Past and Present Research Topics within the Korean Micoelectronics and Packaging Using Social Network Analysis

Department of Material Science and Engineering, Yonsei University, 50, Yonsei-ro, Sedaemungu, Seoul 120-749, Korea(Received August 31, 2015: Corrected September 3, 2015: Accepted September 24, 2015)Abstract: After its inception in 1994, the Journal of the Microelectronics and Packaging Society has continued to makesignificant strides in the number and quality of publications within its field. The interest in the microelectronics andpackaging research has become more critical as consumer electronic products continue its increasing trend towards thinnerand lighter devices that tests the boundaries of electronic devices. This study utilizes social network analysis of allpublished literature in the Journal for the past 22 years. Using the keywords and abstracts available within each individualarticle, the publications within the Journal has focused on major topics covering ① flip chip, ② reliability, ③ Cu, ④IMC (intermetallic compounds), and ⑤ thin film. Using the social network relationship between keywords within articles,flip chip was closely associated with reliability, BGA (ball grid array), contact resistance, electromigration in many ofthe published research works within the Journal. From the centrality analysis, it was found that flip chip, reliability, Cu,thin film, IMC, and RF (radio frequency) to have a high degree of centrality suggesting these key areas of research haverelatively high connectivity with other research topics within the Journal and is central to many of the research fieldswithin the micro-electronics and packaging area. The cohesiveness analysis showed research clustering of five majorcohesive sub-groups and was mapped to better understand the major area of research within this field. Research withinthe field of micro-electronics and packaging converges many disciplines of science and engineering. The continuedevolution within this field requires an understanding of the rapidly changing industry environment and the consumer needs.Keywords: social network analysis, keyword co-occurrence, centrality, cohesive subgroup