A comparison of microstrip models to low temperature co-fired ceramic-silver microstrip measurements

A number of analytical and numerical models for microstrip lines are used for analyzing the propagation loss of CaO-B2O3-SiO2-based low temperature co-fired ceramics (LTCC) subjected to different processing conditions. An optimal microstrip model is identified for the frequency range between 0.5 and 15 GHz and used for the extraction of dielectric loss for this material system, The measurements show that the dominant loss contribution changes from the conductor to dielectric loss as the processing temperature for the LTCC dielectrics is lowered. Comparison with microstructural analysis shows that the increase in dielectric loss is strongly correlated to an increase in the amorphous SiO2 content in the ceramic matrix. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.