Integration of Miniature Electronic Assemblies Using Nanoparticle Silver Conductors, Polymer Bump Connections, and Encapsulated Component Blocks

Miniature electronic systems are needed in a rapidly expanding array of applications ranging from wearable devices to robotics. This paper describes a production technique that utilizes environmentally friendly processes and relatively simple equipment to fabricate miniature system modules from leadless packaged components. Fine-feature nanoparticle silver conductors are used to interconnect leadless components that are grouped together in a monolithic block. The silver conductors are fabricated by filling laser-ablated channels with nanosilver paste followed by curing at modest temperatures. Scale sizes lie at the commercially available state of the art, and as an added benefit, the fabricated modules are fully encapsulated and mechanically rugged.