Synopses & Reviews
Electronic materials are the actual semiconductors, plastics, metals and ceramics that make up the chips and packages from which we construct today’s cell phones, palmtops, and PDAs. The switch in applications from PCs to smaller communications devices has driven the micro-miniaturization trend in electronics, which in turn has created a new set of challenges in creating materials to meet their specifications. This new edition, the first update of the handbook since 1993, is a complete rewrite, reflecting the great importance of engineering materials for thermal management and flexibility and micro-miniature sizes. This new handbook will be an invaluable tool to anyone working electronic packaging, fabrication, or assembly design.
Review
The electronics industry has seen an ever-increasing number of new materials, manufacturing methods, and packaging concepts for producing a constant stream of new and amazing products such as digital cameras, DVD camcorders, DVD burners, PC, PDA, GPS, wireless communications, etc. The list can keep going. And what is really amazing is that all of these devices are constantly being developed to improve performance, decrease size, and lower cost. The creative and ingenious ideas would not be possible without the continuous research and development of new materials and fabrication techniques used in the electronics industry. For example, the discovery and development of new materials (low-k dielectrics and SiC)enables higher speed and higher temperature electronics. Conductive plastic composites are used for RFI/EMI shielding and other types of inherently conductive plastics are used in chemical sensing. New coatings protect PC boards, and new deposition processes and multilayer board layouts and board materials allow for a much higher packing density, resulting in very small packages. New materials and layouts are also used for increasing the thermal capacity of devices.
This third edition, reflecting recent dramatic changes that have occurred since the previous edition, is broken down into three main parts. The first set of chapters covers materials critical to electronics, including semiconductors, plastics, elastomers, composites, glasses, ceramics, and various metals. The following set of chapters describes materials and interconnection processes. These include circuit board and processing, metallic coatings, electroplating, adhesives, underfills, and coatings for assemblies. The final chapter describes packaging materials for thermal management and factors determining thermal resistance.
Each chapter is loaded with practical graphs, illustrations, photographs, and information written by experts in the field and would be useful to materials scientists, engineers, and anyone who needs up-to-date information on materials and processes critical to the electronics industry.
Review
Charlie Harper's popular handbook is now appearing in its 3rd edition (copyright 2004). Since edition No. 2 issued in 1994 there have been remarkable changes in electronic designs and packages that triggered new material requirements and the introduction of novel materials and processes. So it is very timely to have an updated reference source like the
Electronic Materials and Processes Handbook for engineers and scientist who work in this field and are looking for practical material data, guide lines, manufacturing methods, design and application criteria, as well as performance criteria and limits. It should be mentioned that this book is also a valuable resource for novices and non-technical people who want to gain some insight into electronic materials and processes. Such readers will enjoy Charles Cohn's Chapter 1 on the development and Fabrication of IC Chips. It starts with the atomic structure of elements, reminisces about the vacuum tube, leads to semiconductor theory, the first integrated circuits made by Jack Kilby and Robert Noyce, and a good overview of the IC fabrication process.
The following chapters cover basic materials and processes associated with these materials: Chapter 2 (Karl F. Schoch, Jr., Northrop Grumman) is an excellent overview of Plastics, Elastomers, and Composites, offering tables with material properties, terms and definitions, trade names, and material/structure correlation. The following two chapters cover CeramicsandGlasses, and Metals. The remaining six chapters are grouped around technologies, material systems, and fabrication processes such as Solder Technology, Electroplating, Printed Circuit Board Fabrication, Hybrid Microelectronics and Multichip Modules, Electronic Assembly Materials (adhesives, underfills, and coatings), and Thermal Management Materials and Systems.
Charles Harper succeeded (as usual!) to persuade world experts from industry and academia to contribute to the ten chapters, such as Barry Burns and Christy Marinelli (Henkel Loctite) for Electronic Assembly Materials and Mike Carano (Electrochemicals) for Printed Circuit Board Fabrication.
Each chapter concludes with an extensive list of references for those who want to dig deeper. A well-organized seventeen pages long index helps the reader to navigate through the handbook. It is difficult to find fault with this publication, so I won't try to. Oh yes, I was missing the sequential numerals to mark the pages, but I did get used to the decimal structure of chapters and sub-chapters!
Review
'a \'Must Read\'
Charles A. Harper, the ongoing editor-in-chief, has once again made a great reference book even better. This functional 800 page hardcover book with 400 illustrations (the first update since 1993) is a complete rewrite. Its pages reflect the great importance of engineering materials for thermal management, flexibility and micro-miniature sizes. It should be an invaluable tool to anyone working in electronic component or PWB fabrication, packaging, assembly or design. It will likely be the best $125 investment you make this year.
The materials and processes covered range from those for semiconductor fabrication to the plastics, metals and ceramics used in the chips and packages that enable the ever-smaller mobile – as well as mainstream products that we all depend on. The ongoing transition from desktop PCs and hardwired telephones to a diverse mix of smaller dedicated communications and entertainment devices is driving the miniaturization.
Chapter 8, which is about materials and processes for hybrids and multichip modules, is of particular value – and Chapter 9, which looks at the probing of adhesives, underfills and the coatings in electronics assemblies, is of particular interest.
Written by a team of experts from around the globe, this indispensable volume reflects the importance of engineering materials for thermal management. Thus, no matter, whether your work includes electronic packaging, fabrication, or assembly design, Electronic Materials and Processes Handbook will help you master the growing demands of microminiaturization. '
Synopsis
Electronic materials are the actual semiconductors, plastics, metals and ceramics that make up the chips and packages from which we construct todays cell phones, palmtops, and PDAs. The switch in applications from PCs to smaller communications devices has driven the micro-miniaturization trend in electronics, which in turn has created a new set of challenges in creating materials to meet their specifications. This new edition, the first update of the handbook since 1993, is a complete rewrite, reflecting the great importance of engineering materials for thermal management and flexibility and micro-miniature sizes. This new handbook will be an invaluable tool to anyone working electronic packaging, fabrication, or assembly design.
About the Author
Charles A. Harper is President of Technology Seminars, Inc., of Lutherville, Maryland, an organization dedicated to presentation of educational seminars in the field of electronic packaging and materials. He has authored over a dozen well known books in the field and is among the founders and past presidents of the International Microelectronics and Packaging Society. He is also Series Editor for the McGraw-Hill Electronic Packaging and Interconnection Series. Mr. Harper is a graduate of The Johns Hopkins School of Engineering, where he also served as Adjunct Professor.
Table of Contents
Chapter 1: Development and Fabrication of IC ChipsChapter 2: Plastics, Elastomers, and CompositesChapter 3: Ceramics and GlassesChapter 4: MetalsChapter 5: Solder Technologies for Electronic Packaging and AssemblyChapter 6: Electroplating and Deposited Metallic CoatingsChapter 7: Printed Circuit Board FabricationChapter 8: Materials and Processes for Hybrid Microelectronics and Multichip ModulesChapter 9: Adhestives Underfills, and Coatings in Electronics AssembliesChapter 10: Thermal Management Materials and Systems Index