Packaging Configurations Research Articles

Estimation of bottle filling counts for conventional pharmaceutical tablets and capsules

A method has been developed using commonly available data for estimating the number of tablets or hard shell capsules that can be filled into bottles. The single unit volumes of conventional pharmaceutical biconvex tablets and capsules can be calculated from simple geometric relationships, which then can be used to determine the packing fraction of the units in bottles. The packing fractions of capsules and tablets studied in this work ranged from 0.53 to 0.63 and 0.56 to 0.62, respectively, and were dependent on bottle size and shape. This method can be used to assess a variety of packaging configurations computationally during drug product development.

Applying system modeling to define 2.5 - d and 3 - d packaging roadmaps

Though work on 3-d and later 2.5-d packaging has been going on now for over 5 years, we do not yet see large applications in areas other than traditional heterogeneous integration e,g. in camera modules. Adoption of 2.5-d Si interposer technology in 2010-11 to build FPGA modules on a commercial scale had generated much enthusiasm and expectation that floodgates will open for wide use of this technology e,g. in every Smart Phone but that has not yet materialized, giving rise to a shift in attention in Blogs and Conferences from purely digital applications e,g. processor - memory modules to more performance driven and cost insensitive applications e,g. heterogeneous modules for electro - optic I/O in servers etc. Roadmaps for emerging technologies like 3-d stacking or 2.5-d modules are developed taking process maturity into consideration but they must also anticipate major applications. Such applications using a new technology can succeed only if there are overwhelming advantages in performance and system cost that negate increases in module costs. When the author and his team developed electroplated solder bump flip chip technology and their high volume implementation at two of the leading IDMs over 2 decades ago, both performance ( electrical ) and cost modeling were used to short list applications most likely to succeed and limit process development only for those applications. Countless users & providers of flip chip technology since then have benefited from this original work on electroplated solder and pillar bumps as well as build up type organic substrate technologies. A similar theoretical approach is sorely needed in the development of 2.5-d and 3-d technologies to define the most cost - effective configurations and focus development work on only those. In this work we will discuss the Bandwidth and Power consumption ( two of the key drivers for die stacking ) of various 2.5-d and 3-d package configurations and based on simulation results compare them. Key takeaways : 3-d stacking of dice using TSVs may not necessarily produce improved performance compared to less complicated packaging. Expensive interposers with high interconnect density may not even be necessary for most volume applications. Most likely configurations for processor - memory 3-d modules to get good enough bandwidth at lowest cost.

Free Vibration Analysis of Inflatable Space Structure

This paper present the modal analysis for the predicating the behavior of inflatable membrane structure of general square shape with a thickness in millimeter using the various smart material which optimally within structural member subjected to edge- constrained rather than applying bending or moments. A numerical solution for membranes may also be found using the finite element method. In this paper flat thin membrane choose to analysis the behavioral effect of the multi-layered membranes using the properties of different smart material and compare their results in terms of frequency and out plane deflection with mode shape. This analysis makes more effective to select the smart materials in the space technology. Vibration analysis of arbitrary square shape membrane is also done using a finite element package, ANSYS APDL. The analysis shows good agreement in finite element solutions. Keywords: Boundary condition, finite element, material property, membrane, mode shape, natural frequency, out plane displacement. I. Introduction In the field of Engineering and Architecture, membrane structures play a vital role in many ways. Examples include textile covers and roofs, aircraft and space structures, parachutes, automobile airbags, sails, windmills, human tissues and long span structures. They are typically built with very light materials which are optimally used. These structures are characterized because they are only subjected to in-plane axial forces. Even in the field of architectures and civil engineering, both pre-stressed membranes and cable networks constitute a very remarkable group. A membrane is essentially a thin shell with no flexural stiffness. Consequently a membrane cannot resist any compression at all. However, membrane theory accounts for tension and compression stresses, and the need for a computational procedure that takes into account tension stresses only is needed. In membrane theory only the in-plane stress resultants are taken into account. A numerical solution for membranes may be found using the finite element method (1-3). The deployable space structures consist of thin polymer films that offer a wider range of packaging configurations than structures with traditional deployment mechanisms. Due to the flexibility of such deployable structure like shell or membrane shows greater importance for space application and hold great promise. The material constitutive behavior and the analytical tools to analyze them are required to make advances in building cheaper, lighter and more reliable structures. Many structures are in the developing stage and the materials that are meant to serve to make these applications possible are not yet within reach. Future missions depend much on new discoveries, mainly in material manufacturing. There are several different space applications in which the use of thin membrane structures are used or being considered. Due to their light weight, high strength-to-weight ratio and ease of stowing and deploying, membranes are especially attractive for space applications. Inflatable reflectors, space-based radar, space based communication systems such as antennae and solar power collection panels on spacecraft, etc are the examples included. (4-5). The membrane material used in the numerical analysis was assumed inextensible and its weight was neglected in the determination of the equilibrium shape. They found that the membrane's mass density is of little influence on the computed natural frequencies. Other researchers used finite elements and boundary elements to model and compute natural frequencies and mode shapes of a single-anchor inflatable dam (6). This study makes impact on finding the vibration aspect on the flat membrane using the various smart materials. The pressure in an inflatable structure can also play a critical role in the suppression of vibration (7). Literature that exists on pure structural membrane components has concentrated mostly on inflated components such as beams (8), torus (Main), and inflated lenticular concentrators (9). The dynamics of the membrane themselves are of great interest though, as it is the membrane itself that is performing the useful work, and in some applications they could be attached to more traditional aerospace structures. Therefore improving understanding the behavior of the membranes appears to be important. A membrane is essentially a thin shell with no flexural stiffness. Consequently a membrane cannot resist any Compression at all. However, membrane theory accounts for tension and compression stresses. In membrane theory only the in-plane stress resultants are taken into account (10). This paper present the modal analysis for the predicating the behavior of various inflatable membrane structure of general square shape with a thickness in millimeter using the various smart materials. A numerical solution for membranes may be found using the finite element method. Finite element analysis of membrane structures for small deformations can be found in (11) but

Effect of muscle, ageing time and modified atmosphere packaging conditions on the colour, oxidative and microbiological stability of packed beef

SummaryThe objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of two different vacuum ageing times (7 and 14 days) and the impact of the modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) configuration (gas/product ratios: 0.5 and 1 and gas composition: 70% O2 + 30% CO2 and 40% O2 + 30% CO2 + 30% N2) on the quality of fresh beef during subsequent storage at 4 °C. For this purpose, three separate experiments were performed. For each experiment, two different muscles (Longissimus dorsi and Biceps femoris) were sampled from four double‐muscled Belgian Blue beef carcasses. Next to colour, also the evolution in microbial load, pH, O2 and CO2 in the headspace and lipid oxidation at the meat surface were evaluated. A vacuum ageing for 14 days compared with 7 days resulted in a higher initial microbial load on the day of MAP packaging, which resulted finally in a significantly shorter shelf life. This ageing effect was less pronounced on the colour stability and lipid oxidation of the meat samples. No significant influence of the packaging configuration on any of the analysed parameters (colour, microbial load, pH and lipid oxidation at the meat surface) was observed.

Failure analysis techniques for a 3D world

The proliferation of advanced IC package configurations is driving the need for new tool failure analysis (FA) tool development. Although scientists and engineers in the semiconductor industry developed new tools and techniques based on Moore’s Law, with its need to analyze ever-smaller devices, the advent of three-dimensional packaging schemes requires new tools. In this paper we quickly review the existing tools used for package-level FA and introduce several new techniques that aid with this type of analysis. We also discuss the problems and challenges moving forward for this type of tool development.

Cigarette brand variant portfolio strategy and the use of colour in a darkening market

ObjectivesTo evaluate cigarette branding strategies used to segment a market with some of the toughest tobacco controls. To document brand variant and packaging portfolios and assess the role played by...

Measuring the Thermal Resistance in Light Emitting Diodes Using a Transient Thermal Analysis Technique

We explore a modified thermal resistance analysis by induced transient method applied to light emitting diodes (LEDs) to discretize the junction-to-package thermal resistance. The temperature response of LED and package configuration is evaluated for discrete contributions from identifiable spatial domains in the multilayered device and package structure to obtain their thermal resistances and thermal capacitances using a Laplace transform-based method. The technique successfully extracts the junction-to-package thermal parameters of a variety of LED package configurations from the experimental temperature transient measurements of the LED junction and provides a straightforward method by which these parameters can be obtained.

IPS

When planning a trip, one essential task is to find a set of Places-of-Interest (POIs) which can be visited during the trip. Using existing travel guides or websites such as Lonely Planet and TripAdvisor, the user has to either manually work out a desirable set of POIs or take pre-configured travel packages; the former can be time consuming while the latter lacks flexibility. In this demonstration, we propose an Interactive Package configuration System (IPS), which visualizes different candidate packages on a map, and enables users to configure a travel package through simple interactions, i.e., comparing packages and fixing/removing POIs from a package. Compared with existing trip planning systems, we believe IPS strikes the right balance between flexibility and manual effort.

A Comparative Study of Thermal Metrology Techniques for Ultraviolet Light Emitting Diodes

Methods used to measure the temperature of AlxGa1−xN based ultraviolet light emitting diodes (UV LEDs) are based on optical or electrical phenomena that are sensitive to either local, surface, or average temperatures within the LED. A comparative study of the temperature rise of AlxGa1−xN UV LEDs measured by micro-Raman spectroscopy, infrared (IR) thermography, and the forward voltage method is presented. Experimental temperature measurements are provided for UV LEDs with micropixel and interdigitated contact geometries, as well as for a number of different packaging configurations. It was found that IR spectroscopy was sensitive to optical properties of the device layers, while forward voltage method provided higher temperatures, in general. Raman spectroscopy was used to measure specific layers within the LED, showing that growth substrate temperatures in the flip-chip LEDs agreed more closely to IR measurements while layers closer to the multiple quantum wells (MQWs) agreed more closely with Forward Voltage measurements.

Investigation of the electric field inside differential antenna‐in‐package

For antenna-in-package (AiP), there will be an interaction between the antenna and packaged components and this interaction always takes place in the zone of the near field. So, it is necessary to study an electric field inside the package cavity and how to reduce it. In this study, the finite difference time domain model for the differential AiP is presented. Based on it, the distributions of the electric field inside the package cavity with the whole ground and gridded ground are analysed separately. The near fields E X and E Y are far less than E Z and approach to zero. Also, the maximum E Z appears at the edge of cavity and it is 57 dB V/m. According to this feature, a new package configuration reducing near field is presented. The measured and simulated results show that the new packaging structure can decrease the electric field inside the package cavity to about 20 dB V/m.

The Combined Effects of Storage Temperature and Packaging on the Sensory, Chemical, and Physical Properties of a Cabernet Sauvignon Wine

A Californian Cabernet Sauvignon was stored for 6 months at three different constant temperatures to study the combined effects of storage temperature and packaging configuration. Glass bottles with natural cork, synthetic cork, and screw cap closure, as well as two Bag-in-Box treatments, were used in the experiment. A trained sensory panel was able to detect significant changes in aroma, flavor, taste, mouthfeel, and color attributes among the samples, differences that were found also with various chemical and physical measurements (volatile profile, polyphenol pattern, enological parameters, color space). Additionally, two commonly used polyphenol assays were compared to each other in terms of their ability to detect the changes in the polyphenol profile. Generally, sample changes were more pronounced due to the different storage temperatures, with 30 sensory attributes differing significantly among the three different storage temperatures, while only 17 sensory attributes showed a significant packaging effect. With increasing storage temperature the packaging effect became more pronounced, resulting in the largest changes in the Bag-in-Box samples stored at the highest temperature of 40 °C. At the highest storage temperature, all wines showed oxidized characters, independent of the wine packaging configurations, but to a varying degree. Generally, wines that received highest oxygen amounts and storage temperatures were much lighter, less red, and more brown-yellow at the end of the 6-month storage period, compared to their counterparts stored at 10 °C. These changes in color and polyphenols, respectively, were also detected with the two spectrophotometric assays. With increasing storage temperature both assays measured reduced concentrations in total phenols and total anthocyanins, while total tannins, degree of ionized anthocyanins, and color density increased. Various volatile compounds differed significantly among the samples, with largest relative concentration changes in acetates, organic acids, and alcohols, in good agreement with previous literature reports, with some being well correlated to specific sensory attributes too; for example, various acetates correlated to cherry and fruit aromas and flavors. The study shows that storage at elevated temperatures could be a valuable tool for wine packaging screening and testing new and improved wine packaging types under the worst conditions, which are unfortunately not unrealistic.

UV-curing and thermal stability of dual curable urethane epoxy adhesives for temporary bonding in 3D multi-chip package process

Multi-chip packages (MCP) refers to a packaging configuration, connected via wirebonds to a multilayer circuit board, and protected by either a molded encapsulant or a low-cost ceramic package. As it requires high processing temperature, the adhesives for MCP need to show proper adhesion and thermal stability at high temperature. This study employed semi-interpenetrated (semi-IPN) structured polymer networks using UV-curing with acrylate terminated dual-curable urethane epoxy adhesive, a dipentaerythritol hexacrylate (DPHA), using hydroxydimethyl acetophenone as photo-initiator. UV-curing and thermal stability focused on different photo-initiator contents were investigated using photo-DSC, FTIR-ATR spectroscopy, gel content and TGA. The results show that UV-curable acrylic formulations with different content of photo-initiator affects UV-curing and thermal stability.

Radio Frequency Identification as a Testbed for Integration of Low Frequency Radio Frequency Sensors Into Orthopedic Implants

Recent advances in radio frequency (RF) sensor systems provide new opportunities to wirelessly collect data from inside the body. “Smart implants” instrumented with sensors have been used as research tools for decades, but only recently have implantable sensors become small enough and robust enough to be used in daily clinical practice. In orthopedic surgery, implants provide a vehicle onto which small RF sensors can be mounted to gather data for diagnostics. However, the sensors must function in a challenging environment which requires long term functionality under demanding physical and mechanical conditions. The purpose of this study was to parametrically test low frequency RF systems under simulated in vivo conditions to determine feasibility of sensor integration into orthopedic applications. Three low frequency RF systems were tested in several clinically relevant scenarios in vitro to characterize (1) strategies for maximizing communication range, (2) physical robustness, and (3) mechanical performance. Systems were tested in air, saline, soft tissue, bone, and in proximity to metal. Hermeticity was assessed during a 208 week period. Effects of γ-irradiation and repeated steam sterilized were measured. Strain at failure was measured by mechanical testing of various packaging configurations. All systems were capable of greater than 20 cm read range under ideal conditions. Saline, soft tissue, and bone had minimal effect on signal transmission, but read range was sensitive to the proximity of stainless steel. The electronics were tolerant of steam sterilization but not of γ-irradiation. Polymer encapsulation is robust enough for many orthopedic applications, but ceramic encapsulated sensors need to be optimized for weight-bearing applications to avoid brittle failure. Although sensor packaging remains a challenge, the technology exists to incorporate passive wireless implantable sensors into orthopedic daily practice.

Heat dissipation analysis and design of a board-level phased-array transmitter module for 60-GHz communication

The study aims at investigating the heat dissipation capability of a board-level phased-array transmitter module in 65-nm CMOS technology with 4-element and 16-element antenna arrays for 60-GHz communication in a steady state under natural convection, and furthermore, performing thermal enhancement design. Both cavity-up and cavity-down flip chip packaging configurations are developed for the system-in-package module, and their thermal performance is examined and compared. To assess the thermal performance, both a three-dimensional (3D) heat conduction finite element model and a 3D computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model are implemented. The validity of the proposed numerical models is demonstrated by comparing the calculated results with each other, and also with the IR thermography measurement data based on JEDEC specifications. Besides, the uncertainty in the input supplied power from the specific power supply is examined, and its impact on the measured chip junction temperature is also assessed. Furthermore, enhancement of the thermal performance of the 16-elelemt transmitter module is sought through application of thermal modules and parametric CFD study. The crucial parameters most affecting the thermal performance of the module are identified, and further applied in the subsequent experimental design using a Taguchi method to pursue the optimal parametric setting for maximal thermal performance.

Warpage Characterization and Improvements for IC Packages with Coreless Substrate

Coreless package substrates are preferred for their superior electrical performance and thin profile compare to conventional substrates with core. However, one of the major concerns with coreless substrate packages is warpage control. It is difficult to meet industry standards for co-planarity because of the high CTE of the coreless substrates and the missing stiff core material in the stack up of the coreless structure. Finite element analysis (FEA) is utilized to investigate the use of coreless substrate in different package configurations. In this study, known stiffening structures such as a stiffener ring, lid and molding options are investigated to characterize the advantages and disadvantages of using each of these structures to control the warpage in an IC package with coreless substrate. Available shadow moiré data is used for initial correlation of the finite element model and further design changes were carried out to stiffen the structure in the final packaged configuration. It is important to understand and make design considerations accordingly to improve assembly yield. Suggestions made depend on the FEA findings which would guide the selection of the stiffening structure for a package with coreless substrate.

Investigation of Thermal Characterization of a Thermally Enhanced FC-PBGA Assembly

In this paper, three-dimensional finite element analysis using the commercial ANSYS software is performed to study the thermal performance of a thermally enhanced FC-PBGA (flip-chip plastic ball grid array) assembly in both natural and forced convection environments. The thermally enhanced FC-PBGA assembly is a basic FC-PBGA assembly with a lid attached on top, after which an extruded-fin heatsink is attached on the top of the lid. The finite element model is complete enough to include key elements such as bumps, solder balls, substrate, printed circuit board, extruded-fin heatsink, lid, vias, TIM1 (thermal interface material 1), TIM2 (thermal interface material 2), lid-substrate adhesive and ground planes for both signal and power. Temperature fields are simulated and presented for several package configurations. Thermal resistance is calculated to characterize and compare the thermal performance by considering alternative design parameters of the polymer-based materials and the thermal enhancement components. The polymer-based materials include underfill, TIM1, TIM2, lid-substrate adhesive and substrate core material. The specific thermal enhancement components are the extruded-fin heatsink and the lid.

Groove Geometry and Mold Shrinkage Effects on Die Stress in Flip Chip Molded BGAs (FCMBGA)

Exposed die flip chip molded BGA (FCMBGA) packages are preferred for their improved thermal performance and reduced system cost. In this package type, mold compound replaces the traditional capillary underfill and also provides a better stiffening option for the package without the need for additional structural support such as lid and/or stiffening ring. In addition, it allows better utilization of the board real estate as the passive components can be placed closer to the die. Groove or an undercut is the shape of the mold around the exposed die that is formed during the molding process. To ensure a mold-free top surface of the die, a seal (soft insert) that has a larger surface area than the die is being used to cover the die top surface. This larger portion of the seal outlines the groove geometry when it is compressed on top of the die. Seal size can be designed to establish certain groove geometry. Thus, it is important to characterize/understand the effects of the groove geometry as it is a design parameter and can be adjusted to create more robust molded packages. In this study, specific groove width and depth values for various package configurations are investigated using finite elements analysis, FEA. Initially, a detailed finite element model is prepared and warpage simulation is performed. Model correlation to the actual Shadow Moiré is obtained. Then, using the correlated finite element model, die back side stress and shear stresses, where die faces mold compound, are obtained for a thermal cool down simulation from the molding temperature. Mold compound shrinkage is also considered by using an adjusted thermal expansion coefficient value. As a validation study, a test mold chase/tool for varying insert sizes has been designed and, molded packages with different groove geometries and different mold compounds were build. Using the correlation between the test data and the simulation results an order of importance (based on the groove geometry parameters and mold compound's material properties) will be presented which then, can be used as a design guideline to change the groove geometry to produce more robust molded packages.

An overview of molded underfill in flip chip packaging applications

Flip chip packaging is a wide-spread process used in high frequency, high IO count IC devices. It consists of joining the IC chip with the substrate using solder alloys or Cu pillars to form a continuous interconnection for the electronic signals to travel through. However, because during operation these devices dissipate heat, the temperature at the bumps interface rise and drop in cycles which cause thermal stress to build up due to the different thermal expansion of the materials. If left unchecked, these stresses will weaken and eventually cause fatigue failures. Therefore, stress absorbers are dispensed or underfilled to fill the gap between the substrate and the die. Underfills, as these materials are commonly known, are typically dispense as liquids using a variety of techniques like spraying, jetting, injection dispense, etc. In this paper we'll discuss the benefits and challenges of a new type of process that integrates the overall encapsulation of the package with the underfill process in one single process step, called molded underfilling. We'll discuss this application for simple devices consisting of one IC chip and then extend the discussion towards more complex package configurations consisting of IC chips and passive components to demonstrate the flexibility and robustness of this new process solution.

High-Density Feedthrough Technology for Hermetic Biomedical Micropackaging

ABSTRACTImplantable electronic biomedical devices are used clinically to diagnose and treat an increasing number of medical conditions. Such devices typically employ hermetic packages that often incorporate electrical feedthroughs made with conventional ceramic-to-metal bonding technologies. This sealing technology is well established and provides robust hermetic seals, but is limited in both the number and spacing of electrical leads. Emerging devices for interfacing with the human nervous system, however, will require a large number of external electrical leads implemented in a miniaturized packaging configuration. Commercially available feedthrough technologies are currently incapable of providing external electrical contacts with spacings as small as 200 to 400 microns, and thus are neither compatible with integrated circuit I/O (input/output) pad spacings nor with miniature implantable packages. We report the development of a hermetic high-density feedthrough (HDF) technology that allows for conductive path densities as high as 1,000 per cm2, and that is capable of supporting neural interface devices. The fabrication process utilizes multilayer high temperature co-fired ceramic (HTCC) technology in conjunction with platinum leads. Before co-firing, green alumina substrates are interleaved with linear, parallel Pt trace arrays in either wire or thin foils to form the electrical feedthroughs. Layered stacks of spatially isolated traces are first compacted into a composite, and then fired to achieve densification. After firing, the densified multilayered composite compacts are sliced perpendicular to the Pt traces and lapped to produce multiple feedthrough arrays with a high density of leads (conductors). Both hermeticity and biocompatibility of such implantable feedthroughs are important, as both moisture and positive mobile ion contamination from the saline environment of the human body can lead to compromised performance or catastrophic failure. HDFs fabricated using this process with 100 conductors and lead-to-lead spacings as low as 400 microns have been helium leak tested repeatedly and found to exceed industry-accepted standards with helium leak rates in the range of 10–11 mbar-l/s. The spacing of the current prototype matches industry standard neural interface technology, and can be scaled to higher densities with lead-to-lead spacings as small as 200 microns. The reported HDF process has several distinct advantages over prior approaches, including the provision of a large number of conductive feedthrough leads suitable for flip-chip bonding with sub-mm lead-to-lead spacings (pitch), and the incorporation of materials (alumina and platinum) that are already used in medical implants. The implementation of such an HDF technology allows for significant package miniaturization, allowing greater flexibility in surgical placement as well as less invasive procedures for implantable electronic biomedical devices.

A Systematic Review of Interventions to Increase Peer Interactions for Students with Complex Communication Challenges

Although positive peer relationships can facilitate the academic learning, skill development, and emotional well-being of students with complex communication challenges, few peer interactions are likely to take place in school settings apart from intentional intervention and support efforts. We conducted a systematic review to identify and examine intervention approaches aimed at improving peer interaction outcomes for school-aged children with complex communication challenges who regularly used or might benefit from augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). We categorized 31 studies based on their primary focus and the manner in which AAC was incorporated into the intervention package. Although the configurations of these intervention packages varied, most were found to be effective at increasing measures of peer interaction. We also identified several methodological features of this literature that would benefit from additional attention (e.g., participant descriptions, treatment fidelity, social validity). We offer recommendations to practitioners and researchers for impacting this dimension of students' lives.