Negative thermal expansion ScF3 ceramic for electronic packaging applications

To meet the demands of miniaturization and integration in modern electronic packaging, developing materials with low coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) is essential to reduce thermal stress and enhance device reliability. In this study, the dense negative thermal expansion ceramic ScF 3 was prepared with a CTE of –8.86×10 –6 /°C. The ScF 3 ceramic was cold sintered at 150 °C, exhibiting a low permittivity of 5.3 and a high quality factor ( Q × f ) of 14,700 GHz. By incorporating ScF 3 to the hexagonal boron nitride (BN) ceramic, the CTE of ScF 3 -BN composite ceramic was adjusted to 3.36×10 –6 /°C, establishing compatibility with silicon-based chips. And finite element simulations verified that ScF 3 -BN composite significantly reduces thermal stress compared to Li 2 MoO 4 or Al 2 O 3 ceramics. Furthermore, this work demonstrates the potential of cold-sintered ScF 3 to regulate thermal expansion in packaging substrates, paving the way for improved performance in next-generation electronic devices. • Negative thermal expansion ScF 3 ceramics densified by cold sintering process. • ScF 3 ceramics exhibit typical thermal expansion coefficient of –8.86×10 –6 /°C and remarkable microwave dielectric properties. • ScF 3 ceramics can effectively modulate the thermal expansion coefficient of composite ceramics.