Multi-Mix® Design FAQ

1)  Quality Assurance

2)  Frequency Capability

3)  Mounting

4)  Hermeticity

5)  Coefficient of Thermal Expansion

6)  Heat Dissipation

7)  Fusion Bonding Advantages

8)  Thickness

9)  Size

10)  Air Gaps

1)  Quality Assurance

• Design and Process is ISO-9001 certified
• Qualification process for multilayer modules with embedded MMIC's
  • Thermal cycling life test: 1000 plus cycles –65 to+125 degrees C
  • Themal Shock, Burn-In, Acceleration, Vibration, Mechanical Shock, Moisture Resistance, Solder Heat

2)  Frequency Capability

• Achieved performance through 30 GHz
• Performance through 65 GHz under development

3)  Mounting

• Surface mount
  • suitable for pick-and-place assembly
  • compatible with microstrip & coplanar waveguide
• Coplanar waveguide
  • frequencies through 40 GHz
  • gold, ribbon bond surfaces
• Ball Grid Array
  • Under development

4)  Hermeticity

• Substrate materials are hydrophobic, repelling moisture and high surface tension liquids.
• Hermetically packaged MMIC’s are embedded within the multilayer module.
• Non-hermetic MMIC’s, embedded within the multilayer module, have passed rigorous screening.
• Dielectrics
  • (Er=2.94) moisture absorption = 0.1%
  • (Er=3.00) moisture absorption = 0.1%
  • (Er=6.15) moisture absorption = 0.1%
  • (Er=10.2) moisture absorption = 0.1%
  • (Er=3.38) moisture absorption = 0.06%
  • (Er=4.50) moisture absorption = 0.01%
  • (Er=2.90) moisture absorption = 0.04%

5)  Coefficient of Thermal Expansion

• Dielectric CTE well matched to metal CTE
• Copper: CTE= 17 ppm/degrees C
• Aluminum: CTE= 24 ppm/degrees C
• Dielectrics
  • (Er=2.94) CTE(x,y) = 16 ppm/°CCTE(z)= 24 ppm/°C
  • (Er=3.00) CTE(x,y) = 17 ppm/°CCTE(z)= 24 ppm/°C
  • (Er=6.15) CTE(x,y) = 17 ppm/°CCTE(z)= 24 ppm/°C
  • (Er=10.2) CTE(x,y) = 17 ppm/°CCTE(z)= 24 ppm/°C
  • (Er=3.38) CTE(x,y) = 11,14 ppm/°CCTE(z)= 35 ppm/°C
  • (Er=4.50) CTE(x,y) = 14 ppm/°CCTE(z)= 20 ppm/°C
  • (Er=2.90) CTE(x,y) = adjustable from 0 to 50 ppm/ °CCTE(z)= 100 ppm/°C

6)  Heat Dissipation

• An array of thermal vias conduct heat away from active devices
• Copper filled PTH’s achieve thermal resistance < 1 degree C / Watt

7)  Fusion Bonding Advantages

• Homogeneous dielectric provides superior microwave properties (loss tangent, dispersion)
• Allows greater complexity of buried vias for interconnections

8)  Thickness

• Individual layer thickness range from .002 inch to .100 inch, (.0508 mm to 2.54 mm)
• There is no limitation on the number of layers
• Have manufactured modules with 52 layers
• Maximum thickness of multilayer module 1.00 inch (25.4 mm)

9)  Size

• Arrays of multilayer modules are fabricated on large panels
• Typical panel size: 9x12, 12x18, and 18x24 inches
• Have the ability to form larger multilayer panels using the fusion bonding process

10)  Air Gaps

• There are no unwanted air gaps in a fusion bonded multilayer module
• Have the ability to form cavities within the multilayer
• Have the ability to utilize an air dielectric constant within the multilayer