By Accumet Engineering Corporation
Substrate processing — including lapping, polishing, and laser drilling of ceramic substrates — is essential for advanced RF and microwave circuit assemblies used in radar, satcom, and electronic warfare systems. RF and microwave circuit assemblies for radar, electronic warfare, and satcom require ceramic substrates — typically alumina or aluminum nitride — processed to extremely tight thickness, flatness, and surface finish tolerances. Lapping and polishing bring substrates to the required surface finish for circuit trace adhesion and impedance control. Laser drilling and cutting produce the micro-vias, through-holes, and precision contours needed in the final substrate. The entire process chain — from raw substrate to finished, ready-to-use ceramic — must be controlled under a quality system such as AS9100 to meet traceability and documentation requirements.
