The use of pre-molded leadframe cavity package technologies in photonic and RF applications

The development of both Opto "photonic" and RF technology into silicon based chip solutions is creating a demand for smaller, more cost effective solutions to house the devices. The suppliers of various cavity package options are now developing new designs to meet the cost and volume production demands generated by these emerging industries. Ceramic based parts are being developed to provide more features and to match the needs of volume production equipments. LTCC parts can provide built-in circuit matching and are quickly customised. However, Thermoplastic mold compounds with pre-plated leadframes offer the most viable solutions for volume take-up at low cost. New approaches to design of application specific packages are used to show how matching function to environment can provide novel housing solutions but the capability to provide higher performance characteristics such as heat transfer and hermeticity in 'plastic' packaging remains the challenge for both RF and optical devices.