SBIR-STTR Award

Imbedded Component / Die Technology (IC/DT) A 3-D Modular Designed CCA for AVIONIC APPLICATIONS: The need for high reliability electronic military avionic systems coupled with reduced size and weight factors has demanded the evolution of circuit card manufacturing technology for miniaturizing and assembling printed circuit card assemblies into standard modular designed configurations. IC/DT will advance electronics manufacturing to the next generation by transforming 2-D component assemblies into 3-D modular CCA'S. IC/DT SUBSTITUTES PLACEMENT OF COMPONENTS ON THE SURFACE OF AN ORGANIC SUBSTRATE ONTO OR NEAR A RIGID, THERMALLY CONDUCTIVE CORE UTILIZING MULTI-LEVEL CAVITIES. The elimination of all external component level secondary packaging further increases reliability by reducing mass and the number of opportunities for electrical interconnect failures. The use of bare die and thick/thin film components reduces both overall mass /weight and CCA size. IC/DT improves form and fit factors with increased component to substrate ratio allowing for smaller CCA's or for the addition of redundant systems to increase reliability for hi-rel applications. Flexible interconnects from component to component or component to substrate, coupled with vibration - dampening encapsulant, allow for reliable use in high vibration and / or G-Force environments. Replacing solder interconnects, as the mechanical and electrical attachment material, with conductive adhesives /epoxies and wire bonds allow for a more efficient interconnect media. The use of IC/DT when assembling CCA's can dramatically improve reliability and also improve form and fit factors by building CCA's in a modular 3-D configuration. THE FOLLOWING COMPANIES TPOC'S ARE REFERENCED FOR ADDING THEIR SUPPORT AND HELP TO THIS SBIR ENDEAVOR: LOCKHEED MARTIN LEN LACROIX, BAE GEORGE BURRUSS, AND HONEYWELL PATRICIA DARE. The objective is to work with the current designed avionic system designers and see how this technology IC/DT improves their fit and form factor and system level capability by allowing more designed susbystems per CCA. Higher I/O density per CCA is achieved with IC/DT which is needed for future avionic systems

Imbedded Component/Die Technology provides a complete solution for mission critical electronics coupling high-density electronics with passive thermal management. Imbedded Component/Die Technology allows the 3-D configuration of multiple systems thus achieving the cost/weight ratio advantage of using the smallest form and fit factor components available in a circuit card assembly. The objective of this research project is to continue development of a miniaturized, lightweight system for integrated seeker electronics using IC/DT. In Phase I, a conceptual design of a miniaturized SPAR-X electronics assembly was proposed producing a smaller, denser, more robust assembly with integrated, passive thermal management. Utilizing bare die reduces weight, electrical failure opportunities, electrical and thermal impedance, and valuable circuit card real estate allowing the population of additional components within the same envelope or a design shrink for smaller vehicles. Phase II will entail a redesign of the SPAR-X electronics system using IC/DT to exploit the benefits of unpackaged components namely bare die. The SPAR-X assembly shall be designed and manufactured resulting in an engineered prototype as a proof of principle demonstration.

Keywords:
Robustness, State-Of-The-Art, Thermal Management, Low Cost, Miniaturization, Reliability, Reduced Size, Reduced Weight