VISION

To provide a comprehensive fundamental to prototype laboratory structure that enables and supports;

• Hands-on courses for undergraduate, graduate students
• Fundamental research for Ph.D students as well as exploring new packaging research concepts for ultra-miniaturized system technologies based on SOP concepts
• Strategic research needs for visiting students, scholars and industry sponsors
• Interdisciplinary and integration research for demonstrating proof-of-concept prototypes ranging from substrates to modules to systems that include technologies spanning from design to fabrication to integration as well as assembly, test and reliability

STRATEGY

To offer a continuum of labs from academic blue-sky research to industry- mentored applied research and development, as well as hands-on educational programs, the Center offers a comprehensive Lab-to-Fab capability unlike any academic environment. By implementing a tiered approach to its laboratory structure that includes Fundamental, Small Scale Integration, and Large Area Integration test bed and prototype laboratories, the Center is able to effectively carry out its basic research, education, and technology - transfer missions.

Fundamental Research Laboratories:
Georgia Tech has a vast array of Micro and Nano-electronic laboratories on its campus. These laboratories support fundamental research in various disciplines and technology themes needed to realize SOP-based systems. Students and faculty use these labs set up and maintained with support from the GT, Sponsors and the PRC. Working with Center Core Faculty , the PRC programs benefit from access to various fundamental labs from throughout the campus that include;

• Thermal Technologies by Prof Joshi, ME
• Advanced Materials by Prof CP Wong, MSE
• Optical Technologies by Prof. GK Chang, ECE
• Semiconductor Processes by Prof. Meindl, ECE
• RF Measurement by Prof S. Ralph, ECE
• Mixed Signal Design and Test by Prof. M. Swaminathan, ECE
• Mechanical Design and Reliability by Prof. S. Sitaraman, ME

NanoScale materials, processes and components Research Laboratories: The SOP concept is all about nanoscale technologies for every type of component for digital, RF, Optical, Thermal Management and MEMS and sensor functions. To explore these from design to demonstration, the PRC utilizes the Nano-electronics Center (NRC), a campus-wide resource for GT researchers.

These labs support the successive exploration and integration of fundamental research discoveries into multidisciplinary, small area test vehicles. This research facility, housed in the NRC on the Georgia Tech campus and located in the Marcus and Petit buildings houses 25,500 sq/ft of cleanroom, class 100 to class 10 for micro-nanoelectronic device fabrication as well as 5,000 square feet of biological cleanroom space. It is here that researchers demonstrate and integrate fundamental research innovations in Optoelectronics, Integral Passives, and High Density Wiring processes on a small-scale basis prior to implementation in large-area prototypes in PRC’s test bed labs. These nano labs, in addition, have characterization, metrology, and chemical processing tools for bio-electronic applications. These labs include traditional semiconductor processing equipment such as:

PRC Large Area, System Integration and Test Bed Laboratories
These laboratories enable the Center to demonstrate and integrate innovations in designs, materials, processes, and new tools by utilizing proof-of-concept system level test vehicles. This group of laboratories consists of the SOP Package Design Laboratory, the SOP Substrate Fabrication Laboratory, and the SOP Assembly Laboratory. Together, these laboratories provide a total of 17,850 square feet of laboratory space dedicated to large area, next-generation prototype research. Additionally, these laboratories are the key-differentiating factor separating the PRC from other traditional academic research programs. It is in these laboratories that the results of fundamental research efforts are integrated into cross-disciplinary, functional sub-systems, or system level, proof-of-concept prototypes. In addition to this critical research validation, these laboratories provide opportunities not elsewhere available for practical, hands-on education for students and for industry engineers.

SOP Packaging Design Lab
This facility consists of 3,500 square feet of laboratory space used for the design of high performance packages and interconnects. Managed by Prof. M. Swaminathan tools include Microwave CAD Tools, Design Workstations, Cascade Substrate Probe Station, A cluster of SUN workstations with CAD software for the physical design, modeling, analysis, and simulation of packages. In addition, the facility also supports high speed; time-domain measurement equipment for the characterization of interconnects and packages with 50 GHz Digital O-Scope, 20Ghz Sampling Heads, LCR Meter, High Speed Pulse Generator, Impulse Forming Network Analyzers.

SOP Substrate & Systems Integration Lab
This is a class 1,000 clean room maintained at 68F and relative humidity of 35%. This test bed and prototype research laboratory enables the processing of 300 mm substrates and interposers such as organic, glass and silicon with; Via Formation and Metallization, High Density Wiring (HDW), Cavities and Integral Passives components. Process capabilities in this laboratory include substrate cleaning and preparation, polymer deposition of wet films by either spin or meniscus coating, polymer deposition of dry films, soft bake and final film curing, full field photolithography and laser ablation for feature development, and feature inspection and measurement, both electrolytic and electro-less plating electrolytic copper gold, nickel and solder, which will enable metallization of substrates to the parameters defined in PRC's research program. Equipment includes:

SOP Assembly & Reliability Lab
The SOP Module Assembly Laboratory provides a class 100,000 to class 10,000 environments enabling the research and process integration needed to assemble functional sub-system test vehicles. In this laboratory, substrates processed in the SOP Substrate Fabrication are assembled into a complete sub-system prior to thermal cooling assembly and reliability testing. Current process capabilities of this facility include precision stencil printing, plasma substrate cleaning, precision chip and component placement and bonding by various techniques, component and substrate inspection via X-ray and acoustical measurement, materials dispense, reliability testing, and material or process characterization. Tools in this lab include:

INDUSTRY MATERIALS, TOOLS, SOFTWARE AND PROCESS SERVICE SUPPORT

The PRC offers various opportunities for companies to participate in Infrastructure support. These include:

• Infrastructure Partnership – on a consignment basis, and working with industry, the PRC Testbed and Prototype laboratories offer companies a mechanism to apply their materials, tools, and process services to create leading-edge, next-generation prototypes, enabling industry to understand the future needs and demonstrate their infrastructure capabilities, in a zero out-of-pocket, neutral environment
• By providing highly discounted purchases for unique critical equipment – in situations where budgets permit, the Center funds critical equipment purchases which can be included during the proposal submission process
• University-Industry Technology Ecosystem for Packaging (UnITE PAC) – a low cost infrastructure development and connectivity program where industry and academia openly share information and connect via a unique web and face-to-face environment.
• Supply Chain Membership in Research Consortia - companies can offset membership costs with “In-kind” of program critical materials, tools, software, and process services.