High Packing Density Research Articles

Custom, High Density Power Modules Enabled by Thermal Integration Technologies

Researchers at the University of Arkansas are achieving significant strides in power electronic packaging, focusing on the critical needs for high power density and integrated thermal management. They have introduced an innovative non-metallic jet impingement cooler, produced via advanced additive manufacturing techniques, which has proven to be effective in lowering thermal loads. Specifically, it reduces junction temperatures by as much as 30°C and attenuates electromagnetic interference, a crucial factor for the efficiency of high-power silicon carbide MOSFET-based inverters. In response to the 2021 PowerAmerica Institute challenge, the team engineered a high-voltage power module, achieving the specifications of 1.7-kV/1600-A within a confined volume of 100 cm³. This module exemplifies the successful integration of thermal and electrical systems in a space-efficient package, highlighting the practical resolution of high-density packaging challenges. The process has provided insights into the behavior of thermal resistance in such compact modules and the associated operational constraints. Further extending their research, the team has examined advanced cooling techniques employing dielectric fluids, targeting applications surpassing 1.2 kV. They have balanced the turbulence within fluid movement and the fluid’s voltage blocking capacity, essential for the stability of thermal management systems in high-voltage electronics. Moreover, the group has developed an empirical model for direct jet impingement cooling using dielectric fluids, optimizing for enhanced cooling performance with minimal flow rates. They are also researching in the area of two-phase immersion cooling, with a focus on maintaining electrical isolation, especially during phase changes, and conducting assessments of breakdown voltages in boiling dielectric fluids. These efforts are pivotal in guiding the next generation of efficient, compact power electronic packaging solutions, contributing significantly to the field’s future advancements.

Advanced Mechanical Analysis Workflow for Chiplets Integration Predictive Design

Chiplet-based designs offer a compelling value proposition compared to traditional monolithic System on Chip (SoC) architectures with advantages in IP reuse, performance, cost, and time to market. Mechanical modeling and analysis (M&A) play a critical role in enabling the integration of chiplets, spanning the chip-package-board-system domains to support product development. The integration of chiplets from various suppliers and deverse technologies introduces differences in material properties, thermal coefficients, and mechanical behaviors that presents a significant challenge in ensuring a good mechanical reliability across the chiplet-based integration system. Consequently, chiplet-based designs encounter more challenges to address the elevated mechanical stress and reliability concerns. Traditional mechanical analysis and simulation workflows are primarily tailored for monolithic SoC-based designs and are not readily applicable to chiplet-based designs. The latter can no longer afford to overlook issues related to mechanical and thermal stress induced by multiple chiplets, especially with the use of advanced 2.5D and high-density fanout packages. In this paper, an advanced mechanical analysis workflow for chiplet-based designs is proposed. The representative examples that demonstrate the efficacy of this workflow are also presented. The advanced mechanical analysis workflow involves modeling of chiplets interactions at the early design stage spanning from the Si level to package level and encompassing scales from micrometers to millimeters that includes the components such as Through-Silicon Vias (TSVs), HIgh Density Fanout Cu RDL (Redistribution Layer) and microbumps. Furthermore, the predictive mechanical analysis workflow extends to analyses at the millimeter to meter scale, considering entire systems and incorporating elements like heat sinks and printed circuit boards (PCBs). It represents a multifaceted process spanning chip-to-package co-design, stress analysis, thermal analysis, failure analysis, and chiplet-based design optimization.

Aerosol Jet Printing for Three Dimensional Interconnects

Electrical connections between IC chips and printed circuit boards are typically accomplished by wire bonding. Although a mature technology, wire bonds have limitations due to increased package size, potential for damage during handling, and parasitic inductance which limits high frequency performance. With conformal interconnects, the electrical connections are printed with nanoparticle inks and then heated form solid conductive wires up the sidewall of die. Many advantages result including low profile, ultra thin connections, and high density packages. Unlike wire bonds, printed interconnects can be geometrically tailored to optimize impedance matching, with resulting frequency performance exceeding 90 GHz. Aerosol Jet® is a non-contact printing approach that when combined with multi-axis motion can print both metals and dielectrics in 3D multilayer geometries. The specific presentation will include results of high density gold interconnects, with 25 µm/25 µm line/space, between silicon bare die and alumina substrate. The first step is to print a dielectric fillet over the vertical die edge and junction with alumina. The fillet serves to insulate the die sidewall and form a mechanical buffer layer to match the thermal expansion of the Si, Alumina, and gold. Polyimide is preferred for its high working temperature (~250C) and capability to withstand thermal cycling to cryogenic temperatures. After curing the PI, nano-gold traces are printed between bond pads of the alumina and I/O on the die surface. The nano-gold can be sintered in an oven at 200C or laser sintered in situ to produce interconnect resistances below 1 Ohm.

High Density Organic Substrates for Chiplet Technologies

The industry’s increasing demand for high-performance electronic devices with better functionality, lower power consumption and higher speed is driving innovation in advanced packaging technology. Improving semiconductor chip performance and advancing package characteristics are critical. These ever-increasing demands on electronic systems have led to the current trend of increasingly relying on so-called chiplets instead of individual chips. In detail, this means that individual silicon building blocks or functional units, which can also be developed and manufactured independently of each other, are combined to form a very powerful overall system. These then find application, for example, in neural networks or advanced driver assistance systems, and generally in all types of AI systems. Since miniaturization of the semiconductor chip is a major challenge, minimizing the wiring length in the package by using denser and thinner interconnects is crucial. The high number of inputs and outputs (I/O) in these high-density packages reduces the structural size of lines and spaces (L/S), and the quality of interconnection of these fine spaces can drastically affect the performance of the device. This paper presents the development of the required technology blocks for high-density redistribute layers needed to realize such organic substrates. The technology approach used is an advanced semi-additive processing (aSAP) at large panel level. This technology involves the use of dielectric layers, such as ABF or similar, PVD seeding and additive electrolytic copper deposition. The following various interconnect blocks required are discussed in detail: Vertical interconnects can be made by laser drilling, lithography when photo-imageable dielectrics are used, or plasma with reactive ion etching (RIE). The process options and limitations are discussed in detail. Horizontal interconnects are fabricated by seeding, photo-imaging of plating masks and subsequent copper deposition, and resist and seed removal. Photo-imaging is an important process step in this process. The evolution towards line and space structures targeting 5µm and further to 2µm on large panels up to 610x457mm² is described in detail. Finally, first electrical test data and the resulting process yield for different structure sizes are presented and discussed.

The application of failure analysis technology in the development of new quality productive forces in high-density chip level packaging industry

The application of failure analysis technology in the development of new quality productive forces in high-density chip level packaging industry

Communication─A High-Efficiency and Low-Damage Treatment for Pressure Less Sintering of Ag Micro-Nano Particles at Low Temperature

Pressure-free and low-damage interconnections are essential for high-density packaging of high-power devices. Here, a novel and high-efficient plasma treatment method to sinter micro-nano particles at low temperature without pressure is discussed. The silver paste was exposed to Ar/H2 plasma for only 10 s, followed by sintering at 200 ℃ for 15 min. The shear strength increased to 2.6 times that of the untreated sample. Improvements in the sheet resistivity and thermal conductivity were observed. Ar/H2 plasma treatment is a viable approach for enhancing the sintering performance of commercially available silver pastes, thereby contributing to advancements in packaging technology.

Low Thermal Conductivity and Diffusivity at High Temperatures Using Stable High-Entropy Spinel Oxide Nanoparticles.

The realization of low thermal conductivity at high temperatures (0.11W m-1 K-1 800 °C) in ambient air in a porous solid thermal insulation material, using stable packed nanoparticles of high-entropy spinel oxide with 8 cations (HESO-8 NPs) with a relatively high packing density of ≈50%, is reported. The high-density HESO-8 NP pellets possess around 1000-fold lower thermal diffusivity than that of air, resulting in much slower heat propagation when subjected to a transient heat flux. The low thermal conductivity and diffusivity are realized by suppressing all three modes of heat transfer, namely solid conduction, gas conduction, and thermal radiation, via stable nanoconstriction and infrared-absorbing nature of the HESO-8 NPs, which are enabled by remarkable microstructural stability against coarsening at high temperatures due to the high entropy. This work can elucidate the design of the next-generation high-temperature thermal insulation materials using high-entropy ceramic nanostructures.

Thicker or Shorter Bark Fragments of Eucalypt Tree Species Make More Densely Packed Fuel Beds, Which Slow Down Fire Spread

Many eucalypt trees shed their bark annually. This bark becomes a component of the litter layer, which acts as fuel, especially during surface fires. The amount and quality of shed bark vary greatly among species, which might have important effects on forest surface fire behavior. In this study, we aimed to compare the bark fuel bed flammability of eight eucalypt tree species and tried to link their bark litter traits via the surface fuel bed structure to bark flammability. In controlled laboratory burns, three flammability parameters, the fire spread rate, total burning time, and maximum temperature, were measured. The bark litter traits included length, curliness, thickness, dry matter content, tissue density, carbon content, nitrogen content, and terpene content, while the litter bed packing ratio and packing density were also measured. We found significant differences in bark traits and flammability among species. Thicker bark fragments of the eucalypt tree species had higher packing densities in fuel beds, a slower fire spread, and a longer burning time. This relationship was strongly driven by the thick bark fragments of Eucalyptus punctata DC. Still, also within the other seven species, bark thickness was the strongest predictor of bark fuel bed flammability, with some additional explanatory power for bark length. For the first time, our study demonstrates that bark traits, particularly litter fragment thickness and length, drive bark litter flammability of eucalypt tree species through their effects on bark fuel bed structure. These findings contribute to our understanding and predictive power of wildfire behavior in forest stands dominated by different eucalypt species.

Development of Vertical Structured TFT Using Interfacial Oxidation

As advancements in display technology persist, ongoing research endeavors into Thin-Film Transistors (TFTs) to move forwards display evolution endure. Among the various semiconductors in TFT technologies, oxide TFTs have garnered considerable attention due to their manifold advantages, including heightened electron mobility in comparison to a-Si, superior transmittance, and suitability for medium to large-scale applications.Recent developments in display engineering suggest that Augmented Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR), and flexible displays are the vanguards of next-generation displays. These rapidly expanding applications desire several specifications for TFTs, such as minimalized occupied area, high resolution, low-power operation, etc. Given the challenges associated with fulfilling these mentioned requirements using conventional TFT technologies is difficult due to the facing physical limitations. Therefore, a novel enhancement methodology becomes necessary. In response to this necessity, there has been a rapidly growing interest in Vertical TFTs (VTFTs), which represent a structural refinement of next-generation TFTs in recent years.VTFT was propounded by Professor Y. Uchida of Japan in 1984 utilizing a-Si [1]. In the V-TFT structure, the source and drain electrodes are vertically separated by an insulator spacer. The annel lies between them, attached to the spacer's sidewall, directing carrier flow vertically. Therefore, VTFTs can easily achieve short channel lengths under 1µm, larger aspect ratios W/L, and higher packaging density, greatly reducing the occupied area over conventional TFTs. Nevertheless, the development of previously proposed VTFTs facing into unresolved challenges, including process complexity attributable to the requisite spacers and interlayer dielectrics (ILDs), as well as reduced yields due to the process complexity.M. Chandra Sekhar et al., have postulated a methodology [2] employing the oxide layer formed at the interface as a leading layer during the deposition of metal and oxide, subsequently evaluating its reliability. This oxide film is termed Interfacial Oxidation.As illustrated in Figure 1, our study introduces a novel VTFT processing methodology assured to improve process complexity and low yield rates, which represent inherent challenges in conventional VTFT fabrication.Tantalum (Ta), characterized by low Gibbs's free energy, is harnessed as the gate electrode, while Indium Tin Oxide (ITO) serves as the source and drain electrodes. Concurrently, an interfacial oxide film occurs through the heat treatment-induced interfacial oxidation reaction between ITO and Ta, serving as an insulating film. This innovative VTFT processing protocol offers the following advantages: 1) Substituting the gate electrode prevents the necessity for conventional spacers and prevents the deposition of an interlayer insulating film, thereby simplifying the fabrication process considerably. 2) The insulating layer conforms to the contour of the gate electrode, obviating the deposition process for the insulating layer. This prevents defects that may emerge during additional insulating layer processing, mitigating electrode damage and averting diminished yields. 3) As a result, VTFT configuration offers an exceedingly short channel in the nm range, corresponding to the gate thickness, thereby producing a low power consumption—an outstanding advantage for driving applications.Consequently, this research holds the potential to substantially contribute to the advancement of low-power electronic devices and the realization of next-generation display applications, encompassing form factor innovations, automotive integration, and AR/VR implementation, while simultaneously addressing the challenges posed by vertical TFT technology. Figure 1

(Invited) Cu-Cu Bonding in Semiconductor Packaging: Utilizing Texture Control for Enhanced Performance

The rapid development of IT markets, including big data, AI, 5G, IoT, smart automotive, and datacenters, has led to an increase in demand for advanced packaging solutions. With the IC density doubling through the shrinking of feature sizes, significant improvements in IC device performance have been achieved. This continuous scaling of feature sizes has prompted changes in packaging technology, with three-dimensional die stacking technologies like through-silicon vias (TSVs) and microbumps emerging as crucial innovations.However, traditional microbumps suffer from issues such as the Kirkendall effect, side wetting, and solder depletion, which compromise both mechanical and electrical properties. Innovative solutions are thus essential to address these challenges effectively. Cu to Cu bonding eliminates the formation of intermetallic compounds, mitigating the problems associated with microbumps. Additionally, Cu to Cu bonding offers superior electrical properties compared to microbumps, further enhancing its appeal.In particular, semiconductor devices requiring high-density packaging, like high bandwidth memory (HBM), have spurred interest in hybrid bonding. Additionally, the growing need for 3D interconnects in advanced packaging is becoming increasingly apparent.To this end, research is focusing on next-generation microbumps, particularly Cu-Cu bonding, as an alternative solution. Understanding the internal characteristics of Cu is crucial for promoting diffusion between Cu atoms at lower temperatures. Thus, nanotwinned Cu with a (111) preferred orientation has garnered significant research attention as a material that promotes diffusion between copper atoms, particularly in Cu-Cu bonding processes. However, research is lacking on the optimal grain orientation for the bonding process.By controlling crystal orientation through plating parameter adjustments, Cu films with three principal preferred orientations have been achieved. These films exhibit distinct mechanical properties based on their preferred orientation, with (111) preferred Cu showing the highest hardness due to the significant presence of nanotwins.In summary, advancements in 3D interconnect technologies, particularly in Cu-Cu bonding, hold promise for addressing the challenges in advanced packaging. By employing innovative solutions and exploring new materials and techniques, the semiconductor industry can continue to meet the evolving demands of the IT market while ensuring the reliability and performance of semiconductor devices.

Hydrangea-like MnO2@sulfur-doped porous carbon spheres with high packing density for high-performance supercapacitor

The high packing density of electrode materials is crucial for the miniaturization and lightweighting of energy storage devices. Nevertheless, a structural contradiction among high packing densities, sufficient ion, and electron transport channels is a challenge. In this research, a unique hydrangea-like compose (MnO2@S-PCS-5) is synthetized by a convenient and environmentally friendly method. The composite comprises a spherical carbon material matrix and MnO2 nanosheets, resulting in a high packing density of 1.79 g cm−3. Furthermore, the hydrangea-like structure exhibits a high number of active sites, facilitating ion transport and exhibiting excellent specific capacitance (Cv: 328.7 F cm−3). The asymmetric supercapacitors (MnO2@S-PCS-5//YP-50) exhibit a maximum energy density of 38.4 Wh kg−1 at a power density of 500 W kg−1, with a wide voltage window of 2.0 V. The results demonstrate densification is important for miniaturization of energy storage devices.

Numerical simulation of novel stepped hybrid bonding interface using finite element analysis

3D integration using advanced packaging and high-density chip stacking technologies has been seen as a key technological breakthrough to meet the market demand in the post-Moore era. In recent years, hybrid bonding (HB) has been regarded as a key technology for realizing high-density packaging due to its advantages such as smaller bonding space and faster electrical signal transmission. In this paper, a novel copper/polymer hybrid bonding structure is proposed, which can realize a stepped periodic bonding interface that has higher bonding strength compared with the traditional bonding interface and can effectively resist the interface failure caused by shear. The peeling stress of the bonding interface under different geometries, material parameters and process conditions is derived and compared by numerical simulation, and the risk of debonding is evaluated. It is shown that the novel structure can realize higher shear strength bonding within a wide window of process parameters.

Technology of production of aluminosilicate refractories for units processing fluorinated waste

The aluminium production process through the electrolysis of cryolite-alumina melts involves a series of interconnected, sequential, and parallel technological operations, each defined by a specific level of engineering and technological advancement. The development of the modern aluminum industry is closely tied to the adoption of resource-efficient and environmentally friendly technologies, which focus on recycling secondary materials and industrial waste. Fluorinated carbon-based materials release fluorine into the gas phase at relatively low temperatures when heated, and in thermal units processing fluorinated waste, this fluorine, along with alkali metals, will remain in the gas phase. To enhance the durability of furnace linings against the corrosive atmosphere, refractories with the highest possible density (low porosity) and a high concentration of mullite in the matrix (the finely ground component of the batch) are required. These properties can only be achieved in refractory products produced by the semi-dry pressing method, which ensures high grain packing density and leads to the formation of a ceramic mullite bond after firing.

Densely packed glass structure caused by seven-coordinated Zr in high elastic modulus Al2O3–SiO2–ZrO2 glasses

Al2O3–SiO2–ZrO2 ternary glasses were fabricated using a levitation technique. The addition of ZrO2 to the Al2O3–SiO2 glasses strongly affected their thermal, mechanical, and structural properties. Several compositions were partially vitrified at the laser-melted area without levitation although their melting required temperatures higher than 2000 °C. With increasing ZrO2 content, the elastic moduli linearly increased, and the 50Al2O3–20SiO2–30ZrO2 glass exhibited a Young′s modulus of 166 GPa and Vickers hardness HV of 10.6 GPa. Conversely, crack resistance significantly decreased with the addition of ZrO2. Density measurements, Zr L2,3-edge and K-edge X-ray absorption fine structure analyses, and 27Al and 29Si magic-angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy were performed to investigate the local structure around Zr, Al, and Si in the glasses. Zr formed distorted ZrO7 as in monoclinic ZrO2, which has been rarely found in conventional oxide glasses. The highly oxygen-coordinated Al atoms such as AlO5 and AlO6, were the main components in the glasses rather than AlO4. The majority of Si atoms form SiO4 with four bridging oxygen (Q4). Among the four bridging oxygens, the number of oxygens connected to Al or Zr clearly increased with decreasing SiO2 content. The high packing density of the ternary glasses that resulted in high elastic moduli originated from the highly oxygen-coordinated Zr and Al and their close bonding with SiO4 without generating nonbridging oxygens.

Optical and stress properties of ZrO2/SiO2 and TiO2/SiO2 anti-reflective coatings deposited by ion-beam-assisted deposition on a flexible substrate

Dielectric films of ZrO2,TiO2, and SiO2 were deposited on flexible polycarbonate (PC) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrates by using ion-beam-assisted deposition (IBAD). Each layer had a thickness ranging from 30 to 210 nm. The optical and anisotropic stress properties were investigated. Two anti-reflective coatings (ARCs), ZrO2/SiO2 and TiO2/SiO2, were selected and deposited on the PET flexible substrate. The anisotropic stresses of the single layer and ARCs were measured using a phase-shifting moiré interferometer. Experimental results showed that the optimal oxygen flow rates for the ZrO2,TiO2, and SiO2 films deposited with IBAD were 10, 10, and 15 sccm, respectively. The refractive index (n) was TiO2(2.37)>ZrO2(2.05)>SiO2(1.46), and the extinction coefficient (k) for all samples was below 10−3. The thermal expansion coefficient of the PC substrate was three times that of the PET substrate, and the high-refraction ZrO2 and TiO2 single-layer films presented cracks and distortions on the PC substrate. Only the low-refractive-index SiO2 sample did not present cracks. The three dielectric films did not crack or distort when deposited on the PET substrate. The anisotropic stress analysis provided the maximum principal and shear stresses for the three dielectric films on the PET substrate. Therefore, the maximum principal stress of the 210 nm single-layer film on a PET substrate is TiO2>ZrO2>SiO2. It was also discovered that the principal stress of the AR multilayer film is significantly decreased due to the damping stacking effect (DSE) of the high- and low-refractive-index materials, ZrO2/SiO2 ARC (−297.3MPa)>TiO2/SiO2ARC(−132.6MPa). Thus, the high packing density of TiO2 gives a better DSE than ZrO2.

Design of a Novel SiP Integrated RF Front-End Module Based on SOI Switch and SAW Filter.

This paper proposes a novel System-in-Package (SiP) integrated architecture that incorporates Silicon-On-Insulator (SOI) switches and Surface Acoustic Wave (SAW) filters within the chip, aiming to fulfill the demands for miniaturization and multi-functionality for application in emerging wireless technologies. The proposed architecture not only reduces the integration complexity but also considers the architectural design of the integrated module, impedance matching techniques, and signal integrity for carrier aggregation (CA) technology realization. The feasibility of employing SOI switches and SAW filters based on SiP design has been validated through the trial production of a Sub-3GHz radio frequency (RF) front-end diversity receiver module. The resulting RF front-end module demonstrates exceptionally high packaging density and enhanced communication reliability, rendering it suitable for diverse applications in miniaturized RF systems.

Enhanced reliability of Cu-Sn bonding through the microstructure evolution of nanotwinned copper

Kirkendall voids are detrimental to the Cu-Sn bonding interface, causing the failure of the high-density package. Herein, the perpendicularly aligned nanotwinned Cu (p-ntCu) and the horizontally aligned nanotwinned Cu (h-ntCu) are prepared by controlling the electrodeposition procedure. The p-ntCu shows advantages both in fast-bonding process and in void suppression through the in-situ microstructure evolution. Compared with h-ntCu, the abundant perpendicularly aligned twin boundaries in p-ntCu provide fast interdiffusion paths to build a bonding interface. In the bonding process, p-ntCu grows to ultra-large-grained Cu with an average grain size of 6.68 μm. The reduced density of normal grain boundaries in p-ntCu lowers the Cu diffusion rate and contributes to more balanced interdiffusion at the bonding interface, which is confirmed by molecular dynamics simulation and kinetic calculations of intermetallic compound (IMC) growth. In addition, the low impurity content in p-ntCu further reduces the diffusion flux imbalance and limits the nucleation of Kirkendall vacancies. Consequently, the p-ntCu/Sn interface keeps void-free during 150 °C long-term thermal aging due to the synergistic effect of reduced grain-boundary diffusion and lower impurity content, which will be beneficial for achieving high-reliability Cu-Sn bonding.

Toward an Enhanced Hydrophilic TiO2 Nanoparticles Adsorption at Air-Liquid Interface Through Ion Regulation.

This study investigates the dynamic properties of air-liquid interfacial tension for hydrophilic TiO2 P25 utilizing the pendant drop method. Additionally, it examines the interfacial adsorption mechanism of hydrophilic TiO2 particles, considering the characteristics of particle surface charge distribution in relation to ion regulation to enhance particle interface adsorption. Experimental results reveal that in the absence of ion addition, the TiO2 P25 suspension system exhibits limited interfacial adsorption due to its superhydrophilicity, regardless of particle concentration. The addition of NaCl increases the surface charge density of the particles, strengthens the electrostatic attraction between particles and the interface, and enhances particle adsorption. Specifically, at a low NaCl concentration (0.01 wt %), the increased surface charge density and contact angle of the particles elevate particle activity and high interfacial packing density. At a higher NaCl concentration (0.1 wt %), while NaCl further increases the particle contact angle, the increased effective cross-sectional area of the air-liquid interface occupied by individual particles leads to a reduction in surface free energy. Despite the enhanced electrostatic attraction, this results in a lower packing density.

Complex topological close-packed phase of rapidly cooled chromium

The topological close-packed phases have attracted extensive attention due to their high packing density and excellent properties. However, it is difficult to identify topological close-packed phases by using numerical methods. In this work, the cooling of pure chromium at a rate of 1010 K/s was studied by molecular dynamics simulation, and the structure evolution was analyzed by the largest standard cluster analysis and visualization technique. It was found that the rapid cooling resulted in a complex topological close-packed solid, which contains A15 phase, Z phase, σ phase, and H phase. The atomic connection characteristics in the A15 and Z units are also detailed. And a method for quick and preliminary identification of σ phase and H phase based on Z15-Z15 bonds is proposed. This work enriched the understanding of topological close-packed phases, and demonstrated the advantage of the largest standard cluster analysis in identifying complex phases.

Optimizing the microstructure, mechanical, and optical properties of recycled zirconia for dental applications

Efficient recycling of dental zirconia residues from computer-aided design/manufacturing processes is crucial for sustainable development in dentistry. This study employed ball milling to modify recycled zirconia powder (RZP). Initial RZP and ball-milled RZP (RZP-BM) were pre-sintered at 1000–1150 °C and then final sintered at 1500 °C. Initial RZP had irregular shapes, while RZP-BM showed finer and more uniform morphology, higher packing density, and improved de-agglomeration after 6 h of ball milling. For pre-sintered zirconia, RZP-BM samples achieved properties comparable with commercial zirconia at 1100 °C, whereas initial RZP required 1150 °C. For final sintered zirconia, initial RZP samples exhibited lower Vickers microhardness, density, strength, and transmittance, with numerous defects in its microstructure. RZP-BM samples showed significant improvement in mechanical and optical properties, comparable with commercial zirconia. This study establishes a viable approach for recycling dental zirconia residues, enhancing its properties for potential reuse as dental materials.