Printed Circuit Design & Fab - January 2008 - (Page 27)

iNEMI’S EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES RESEARCH PRIORITIES for the Electronics Industry The merger of micro and nano, chemical, and other sensors with microand nano-electronics could mean disruption ahead. by ALAN RAE, PH.D., ROBERT C. PFAHL, PH.D., and CHARLES RICHARDSON Consumer and professional electronics are constantly evolving, driven by the need for lower cost, higher speed, more memory, better displays and smaller form factors. This, combined with wireless connectivity, new functionality and longer battery life in handheld devices, are forcing traditional methods and materials to a breaking point. Electronics system miniaturization for mobile computing, communication and sensing will drive a new generation of low-cost packaging technologies over the next decade. Multifunctional integration, ultra small form factor and low cost will be the defining characteristics of next-generation packaging. This new packaging technology will interface with integrated or embedded active and passive components, cooling structures and advanced interconnect structures in ultra-thin silicon and organic type substrate platforms. Chip and package co-design and considerable integration of digital, RF, optical, sensing and biological functions in 2-D and 3-D architectures will be realized. These technologies will need advanced materials with enhanced electrical, thermal and thermo-mechanical properties, and advanced manufacturing processes. The 2007 iNEMI Roadmap1 identified a number of key areas where rapid development or discontinuous change may be required to meet these needs. The iNEMI research priorities recommended three areas for action: Innovative packaging for gigafunctional systemin-package (SiP). Traditional interconnections of surfacemounted discretes are being changed to ultra-fine-pitch interconnections connecting embedded ultra-thin film components on ultra-thin silicon and organic type substrates. The package integration will evolve into system integration, leveraging the system-on-chip, wafer-level packaging and embedded passives and actives on organic substrate technologies. Convergent micro- and nano-systems will have not only digital and JANUARY 2008 portable wireless electronics, but also bioelectronic functions. These electronics and bioelectronics devices, advanced interconnects, batteries, thermal solutions and other user interfaces such as connectors and cables can lead to multifunctional systems in the short term and more integrated gigafunctional systems in the long run. This SiP concept integrates disparate technologies to achieve multiple system functions in a single package, while providing an ultra-small form factor. Materials and reliability. Materials must continue to keep pace with packaging technologies to meet the major manufacturing requirements of low cost through increased modularity, integration for smaller size, and higher bandwidth for more functionality. In addition to these product-specific attributes, there are general requirements for environmentally friendly materials systems (e.g., bio-based polymers) that use low-energy processes. While traditional technologies have focused on materials systems for electronic performance, future materials requirements will need to embrace optical, mechanical, and chemical performance for electro-optical, microelectromechanical systems (MEMS), chemical and biosensor systems, respectively. Advanced nanocomposite and nanoengineered filler materials incorporating property improvements not available with micron-sized fillers offer the promise to meet some of these enhanced performance requirements. These property improvements include low CTE with high toughness, high electrical conductivity with low thermal conductivity (high ZT), and high compliance with high current carrying capability. Several technologies may impact material packaging trends in the near and mid-term. In addition to shrinking the IC with higher density PWBs, embedded passives (resistors, capacitors and inductors) and embedded active devices lead the drive toward small size. A key goal is higher dielectric constant materials to produce embedded passives for de-coupling capaPRINTED CIRCUIT DESIGN & FAB 27

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Printed Circuit Design & Fab - January 2008 Contents Our Line Market Watch Around the World Happenings ROI PTH Reliability: Designing to Improve PTH Reliability EMC for the Real World PTH Reliability: The Survival and Long-Term Reliability of Lead-Free PCBs iNEMI's Emerging Technologies: Research Priorities for the Electronics Industry Printed Circuit Design & Fab Annual Buyers Guide Special Suppliers Section Guide to Products and Services Off the Shelf: Designcon Preview Marketplace Ad Index BGA Bulletin

Printed Circuit Design & Fab - January 2008

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