Power Electronic Module Packaging at UA

The educational and research efforts in power electronic module packaging at the High Density Electronics Center (HiDEC), University of Arkansas (UA), are described in this paper. Two courses in microelectronic packaging have been offered since 1 994. As a result of these efforts, a multi-author edited t xtbook entitled “Advanced Electronic Packaging” was publis hed in 1997 [1] and its second edition was published in 2006 [2]. The first course is an undergraduate/graduate introductory course covering topics such as packagi ng materials, processing, electrical, thermal, mechani cal, and design aspects of electronic packaging, integrated passives, assembly technology, multichip/3D packagi ng, RF, power, and low-temperature co-fired ceramics packaging, reliability/analytical, and cost/evaluat ions. Some of these topics have a laboratory component to reinforce the students’ learning experience. For ex ample, the laboratory component for the power packaging lectures involves a laboratory demonstration of the power semiconductor die attachment using a solder alloy i n a chain furnace. Students are exposed to the die atta chment process, including the solder reflow profile and pr actical operation of the reflow furnace. This course has b een frequently taken by electrical engineering, mechani c l engineering, and microelectronic-photonics students over the years. The pre-requisite for this first course in microelectronic packaging is senior or graduate sta nding in engineering and science. Over the last 20 years , many highly motivated undergraduate engineering students have successfully completed this first course.