Device manufacturers need innovative new materials to develop smarter, faster, and smaller next-generation electronic devices. Corning has invented a new generation of high-performance ceramic substrates in entirely new form factors that can help solve customer problems.

We demonstrate a unique process able to make high-purity, thin, continuous ceramic ribbons with a dense and fine microstructure. The thin form factor enables fast sintering rates. Across a broad composition space, materials such as zirconia, alumina, and silica can be produced.

In this paper, we introduce a high-performance alumina ribbon ceramic (>99.9 % pure, 1.4 μm fine grains, thin, flexible, and large area) and outline the ceramic’s key properties; we also discuss process capabilities demonstrated on this new form factor. This product advances electronic devices with low loss, good heat management, and size miniaturization in high speed data communication (e.g., 5G/mmWave, THz), which is especially essential in unconventional curved or conformal design. The thin ceramic substrate supports nonepitaxial thin film growth, in which a sapphire-like attribute is required as well as large size, thinness, and low manufacturing cost.