Overview of High Performance Packaging Materials

Abstract

ABSTRACTHigh Performance Integrated Circuits form the basic building blocks of modern electronic systems that are designed to process ever larger numbers of electrical signals at greater signal velocity and fidelity. In such applications, each circuit must be packaged in order to provide it with necessary mechanical support, environmental protection, electrical interconnection and thermal cooling. The package, however, can also impose certain constraints on the chip. It can degrade electrical performance, add size and weight, introduce reliability problems and increase cost. Thus, packaging can be viewed as a complex balance between the provision of desired functions and the reduction of associated constraints.The ability to strike a proper balance has become increasingly difficult in recent years due to the relentless march of integrated circuits toward higher levels of complexity, size, speed, heat flux and customization. It is anticipated that the continuing evolution of high performance circuits and systems will soon be limited by the package designs and materials-of-construction, rather than by the devices on the semiconductor chip.The intent of this talk is to provide a brief overview of high performance packaging and the related materials issues. The approach is to (a) present the forecasted trends in relevant circuit performance characteristics, (b) discuss the impact of these characteristics on current chip and board level packaging methods, and (c) present new package and materials concepts that might furnish potential solutions to the developing circuit-package performance gap.