Al/SiC carriers for microwave integrated circuits by a new technique of pressureless infiltration

Rao, BS and Hemambar, C and Pathak, AV and Patel, KJ and Rodel, J and Jayaram, V (2006) Al/SiC carriers for microwave integrated circuits by a new technique of pressureless infiltration. In: IEEE Transactions on Electronics Packaging Manufacturing, 29 (1). pp. 58-63.

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Abstract

Materials with high thermal conductivity and thermal expansion coefficient matching with that of Si or GaAs are being used for packaging high density microcircuits due to their ability of faster heat dissipation. Al/SiC is gaining wide acceptance as electronic packaging material due to the fact that its thermal expansion coefficient can be tailored to match with that of Si or GaAs by varying the Al:SiC ratio while maintaining the thermal conductivity more or less the same. In the present work, Al/SiC microwave integrated circuit (MIC) carriers have been fabricated by pressureless infiltration of Al-alloy into porous SiC preforms in air. This new technique provides a cheaper alternative to pressure infiltration or pressureless infiltration in nitrogen in producing Al/SiC composites for electronic packaging applications. Al-alloy/65vol% SiC composite exhibited a coefficient of thermal expansion of 7 x 10(-6) K-1 (25 degrees C-100 degrees C) and a thermal conductivity of 147 Wm(-1) K-1 at 30 degrees C. The hysteresis observed in thermal expansion coefficient of the composite in the temperature range 100 degrees C-400 degrees C has been attributed to the presence of thermal residual stresses in the composite. Thermal diffusivity of the composite measured over the temperature range from 30 degrees C to 400 degrees C showed a 55% decrease in thermal diffusivity with temperature. Such a large decrease in thermal diffusivity with temperature could be due to the presence of micropores, microcracks, and decohesion of the Al/SiC interfaces in the microstructure (all formed during cooling from the processing temperature). The carrier showed satisfactory performance after integrating it into a MIC.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Publication:	IEEE Transactions on Electronics Packaging Manufacturing
Publisher:	Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
Additional Information:	Copyright 2006 IEEE. Personal use of this material is permitted. However, permission to reprint/republish this material for advertising or promotional purposes or for creating new collective works for resale or redistribution to servers or lists, or to reuse any copyrighted component of this work in other works must be obtained from the IEEE.
Keywords:	Al/SiC; coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE); electronic packaging; microwave integrated circuit (MIC) carrier; pressureless infiltration in air; thermal diffusivity.
Department/Centre:	Division of Mechanical Sciences > Materials Engineering (formerly Metallurgy)
Date Deposited:	06 Sep 2010 05:46
Last Modified:	19 Sep 2010 06:15
URI:	http://eprints.iisc.ac.in/id/eprint/31848

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