Electronic systems packaging: future reliability challenges

Abstract Packaging has a dominant effect on electronic system cost, performance, weight, size and long term reliability. Recent years have therefore seen rapid developments in packaging to meet the challenges of miniaturisation and cost reduction while delivering increased electrical performance and reliability. Meeting the reliability demands posed by these developments already presents major challenges to the reliability practitioner. However, the technology roadmaps for integrated circuits and electronic systems imply a continuous increase in the scale of existing challenges while emerging component and system technologies, such as optical interconnections and microsystems, will present completely new challenges. These emerging challenges will mean that the reliability practitioner will increasingly be involved from the very first phases of component or system conception and design all the way through to production and “green” disposal. Further, to ensure that reliability targets are realistically set and met, the reliability practitioner will increasingly function as part of a multidisciplinary team, many of whose members may not belong to the traditional electronics disciplines. By examining current reliability challenges and by the use of technology roadmaps, this paper tries to forecast future reliability challenges in electronic packaging. In the context of this paper the term “Packaging” is used to encompass the various assembly and interconnection technologies and techniques which are used to build an electronic component or system.