Advances in materials for optoelectronic, microelectronic and MOEMS/MEMS packaging

Materials selection impacts performance, reliability, weight, manufacturability and cost. A variety of new advanced composite and monolithic materials are now available that provide great advantages over conventional materials for dimensional stability and thermal management in microelectronic, optoelectronic, micro-opto-electromechanical (MOEMS) and micro-electro-mechanical (MEMS) packaging, including: extremely high thermal conductivities; tailorable coefficients of thermal expansion; extremely high strengths and stiffnesses; low densities; and low cost, net shape fabrication processes. Materials with low thermal conductivities and CTEs are also available. The payoffs are: improved fiber alignment; reduced thermal stresses and warpage; lower junction temperatures; simplified thermal design; possible elimination of heat pipes; weight savings up to 80%; size reductions up to 65%; increased reliability; increased manufacturing yield and cost reductions. There are many advanced packaging materials. They fall into five main categories, monolithic carbonaceous materials, metal matrix composites (MMCs), polymer matrix composites (PMCs), carbon/carbon composites (CCCs) and advanced metallic alloys.