Advanced organic substrate technologies for HiRel and medical applications

Electronics packaging technologies for today's high reliability markets including high performance computing, military and medical are driving advancements toward increased functionality with decreasing degrees of size, weight and power (SWaP). A key enabling technology towards achieving SWaP is the substrate technology used. Standard printed circuit boards (PWBs) utilize dielectric materials containing glass cloth, which can limit circuit density and performance, as well as inhibit the ability to achieve reliable assemblies with bare semiconductor die components. Ceramic substrates often used in lieu of PWBs for chip packaging have disadvantages of weight, marginal electrical performance and reliability as compared to organic technologies. Alternative materials including thin, particle-containing organic substrates, liquid crystal polymer (LCP) and microflex enable SWaP, while overcoming the limitations of PWBs and ceramic. This presentation will discuss the use of these alternative organic substrate materials to achieve extreme electronics miniaturization with outstanding electrical performance and high reliability. The effect of substrate type on chip-package interaction and resulting reliability will be discussed. System-in-Package (SiP) case studies of real product miniaturization for military and high performance computing applications will be presented in detail. Microflex assemblies to achieve extreme miniaturization and atypical form factors driven by implantable and in vivo medical applications will also be shown.