SBIR-STTR Award

Development of a polymer-based semiconductor chip package integrated with embedded passives and active cooling is proposed. Integration will increase overall system performance, reduce the PWB real estate consumed in support of each chip, as well as reduce assembly costs and improve reliability. OCI envisions the use of a polymer insulated metal substrate onto which layers of resin-coated foil with conductive-paste-filled microvias and layers of copper foil bearing thick film capacitors and resistors are laminated to produce a high speed, functionally integrated electronic package. To directly remove heat from the chip and keep the embedded passives within their optimum operating temperature range, integration of thermoelectric cooling, either from patternable pastes or by building the package directly on a commercial thermoelectric module, is also envisioned. The proposed approach integrates the high performance and reliability of thick film passive devices with conventional copper wiring and the space savings of solid microvias. A metal substrate, in addition to providing integral thermal spreading and dissipation, will provide a flat surface to facilitate etching of very fine features. OCI's solution differs from other approaches in that it integrates a metal substrate, resin-coated foils, solid microvia, embedded passives and active cooling technology directly into the package. Competing polymer-package integration approaches lack integrated thermal management and tend to focus on standard parallel processing of multiple circuit substrates with plated through holes to interconnect circuit layers and access the embedded passives. OCI's solution will provide substantially higher circuit density, lower parasitics, and excellent thermal management - particularly in harsh environments.