Development and use of numerical modeling tools for advanced packaging technologies: a European perspective

Numerical modeling tools such as Finite Element and Boundary Element methods, are widely used within the electronics industry predominantly in the initial stage of package development to predict the likely thermal, thermo-mechanical and electrical performance of packaged I.C.'s. Modeling enhances package development by providing a greater understanding of the physics of the problem, allowing designs to be optimised quickly and cheaply, and by keeping expensive experimental measurements to a minimum. Fully aware of this potential, the Commission of the European Communities funded a number of research projects under the ESPRIT program in the areas of advanced single chip, multichip, and 3D packaging technologies. Extensive use was made of both commercial software and software developed during the course of the projects. This paper gives an overview of the extent to which modeling tools have been used for thermal, thermo-mechanical, and electrical analysis of the package technologies within the projects concerned.