Wide Temperature Cycling Tolerant Electronic Packaging Substrates

Planetary exploration missions require electronics packaging that can withstand extreme temperatures and numerous temperature cycles (-230C to +350C). The present project proposes a novel metallized ceramic substrates that could potentially withstand these temperature extremes and serve as reliable packaging platforms. Phase I research will be aimed at confirming this - new metallized ceramic substrates will be subjected to severe thermal cycling tests and any change in metallization adhesion to ceramic or change in electrical properties will be quantified. If Phase I is successful, we will proceed to addressing the other important issues, like etching, plating, wire bonding and die bonding to new substrates to result in a demonstrator package capable of withstanding the extreme thermal cycling.

Potential commercial applications are quite extensive and include many related to green power semiconductor packaging that can save electric power or produce one from renewable sources. Examples include LED packaging, thermoelectric generators and coolers, concentrated photovoltaic elements and high temperature wide bandgap semiconductor packaging applications.

Planetary exploration missions to the Moon and Mars, both manned and unmanned will require electronic modules that are packaged to withstand extreme temperature variations (-230C to +350C. New metallized ceramic substrates will present a reliable packaging platform for such electronics.

This is early/mid-stage (TRL 5) — the most realistic path in is NASA SBIR/STTR, which funds small businesses and research institutions to develop technology aligned with NASA's needs (equity-free, phased funding). Check whether a current SBIR/STTR solicitation topic overlaps with this project's technology area, or contact the project directly (above) to ask.

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