Donna Marie Sherman

Reliability of POL-kw power modules

Wide band gap (WBG) semiconductor devices have demonstrated superior electrical and thermal performance, compared to their silicon-based counterparts. However, innovative power module packaging design and materials suitable to WBG devices are required. In this paper, the development of a new high power density module using the Power Overlay (POL) packaging platform is presented. The wirebond-less packaging platform has shown significantly reduced electrical parasitics, while providing a thin profile to allow double-side cooling and the integration of gate drive circuits. Thermal cycling and high temperature storage tests were conducted on specimens fabricated and assembled by production equipment. The results presented here were used to establish design guidelines for reliable operation of POL-based power modules.

Novel Flexible Interconnects and Packaging for Minimally Invasive Medical Electronics

A novel interconnect approach was developed to enable packaging of miniature (<0.5 mm) MEMS pressure sensors for minimally invasive sensing applications. The interconnect approach is a variant of traditional flexible laminate circuits but does not require expensive patterning steps. It provides tight tolerance and assembly automation at relatively lower costs. In this paper, details of the novel interconnect and cabling approaches are disclosed. Examples of applications that benefit from this approach are also discussed. Experimental results on new ultra-miniature sensors utilizing the developed interconnect approach are presented.Copyright

Highly Manufacturable and Reliable CZT Detectors

Cadmium Zinc Telluride (CZT) based radiation detectors have been developed over the past decade and are, increasingly, being used in security and healthcare applications. Improvements in radiation detector performance, size, and cost have been achieved; however, the manufacturability and reliability of the individual CZT detector package continues to limit widespread use and new applications.To date, most CZT detector packages are designed, manufactured, and tested to requirements defined by manufacturers, rather than military, commercial, or industry standards, as is common for semiconductor packages. The lack of test standards has led to use restrictions and/or complex detector system design, as required to mitigate unknown or low detector package reliability. CZT detector packaging, as was the case for semiconductor packaging, has reached the point in technology maturation where a focus on optimizing detector design for manufacturability and reliability is appropriate and necessary.This paper reviews the systematic approach, including design, process development, and testing, utilized in the development and demonstration of a highly manufacturable and reliable (95% reliability at 1000 cycles) CZT detector package. Finite Element Model (FEM) based design and material trade-off studies, development of highly manufacturable and reliable commercial electronic assembly processes, failure mode identification and mitigation, selection and use of reliability test standards, and analyses are detailed for a flip-chip-CZT-on-ceramic substrate, detector package targeted for field deployment. As well, the next steps in package and system design, manufacturing, and reliability testing are proposed.Copyright