Method of screen printing on low temperature co-fired ceramic (LTCC) tape

A method of screen printing a printed pattern of a silver paste material on a low temperature co-fired ceramic (LTCC) tape, comprising the steps of:

• (i) providing a screen printing machine including a printer table, a screen mesh having pattern openings positioned adjacent the printer table, and a squeegee;
• (ii) aligning a position of the LTCC tape on the screen table for precisely positioning the LTCC tape relative to the screen mesh having the pattern openings;
• the LTCC tape being positioned such that there is a gap between the screen and tape;
• (iii) adjusting screen printing parameters for setting a printing condition, the printing parameters being set as a squeegee speed of 50-100 mm/s;
• a squeegee pressure at 0.05-0.15 MPa;
• and the gap between the screen and tape (snap-off) at 0.8-1.0 mm;
• (iv) optimizing screen mesh parameters, the screen mesh being a stainless steel screen mesh, the screen mesh being optimized at a tension of 22-28N/cm, a mesh angle of 22.5°, an emulsion thickness of 0.044 mm, a mesh wire diameter of 0.028 mm, and a screen mesh count of 325 apertures per inch;
• (v) rheological measuring of the silver paste material;
• (vii) depositing the silver paste material on the screen mesh;
• and
• (vii) directing the squeegee across the screen mesh at the set speed and pressure to push the silver paste material through the pattern openings in the screen mesh to print a pattern of the silver paste material on the LTCC tape.

A method of screen printing a printed pattern of a silver paste material on a low temperature co-fired ceramic (LTCC) tape, comprising the steps of:

• (i) providing a screen printing machine including a printer table, a screen mesh having pattern openings positioned adjacent the printer table, and a squeegee;
• (ii) aligning a position of the LTCC tape on the screen table for precisely positioning the LTCC tape relative to the screen mesh having the pattern openings, the LTCC tape being positioned such that there is a gap between the screen and tape;
• (iii) adjusting screen printing parameters for setting a printing condition, the printing parameters being set as a squeegee speed of 50-100 mm/s, a squeegee pressure of 0.05-0.15 MPa, and the gap between the screen and tape (snap-off) of 0.8-1.0 mm;
• (iv) optimizing screen mesh parameters, the screen mesh being a stainless steel screen mesh, the screen mesh being optimized at a tension of 22-28 N/cm, a mesh angle of 22.5°, an emulsion thickness of 0.044 mm, a mesh wire diameter of 0.028 mm, and a screen mesh count of 325 apertures per inch;
• (v) rheological measuring of the silver paste material;
• (vi) depositing the silver paste material on the screen mesh;
• (vii) directing the squeegee across the screen mesh at the set speed and pressure to push the silver paste material through the pattern openings in the screen mesh to print a pattern of the silver paste material on the LTCC tape;
• and
• (viii) employing an inspection process for inspecting line width resolution and gap spacing of the printed pattern.