Pyrolytic Boron Nitride Plate (PBN Plate) for High-Temperature Vacuum and OLED Equipment

Pyrolytic Boron Nitride Ceramic Sheet Application

• High-Temperature Vacuum Furnaces and Crystal Growth Systems

  ✅Key Advantages

  Pyrolytic boron nitride plates act as insulation boards and structural supports that combine high temperature capability with low outgassing, helping to keep furnace chambers clean during long high-temperature cycles.

  ✅ Problem Solved

  A vacuum furnace OEM operating at 1700–1900 °C in vacuum switched from standard hot-pressed BN to pyrolytic boron nitride plates in the hot zone shields. After the change, they recorded a drop in contamination-related rejection rates from around 5–7 % to below 3 %, and reduced chamber reconditioning frequency by roughly 20–30 % per year based on their maintenance logs.

• OLED Evaporation and Thin-Film Deposition Equipment

  ✅Key Advantages

  PBN plates are used as insulation and support boards close to evaporation sources, combining thermal stability with a clean surface that minimizes particle generation and molecular contamination on organic layers.

  ✅ Problem Solved

  An OLED evaporation system builder used pyrolytic boron nitride sheets as source support plates and shields. Production data over several months showed a reduction in unplanned downtime by around 10–15 % due to fewer cleaning stops, and more stable film thickness across the substrate compared with previous mixed ceramic boards.

• Materials Research and High-Temperature Test Fixtures

  ✅Key Advantages

  Pyrolytic boron nitride plates provide a stable, electrically insulating platform for samples in high-temperature property tests, where temperatures can exceed 1500 °C under vacuum or inert gas.

  ✅ Problem Solved

  A university materials lab replaced alumina holders with PBN plates for high-temperature thermal conductivity measurements. They reported more consistent temperature profiles and a reduction in specimen breakage by approximately 20 % over several test series, as documented in their internal experiment reports.

Pyrolytic Boron Nitride Sheet Usage Instructions

• Installation

  1. Check the drawing before installation and verify plate orientation, especially when thermal conductivity direction is specified.
  2. Ensure mating surfaces (graphite, metal frames, ceramic supports) are clean and free from hard particles to avoid local stress points.
  3. Tighten mechanical fasteners gradually and evenly to prevent bending or edge chipping on the PBN plate.

• Operation

  1. Follow the recommended heating rate for the overall assembly to avoid steep temperature gradients across the plate.
  2. Avoid direct mechanical impact or point loading on thin areas or near holes, especially during hot conditions.
  3. Monitor furnace or system logs for unusual temperature deviations that may indicate misalignment or excessive stress on PBN boards.

• Storage

  1. Store PBN plates in dry, clean conditions, ideally in their original packaging.
  2. Avoid stacking heavy components directly on top of thinner plates.
  3. Keep plates away from corrosive chemicals or vapors that could react at elevated temperature.

• Cleaning

  1. Remove loose dust with dry, oil-free compressed air or a soft brush.
  2. For more persistent deposits, use clean, lint-free wipes with a suitable solvent compatible with the process; avoid strong acids or alkalis that are not validated for the assembly.
  3. Do not use metal scrapers or sharp tools on working surfaces to prevent scratches or micro-cracks.

• Common Misuse & Remedies

  1. Issue: Plate cracking near mounting holes after several heat cycles.
  Cause: Bolts overtightened or unequal load distribution.
  Action: Reduce torque, introduce compliant washers or spacers, and verify hole chamfer and edge finish on the next PBN plate batch.

  2. Issue: Uneven heating or temperature hotspots on the wafer or component.
  Cause: Incorrect orientation of PBN plate relative to heater, or poor contact with backplate.
  Action: Reinstall with correct orientation, check surface flatness and contact, and confirm that the specified thermal conductivity direction is maintained.

  3. Issue: Particle contamination found on nearby optical or functional surfaces.
  Cause: Mechanical abrasion of the PBN plate during assembly or accidental impact with hard tools.
  Action: Replace damaged plate, use soft tooling for installation, and introduce local particle control during assembly and maintenance.

Pyrolytic Boron Nitride Sheet Reviews

1. Q: How is a pyrolytic boron nitride plate different from a hot-pressed BN plate?
   A: A pyrolytic boron nitride plate is a boron nitride sheet grown by CVD, giving a dense, layered microstructure with anisotropic thermal conductivity and very low impurity content. Hot-pressed BN uses powders and binders, which usually have higher porosity and more isotropic properties.
2. Q: What temperature can a PBN plate withstand in my vacuum furnace?
   A: In vacuum or inert atmospheres, a typical pyrolytic boron nitride plate can be used up to around 2000 °C, provided the mechanical design and surrounding components are suitable for the same temperature range.
3. Q: Is a PBN plate electrically insulating at high temperatures?
   A: Yes, pyrolytic boron nitride has high volume resistivity and low dielectric loss, so the PBN plate can function as an electrical insulator close to heaters or power elements, even at elevated temperatures.
4. Q: Can I order custom-shaped pyrolytic boron nitride plates with holes and slots?
   A: Yes, custom PBN plates can be machined according to your drawings, including through holes, countersinks, slots, pockets and edge profiles, within agreed tolerance limits.

5. Q: What is the typical thickness range available for PBN plates?
   A: Common thicknesses for pyrolytic boron nitride plates are 1–5 mm, depending on the plate size and application. Thinner or thicker boards may be possible after technical review.

6. Q: How does the anisotropic thermal conductivity of a PBN plate affect my heater design?
   A: The in-plane direction of a pyrolytic boron nitride plate conducts heat more efficiently than the through-thickness direction, helping spread heat laterally while limiting heat loss perpendicular to the plate. This is useful for heater boards and support plates where uniform temperature is important.

7. Q: What dimensional tolerances can you hold on custom PBN plates?
   A: For many plate sizes, length and width tolerances around ±0.1 mm and controlled thickness tolerances are achievable after reviewing your design. Specific tolerances will be confirmed case by case.

Pyrolytic Boron Nitride Ceramic Sheet FAQ

• ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
  We use pyrolytic boron nitride plates from ADCERAX as insulation boards in several vacuum furnace projects. Dimensional consistency and the clean PBN plate surfaces helped us stabilize high-temperature performance without adding extra cleaning steps.
  David Rossi – Tooling Engineer, NovaMach Components (Italy)
• ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
  For our thin-film evaporation lines, we were looking for a supplier that understands custom PBN plate machining. The pyrolytic boron nitride plates arrived according to our drawings and matched the required flatness, which simplified installation in our evaporation sources.
  Ethan Walker – Maintenance Lead, AeroHeat Solutions (USA)
  
• ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
  We selected pyrolytic boron nitride sheets as support plates for high-temperature thermal property measurements. The PBN plates provided a stable, electrically insulating platform and we observed fewer test interruptions compared with our previous holders.
  Dr Olivia Meyer – Materials Scientist, National Metallurgy Lab (Germany)
• ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
  ADCERAX supplied custom pyrolytic boron nitride plates for one of our new furnace designs. The ability to combine PBN plates with other advanced ceramic parts in one package gave us a practical solution for both prototype builds and small series production.
  Hassan Al-Faraj – Procurement Specialist, MetalPro Industrial Supply (UAE)