Packaging/Interconnects: Low-Cost Flexible Circuit Substrate Supplies High Performance Levels

Dec. 4, 2003

Low-cost high-performance flexible substrate materials are now available. Solderable up to 300°C, they come with 1 oz of copper (and other custom thicknesses) on nonpolyimide proprietary 3-mil thick flexible substrates. For super-fine-pitch applications of less than 1 mil lines/spacings and for vias, 0.25-oz or 0.375-oz copper is available. The substrates feature a low dielectric constant of 3.0 at 1 kHz with a dielectric loss of less than 0.01 and insulation strength of 1000 V dc (3-mil thickness). The non-silicone materials withstand chemical etching and treatments and maintain flexibility down to −40°C. Moisture absorption is less than 0.3%. Pricing is $1.28/ft² for 1-oz copper and $3.80 ft² for 0.5-oz copper.

AI Technology Inc.www.aitechnology.com; (609) 799-9388

About the Author

Roger Allan

Roger Allan is an electronics journalism veteran, and served as Electronic Design's Executive Editor for 15 of those years. He has covered just about every technology beat from semiconductors, components, packaging and power devices, to communications, test and measurement, automotive electronics, robotics, medical electronics, military electronics, robotics, and industrial electronics. His specialties include MEMS and nanoelectronics technologies. He is a contributor to the McGraw Hill Annual Encyclopedia of Science and Technology. He is also a Life Senior Member of the IEEE and holds a BSEE from New York University's School of Engineering and Science. Roger has worked for major electronics magazines besides Electronic Design, including the IEEE Spectrum, Electronics, EDN, Electronic Products, and the British New Scientist. He also has working experience in the electronics industry as a design engineer in filters, power supplies and control systems.

After his retirement from Electronic Design Magazine, He has been extensively contributing articles for Penton’s Electronic Design, Power Electronics Technology, Energy Efficiency and Technology (EE&T) and Microwaves RF Magazine, covering all of the aforementioned electronics segments as well as energy efficiency, harvesting and related technologies. He has also contributed articles to other electronics technology magazines worldwide.

He is a “jack of all trades and a master in leading-edge technologies” like MEMS, nanolectronics, autonomous vehicles, artificial intelligence, military electronics, biometrics, implantable medical devices, and energy harvesting and related technologies.