The Laboratory of High-Frequency Circuits (LCAF) constitutes a strategic technological asset within the research infrastructure of the institute, focused on the development, prototyping, and fabrication of advanced high-frequency components. Its core area of expertise lies in Low Temperature Co-fired Ceramics (LTCC) technology, a platform that enables cutting-edge innovation in RF and millimeter-wave systems through miniaturization, integration, and long-term reliability.

LTCC technology facilitates the implementation of multilayer modules with embedded passive components, three-dimensional interconnects, and high-density integration, offering significant advantages in size, performance, and thermal stability. These capabilities are essential for next-generation applications in wireless communications, space systems, automotive radar, and sensor networks, as well as in emerging fields such as lab-on-chip microfluidics and biomedical sensing.

The laboratory hosts two cleanrooms—ISO 7 (Class 10,000) and ISO 6 (Class 1,000)—and is equipped with a comprehensive set of manufacturing and assembly tools, including:

• High-precision mechanical punching systems for via creation

• Screen and stencil printers for high-resolution metallization

• Pressure laminators for multilayer stacking

• Rapid Thermal Processing (RTP) furnaces for controlled sintering

• Vision measurement and metrology systems with submicron resolution

• Automated pick-and-place and flip-chip assembly stations for hybrid integration

This infrastructure enables the fabrication of complex LTCC-based devices for both research and industrial prototyping, making LCAF a key enabler for technology transfer, academic-industry collaboration, and pre-commercial validation of high-frequency components.

The laboratory’s capabilities align with major technological challenges and European strategic agendas, including 6G development, Internet of Space, and autonomous systems. Its contribution is also pivotal to advanced training activities, offering doctoral and postdoctoral researchers access to hands-on experience in cleanroom-based processes and system-in-package design.