System Integration Technologies for Ultra Small Systems

Abstract form only given. System integration technologies have increasingly become an important factor for the economic success of system suppliers and users especially in the areas of consumer electronics and telecommunications. Faced with the rapid development of IC technology the traditional packaging is changing into a complex system integration technique to satisfy the growing demand in terms of increased functionality, performance and miniaturization. The progress in system integration technologies in the last years allows the technical realization of new system concepts for highly miniaturized microsystems which are linked together in a wireless network. In future the integration of highly complex systems has to be carried out more cost efficiently, with a high degree of miniaturization and flexibility in adaptation to different applications. New integration technologies will be able to combine different approaches to integrate devices for sensing, electrical signal and data processing, wireless communication, power conversion and storage. With respect of complex functionalities (electrical, non-electrical, optical functions) these small systems can achieve a higher complexity compared to system on chip solutions at lower cost. The so called "e Grains" with a small size and an integrated sensor are able to receive, process, store and send data in an network environment. In order to reduce the physical space requirements of such wireless sensor nodes, new integration technologies are required which also use the third dimension for systems integration. In terms of design, hardware, technology and software, system integration based on the innovative "e-Grain" concept represents an entirely new challenge and requires a synergy of individual technologies at an exceptionally early stage