High frequency measurement and characterization of ACF flip chip interconnects

Microwave model and high-frequency measurement of the ACF flip-chip interconnection was investigated using a microwave network analysis. S-parameters of on-chip and substrate were separately measured in the frequency range of 200 MHz to 20 GHz using a microwave network analyzer HP8510 and cascade probe. And the cascade transmission matrix conversion was performed. The same measurements and conversion techniques were conducted on the assembled test chip and substrate at the same frequency range. Then impedance values in ACF flip-chip interconnection were extracted from cascade transmission matrix. ACF flip chip interconnection has only below 0.1nH, and very stable up to 13 GHz. Over the 13 GHz, there was significant loss because of epoxy capacitance of ACF. However, the addition of SiO$_2$filler to the ACF lowered the dielectric constant of the ACF materials resulting in an increase of resonance frequency up to 15 GHz. High frequency behavior of metal Au stud bumps was investigated. The resonance frequency of the metal stud bump interconnects is higher than that of ACF flip-chip interconnects and is not observed at the microwave frequency band. The extracted model parameters of adhesive flip chip interconnects were analyzed with the considerations of the characteristics of material and the design guideline of ACA flip chip for high frequency applications was provided.