Virtual Thermal Packaging and Testing of MCMs

In recent years, major advances have been made in nearly all areas of microelectronics development, including silicon technology, software development, and chip architecture. The one key area that has been more-or-less neglected however is packaging. The technology of packaging minature electronics such that they do not overheat is now the limiting factor in miniaturization. Experimental evaluation of the thermal management of Miniature Multi-Chip Modules (MCMs) and their board/system assemblies can be expensive and time consuming. A novel Virtual Prototyping Environment (VPE) for multi-scale thermal packaging and testing of MCMs and their assemblies is proposed. It involves CAD technology, Virtual Parts Repository, grid generation, heat transfer and cooling media fluid mechanics solver, visualization tools, a thermal stresses module and Property Data Bank. It will allow rapid "virtual assembly" of chips, substrates, interconnects, and encapsulation components of MCM's and their thermal simulation, including thermal cycling and thermal stresses. An electronic component supplier, with the proposed VPE, could deliver a "virtual chip: for system virtual integration before the hardware is shipped. In Phase I, the flow and heat transfer solver will be adapted and demonstrated for thermal packaging and thermal cycling testing of MCMs. A Virtual Parts Repository will be designed. Results of the Phase I effort and the VPE concept will be presented to SEMATECH, the U.S. electronic industry and academic Microelectronics Packaging Centers. Potential teaming/co-funding arrangements will be explored for Phases II and III. ANTICIPATED BENEFITS: The developed computational environment will help in design and thermal cycling testing of MCM's and MCM assemblies. The proposed Virtual parts Repository/Assembly will allow component suppliers to produce "virtual chips" before hardware is delivered for real assembly. The technology will be actively promoted in U.S. electronics, computer, automotive, telecommunication, and defense markets.