Materials for High-Density Electronic Packaging and Interconnection by Committee on Materials for High-Density Electronic

What is packaging? The subject of this report is commonly referred to as electronic packaging, but the term '"packaging" carries connotations that tend to trivialize the highly technical and critically important electronic context. Electronic packaging now goes well beyond physical protection and includes electric power distribution, signal transmission between integrated circuits, and, of growing importance, the removal of heat associated with the very high densities of circuit elements that are being achieved. Modern system performance is as much limited by these functions as by the operation of the integrated circuits. Thus, electronic packaging and interconnection are essential enabling technologies that underlie vital computer and other electronic applications. Success in integrating these enabling technologies into the nation's microelectronics efforts is directly related to how well the United States will succeed as a major competitive force. The specific subject of this report is the materials employed in high- density electronic packaging and interconnection. Materials issues are closely coupled to other systems design factors, and all materials advances must be coordinated as the field progresses. A successful competitive position cannot be maintained without leading-edge materials engineering and science. Coordination of physical design, materials properties, and materials processing is essential. The competitive position of the United States in an area of the highest leverage is at stake. This report focuses on first- and second-level packaging–i.e., the integrated circuit chip package and the printed circuit to which the chips are attached. The connectors, backplanes, cables, and other higher-level interconnect structures have been omitted because it was perceived that materials problems in these areas were less urgent. In addition, the higher interconnection levels are, at present, undergoing some degree of conversion from electrical to optical, and optical interconnections are outside the scope of this study. The committee believes that optical interconnection is a very important technology and will certainly spread to the board level and beyond in the course of time. Optical technology has many advantages and could depart radically from the geometries required of "wire"-based systems. An additional study of optical interconnection is strongly recommended). The literature on electronic packaging has recently been unified through publication of an authoritative monographs. This handbook gives a coherent, balanced discussion of all aspects of electronic packaging and interconnection, with materials considerations appropriately integrated into physical design.