Claims
- 1: A method for depositing a thickfilm dielectric on a substrate, comprising:
a) depositing a first layer of thickfilm dielectric on the substrate; b) air drying the first layer to allow solvents to escape, thereby increasing the porosity of the first layer; c) oven drying the first layer; d) depositing additional layers of thickfilm dielectric on top of the first layer, oven drying after the deposition of each additional layer; and e) firing the deposited layers.
- 2: The method of claim 1, wherein the first layer is air dried for at least 45 minutes.
- 3: The method of claim 1, wherein said oven drying of the first layer comprises oven drying at a peak temperature of about 150° C. for about fifteen minutes.
- 4: The method of claim 3, wherein said oven drying of the additional layers comprises oven drying at a peak temperature of about 150° C. for about fifteen minutes.
- 5: The method of claim 1, wherein said firing comprises firing at a peak temperature of about 850° C.
- 6: The method of claim 1, further comprising measuring a dry print thickness of the deposited layers to determine if a desired final dielectric thickness will be achieved after the deposited layers are fired.
- 7: The method of claim 6, wherein the dry print thickness of the deposited layers is measured using one of a drop-gauge micrometer or stylus profilometer.
- 8: The method of claim 6, wherein the dry print thickness of the deposited layers is measured using a drop-gauge micrometer.
- 9: The method of claim 1, wherein the layers of thickfilm dielectric comprise a KQ dielectric.
- 10: The method of claim 9, wherein the KQ dielectric is KQ CL-90-7858 dielectric.
- 11: The method of claim 10, further comprising, after firing, grinding the deposited layers to a desired final dielectric thickness, and then refiring the deposited layers to smooth the ground surface and edges.
- 12: The method of claim 1, wherein the layers of thickfilm dielectric comprise a glass dielectric.
- 13 (canceled)
- 14: The method of claim 1, wherein the layers of thickfilm dielectric are deposited by printing the layers through a stainless steel screen having 200 mesh, 1.6 mil wire, 0.8 mil emulsion.
- 15: The method of claim 1, further comprising depositing additional layers of thickfilm dielectric until a dry print thickness in excess of a desired dry print thickness is achieved, and then planarizing the deposited layers to a desired dry print thickness prior to firing the deposited layers.
- 16: The method of claim 1, further comprising, after firing, grinding the deposited layers to a desired final dielectric thickness, and then polishing the ground surface.
- 17: The method of claim 1, wherein the first layer is air dried for at least 45 minutes, wherein said oven drying of the first layer comprises oven drying at a peak temperature of about 150° C. for about fifteen minutes, wherein said oven drying of each additional layer comprises drying at a peak temperature of about 150° C. for about five minutes, and wherein said firing comprises firing at a peak temperature of about 850° C.
- 18: The method of claim 17, wherein the thickfilm dielectric comprises KQ CL-90-7858 dielectric.
- 19 (canceled)
- 20: The method of claim 18, further comprising, after firing, grinding the deposited layers to a desired final dielectric thickness, and then refiring the deposited layers to smooth the ground surface and edges.
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is related to the application of John F. Casey, et al. entitled “Methods for Making Microwave Circuits”, filed on the same date as this application (Docket No. 10020707-1); and to the application of John F. Casey, et al. entitled “Methods for Forming a Conductor on a Dielectric”, also filed on the same date as this application (Docket No. 10030748-1). These applications are hereby incorporated by reference for all that they disclose.