Lamina Ceramics, Inc. announces business agreement with KEMET Corporation

Deal Calls for Lamina and KEMET to cooperate in development and commercialization of LTCC-M solutions Lamina Ceramics, Inc., a manufacturer of multi-layer ceramic integrated circuits (MCIC), electronic packages, and solid-state light engines, announces a business agreement with KEMET Corporation (NYSE:KEM) whereby the two companies will develop and commercialize high-performance, low-temperature co-fired ceramic-on-metal (LTCC-M) solutions for advanced electronic systems. Concurrent with this agreement, KEMET Corporation has made an equity investment in Lamina Ceramics.In announcing the agreement, Lamina Ceramics President & CEO Taylor Adair stated that the companies have inherent synergies that will result in improved efficiencies to benefit customers. "Our partnership allows each company to concentrate on its area of expertise so that we can more effectively design and manufacture the high quality solutions our customers need."The agreement also provides Lamina Ceramics with expanded sales channels, according to Adair. "With the partnership, Lamina Ceramics has an established entry into key target markets that we have addressed so that we can continue to meet our business goals."Commenting on the investment, Dr. Jeffrey A. Graves, KEMET's President and CEO, stated, "The equity position in Lamina Ceramics is another important step in KEMET's strategy to be on the leading edge of emerging technologies. The LTCC-M technology will allow KEMET to broaden its high-performance capacitance solutions and to support our customers' ever-increasing technical requirements."Lamina's proprietary LTCC-M electronics packaging technology offers significant advantages over traditional LTCC, PTFE, and HTCC materials. Bonding unfired ceramic layers to either Kovar or CuMoCu metal results in a package that combines the excellent electrical properties of ceramic with the superb thermal and mechanical properties of metal. The result is a process by which semiconductor die is directly mounted on the metal layer, which eliminates the need for a heat sink and subsequent machining for assembly. Other benefits of LTCC-M include virtually no ceramic shrinkage, improved thermal conductivity, and reduced packaging costs. These performance advantages make LTCC-M an attractive packaging solution for high-power microwave devices, fiber optic communication systems, automotive electronic systems, military/aerospace platforms, and solid-state light engines.Lamina can design both the basic substrate and populated circuit board, in addition to providing post-processing assembly services. LTCC-M prototypes can be delivered in as little time as four weeks.Source: PCBnewsline