DOWA Launches 3D-Printed Aluminum Nitride Ceramic Copper-Clad Substrate with Thermal Cycling Durability Three Times That of AMB-Processed Substrates
On August 25, 2026, DOWA HOLDINGS CO., LTD. announced that DOWA POWER DEVICE CO., LTD.—a wholly-owned subsidiary of DOWA METALTECH CO., LTD.—has established practical manufacturing technology for aluminum nitride copper-clad substrates (Cu-AlN), which serve as insulating substrates for heat dissipation. This achievement resulted from a joint development project involving Professor Masahiro Tsukamoto (specializing in laser processing at the Joining and Welding Research Institute, Osaka University) and Shimadzu Corporation, utilizing a multi-beam additive manufacturing method powered by blue semiconductor lasers; sample shipments have now commenced.
This technology employs a multi-beam additive manufacturing method using blue semiconductor lasers to bond copper circuits of arbitrary shapes to ceramics, eliminating the need for silver—a material that can compromise insulation performance. Compared to conventional active metal brazing (AMB) substrates, this approach offers more than three times the thermal cycling durability while ensuring high insulation reliability and the capability to form fine-line patterns, thereby contributing to the enhanced performance of power modules.
In recent years, the widespread adoption of electric vehicles and renewable energy equipment, alongside the proliferation of AI servers and data centers, has driven a continuous rise in demand for power semiconductors capable of efficient power control. Power modules incorporating these semiconductors require higher efficiency and reliability, making the heat-dissipating insulating substrates that underpin their performance increasingly critical. Cu-AlN, characterized by high thermal conductivity and electrical insulation properties, is primarily used for such substrates. However, as power modules evolve toward higher power output and greater integration, the following challenges must be addressed to further enhance performance:
Thermal cycling durability: Although aluminum nitride possesses excellent thermal conductivity, its strength and toughness are lower than those of silicon nitride; consequently, there is room for improvement regarding thermal cycling durability.
Insulation reliability: Regarding active metal brazing—one of the existing bonding techniques—the silver contained in the brazing filler material used to bond copper circuits to the ceramic can undergo migration under the influence of high-voltage environments and residual stress, potentially compromising the insulation reliability of the ceramic substrate.
DOWA has been working to address these challenges by developing a multi-beam additive manufacturing process that uses blue semiconductor lasers to melt and layer copper powder onto AlN ceramics. The company has now succeeded in achieving both a robust bond between arbitrarily shaped copper circuits and the ceramic substrate and low residual stress, thereby realizing a silver-free bonding solution. This achievement not only eliminates concerns regarding silver migration but also improves thermal cycling durability to more than three times that of AMB substrates.
Furthermore, by employing 3D fabrication technology based on a multi-beam additive manufacturing method using blue semiconductor lasers, it has become possible to form fine-line copper circuit patterns that were previously difficult to achieve. This facilitates the product's application in fields requiring high-density wiring and miniaturization; beyond power semiconductors such as IGBTs, we anticipate its use in a wide range of areas, including optical communications, satellite communications, AI servers, data centers, and medical lasers.
Key features of the product include enhanced insulation reliability through silver-free bonding, improved thermal cycling durability via reduced residual stress, and high design flexibility—including fine-line patterning—enabled by additive manufacturing. Product samples will be distributed through the Thermal Device Division of DOWA Metaltech, the parent company of DOWA Power Device. Moving forward, DOWA will advance customer evaluations and preparations for mass production, aiming to expand the adoption of these products as thermal insulation substrates for power semiconductors. Aibang has established an industry networking group for ceramic substrates; you are welcome to join! We invite you to join our WeChat group dedicated to the ceramic substrate and packaging industry.