Ceramic interconnect technology applications

Table 1.4 summarizes the major application/market segment and the technical attributes that influence the selection of ceramic interconnect technology in that segment. As shown in this table, thermal management — thermal performance, thermal stability, and high-temperature operation as it relates to both operating environment and lead-free assembly — is common to most applications. High-performance electrical property, and the related interconnect density, direct die attach, and embedded passives or embedded functions also span many applications. This comparison demonstrates that many... 

Test instruments have long used ceramic interconnect technologies for the capabilities of high-frequency performance and dimensional and environmental stability. Component and interconnection density is also important in those applications where parasitics must be minimized, such as in oscilloscope front ends and probes. Figure 1.32 and Figure 1.33 present some high-performance instrumentation applications of ceramics. 

Opening new vistas and avenues of advancement, the Ceramic Interconnect Technology Handbook is the only source for comprehensive discussion and analysis of nearly every facet of ceramic interconnect technology and applications. 

In the past, numerous thin-film techniques have been developed for various substrates and applications [29]. Regardless of process variation, thin-film interconnect technology typically consists of a dielectric substrate, such as ceramic, providing mechanical support and a heat dissipation path dielectrics separating the interconnect conductors conductors and vias forming interconnect and resistors, inductors, as well as capacitors in some applications. Once a thin-film interconnect substrate is finished, devices are populated on top of it. At this point, a functional board or card has been accomplished. The following sections describe the key aspects of thin films on ceramics the reader can consult Reference 30 and Reference 31 for more information about thin-film technology. 

Presents a complete and updated survey of ceramic interconnect materials, technology, and applications... 

Thick-Film Multilayer. Thick-film multilayer technology has been used for many years to fabricate hybrid circuits that interconnect small-scale ICs or discrete components on a ceramic or metal substrate (67-70). This technology has also been used for multichip packaging of more highly integrated ICs for large computer applications. 

Much of this early effort dealt with modulator technology that is considered too slow (1-100 kilohertz) for high-speed applications such as optical interconnection and memory read/write. This includes modulators based on electrooptic effects in ferroelectric liquid crystals (ELCs) and in a ceramic containing lead, lanthanum, zinc, and titanium (PLZT). These electrooptic materials are bonded in some fashion to Si circuits to create hybrid SPAs. 

The current knowledge on oxide materials affirms that most of their physico-chemical properties display acute size dependence. The size effects in oxide physics have frequently two interconnected faces, size-defect or non-stoichiometry effects and stmctural quantum-size. Key contributory factors include quantum confinement of electrical carriers within nanoparticles, charge and efficient energy transfer over nanoscale distances and in many systems a highly enhanced role of interfaces. With the growing technology of nano materials, it is necessary to understand the detailed basis for nanophotonic properties. Physico-chemical properties are mostly related to the industrial use of oxides such as ceramics, sensors, absorbents and/or catalysts. Novel application within these fields relies on the size-dependence of the optical and electronic transport properties of oxide nanomaterials. 

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