In space, malfunction or failure as that may jeopardize an entire mission as power electronics cannot be repaired or replaced. Radiation and the absence of atmosphere and gravity make it necessary to use radiation-hardened components that dissipate heat by conduction and radiation only. Special provisions are required to prevent damage and provide reliable, long-term, unattended operation when it comes to designing how satellites are powered.
Addressing the unique challenges of satellite power supply design, curamik® ceramic substrates excel in demanding applications that require a long lifetime, high reliability and robustness. Si3N4 ceramic substrates, for example, carry higher currents and provide higher voltage isolation. They operate over a wide temperature range. In addition, the different metal layers are combined hermetically using the curamik bonding process.
The high heat conductivity, along with the high heat capacity and thermal spreading of the thick copper cladding, makes curamik substrates indispensable to power electronics, particularly for mission-critical applications like satellite power management.
