A virtual prototyping environment for multi-scale, multi-disciplinary simulation of electronics packaging of MCMs

The Multi-Chip Module (MCM) technology is rapidly expanding beyond its traditional domain of high cost, high performance military and aerospace applications to mass production low-cost commercial market. The rapid expansion of MCMs will depend on several economical and technical factors. One of the most important requirements is the availability of high accuracy computational tools for electrical, mechanical and thermal design of MCMs. This paper presents a novel concept of a Virtual Prototyping Environment (VPE) for multi-scale, multi-disciplinary simulations of electronics packaging of MCMs and their assemblies. The VPE incorporates a visual framework for interfacing simulation tools for geometric modeling, automated meshing, thermal simulation, thermal stress/structures analysis, material database, on-line visualization and dynamic steering. A novel, compact data format is proposed for detailed thermo-mechanical description of dies, interconnects, MCMs, PCB and entire systems. A visual browser and "virtual assembler" of MCMs have been developed allowing rapid prototyping of electronics modules with high fidelity simulation tools. A "virtual MCM" is automatically assembled, meshed with adaptive grid and thermally analyzed with a novel, high accuracy 3D simulation module utilizing unstructured, solution adaptive mesh. The paper demonstrates the VPE for a generic MCM with BGA interconnect and for a pin heat sink with direct air impingement.