Additive Packaging Manufacturing
Digital or additive manufacturing (AM) is a potential distruptive technology for the semiconductor packaging industry. Because it is currently reaching a tipping point in usability, AM creates opportunities for new packaging concepts with increased design freedom and reduced manufacturing complexity. CITC’s Additive Packaging Manufacturing program focuses on applications that cannot be realized using traditional manufacturing technologies.
High definition RDL manufactured with AM (20 um L/S) - picture courtesy of Holst Centre
Collaboration with Holst Centre
In collaboration with our partner Holst Centre, CITC is working on the deployment of recent developments in AM technologies for building chip packages or parts thereof. Together, we aim to demonstrate new types of chip packages built with AM.
In collaboration with material and equipment companies, we build prototypes to evaluate and develop new industrial solutions. Holst Centre, being a powerhouse in additive manufacturing, provides the technology.
Example of air cavities in polymer, created with AM - picture courtesy of Holst Centre
Applications
Application areas of AM include:
- Power electronics
- RF, 3D antenna structures, acoustic sensors and transducers
- Pressure sensors
- Micro-fluidic devices
- Heterogeneous integration of components and chips in complex systems or subsystem
Examples of our work in Additive Packaging Manufacturing
- MEMS microphones are quickly replacing traditional microphones. With AM the sound resonance (back) cavities can be accurately designed and produced to have maximum amplification for a certain frequency range.
- Redistribution layers (RDLs) can be easily designed and manufactured with AM. It is easy to make different versions to test multiple designs. Cost-effective manufacturing for mass production is also feasible.
- Air-cavities in RF antenna structures are investigated to tune the dielectrical properties of the antenna substrate to optimize RF radiation and efficiency. AM provides the means to integrate these air cavities in relevant materials.
- CITC and Holst Centre are working on a demonstrator showing stress-free encapsulation of sensor elements. AM enables new encapsulation solutions and processes that allow for very low residual stress on sensor elements or similar components that are stress sensitive. The 3D printed electronics in the examples below are provided by Holst Centre. It is a layer-by-layer digital process where:
