The Influence of Fast Infrared Firing on Thick Film Materials

Because of increasing concern with rising energy and equipment costs, greater emphasis is being placed on identifying units and processes with improved throughput and/or operating cost reductions. Recent utilization of the near infrared firing process, which was developed for metallizing solar cells with thick film materials [1] has resulted in its consideration by the hybrid circuit industry [2]. The differences in heat transfer between wire-wound conventional and near infrared furnaces are discussed. Test procedures and results are then described for Heraeus-Cermalloy resistor and conductor materials. The analytical and performance tests show equivalent or improved performance with near infrared (IR) firing. Finally an operating cost comparison of conventional wire-wound and IR furnaces with equivalent throughput shows that substantial savings result from using IR firing.