Characterization of Emerging Polymer Dielectric Materials for Advanced Packaging Applications

This article reports the investigation of electrical, physical, mechanical, and chemical performance of emerging polymer dielectrics for next-generation high-performance computing (HPC) needs for ultrahigh bandwidth. The impact of critical dielectric properties such as ultralow Dk (<3.0), ultra-thin ( <tex-math notation="LaTeX">< 5~μ </tex-math>m), and low moisture absorption are characterized. Planarization requirements for impedance control in sub- <tex-math notation="LaTeX">2~μ </tex-math>m line and spaces are investigated for liquid and dry-film dielectrics. The role of coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) in dielectric stresses and warpage with low CTE substrates is also studied. Electrical instabilities resulting from moisture retention are also assessed. The characterization results from advanced design rules provide critical guidelines on dielectric materials design for advanced packaging architectures.