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