TRENDS
For interconnect substrates and packaging the trend to miniaturization, more functionality and higher frequencies continues.
More functionality requires higher level of integration. High frequency applications demand high signal integrity. Even further increased average component I/O density will require still higher interconnect density. Direct chip attach to board (COB) is increasing as this gives the lowest inductance and noise, combined with the highest I/O density. Several chip in one package (MCM) or even a system in a package (SIP) development are driven by increased functionality, reduced size and lower cost. Thin film HDI offers the ultimate solution for many existing and new applications, which require either high electrical performance or smaller size or both.
See Visions Lab for further reading about future interconnect and packaging.
MARKET
Cost is a major driving force in electronics production.
To justify the cost for thin film HDI substrates, the market needs to be ready to pay for the benefits of very compact packaging, improved electrical performance, reliability, and well controlled dimensions, etc. Present cost can be tolerated for advanced applications at low production volumes (e.g. high network level), but not in high volume consumer products (e.g. access network). Low cost, high density interconnect and packaging solutions for very high speed are, and will be, requested in the growing market segment of mobile and stationary radio and computer applications, in addition to various integrated opto-electrical use.
Making substrates and boards smaller also provides obvious system savings, despite an increased cost of the substrates. Also, if low loss materials are required in a PCB, the increased cost of the laminate material make the savings quite significant. The additional benefit that the board can be made much smaller provides more savings in the number of substrates manufactured on a production panel. Large area panel processing (LAP) is also a way to reduce substrate cost. Within the frame of the EU ESPRIT project 26261 LAP it was shown that the cost for a 4 layer thin film substrate can be reduced to 1 $/in2 (0.13 €/cm2).
Some typical market areas which specifically will make a benefit are:
- Automotive
Engine control systems
Safety systems like collision avoidance radar
- Aerospace
High reliability and low weight electronics
- Medical applications
Laboratory or hospital equipment. Normally large sized and expensive equipment for diagnostics and treatment
Wearable devices with sensors, signal processing, and communication capabilities
Implanted electronics, like pace-makers and various sensors.