News
Two NWO-HTSM proposals from ECTM accepted
- Friday, 13 December 2019
Fundamentals of Backside Metals System for 5G RF Power Modules (Prof. Zhang, Prof. Fan and Dr. Fan)
The 5G communication technology is expected to cover a wide range of applications, such as autonomous vehicles, Internet of Things (IoT), High-speed mobile network, etc. A robust and highly reliable RF power amplifier is key for the 5G system because it works in a harsh environment which involves high temperature, high humidity, high current density, and so forth. Currently, the industry is still working hard on the development of the RF power amplifier to meet the requirements of the 5G communication technology. One of the key challenges is the backside metals system (BSM). Various failure modes and mechanisms are interacting with each other under the influence of multiple loadings, such as high temperature, high humidity, as well as mechanical stresses. This proposal aims to develop fundamental physics-of-failure models, optimization method and design rule to predict and prevent the potential failures in the BSM of 5G RF power modules.
Reliability of Silicone Adhesives and Sealants in Electronic Devices (Prof. van Driel, Dr. van Zeijl, Dr. Yazdan Mehr)
This research aims at developing a fundamental understanding of failure mechanisms and reliability of silicone sealants and adhesives in electronic devices. Degradation of silicone adhesives and sealants is considered to be a major reliability risk in microelectronic components. Understanding the interrelation and attribution of different mechanical, working, and environmental stresses to the failure of silicone adhesives and sealant is a key step in developing physically-based reliability models for microelectronic devices. The multi-physical interaction between temperature, moisture, radiation and oxidation, and their influences on the structure and properties of sealants are not yet well understood. In this project dedicated experimental techniques will be combined with reliability models to understand and predict the lifetime of silicone adhesive and sealants in microelectronic devices under different working conditions.
