Heraeus Introduces NextGen EMI Shielding Solution for High-Performing 5G Applications

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Electromagnetic interference (EMI) is a big challenge for current generation mobile phones and 5G technology and devices. It can disrupt electronic devices, equipment and systems – in consumer electronics like mobile phones but also in automotive, medical or aerospace electronics. With higher performances of today’s electronics and new 5G technology, EMI shielding becomes more and more important to have working devices. As frequencies increase, so is the amount of electromagnetic interference.

To tackle this problem, Heraeus, a leading provider of industrial technology and solutions, has introduced a new solution, which is based on a silver ink printer that ensures a proper functioning of high-frequency on-board chips and their ultra-fast data transmission. The system is both less expensive and much more effective than all other options available today. It consists of a special silver ink formula and a manufacturing machine that can apply the shielding coating followed by special ultraviolet and infrared equipment for curing.

Heraeus’ new EMI shielding technology saves considerable costs and effort in comparison to traditional shielding technologies like metal housings or vacuum-based sputtering. In contrast to sputtering, the protective silver layer is applied to the carrier object with sub-micrometer precision by using printing nozzles. Heraeus believes that their new EMI Shielding Solution will replace sputtering technology. It not only saves material and costs, but it also leads to a much better shielding performance, necessary for further miniaturization.

Silver inkjet-printing also offers further decisive advantages over sputtering in terms of cost and efficiency. The investment cost for the new Heraeus system is around US $500,000 (depending on the machine configuration), which is a fraction of the price of a sputtering system. At the same time, the number of units able to be produced per hour is between 12,000 and 15,000 – more than three times the output from a sputtering system.

Previous inkjet solutions often failed due to unsuitable inks, which irreparably clog the print heads. The Heraeus advantage lies in its innovative ink molecular structure: Based on Metal Organic Decomposition (MOD), the silver components are not individual ink nano-particles, but linked elements of organic molecular chains. After being applied, the organic parts evaporate through the application of heat – only the silver remains. In this way, the heads remain unclogged by individual particles, which save considerable costs and effort.

Click here to view detailed information about the new EMI Shielding technology.