Flomerics' MicReD Subsidiary to Play Major Role in Microelectronics Thermal Research Project "NANOPACK"
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(February 26, 2008) - Flomerics' MicReD subsidiary will play a major role in the recently-announced European-funded "NANOPACK" project (www.nanopack.org) which aims to address thermal barriers to continued performance increases in semiconductors and power electronics by developing new technologies and materials for low thermal resistance interfaces and electrical interconnects.
Transistor downscaling is forcing a focus on heterogeneous integration and 3D packaging technologies to improve performance by reducing interconnect length between memory and multi-core logic. In order to remove heat from the intricate layered assemblies, low-resistance thermal interfaces need to be combined with high-density electrical interconnects. Power electronics applications in hybrid vehicles and power supplies are reaching integration densities that are already limited by the ability to transfer heat across interfaces to liquid coolers and heat sinks.
The NANOPACK consortium will explore systems such as carbon nanotubes, nanoparticles and nano-structured surfaces using different contact-enhancing mechanisms combined with high-volume compatible manufacturing technologies such as electro-spinning. Recent groundbreaking work on nested channel interfaces will be utilized to exploit the beneficial properties of the new materials. Simulation with world-class supercomputers will support the development of experimental test structures to measure the performance of new interface technologies and validate design tools. Finally, improved performance will be demonstrated in several different applications including high-power radio-frequency switches, microprocessors and hybrid vehicle power electronics.
Within the NANOPACK project, MicReD and Budapest University of Technology & Economics (BUTE) will collaborate to create an intelligent micro-scale tester for thermal interface materials enabling thermal resistance measurements with at least one order of magnitude higher accuracy than is possible today. The new tester will be based on T3Ster, MicReD's world-leading transient test equipment for semiconductor chip package thermal characterization.
The project results will be disseminated through the organization of yearly public NANOPACK workshops in connection with the existing THERMINIC Workshops.
The NANOPACK project is coordinated by THALES Research & Technology. Other partners in the project are Robert Bosch GmbH, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (IEMN), Chalmers Tekniska Hoegskola AB, Electrovac AG, FOAB Electronik AB, Fraunhofer IZM, IBM Research GmbH, Fundacio Privada Institut Catala de Nanotecnologia, Berliner Nanotest und Design GmbH, THALES Avionics SA and Valtion Teknillinen Tutkimuskeskus (VTT)
About MicReD
MicReD (Microelectronics Research and Development) started as a spin-off company created by researchers in the Department of Electron Devices in Budapest University of Technology & Economics (BUTE). MicReD is now part of Flomerics Group, and focuses on the thermal characterization of integrated circuit packages, MCMs and printed circuit boards. MicReD provides different software and hardware tools in this field as well as measurement services, consulting and contract research. MicReD's "flagship" product is the T3Ster® (pronounced "Trister") - advanced transient temperature measurement equipment enabling rapid and extremely accurate thermal characterization of IC packages. Visit MicReD's Web site at www.micred.com
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