Details of Grant 

EPSRC Reference:	GR/R72310/01
Title:	Substrates to Enable Low Cost Flip-chip and Opto-electronic Device Manufacture
Principal Investigator:	Hutt, Dr DA
Other Investigators:	Williams, Dr K Conway, Professor P
Researcher Co-Investigators:
Project Partners:	Agilent Technologies Ltd Celestica Ltd Shipley Europe Ltd Thales Ltd
Department:	Manufacturing Engineering
Organisation:	Loughborough University
Scheme:	Standard Research (Pre-FEC)
Starts:	01 March 2002	Ends:	28 February 2003	Value (£):	33,553
EPSRC Research Topic Classifications:	Electronic Devices & Subsys.
EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications:	Electronics
Related Grants:
Panel History:
Summary on Grant Application Form
The manufacture of fine feature printed circuit boards (PCBs) capable of supporting the future demands of flip-chip assembly, represents a supply chain barrier to the high volume, low cost implementation of this technology. The current limitations are a result of the continued use of organic substrate materials with limited dimensional stability for which current micro-via formation techniques are restricted in their ability to form small diameter holes. The aim of this proposal is to investigate the feasibility of using novel glass materials as substrates for fine-feature PCB manufacture, employing excimer laser drilling and electroless copper metallisation to form micro-vias and copper interconnection tracks. This will not only allow the formation of fine feature devices, but also offers other advantages including thermal expansion matching with silicon ensuring compatibility with flip-chip assembly and improved environmental disposal costs.In addition to the use of glass as a substrate material for conventional electrical device manufacture, this proposal also aims to use the optical transparency of the glass as a means to transmit optical signals through the substrate enabling optical interconnection between light emitting and detecting devices. This work will, therefore, also investigate the feasibility of forming micro-lenses and waveguides on the glass substrates for the purpose of transmitting signals between components and for low cost interconnection to optical fibres.
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Organisation Website:	http://www.lboro.ac.uk