Toward Manufacturing Low-Cost, Large-Area Electronics
- PDF / 365,255 Bytes
- 5 Pages / 612 x 792 pts (letter) Page_size
- 77 Downloads / 231 Views
Toward Manufacturing Low-Cost, LargeArea Electronics Marc Chason, Daniel R. Gamota, Paul W. Brazis Jr., Krishna Kalyanasundaram, Jie Zhang, Keryn K. Lian, and Robert Croswell Abstract Developments originally targeted toward economical manufacturing of telecommunications products have planted the seeds for new opportunities such as low-cost, large-area electronics based on printing technologies. Organic-based materials systems for printed wiring board (PWB) construction have opened up unique opportunities for materials research in the fabrication of modular electronic systems. The realization of successful consumer products has been driven by materials developments that expand PWB functionality through embedded passive components, novel MEMS structures (e.g., meso-MEMS, in which the PWB-based structures are at the milliscale instead of the microscale), and microfluidics within the PWB. Furthermore, materials research is opening up a new world of printed electronics technology, where active devices are being realized through the convergence of printing technologies and microelectronics. Keywords: electronic material, fluidics, microelectromechanical (MEMS), microelectronics, microstructure, organic.
Introduction The focus of this article is the materials development and requirements for novel telecommunications components and devices brought about by expanding the manufacturing capability of large-area electronics, specifically with respect to organic printed wiring board (PWB) substrates and printed electronic technology. With additional materials research and further process improvements, other devices will be enabled in these areas, yielding families of new products. With new materials systems emerging in the late 1990s, Motorola Inc. pioneered a series of technology initiatives that addressed the manufacture of low-cost, largearea electronics. Novel material suites and process developments have driven organic PWB substrates to increased levels of integration and higher operating frequencies. The success of this technology push has delivered products with reduced part counts, increased levels of modular integration, new form factors, and ultimately lower cost. MRS BULLETIN • VOLUME 31 • JUNE 2006
The organic PWB, typically available in panel sizes of 18 in. ⫻ 24 in. (46 cm ⫻ 61 cm), is the foundation upon which a significant number of telecommunications products are built. Deployed in more than 50 million cellular phones, the technology for embedding resistors, capacitors, and inductors within the organic PWB has been a materials success story. Further integration of MEMS-type devices (i.e., mesoMEMS, in which the PWB-based structures are at the milliscale instead of the microscale) and microfluidic structures in the organic PWB are on the horizon. Moving beyond the organic PWB is printed electronics technology, which joins microelectronics with graphic arts printing. The need for organic and inorganic semiconducting inks will provide further avenues for materials research.
Printed Wiring Board Technologies Emb
Data Loading...
