Ensuring optimal RF performance (that is, mechanical, thermal and electrical performance) of a surface-mount technology (SMT) ceramic device requires the careful procurement and use of consistently well-behaved materials, the use of proper and rigorous design principles, and proper attention paid to the appropriate parameters (on the part of the manufacturer in its design, and on the part of the user in its operation).
In this way, the reflection, dissipation, and transmission signatures of the device in question remain consistently and predictably well behaved. Some instances of devices that are designed to maximize dissipative loss are terminations, loads, absorptive filters and dividers, etc. Typically, these devices must minimize reflective loss (regardless of the nature of the signals at their inputs), which, when combined with proper dissipative design, results in an optimal transmission signature as well.
SMT devices that are non-dissipative by design are hybrid couplers, power dividers, filters, etc. Filters, of course, are designed such that some signals are to experience a minimum of reflection and dissipation while maximizing transmission, whereas other signals are to experience a maximum of reflection while minimizing transmission.
Other dissipative devices are attenuators, voltage dropping resistors, resistive splitters, etc. Attenuators must be designed such that reflective power is minimized and the remaining dissipative and transmitted power levels are ratioed accordingly to what is desired.
Read the full whitepaper on Thermal Properties of SMT Devices here.