The Aerosol Jet HD2 prints millimeter wave interconnects with increased performance.
Electronic additive manufacturing company Optomec has introduced a new high performance semiconductor packaging solution for the millimeter wave (mmWave) electronics market. According to Optomec, the 3D Printed Interconnect solution will enable mmWave integrated circuits (ICs) with loss connections and improved circuit performance, including up to a 100 percent increase in transmitted mmWave signal power.
5G and the Next Generation of ICs
The average home or office currently uses wireless networks that operate at 5 GHz or lower. However, 5G-enabled technologies can operate at much higher frequencies. Unfortunately, as the frequency of the network increases, traditional manufacturing technologies—like connecting ICs with small gold wires—becomes less and less effective. This reduces the speed, performance, and reliability of the circuits.
mmWave ICs operate at frequencies roughly between 30 and 300 GHz. With most industries eager to realize the potential of 5G-enabled technology, ICs capable of meeting the demands of 5G need to be accessible and inexpensive to produce.
Optomec’s new Aerosol Jet process enables mmWave IC connections to be 3D printed, and the company claims that circuit performance remains close to traditional, etched copper traces on circuit boards. Optomec customers have already reported up to a 100 percent increase in transmitted signals for each mmWave circuit connection. The final product uses less energy, operates at lower temperatures, and has a larger range for wireless data transmission.
“Our customers are reporting some very impressive performance improvements for mm-Wave interconnects.” said Bryan Germann, Optomec Product Manager. “Customers across many industries using millimeter wave frequency bands are seeing the benefits of printing interconnects in lieu of standard wire or ribbon bonds. The benefit of shorter, better impedance matched transitions lower losses for each die-to-die or die-to-board transition. This leads to improvements in overall device efficiency and performance.”
Optomec’s Aerosol Jet System
Optomec’s Aerosol Jet technology prints nanoparticle conductive inks using extremely fine ink droplets. First, the printer atomizes the conductive ink into an aerosol. Next, the printer sorts the aerosolized droplets to eliminate any that are too small or too large for printing. The aerosol is then focused and printed in a beam ranging from ten microns to one millimeter in width. The nozzle shoots the aerosol beam at speeds of up to 100 m/s. The process allows conductive ink to be directly printed onto a circuit board with high precision and a near-zero impact force. The Optomec Aersol Jet HD2 printer supports this new application and is optimized for high-resolution printing and vision-based alignment. The printer itself can be integrated into existing manufacturing lines as it supports standardized automation.
With improvements in 3D printing technology, companies are beginning to realize the potential of manufacturing 3D printed electronics components. 3D printed ICs will help accelerate innovation across industries to ensure companies can integrate 5G-enabled technology into their products.
