SBIR Phase I: Micro-Compliant-Interconnect-Mechanisms (MCIMs)

这个小企业创新研究第一阶段的研究项目调查使用微兼容互连机制（MCIMs）提供芯片级通信到微机电系统（MEMS）设备的可行性。MCIM是直接在硅晶片上制造的微型弹簧连接器，它提供了一种替代焊接倒装芯片技术的方法，用于互连多芯片模块中的单个芯片。不断发展的MEMS设计已经导致越来越高密度的器件。为高密度MEMS提供可靠的管芯间电互连代表了这些器件的整体复杂性的相当大的一部分。本项目中描述的MCIM连接技术可大幅降低封装MEMS器件的成本，使其可用于更广泛的市场。该技术的更广泛的影响在于，MCIM代表了针对在利用多芯片模块架构的设备中提供高密度管芯间电连接的挑战的新颖解决方案。MCIM提供的更高产量和更低的生产成本将为基于MEMS的激光调制器带来新的市场机会。这些器件的高成本和相对低的每晶片产量限制了它们在高端市场的使用。MCIM的其他应用包括用于半导体测试的微探针的开发。

This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I research project investigates the feasibility of using Micro-Compliant-Interconnect-Mechanisms (MCIMs) to provide chip level communication to Micro-Electro-Mechanical-Systems (MEMS) devices. MCIMs are microscopic spring connectors fabricated directly on silicon wafers which provide an alternative to soldered flip chip technology for interconnecting individual dies in multi chip modules. Evolving MEMS designs have led to increasingly high-density devices. Providing reliable inter-die electrical interconnections to high density MEMS represents a substantial portion of the overall complexity of these devices. The MCIM connection technology described in this project offers to dramatically reduce the cost of packaged MEMS devices making them available to a much broader market. The broader impact of this technology is that MCIMs represent a novel solution to the challenge of providing high density inter-die electrical connections in devices utilizing multi-chip module architectures. The higher yields and lower production costs provided by MCIMs will lead to new market opportunities for MEMS based laser light modulators. The high costs and relatively low per wafer yields of these devices restrict their use to high end markets. Other applications of MCIMs include the development of micro-probes for use in semiconductor testing.