TOKYO – Mitsubishi Materials is jointly developing an aluminum nitrite ceramic printed circuit board for power modules with U-MAP, a materials venture from Nagoya University.

Until now, Mitsubishi has provided insulated PCBs with high reliability by joining different materials such as metal and ceramic. Meanwhile, U-MAP has discovered adding Thermalnite can provide AlN ceramic substrates with high thermal conductivity and high mechanical characteristics.

By combining these technologies, the firms aim to develop an AlN ceramic PCB, offering higher heat dissipation performance and reliability than the Si3N4 ceramic PCB.

The PCB is expected to aid in a more compact and higher-power-density power module. In addition, improvement of heat dissipation will allow other components and materials used for power modules to be smaller.