PFI-TT: Enhancing Manufacturing with Real-Time Defect Detection using mm-Wave Antenna Sensors

该创新-技术转化合作伙伴关系（PFI-TT）项目的更广泛影响/商业潜力是通过引入具有实时生产纠正措施的原位或在线传感机制来提高半导体封装生产良率、可靠性和成本效益。通过毫米波天线传感器实现制造过程中问题的检测，该传感器可以基于嵌入的金属和介电特征真实的实时检测隐藏的工艺缺陷。该项目的目标之一是克服高密度布线基板的关键制造瓶颈，并将几个组件集成到先进的封装中。另一个目标是通过智能增材制造减少甚至消除废物对环境的影响和碳足迹。拟议的制造路径将在整个电子供应链中产生新的制造工具商机。在项目成功完成后，新的传感技术将获得许可。该项目还将提供一个理想的机会，培养具有强大技术和沟通技能以及制造挑战和市场趋势经验的下一代劳动力。该项目将开发一种独特的非接触式实时检测系统，用于电子产品中隐藏的制造缺陷，目标是实现对再现性、公差和产量的在线过程控制，最终实现高密度电子集成。这项技术将通过创新的毫米波天线阵列传感系统来实现，通过反向散射揭示隐藏的金属介电特征。频谱和振幅偏移的检测将通过机器学习算法分类或映射到缺陷类别中，以进行实时纠正措施。具有更小雷达截面（RCS）的天线的进步使得毫米波传感器的设计在多个领域具有广泛的影响，包括6 G通信、医疗保健、安全和安保产品。在这个PFI-TT项目中，毫米波非接触式探测系统将集成到生产规模的3D打印系统中，通过与技术合作伙伴合作实现无缺陷制造。拟议的毫米波传感带来了精确的阻抗匹配射频（RF）互连和天线，所有这些都与有源嵌入式布线设计的进步相结合。此外，用于可扩展的大批量制造的连续远程在线监测可以导致用于制造缺陷的自我修复的解决方案。总的来说，这项新技术可能在未来的异构系统制造中发挥普遍作用。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The broader impact/commercial potential of this Partnerships for Innovation - Technology Translation (PFI-TT) project is to increase semiconductor package production yield, reliability, and cost-effectiveness by introducing an in-situ or in-line sensing mechanism with real-time production corrective actions. The detection of issues during manufacturing is enabled by mm-Wave antenna sensors that can detect hidden process defects based on embedded metal and dielectric features in real time. One of the goals of this project is to overcome key manufacturing bottlenecks in high-density wiring substrates with several component integrations for advanced packaging. Another goal is to reduce, and perhaps, eliminate waste impact and carbon footprint on the environment via intelligent Additive Manufacturing. The proposed manufacturing path will generate new manufacturing tool business opportunities across the electronics supply chain. Upon successful completion of the project, the new sensing technology will be licensed. The project will also provide an ideal opportunity to prepare the next-generation workforce with strong technical and communication skills as well as experience in manufacturing challenges and market trends. The proposed project will develop a unique, noncontact, real-time detection system for hidden manufacturing defects in electronics with the goal of achieving in-line process control for reproducibility, tolerance and yield, eventually leading to high-density electronics integration. This technology will be achieved through an innovative mm-Wave antenna array sensing system to reveal hidden metal-dielectric features through backscattering. Detection of spectra and amplitude shifts will be classified or mapped into defect categories through machine learning algorithms for real-time corrective actions. The advancement of antennas with smaller Radar Cross-Sections (RCS) has allowed the design of mm-Wave sensors with a broad impact in several areas, including 6G communications, healthcare, safety, and security products. In this PFI-TT project, the mm-Wave noncontact probing system will be integrated into production-scale 3D printing systems to achieve defect-free manufacturing by collaborating with a technology partner. The proposed mm-Wave sensing brings precision impedance-matched Radio Frequency (RF) interconnects and antennas, all coupled with advances in wiring design for active embedding. Further, continuous remote in-line monitoring for scalable high-volume manufacturing can lead to solutions for the self-healing of manufacturing defects. Overall, this new technology may have a pervasive role in future heterogeneous system manufacturing.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.