Foreword: Special Section on Packaging and Interconnects: Cutting-Edge Solutions in Modeling, Design, and Characterization—Part I

In a world of digitally native citizens, processors and memory are common topics of conversation, no longer restricted to the engineering community. It is only natural. After all, one does not need to be an architect to appreciate the skyline of a modern metropolis. But behind this postcard image is a complex world of substrates and interconnects and buffers and packages. Smartphones and self-driving vehicles require advanced printed circuit board (PCB) and IC design. Advanced design relies on specialized computer-aided design (CAD) tools. CAD requires modeling and an entire field of mathematical know-how. But technology exists in the physical realm. Progress is also driven by the advance of materials and manufacturing techniques. Prototyping requires accurate measurements and precise characterization. Layers upon layers of knowledge and expertise make the intricate infrastructure of modern electronics possible. We seek to give an overview of the recent innovations across these layers. This special section is built from selected work initially presented at the SPI 2018, EPEPS 2018, and EDAPS 2018, conferences that are co-sponsored by the IEEE Electronics Packaging Society (EPS).