Properties of laser cut LTCC heaters

This article describes fabrication and properties of buried microheaters ma de inside low temperature co-fired ceramics (LTCC) structures. Laser cuttin g is used for meander pattern generation in dried Pt, PtAu or PdAg conducti ve pads. The electrical characterisation of microheaters is based on measur ement and analysis of R(T) dependence in the range from 20 degrees C to 850 degrees C, measurement and analysis of thermal dynamic properties, long-te rm high-temperature passive or active ageing and behaviour of the heater in a pulse operation mode. The presented results are very promising for appli cation of LTCC microheaters in various microsystem devices. (C) 2000 Elsevi er Science Ltd. All rights reserved.