HYPERCONNECT

Functional joining of dissimilar materials using directed self-assembly of nanoparticles by capillary-bridging

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 Obiettivo del progetto (Objective)

'Tomorrows micro-electronic devices will have to show more functionality and performance at smaller form factor, lower cost and lower energy consumption in order to be competitive on this multi-billion dollar market. Advanced system integration is thus inevitable, a trend bound to joining dissimilar materials with new packaging technologies. These processes must enable lower thermal resistances and higher interconnect density and device reliability under thermomechanical loading.

Hyperconnect addresses these challenges by a radically new material joining process. The objective is to demonstrate superior electrical, thermal and thermomechanical performance and to combine design and technology with the support of simulation and testing. The central new idea comprises a sequential joint forming process, using self-assembly of nanoparticles, polymers and filler composite materials exploiting capillary action and chemical surface functionalisation: In other words, the formed joint reaches its outstanding properties by the very processing of the materials. This contrast to existing technology demands own understanding of the joint formation, joint property creation and the joint reliability.

Therefore advanced experimental characterization and simulation techniques will accompany the material and technology development, in particular involving physics-of-failure-based lifetime modelling. Finally, the joint performance will be validated on four different demonstrators of industrial significance.

To tackle these challenging issues the consortium pools the required interdisciplinary excellence, by uniting nine partners from industry, SMEs and academia of five European countries. Its members are convinced that these new developments will outperform commercially available solutions by one order of magnitude and will radiate out also to other fields in electronic packaging.'

Introduzione (Teaser)

As electronics miniaturisation approaches its technological limits, stacking is seen as a promising way to overcome the barrier. Scientists are developing the lacking yet vital technology to interconnect the layers.

Descrizione progetto (Article)

Demands for enhanced functionality in smaller packages at lower prices have driven miniaturisation in the microelectronics sector. Further miniaturisation will require a step-change in design, but placing individual semiconductor dies on top of each other requires reliable joining technology to electrically connect them. Integration requires lowering thermal resistance to enable higher interconnect density and device reliability during thermomechanical loading.

The lack of such technology and its creation of a roadblock to further miniaturisation spurred scientists to launch the EU-funded http://www.hyperconnect.eu/ (HYPERCONNECT) project. HYPERCONNECT is developing a pioneering sequential joint-forming process. The composite joints made from nanoparticles (NPs), polymers and filler will be sequentially formed by first applying an NP suspension and then evaporating the solvent. The NPs will then self-assemble by capillary bridging, forming 'necks' between micrometre-sized structures.

After screening tests, scientists selected the aluminium oxide (alumina) filler NPs for the dielectric necks. They were passed through a sieve for more uniform size and shape distribution and delivered to all partners. The team also developed a new epoxy formulation for backfilling with customised properties not available in commercial products.

Processing work is focused on the best way to deposit NP-based materials for subsequent neck formation. Tasks include experiments related to processing of filler particles, positioning and immobilisation of materials, and studies of the mechanisms of neck formation.

Materials and technology development is being supported by a rigorous experimental characterisation campaign and modelling. Using knowledge of a product's lifetime loading and failure mechanisms from experimental testing is facilitating reliability design and assessment. Simulations to date have addressed both emerging needs of the development work and groundwork for lifetime modelling based on physics-of-failure. Life-cycle assessments are pointing the way to economically and environmentally sound materials selections.

HYPERCONNECT expects to deliver superior multi-materials joining technology with a 10-fold increase in thermal conductivity and 5-fold increase in reliability. It will enable novel 3D stacked chip architectures, paving the way to continued miniaturisation and putting the EU in the lead of an economically important race.