Ceramics-Revitalized for the New Millennium
As we move ahead in the new millennium innovative ceramic interconnection substrate technology has afforded us a bright future complete with a tool set that will enable adopters to realize a competitive advantage through increased functionality, reduced footprint, and portability demanded by today’s electronic systems packaging requirements. The term “Integrated Packaging” has been coined to describe advanced packages or interconnects incorporating buried passive components and functions.
Fired ceramic substrate size has increased dramatically to as large as 16X20 inches. New “0” shrink green tape systems allow sheet sizes to 18X18inches. There is a new materials set for Aluminum Nitride (ALN). We have Photo-Imageable and Photo-Definable materials and processes that reduce dimensions and layer count with line widths and spacing to 25 microns. We have automated process equipment with machine vision for high throughput, including automated optical inspection (AOI) for in process control and yield management (catching up with the semiconductor and PCB industries). We have System In a Package (SIP) architecture based on Low Temperature Co-Fired Ceramic (LTCC) construction. This same architecture with capability for buried cavities and channels allows for MEMS device construction with a variety of new applications in Fuel Cells and Life Sciences (DNA/Blood testing). We have non-contact printing technology on the horizon with ink jetting and laser direct write deposition to less than 20-micron resolution.
In this issue of Advancing Microelectronics we have three excellent articles from our industry leaders who share examples of innovative technology in materials, equipment, and process technology they have adopted for multi-layer ceramic architecture enabling them to meet the demands of today’s advanced systems.
Rick Sigliano, Kyocera America, Inc., will offer a unique perspective on the organic/ceramic debate in his paper entitled “HiTCE Ceramics: Bridging the Gap Between Ceramics and Organic Packaging.” He discusses new LTCC material and its corresponding material characteristics as it relates and compares to organic packaging materials.
Jeanne Pavio, Motorola, describes a unique electronic power technology for wireless communications and portable computing systems. Her paper is entitled, “LTCC Fuel Cell System for Portable Wireless Electronics.”
Ben Arnold, Midas Vision Systems, writes a case study entitled, “Inspect/Repair Strategy for Advanced MLC Substrate Production,” offering an inside look at implementation of automatic optical inspection (AOI) as a production process control to produce complex, high-density Multi Layer Ceramic (MLC) substrates at IBM.
I hope you find these papers interesting and stimulating. More important, realize all were successful by adopting new technology for their applications, and you can, too! Your materials, equipment, and supply chain infrastructure is in place to support you and in IMAPS we have a venue for information dissemenation and communication. A new venue for information will be the Conference on Ceramic Interconnect Technology, to be held at the Westin Hotel, Denver, Colorado, April 8-9, 2003. This conference will cover the most recent advancements in ceramic interconnection technology materials and processes for microwave wireless and photonic applications, essential in reducing time to market, costs, and wide scale deployment of these growth technologies. I did say “growth,” in speaking with colleagues in the industry recently about business outlook for the next several quarters, there was a new term coined, Q3 and Q4 look “less worse.” See you in Denver.
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