Project Title:
Low-Cost Solution for High-Performance and High-Density Packaging
Project Reference:
ART/017CP
Project Period:
20070828 - 20090630
Funds Approved (HK$’000):
10798
Project Coordinator:
Dr Tom Chang-hwa Chung
Deputy Project Coordinator:
/
Deliverable:
a) Technical reports for wireless-related market intelligence survey including market status & application targets. (Due date: 28/02/2008)
b) Design specs and guidelines for an advanced version of the FEM module, e. g., >30% reduction in module size. (Due date: 28/02/2008)
c) Design document and manufacturing process guidelines for ceramic substrate less than 150μm warpage. (Due date: 28/02/2008)
d) Obtain 10% industry contribution. (Due date: 28/05/2008)
e) Design documents and samples for a functional thin-film based FEM, including design for manufacturability document. (Due date: 15/12/2008)
f) Microelectronics packaging-related IPs including at least 4 patents. (Due date: 2 patents, 28/04/2008; 2 patents, 23/01/2009 )
g) Establishment of a complete thin-film based FEM technology platform including substrate layout design, electrical (including the skin depth current analysis) and thermo-mechanical designs & analyses, characterization, and volume-manufacturing capabilities with preliminary reliability report. (Due date: 30/06/2009)
Description:
Low-cost and high-performance features are definitely the keys of any new product to participate in applications with appreciable market growth, such as in wireless communications of which the demands on consumer electronics are enormous. High-performance products contain modules with more integrated functions, e.g., IEEE 802.11 a/b/g/n, which can cover both 2.4GHz and 5.1GHz frequencies. In order to meet the dimensional requirements of portable products, modules must be thinner and smaller. In fact, it is generally observed that organic laminate-based and LTCC (low temperature co-fired ceramic) substrates are currently the most popular, whereas it is clear that laminate-based and LTCC substrates are difficult to meet the imminent demands of low dielectric-loss and high-performance requirements for higher frequencies and reduced form-factors respectively, which are both critical for the next generation of wireless-related applications and development. In this full project, we will develop a thin-film on modified ceramic (TFoMC) based substrate technology suitable for high-performance and high-density packaging applications. The RF-based Front-End Module (FEM) is used as the test vehicle for demonstration of its performance, reliability and volume manufacturability.
