Underfills are used to stabilize solder bumps and more recently copper pillar interconnections.  The coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) mismatch between the silicon chip and the polymer-based semiconductor substrate causes fatigue in the interconnections as the package thermally cycles. Capillary underfills have been used for many years.  In the case of capillary ... [Click to Continue...]

This post will outline the next blog series on polymer challenges in electronic packaging.  Polymers are key enablers of electronic packaging.  For those new to electronics, the term “packaging” is used for the technology utilized to connect a semiconductor chip (or die) to various types of substrates and eventually to a multilayer printed circuit board (PCB).  Electronic ... [Click to Continue...]

Guest blog by Dr. Robert Humphreys If the US Department of Energy, US Department of Agriculture and the biofuels industry have their way, biofuels will dramatically alter American farming. Farmers will produce new crops entirely dedicated to supplying biomass feedstock for biofuels and bio-based chemicals in addition to traditional crops grown for human and livestock ... [Click to Continue...]

Guest Post by Dr. Robert Humphreys Much has been written about the potential to replace some or most of petroleum with biomass as a source of fuels and chemicals and the massive, reliable supply of biomass that will be needed to achieve this objective. Before we delve into this 2nd generation biomass feedstock challenge, it might be worthwhile to devote one post to some of the ... [Click to Continue...]

Guest Post by Dr. Robert Humphreys Just about anyone who has even a passing awareness of current events will have heard of the national priority to replace petroleum with renewable sources of energy as part of the vision to achieve “energy independence.” Biomass-derived fuels play a prominent role in the national plan. The United States Department of Energy (DOE) 2005 ... [Click to Continue...]