Introduction This Calculation Corner continues Part I, published in the previous issue [1]. Part I described the construction of a typical flip-chip package configuration for high-power chips, consisting of a laminate assembly of materials adhesively bonded together and having different Coefficients of Thermal Expansion (CTE). The process of bonding these different materials … [Read more...]
Thermal Strain In Semiconductor Packages, Part I
Introduction Silicon became the semiconductor of choice for ICs because of its electrical properties, not because of its mechanical properties. In the earliest days of ICs when chips were small and power levels were low, the mechanical properties of silicon were of little consequence. However, for some time, the opposite situation has been the norm. Now, there are much larger … [Read more...]
The coefficient of thermal expansion
This is the second technical data feature that deals with the coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE). The first technical data feature, incorporated in the September 1997 issue, covered semiconductor materials, leadframes and solder alloys. This issue will discuss the temperature dependence of the CTE and present data on other materials that are of importance to electronic … [Read more...]
Coefficient of thermal expansion
As complexity increases and dies and packages become even larger, temperature gradients also increase, leading to problems with thermal mismatch. Hence, thermomechanical analysis grows in importance. Apart from the temperature differences, the most important parameter describing thermally induced stress is the coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE, or °), expressed in units of … [Read more...]