Method for forming a ceramic laminate

1. A method for forming a ceramic laminate comprising:

providing two or more sheets of ceramic material wherein said ceramic material includes a plasticizer present at 1 to 5 wt. %, each of said two or more sheets having first and second surfaces wherein said first surface has a higher density than said second surface;

heating said two or more sheets of ceramic material such that a concave surface is formed on the second surface of said two or more sheets of ceramic material, thereby providing a bow in said sheets;

stacking said two or more sheets of ceramic material wherein said second surfaces are opposed to one another to provide stacked sheets;

pressing said plurality of stacked sheets and forming said ceramic laminate; and

firing the pressed stack of sheets at about 1600 degrees C for about 30 hours.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of pressing said plurality of stacked sheets comprises heating and pressing said plurality of stacked sheets into a flat configuration.

3. The method of claim 1 further including the step of providing a conductor on said ceramic laminate.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of heating said two or more sheets of ceramic material provides higher shrinkage to said second surfaces of said two or more sheets of ceramic material as compared to said first surfaces of said two or more sheets of ceramic material.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the ceramic materials comprise alumina ceramic material.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said pressing of said plurality of stacked sheets comprises compressing said first surfaces of said two or more sheets of ceramic material and stretching said second surfaces of said two or more sheets of ceramic material.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein said ceramic material consists of alumina present at 60 to 70 wt. %; sintering flux present at 2 to 4 wt. %; acrylic resin based binder present at 3 to 6 wt. %; plasticizer present at 1 to 5 wt. %; and solvent present at 20 to 30 wt. %.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein said second surfaces of said ceramic material contact a carrier tape including the plasticizer, wherein said carrier tape is heated when heating said two or more sheets of ceramic material.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein said plasticizer has a glass transition temperature in the range of 0-20° C.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

following firing the stacked sheets, firing the stacked sheets at about 1300 degrees C for a period of time.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the period of time is about 45 hours.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the providing comprises:

forming a slurry containing alumina;

degassing the slurry in a tank having about 70 to about 76 cm Hg of vacuum for a period of time; and

forming the degassed slurry into one or more sheets.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the period of time is about five hours.

14. A method for forming a ceramic laminate comprising:

providing two or more sheets of ceramic material wherein said ceramic material includes a plasticizer present at 1 to 5 wt. %, each of said two or more sheets having first and second surfaces wherein said first surface has a higher firing shrinkage than said second surface;

heating said two or more sheets of ceramic material such that a concave surface is formed on the second surface of said two or more sheets of ceramic material, thereby providing a bow in said sheets;

stacking said two or more sheets of ceramic material wherein said second surfaces are opposed to one another to provide stacked sheets;

pressing said plurality of stacked sheets and forming said ceramic laminate; and

firing the pressed, stacked sheets at about 1600 degrees C for about 30 hours.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein said step of pressing said plurality of stacked sheets comprises heating and pressing said plurality of stacked sheets into a flat configuration.

16. The method of claim 14 further including the step of providing a conductor on said ceramic laminate.

17. The method of claim 14 wherein said step of heating said two or more sheets of ceramic material provides higher shrinkage to said second surfaces of said two or more sheets of ceramic material as compared to said first surfaces of said two or more sheets of ceramic material.

18. The method of claim 14 wherein the ceramic materials comprise alumina ceramic material.

19. The method of claim 14 wherein said pressing of said plurality of stacked sheets comprises compressing said first surfaces of said two or more sheets of ceramic material and stretching said second surfaces of said two or more sheets of ceramic material.

20. The method of claim 14 , wherein said ceramic material consists of alumina powder present at 60 to 70 wt. %; sintering flux present at 2 to 4 wt. %; acrylic resin based binder present at 3 to 6 wt. %; plasticizer present at 1 to 5 wt. %; and solvent present at 20 to 30 wt. %.

21. The method of claim 14 , wherein said second surfaces of said ceramic material contact a carrier tape including the plasticizer, wherein said carrier tape is heated when heating said two or more sheets of ceramic material.

22. The method of claim 21 , wherein said plasticizer has a glass transition temperature in the range of 0-20° C.

23. The method of claim 14 , further comprising following firing the stacked sheets, firing the stacked sheets at about 1300 degrees C for a period of time.

24. The method of claim 23 , wherein the period of time is about 45 hours.

25. The method of claim 14 , wherein the providing comprises:

forming a slurry containing alumina;

degassing the slurry in a tank having about 70 to about 76 cm Hg of vacuum for a period of time; and

forming the degassed slurry into one or more sheets.

26. The method of claim 25 , wherein the period of time is about five hours.