Conducting Polymer Based Passive Electronic Components for Multichip Modules

Multichip modules (MCM) technology is a technology that bridges the widening gap between the increasing complexity and speed of monolithic integrated circuit (IC) devices and the ability to package them in a system environment that preserves the inherent speed and thoughput of the devices. A wide variety of production processes has resulted in a lack of standardization, which complicates the selection of substrates and choice of interconnection and passive elements integration technologies. The insertion of low-profile passive components into MCM is costly, laborious and time consuming. Processes which directly incorporate fabrication of those components into existing MCM technologies are needed. Recently, Lynntech, Inc. has invented and demonstrated the feasibility of a novel photopolymerization process for the preparation of high-quality electronically conducting organic polymer materials. The successful results obtained provide a strong technical base for further development work, including the application of this technology to the manufacture of passive circuit components and their integration into multichip modules. The photopolymerization process of forming conducting polymers can be easily adapted to a variety of existing MCM technologies and possesses a number of advantages compared to conventional thin and/or thick film passive components production. Attractive features of the new process include a reduced number of manufacturing steps, shorter process times and a high degree of control of passive circuit image transfer. Passive components, such as resistors, capacitors and inductors, based on conducting polymers can be prepared by this novel process with high circuit pattern resolution. Alteration of electrical characteristics and the ability to reproducibly form these components will be investigated in the Phase I research by modifying additives and their concentrations in the starting photopolymerization formulations.