SBIR Phase I: Manufacturable Implementation of Thin Glass for Next Generation Electronics Packaging

The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project is that enabling processing thin glass substrates for next generation communications and packaging needs will mean faster communications with improved power efficiency. Society has an ever-expanding need for data, due to technologies such as mobile communications, cloud computing, the Internet of Things (IoT), and the shift of communication to higher frequencies (1s-10s of GHz). As the frequency increases, traditional material choices, such as silicon, can experience very high losses and therefore there is increasing interest in using insulating materials, such as glass, to improve power efficiency. Similarly, as device size is also important, ability to process thin materials is also critical. Successful completion of this work will enable cost-effective processing of thin glass substrates and enable next generation communication initiatives impacting commercial, military and industrial markets. This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project is proposed to enable processing thin glass substrates in high volume environments. There has been substantial interest in using glass for next generation RF and packaging solutions for many years due to its advantageous material properties, and scalability. Of particular interest is the dielectric properties, which provide low electrical loss solutions relative to incumbent materials such as silicon. Furthermore, the smoothness, hermetic properties and scalability of glass provides additional advantages over materials such as ceramics and organic laminates. There has been a lot of progress in establishing processes to form thin glass and make precision through glass vias (TGV), as well as demonstrating advantaged functional performance in a lab environment. There has been a challenge to establish the ability to scale to high volume for thin glass solutions due to gaps in the supply chain. This SBIR project will establish a process that enables a carrier solution using a silicon carrier that will allow processing of glass in existing infrastructure making thin glass solutions available to the current well established and capable supply chain. 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.