Packaging Integration Research Articles

Rational design of high-performance thermal interface materials based on gold-nanocap-modified vertically aligned graphene architecture

The rapid increase of the packaging integration and power density of devices in electronics leads to urgent demands for high-performance thermal interface materials (TIMs) to efficiently solve the accompanying thermal management problem. Although various highly thermally conductive materials (such as graphene, carbon nanotube, and boron nitride nanosheet) combined with diversified structure design have been proposed to address this issue, it remains challenging to achieve a satisfactory TIM with both high through-plane thermal conductivity (κ⊥) and low contact thermal resistance (Rcontact) for meeting the practical application requirements. This study solves this problem by constructing a loosely packed and vertically aligned graphene monolith (VAGM), which was prepared by simply rolling up hybrid double-layer strips composed of porous polymer foam adhered onto the graphene paper, exhibiting an ultrahigh κ⊥ of 276 W m-1 K-1. Moreover, a cap modification strategy by transferring the nanometer-thick gold (Au) foils onto both sides of VAGM was carried out to further optimize the contact state with roughness surface from heater/heat sink, finally giving a low Rcontact of 0.41 K cm2 W-1 (double sides). As a result, our proposed graphene-based TIM exhibits an enhancement in cooling efficiency of ≈1.15 times compared to that of the state-of-the-art TIM (≈30 W m-1 K-1) in the TIM performance test, manifesting its superior ability to meet the ever-increasing heat dissipation requirement.

Packaging and Antenna Integration for Silicon-Based Millimeter-Wave Phased Arrays: 5G and Beyond

This article reviews current research and development as well as future opportunities for packaging and antenna integration technologies for silicon-based millimeter-wave phased arrays in emerging communication applications. Implementations of state-of-the-art silicon-based phased arrays below 100 GHz are discussed, with emphasis on array architectures for scaling, antenna integration options, substrate materials and process, antenna design, and IC-package codesign. Opportunities and challenges to support phased array applications beyond 100 GHz are then presented, including emerging packaging architectures, interconnect characterization requirements, thermal management approaches, heterogeneous integration of multifunction chiplets, and novel antenna technologies.

Research on e-Commerce Distribution Optimization of Rice Agricultural Products Based on Consumer Satisfaction

With the continuous development of agricultural product e-commerce platforms and the rapid growth of trading volume, conducting in-depth mining and analysis of online review data to improve consumer satisfaction is of considerable importance. This paper uses JingDong’s self-run online reviews of rice agricultural products as the research object and analyzes the logistics factors that affect consumer satisfaction through text mining technology. A multi-objective model for logistics center distribution path optimization under a soft time window was constructed. The model used the results of online review analysis, namely, packaging integrity, delivery timeliness, and logistics cost, as the goals, and the model used ant colony algorithm (ACO) and genetic algorithm (GA) to solve the optimal distribution solution to minimize the penalty cost and transportation cost. Through examples to solve the optimal distribution vehicle number and shipping routes, in addition, a comparison of the two types of algorithm performance of the model under different node number indicated that the number of nodes affects algorithm performance. With a node number below 50, the ant ACO has high precision and a better distribution path. With a node number above 50, GA has more comprehensive performance. The average efficiency of the GA is 12.28% higher than that of ACO.

MID-Radio Telescope, Single Pixel Feed Packages for the Square Kilometer Array: An Overview

The Square Kilometre Array (SKA) project is an international effort to build the world s largest radio telescope, enabling science with unprecedented detail and survey speed. The project spans over a decade and is now at a mature stage, ready to enter the construction and integration phase. In the fully deployed state, the MID-Telescope consists of a 150-km diameter array of offset Gregorian antennas installed in the radio quiet zone of the Karoo desert (South Africa). Each antenna is equipped with three feed packages, that are precision positioned in the sub-reflector focus by a feed indexer platform. The total observational bandwidth (0.35-15.4GHz) is segmented into seven bands. Band 1 (0.35-1.05GHz) and Band 2 (0.95-1.76GHz) are implemented as individual feed packages. The remaining five bands (Bands 3, 4, 5a, 5b, and 6) are combined in a single feed package. Initially only Band 5a (4.6-8.5GHz) and Band 5b (8.3-15.4GHz) will be installed. This paper provides an overview of recent progress on design, test and integration of each feed package as well as project and science goals, timeline and path to construction.

Достижимость радиологической эквивалентности в ЗЯТЦ на базе БР с учётом факторов неопределённости сценариев развития ядерной энергетики в России до 2100 г. Часть 2. Миграция радионуклидов

The potential health risk of future generations of people from radioactive waste (RW) disposed in deep repository is estimated for three scenarios for the development of nuclear power in Russia. There is currently a zone of uncertainty when making decisions about future power generation technologies. For this zone of uncertainty, the following three scenarios are considered: 1) appli-cation of fast neutron reactors, FR, only; 2) application of thermal neutron reactors, TR; and 3) ap-plication of FR and TR in combination. Long-lived RW from FR is assessed to be ten times less toxic than RW from TR. After reprocessing of the wastes to extract 90% of uranium and plutonium for incineration and americium for transmutation in FR, the toxicity of RW is again reduced by 10 times. Committed effective doses and lifetime attributable risk (LAR) to the public are estimated with account of radionuclides migration from the deep storage to the surface. Due to the RW re-processing the time to the achievement of radiation equivalence of RW stored in the repository and natural uranium ore is reduced to an acceptable time, at which the integrity of RW packages is guaranteed. From the standpoint of modern standards of radiological protection and minimiza-tion the potential carcinogenic effects of radiation exposure on the population, priority in the de-velopment of nuclear energy in Russia should be given to the first scenario of the development of nuclear power, in which FR are used as much as possible to generate electricity. This conclusion should be taken into consideration in adjusting the Strategic plan for the development of nuclear power in Russia.

Инженерные расчеты узлов и сборок изделий микроэлектронной техники с применением конечно-элементного моделирования

In the context of increasing the electronic components integration level, growing functionality and packaging density, as well as reducing the electronics weight and size, an integrated approach to engineering calculations of parts and assemblies of modern functionally and technically complex microelectronic products is required. Of particular importance are engineering calculations and structural modeling using computer-aided engineering systems, and also assessment of structural, technological and operational factors’ impact on the products reliability and performance. This work presents an approach to engineering calculations and microelectronic products modeling based on the finite-element method providing a comprehensive account of various factors (material properties, external loading, temperature fields, and other parameters) impact on the stress-strain state, mechanical strength, thermal condition, and other characteristics of products. On the example of parts and assemblies of products of microelectronic technology, the approximation of structures was shown and computer finite-element models were developed to study various structural and technological options of products and the effects on them. Engineering calculations and modeling of parts and assemblies were performed, taking into account the impact of material properties, design parameters and external influences on the products’ characteristics. Scientific and technical recommendations for structure optimization and design and technology solutions ensuring the products resistance to diverse effects were developed. It has been shown that an integrated approach to engineering calculations and microelectronic products modeling based on the finite-element method provides for the determination of optimal solutions taking into account structural, technological, and operational factors and allows the development of products with high tactical, technical and operational characteristics.

The Current Status and Future Perspective in System Integration Packaging

The Current Status and Future Perspective in System Integration Packaging

Flapjack: Data Management and Analysis for Genetic Circuit Characterization.

Characterization is fundamental to the design, build, test, learn (DBTL) cycle for engineering synthetic genetic circuits. Components must be described in such a way as to account for their behavior in a range of contexts. Measurements and associated metadata, including part composition, constitute the test phase of the DBTL cycle. These data may consist of measurements of thousands of circuits, measured in hundreds of conditions, in multiple assays potentially performed in different laboratories and using different techniques. In order to inform the learn phase this large volume of data must be filtered, collated, and analyzed. Characterization consists of using this data to parametrize models of component function in different contexts, and combining them to predict behaviors of novel circuits. Tools to store, organize, share, and analyze large volumes of measurement and metadata are therefore essential to linking the test phase to the build and learn phases, closing the loop of the DBTL cycle. Here we present such a system, implemented as a web app with a backend data registry and analysis engine. An interactive frontend provides powerful querying, plotting, and analysis tools, and we provide a REST API and Python package for full integration with external build and learn software. All measurements are associated with circuit part composition via SBOL (Synthetic Biology Open Language). We demonstrate our tool by characterizing a range of genetic components and circuits according to composition and context.

GALLO: An R package for genomic annotation and integration of multiple data sources in livestock for positional candidate loci.

BackgroundThe development of high-throughput sequencing and genotyping methodologies has enabled the identification of thousands of genomic regions associated with several complex traits. The integration of multiple sources of biological information is a crucial step required to better understand patterns regulating the development of these traits.FindingsGenomic Annotation in Livestock for positional candidate LOci (GALLO) is an R package developed for the accurate annotation of genes and quantitative trait loci (QTLs) located in regions identified in common genomic analyses performed in livestock, such as genome-wide association studies and transcriptomics using RNA sequencing. Moreover, GALLO allows the graphical visualization of gene and QTL annotation results, data comparison among different grouping factors (e.g., methods, breeds, tissues, statistical models, studies), and QTL enrichment in different livestock species such as cattle, pigs, sheep, and chickens.ConclusionsConsequently, GALLO is a useful package for annotation, identification of hidden patterns across datasets, and data mining previously reported associations, as well as the efficient examination of the genetic architecture of complex traits in livestock.

MOVICS: an R package for multi-omics integration and visualization in cancer subtyping.

Stratification of cancer patients into distinct molecular subgroups based on multi-omics data is an important issue in the context of precision medicine. Here, we present MOVICS, an R package for multi-omics integration and visualization in cancer subtyping. MOVICS provides a unified interface for 10 state-of-the-art multi-omics integrative clustering algorithms, and incorporates the most commonly used downstream analyses in cancer subtyping researches, including characterization and comparison of identified subtypes from multiple perspectives, and verification of subtypes in external cohort using two model-free approaches for multiclass prediction. MOVICS also creates feature rich customizable visualizations with minimal effort. By analysing two published breast cancer cohort, we signifies that MOVICS can serve a wide range of users and assist cancer therapy by moving away from the 'one-size-fits-all' approach to patient care. MOVICS package and online tutorial are freely available at https://github.com/xlucpu/MOVICS. Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.

Area-Efficient Extended 3-D Inductor Based on TSV Technology for RF Applications

An extended model of through-silicon via (TSV)-based solenoid inductor is proposed to save on-chip areas for 3-D radio frequency (RF) ICs and package integration. To achieve a high inductance density, the nested topology consists of high-density TSVs in high-resistivity silicon substrate and multilayers of metals in compatible CMOS process. Then, an analytical inductance model, considering the mutual inductance of TSVs and complicated metal traces, is established and verified. The inductance variation in physical dimensions is studied based on the modeled and simulated results of a TSV solenoid inductor in single tier. The proposed TSV solenoid typology gets better performance at inductance density and quality factor around some frequencies through analytical model and full-wave simulations. Further studies are directed toward RF application overview according to broadband and low power consumption.

Estimation of Kinetic Parameters of Additives By Semi-Analytical Solution

The electrodeposition of Cu and other metals is an essential step in the interconnect fabrication, 3-D integration, and various packaging technologies. Such electrodeposition processes are enabled by a group of organic additives. Furthermore, strong agitation is often used to expedite the electrodeposition rate when the processing time becomes critical for large features, which however introduces non-uniform mass transport within a single feature and between different features. A numerical description of how organic additives behave in conjunction with external flow at various feature geometry and dimensions is a challenging task, but much needed for chemistry and process development. Among the various requirements, the additive behavior or their electrochemical impacts on Cu deposition needs to be precisely described.This talk reports an effort to obtain the numerical parameters that describe the additive behaviors during Cu deposition on rotating disc electrodes (RDE). A one-dimensional semi-analytical model is developed for Cu electrodeposition from a two-component additive system. The steady-state mass transport differential equations of each chemical species, including diffusion and convection, are solved analytically at different potentials, while the boundary conditions at the RDE surface are coupled with each other through the surface coverages of adsorbed species. The steady state of such surface coverage results from a dynamic equilibrium between three co-existing processes, adsorption, desorption and incorporation (consumption), namely, Adsorption Rate – Desorption Rate – Consumption Rate = 0 A set of solutions, including the concentration profile of each species in electrolyte as well as the surface coverage of each adsorbate, can be obtained at a fixed potential. The equations are first solved considering only the suppressor for a range of over-potential. It was found that, for a specific range of voltages and kinetic parameters, multiple non-trivial solutions of surface coverage exist. In other words, multiple steady states exist at a same applied potential. As shown in Figure 1, this translates to a S-shaped negative differential resistance (NDR) feature in cyclic voltammogram (CV), consistent with experimental observation reported in literature. The numerically calculated NDR region was found sensitive to the additive concentration and therefore extremely useful in determining the electrochemical parameters using multiple experimental datasets with different concentrations. The swarm optimization algorithm used for parameter fitting and the correlation between multiple numerical solutions with the NDR region will be discussed in details in the talk. Figure 1

Microfluidic Whispering Gallery Mode Optical Sensors for Biological Applications

AbstractWhispering gallery mode (WGM) resonators have been exploited as a highly sensitive and efficient sensing technique in the past few years. They offer the advantages of ultrahigh sensitivity, compact size, and label‐free sensing capability. More recently, with the rapid development of microfluidic technologies, many integrated WGM sensors, by combining the portability of lab‐on‐chip devices and the high sensitivity of WGM resonators, have emerged. The capabilities of efficient sample handling and multiplexed analyte detection offered by these systems have led to many biological and chemical sensing applications, especially for the detection of single particle or biomolecule. In this review, different sensing mechanisms based on integrated whispering gallery mode resonators are introduced. Various geometries of WGM cavities including solid, liquid, and hollow resonators and a detailed discussion on their integration with microfluidic devices are also covered. Different types of packaging schemes and integration methods are compared in terms of ease of fabrication and device performance. Finally, recent applications of microfluidic‐based WGM sensors for detecting biological and chemical target molecules are discussed, with a prospect on future challenges and trends of development in microfluidics for multiplexed detection.

Single-Use System Integrity II: Characterization of Liquid Leakage Mechanisms.

This study investigated the liquid leakage mechanism through microchannels in a flexible single-use packaging system composed of multilayer plastic film. Based on this study, a relationship between the maximum allowable leakage limit (MALL) and the loss of package integrity can be established under different use-case conditions. The MALL is defined as the greatest leak size that does not pose any risk to the product. A specifically designed liquid leak test was used to determine the leakage time, i.e., the time it takes for a package to show leakage. As a result, this method was able to determine the leak size for which no liquid leakage is observed after 30 days. This leak size varied between 2 µm and 10 µm and can be considered the MALL for liquid egress under different use-case conditions. This article also compared the MALL results of this liquid leak test with those of the microbial ingress test, showing a direct correlation between both tests. As test samples, an ethylene vinyl acetate multilayer film (300 µm thick) and a polyethylene multilayer film (400 µm thick) were cut into 50 mm patches. Before the patches were assembled in a filter holder to form a leak-tight seal, artificial leaks in sizes of 2 -25 µm were laser drilled into the center of each patch. The test units were filled aseptically with culture media and mounted vertically on the test setup. Various pressures were applied to each test unit to simulate the constraints that single-use systems may be subject to under real-world conditions. To detect the exact leakage time, electric circuits with timers were attached below each film patch. Microscopic investigations, including light microscopy and computed tomography, were used to interpret and understand the physics and geometries of the microchannels to explain any deviation from the expected results.

Low-cost contactless monitoring of aseptic package integrity and content quality using capacitance

Aseptic packaging is employed by food and beverage industries to maintain sterility for prolonging product shelf life without refrigeration. In a fully integrated fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) production line, high throughput non-destructive detection of visually non-obvious packaging defects like pinholes is a challenge using current inspection techniques. A non-contact capacitive electronic sensing platform based on the tuneable sensing depth under an applied sinusoidal signal is proposed for monitoring the changes in capacitance due to the effect of pinholes on the package integrity (package dimensional changes) and content quality (dielectric changes). The real-time capacitive system successfully detects pinhole formation with good detection speed (< 3 s) and low detection limit (∼54.69 μm), identifies the onset of product decay and captures subsequent package deformity using a combination of sensing topologies and location information. The demonstrated multi-phase detection proof-of-concept could translate into contactless aseptic package/product quality monitoring systems for production, storage and retail.

Microfluidic Packaging Integration with Electronic-Photonic Biosensors Using 3D Printed Transfer Molding.

Multiplexed sensing in integrated silicon electronic-photonic platforms requires microfluidics with both high density micro-scale channels and meso-scale features to accommodate for optical, electrical, and fluidic coupling in small, millimeter-scale areas. Three-dimensional (3D) printed transfer molding offers a facile and rapid method to create both micro and meso-scale features in complex multilayer microfluidics in order to integrate with monolithic electronic-photonic system-on-chips with multiplexed rows of 5 m radius micro-ring resonators (MRRs), allowing for simultaneous optical, electrical, and microfluidic coupling on chip. Here, we demonstrate this microfluidic packaging strategy on an integrated silicon photonic biosensor, setting the basis for highly multiplexed molecular sensing on-chip.

Economic assessment of a community-based care package for people with lower limb disorder caused by lymphatic filariasis, podoconiosis and leprosy in Ethiopia.

We conducted an implementation research study to integrate a holistic package of physical health, mental health and psychosocial care for podoconiosis, lymphatic filariasis and leprosy into routine healthcare in Gusha cluster, Guagusa Shikudad district, northwest Ethiopia. The healthcare package included training patients in lower limb hygiene and skin care and provision of shoes, hygiene supplies and medication. The implementation activities included training events, workshops, awareness raising, self-help groups, supportive supervision, staff secondments and advisory board meetings. The cost of implementing the care package in Gusha cluster, with a population of 30 558 people, was 802 655 Ethiopian birr (ETB) (£48 159) and the cost of delivering care to 235 participants was 204 388 ETB (£12 263), or 870 ETB (£52) per person. There was a 35% decrease in the mean disability scores (measured using the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0) and a 45% improvement in the dermatology-specific quality of life (measured using the Dermatology Life Quality Index) at the 3-month follow-up compared with baseline. There were reductions in the number of days with symptoms, days off usual activities/work and days with reduced activity due to illness, all of which were statistically significant. Our pilot suggests that integration of the care package into routine healthcare in Ethiopia may be effective in improving health-related quality of life and disability and reducing time out of economic activity due to illness.

Container Closure Integrity Test Using Frequency Modulation Spectroscopy Headspace Analysis with Carbon Dioxide as a Tracer Gas.

As described in USP <1207>, the container closure integrity (CCI) of a pharmaceutical package must be maintained throughout the product lifecycle to ensure sterility and stability. Current CCI test methods can be time-consuming, destructive, and lack the required sensitivity. This study presents a novel, fast, and nondestructive method for CCI testing that uses carbon dioxide as a tracer gas under effusive pressure conditions. Two types of defects were tested: laser-drilled defects located in the glass body (2, 5, and 10 μm nominal diameter) and tungsten wires inserted between the stopper and the landing seal of the vial (41, 64, and 80 μm outer diameter). During each test session, vials were placed in a pressure vessel, isolated from ambient conditions, and pressure-cycled by first pulling a vacuum and then applying an overpressure of pure carbon dioxide gas. After being exposed to 20 psig (34.7 psia) of carbon dioxide for 30 min, the overpressure was released and the vials were measured on an FMS-Carbon Dioxide Headspace Analyzer. This headspace gas analyzer utilizes a tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy technique that employs frequency modulation to enhance measurement sensitivity. An increase of ≥1 torr in the headspace carbon dioxide content after completion of the pressure cycling procedure was intended to serve as confirmation of leak detection. All empty vials with either a 2 µm laser-drilled defect or 41 µm wire (effective defect size ∼2 µm), or greater, at the stopper-seal interface were detected by this method. Furthermore, vials filled with 1 mg/mL bovine serum albumin in phosphate-buffered saline containing a 5 μm laser-drilled defect below the liquid level or a 64 µm wire (effective defect size ∼6.1 µm), or greater, at the stopper-seal interface (defect above the liquid level) were detected. This test can be used for a wide variety of vial types and headspace compositions.

Scale-up integrated care for diabetes and hypertension in Cambodia, Slovenia and Belgium (SCUBY): a study design for a quasi-experimental multiple case study

ABSTRACT Health systems worldwide struggle to manage the growing burden of type 2 diabetes and hypertension. Many patients receive suboptimal care, especially those most vulnerable. An evidence-based Integrated Care Package (ICP) with primary care-based diagnosis, treatment, education and self-management support and collaboration, leads to better health outcomes, but there is little knowledge of how to scale-up. The Scale-up integrated care for diabetes and hypertension project (SCUBY) aims to address this problem by roadmaps for scaling-up ICP in different types of health systems: a developing health system in a lower middle-income country (Cambodia); a centrally steered health system in a high-income country (Slovenia); and a publicly funded highly privatised health-care health system in a high-income country (Belgium). In a quasi-experimental multi-case design, country-specific scale-up strategies are developed, implemented and evaluated. A three-dimensional framework assesses scale-up along three axes: (1) increase in population coverage; (2) expansion of the ICP package; and (3) integration into the health system. The study includes a formative, intervention and evaluation phase. The intervention entails the development and implementation of an improved scale-up strategy through a roadmap with a minimum dataset to monitor proximal and distal outcomes. The SCUBY project is expected to result in three different roadmaps, tailored to the specific health system and country context, to progress scale-up of the ICP along three dimensions. These roadmaps can be adapted to other health systems with similar typology. Implementation is expected to increase the number of well-controlled patients with type 2 diabetes and hypertension in Cambodia, to reduce inequities in care and increase patient empowerment in Belgium and Slovenia.

EnDPoINT: protocol for an implementation research study to integrate a holistic package of physical health, mental health and psychosocial care for podoconiosis, lymphatic filariasis and leprosy into routine health services in Ethiopia

IntroductionNeglected tropical diseases (NTDs) causing lower limb lymphoedema such as podoconiosis, lymphatic filariasis (LF) and leprosy are common in Ethiopia. Routine health services for morbidity management and disability prevention (MMDP)...