

Machines desired by engineers and technical managers are seen by financial decision makers as investments with inherent risk. By writing an effective business case which details how a desired piece of equipment will save the company money, the chance of purchase approval skyrockets.