Cost-effective manufacturing of aluminium silicon carbide (AlSiC) electronic packages

Current microelectronics places ever increasing demands on the performance of electronic packaging materials and systems in terms of thermal management, weight, and functionality requirements. These requirements have pushed the development of new materials and processing technologies to provide high performance packaging solutions cost-effectively. Aluminum silicon carbide (AlSiC) metal matrix composite (MMC) packages have a unique set of material properties that are ideally suited to the above requirements. The AlSiC coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) value is compatible with direct IC device attachment, allowing for the maximum thermal dissipation into the high thermal conductivity (170-200 W/mK) AlSiC package. Additionally, the low material density of AlSiC (3 g/cm/sup 3/) makes it ideal for weight sensitive applications. The Ceramics Process Systems (CPS) AlSiC fabrication and processing technology provides both the material and the net-shape functional packaging geometry in one process step. This processing technology also allows the Concurrent Integration/sup TM/ of feedthroughs, seal rings and substrates, which eliminates the need for additional assembly operations. These manufacturing attributes allow AlSiC packaging to be cost competitive and offer performance advantages over competing packaging products/systems. The AlSiC packaging design process and manufacturing process is outlined through actual product examples.