• Journal of the Microelectronics and Packaging Society
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• v.12 no.2 s.35
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• pp.105-109
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• 2005

A compact antenna switch module for GSM/DCS dual band applications based on multilayer low temperature co-fired ceramic (LTCC) substrate is presented. Its size is $4.5{\times}3.2{\times}0.8 mm^3$ and insertion loss is lower than 1.0 dB at Rx mode and 1.2 dB at Tx mode. To verify the stability of the developed module to the process window, each block that is diplexer, LPF's and bias circuit is measured by probing method in the variation with the thickness of ceramic layer and the correlation between each block is quantified by calculating the VSWR In the mean while, two types of bias circuits -lumped and distributed - are compared. The measurement of each block and the calculation of VSWR give good information on the behavior of full module. The reaction of diplexer to the thickness is similar to those of LPF's and bias circuit, which means good relative matching and low value of VSWR, so total insertion loss is maintained in quite wide range of the thickness of ceramic layer at both band. And lumped type bias circuit has smaller insertion itself and better correspondence with other circuit than distributed stripline structure. Evaluated ceramic module adopting lumped type bias circuit has low insertion loss and wider stability region of thickness over than 6um and this can be suitable for the mass production. Stability characterization by probing method can be applied widely to the development of ceramic modules with embedded passives in them.

• Journal of the Microelectronics and Packaging Society
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.33-38
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• 2007

We studied a bonding at low temperature using polymer bump and Non-Conductive Adhesive (NCA), and studied the reliability of the polymer bump/Al pad joints. The polymer bumps were formed on oxidized Si substrates by photolithography process, and the thin film metals were formed on the polymer bumps using DC magnetron sputtering. The substrate used was AL metallized glass. The polymer bump and Al metallized glass substrates were joined together at $80^{\circ}C$ under various pressure. Two NCAs were applied during joining. Thermal cycling test ($0^{\circ}C-55^{\circ}C$, cycle/30 min) was carried out up to 2000 cycles to evaluate the reliability of the joints. The bondability was evaluated by measuring the contact resistance of the joints through the four point probe method, and the joints were observed by Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). The contact resistance of the joints was $70-90m{\Omega}$ before the reliability test. The joints of the polymer bump/Al pad were damaged by NCA filler particles under pressure above 200 MPa. After reliability test, some joints were electrically failed since thinner metal layers deposited at the edge of bumps were disconnected.

• Journal of the Microelectronics and Packaging Society
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.45-51
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• 2020

As flexible electronics will be used under high temperature and high humidity with repeated bending deformations, the effects of environmental condition and repeated mechanical deformations are considered simultaneously to achieve long-term reliability. In this study, the mechanical reliability of metal electrodes (Al, Ag, Cu) deposited on flexible polymer substrate is investigated under 4 different conditions: with and without repeated mechanical deformations and normal environmental or high temperature and high humidity conditions (85℃/85%). The mechanical failure does not occur in all the metal electrodes without mechanical deformation even under high temperature and high humidity conditions. The electrical resistance of metal electrode increased about 400% to 600% after 100,000 bending cycles under normal condition. For high temperature and high humidity condition, the electrical resistance of Al and Ag increased similarly. However, the resistance of Cu during bending fatigue test under high temperature and high humidity condition increased over 90000% because of the combined effect of corrosion and mechanical fatigue. This study can give a helpful information for designing electrode materials with high mechanical reliability under high temperature and high humidity.

• Journal of the Microelectronics and Packaging Society
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.17-28
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• 2012

It is known that thermo-mechanical properties of solder material and molding compound in WB-PBGA packages are considerably affected by not only temperature but elapsed time. In this paper, finite element analysis (FEA) taking material nonlinearity into account was performed for more reliable prediction on deformation behavior of a lead-free WB-PBGA package, and the results were compared with experimental results from moire interferometry. Prior to FEA on the WB-PBGA package, it was carried out for two material layers consisting of molding compound and substrate in terms of temperature and time-dependent viscoelastic effects of molding compound. Reliable deformation analysis for temperature change was then accomplished using viscoplastic properties for solder ball and viscoelastic properties for molding compound, and the analysis was also verified with experimental results. The result showed that the deformation of WB-PBGA packages was strongly dependent on material model of molding compound; thus, temperature and time-dependent viscoelastic behavior must be considered for the molding compound analysis. In addition, viscoelastic properties of B-type molding compound having comparatively high glass transition temperature of $135^{\circ}C$ could be recommended for reliable prediction on deformation of SAC lead-free WB-PBGA packages.

• Journal of the Microelectronics and Packaging Society
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.33-39
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• 2010

Printing technologies have been indicated as alternative methods for patterning conductive, semi-conductive or insulative materials on account of their low-cost, large-area patternability and pattern flexibility. For application of the printing technologies in manufacture of semiconductor or display modules, ink or paste composed of nanoparticles, solvent and additives are basically needed. Here, we report recent advances in eco-friendly nano-ink technology for semiconductor and display technology. Then, we will introduce an eco-friendly ink formation technology developed in our group with an example of manufacturing $SiO_2$ nanopowders and inks. We tried to manufacture ultrafine $SiO_2$ nanoparticles by applying a low-temperature synthetic method, and then attempted to fabricate the printed $SiO_2$ film onto the glass substrate to see whether the $SiO_2$ nanoparticles are feasible for the printing or not. Finally, the electrical characteristics of the films were measured to investigate the effect of the manufacturing parameters.

• Journal of the Microelectronics and Packaging Society
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.13-19
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• 2009

A 440MHz wireless and passive surface acoustic wave (SAW) based chemical sensor was developed on a $41^{\circ}YX\;LiNbO_3$ piezoelectric substrate for simultaneous measurement of $CO_2$ gas and relative humidity (RH) using a reflective delay line pattern as the sensor element. The reflective delay line is composed of an interdigital transducer (IDT) and several shorted grating reflectors. A Teflon AF 2400 and a hydrophilic $SiO_2$ layer were used as $CO_2$ and water vapor sensitive films. The coupling of mode (COM) modeling was conducted to determine optimal device parameters prior to fabrication. According to simulation results, the device was fabricated and then wirelessly measured using the network analyzer. The measured reflective coefficient $S_{11}$ in the time domain showed high signal/noise (S/N) ratio, small signal attenuation, and few spurious peaks. In the $CO_2$ and humidity testing, high sensitivity ($2^{\circ}/ppm$ for $CO_2$ detection and $7.45^{\circ}/%$RH for humidity sensing), good linearity and repeatability were observed in the $CO_2$ concentration ranges of $75{\sim}375ppm$ and humidity levels of $20{\sim}80%$RH. Temperature and humidity compensations were also investigated during the sensitivity evaluation process.

• Journal of the Microelectronics and Packaging Society
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.69-75
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• 2016

This study investigated the effect of heat treatment conditions not only on the Cr surface crack propagation behaviors but also on the Ni/Cr interfacial reaction characteristics in electroless Ni/electroplated Cr double coating layers on Cu substrate. Clear band layer of Ni-Cr solid solutions were developed at Ni/Cr interface after heat treatment at $750^{\circ}C$ for 6 h. Channeling cracks formed in Cr layer after 1 step heat treatment, that is, heat treatment after Ni/Cr plating, while little channeling cracks formed after 2 step heat treatment, that is, same heat treatments after Ni and Cr plating, respectively, due to residual stress relaxation due to crystallization of Ni layer before Cr plating.

• Journal of the Microelectronics and Packaging Society
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.43-48
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• 2017

Conductive $Sn_xO_y$ thin films were fabricated via RF reactive sputtering using SnO:Sn (80:20 mol%) composite target. The composite target was used to produce a chemically stable composition of $Sn_xO_y$ thin film while controlling structural defects by chemical reaction between tin and oxygen. During sputtering pressure, RF power, and substrate temperature were fixed, and oxygen partial pressure was varied from 0% to 12%. Annealing process was carried out at $300^{\circ}C$ for 1 hour in vacuum. Except $P_{O2}=0%$ sample, all samples showed the transmittance of 80~90% and amorphous phase before and after annealing. Electrically stable p-type $Sn_xO_y$ thin film with high transmittance was only obtained from the oxygen partial pressure at 12%. The carrier concentration and mobility for the $P_{O2}=12%$ were $6.36{\times}10^{18}cm^{-3}$ and $1.02cm^2V^{-1}s^{-1}$ respectively after annealing.

• Journal of the Microelectronics and Packaging Society
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.89-94
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• 2021

The mechanical reliability of flexible devices has become a major concern on their commercialization, where the importance of reliable bonding is highlighted. In terms of component materials' properties, it is important to consider thermal damage of polymer substrates that occupy large area of the flexible device. Therefore, room temperature bonding process is highly advantageous for implementing flexible device assemblies with mechanical reliability. Conventional epoxy resins for the bonding still require curing at high temperatures. Even after the curing procedure, the bonding joint loses flexibility and exhibits poor fatigue durability. To solve this problems, low-temperature and adhesive-free bonding are required. In this work, we develop a room temperature bonding process for polymer substrates using carbon nanotube heated by microwave irradiations. After depositing multiple-wall carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) on PET polymer substrates, they are heated locally with by microwave while the entire bonding specimen maintains room temperature and the heating induces mechanical entanglement of CNT-PET. The room temperature bonding was conducted for a PET/CNT/PET specimen at 600 watt of microwave power for 10 seconds. Thickness of the CNT bonding joint was very thin that it obtains flexibility as well. In order to evaluate the mechanical reliability of the joint specimen, we performed lap shear test, three-point bending test, and dynamic bending test, and confirmed excellent joint strength, flexibility, and bending durability from each test.

• Journal of the Microelectronics and Packaging Society
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.61-68
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• 2023

In this study, Sn-3.5Ag-15.0Fe composite solder was manufactured and applied to TLP bonding to change the entire joint into a Sn-Fe IMC(intermetallic compound), thereby applying it as a high-temperature solder. The FeSn₂ IMC formed during the bonding process has a high melting point of 513℃, so it can be stably applied to power modules for power semiconductors where the temperature rises up to 280℃ during use. As a result of applying ENIG surface treatment to both the chip and substrate, a multi-layer IMC structure of Ni₃Sn₄/FeSn₂/Ni₃Sn₄ was formed at the joint. During the shear test, the fracture path showed that cracks developed at the Ni₃Sn₄/FeSn₂ interface and then propagated into FeSn₂. After 2hours of the TLP joining process, a shear strength of over 30 MPa was obtained, and in particular, there was no decrease in strength at all even in a shear test at 200℃. The results of this study can be expected to lead to materials and processes that can be applied to power modules for electric vehicles, which are being actively researched recently.