Si₃N₄ Ceramic Substrates Deployed in Aerospace, Enabling Long-Term Operation at 1200°C
2025-01-07
Aerospace power and control electronics are moving toward higher temperatures and higher power densities. Traditional metal substrates tend to oxidize, deform or suffer coating failure above 1000°C.
In long-duration tests at 1200°C, Si₃N₄ substrates maintained stable mechanical strength and insulation properties. When combined with suitable metallization and packaging structures, they can endure high temperature, thermal cycling and vibration simultaneously without significant structural degradation.
This opens a new material option for high-temperature power modules, propulsion control units and onboard power management, potentially reducing the need for complex multi-stage cooling and insulation while simplifying system architecture and improving reliability.
When designing electronics for 800–1200°C aerospace or industrial environments, Si₃N₄ should be benchmarked against metal substrates in terms of lifetime and failure modes, rather than just initial thermal conductivity.