Reliability without Hermetic Packaging Technology for Millimeter Wave Devices (RWoH)

Microelectronic chips are often packaged with less of an environmental barrier than potato chips are delivered with. The need for higher bandwidth wired and wireless communication is driving operating frequencies to the millimeter wave (MMW) range where the package is part of the circuit. Low cost packaging using plastic encapsulants are unsuitable for use in this range due to circuit loading. In Phase I, we molecularly engineered both single and dual layer films with ultra low dielectric constant and applied them over devices that operate at 30 GHz with little impact on device operation. In Phase II, we will use results from the initial work to expand our understanding of the relationship between ultra low k dielectric constant nanocomposites and MMW device operation. We will proceed to molecularly engineer nanocomposites to protect MMW devices from the environment with robustness needed to insure device functionality in the harshest defense and military applications. In our final tasks we will develop the complete application process, prepare and process devices and demonstrate barrier properties by performing accelerated environmental tests. Phase II will demonstrate the ability of molecular engineered materials to provide low cost robustness to MMW devices in the field or after prolonged storage.