Tracks: 2018FLEX Full Conference, Printed Electronics
Conventional electronic circuits consist of surface mounted components containing bare IC chips internally wire-bonded to the lead-frame of a package which is then solder-connected onto circuitization a printed circuit board (PCB). Direct-write printing methods offer the opportunity to additively fabricate the circuitization and interconnects needed to replace wire-bonds and solder connected packages. Electrical interconnects can be printed directly onto the pads of a bare IC chip and seamlessly connected to circuitization that can also be fabricated using the same direct-write printing methods. Furthermore, other circuit components such as resistors, capacitors and inductors can be fabricated and/or connected to printed circuitization using similar methods. The fabrication of such printed hybrid electronics (PHE) requires the ability to direct-write print both circuitization and interconnects along with creating smooth transitions onto and off different surfaces containing the needed electrical connections. Such smooth transitions between surfaces at different levels can be fabricated by printing a structural feature (referred to as a fillet) along the edge of the bare die. It is also possible to fabricate resistors, inductors and capacitors. The fabrication of all of these features and devices requires the ability to precisely print a known and controllable volume of material at specific positions. The fabrication of structural features will be presented and discussed in detail. The fabrication of circuit components that can be embedded /integrated into the fabrication of direct-write printed electronic circuits will also be presented.