Elementary, Mr. Watson: PCB Routing: The Art—and Science—of Connection
The Shaughnessy Report: Planning Your Best Route
Target Condition: From Dream House to Drill Files
Amtech Systems Books Large Repeat Order Driven by EV Growth
December 1, 2022 | Amtech Systems, Inc.Estimated reading time: 1 minute
Amtech Systems, Inc., a manufacturer of capital equipment, including thermal processing and wafer polishing, and related consumables used in fabricating semiconductor devices, such as silicon carbide (SiC) and silicon power devices, analog and discrete devices, electronic assemblies and light-emitting diodes (LEDs), announced the receipt of an order for 20 controlled atmosphere furnaces for production of Direct Bond Copper (DBC) substrates.
The repeat order was received by Amtech division, BTU International, for 20 controlled atmosphere furnaces for delivery starting in the second half of fiscal 2023. These continuous furnaces will be used for the volume production of DBC substrates, a process which requires extreme control of thermal uniformity and oxidation atmosphere. The furnaces will be produced at BTU’s factory in the USA and shipped to customer locations in Asia. The DBC substrates produced by these furnaces will be used for power device modules intended for electric vehicles (EV).
“We are seeing customer demand related to the scale-up of electric vehicles across all of our divisions,” said Michael Whang, CEO of Amtech Systems. “DBC is a technology uniquely suited for heat dissipation in power modules -- and BTU’s systems have the superior process control to produce DBC substrates reliably and at scale,” added Whang.
Share on:
Suggested Items
Preventing Surface Prep Defects and Ensuring Reliability
06/10/2025 | Marcy LaRont, PCB007 MagazineIn printed circuit board (PCB) fabrication, surface preparation is a critical process that ensures strong adhesion, reliable plating, and long-term product performance. Without proper surface treatment, manufacturers may encounter defects such as delamination, poor solder mask adhesion, and plating failures. This article examines key surface preparation techniques, common defects resulting from improper processes, and real-world case studies that illustrate best practices.
RF PCB Design Tips and Tricks
05/08/2025 | Cherie Litson, EPTAC MIT CID/CID+There are many great books, videos, and information online about designing PCBs for RF circuits. A few of my favorite RF sources are Hans Rosenberg, Stephen Chavez, and Rick Hartley, but there are many more. These PCB design engineers have a very good perspective on what it takes to take an RF design from schematic concept to PCB layout.
Trouble in Your Tank: Causes of Plating Voids, Pre-electroless Copper
05/09/2025 | Michael Carano -- Column: Trouble in Your TankIn the business of printed circuit fabrication, yield-reducing and costly defects can easily catch even the most seasoned engineers and production personnel off guard. In this month’s column, I’ll investigate copper plating voids with their genesis in the pre-plating process steps.
Elephantech: For a Greener Tomorrow
04/16/2025 | Marcy LaRont, PCB007 MagazineNobuhiko Okamoto is the global sales and marketing manager for Elephantech Inc., a Japanese startup with a vision to make electronics more sustainable. The company is developing a metal inkjet technology that can print directly on the substrate and then give it a copper thickness by plating. In this interview, he discusses this novel technology's environmental advantages, as well as its potential benefits for the PCB manufacturing and semiconductor packaging segments.
Trouble in Your Tank: Organic Addition Agents in Electrolytic Copper Plating
04/15/2025 | Michael Carano -- Column: Trouble in Your TankThere are numerous factors at play in the science of electroplating or, as most often called, electrolytic plating. One critical element is the use of organic addition agents and their role in copper plating. The function and use of these chemical compounds will be explored in more detail.