6.9.2001
VTT’s new encapsulating method provides microcircuits with excellent protection
VTT has developed a new
liquid crystal technology-based encapsulating method for microcircuits. Encapsulating
microcircuits in liquid crystal thermoplastic provides them with excellent protection.
Compared with existing thermosetting plastic protection, the new method protects circuits
much better from heat, moisture, vibration and solvents, etc./The LCP (Liquid Crystal
Polymer) quickly solidifies to provide protection for a microcircuit. The encapsulation is
tension-free and can be precisely dimensioned using a metal casting-type process. It can
also be re-used.
Microcircuit encapsulation is of particular use in the automobile industry and in
flight and information technology. Industrial and consumer electronics production can also
be speeded up thanks to the method. Now it will be possible to start designing
microcircuits and electronics products for much more demanding conditions.
The development work for the basic encapsulation method was funded by the EU, VTT and
some advanced European electronics and chemical firms including Alcatel MIcroelectronics
(Belgium), Ticona (Germany) and 3D Plus (France) and Dexter Electronic Materials
(Germany), Coordinator of the main EU project "Advanced Plastic Encapsulation"
was National MIcroelectronics Research Centre (NMRC, Ireland).
LCP technology – which has been given impetus by VTT’s encapsulation process
– is now also being developed for use in structural parts of various information
technology products, for example. Nowadays, the greatest challenge is manufacturing mobile
phones and laptops using LCP - inorganic hybride materials or LCP-nanocomposites. Concept
of these new family of materials was invented by a scientist of Tampere University of
Technology (TUT) working together with VTT and being responsible of interdependence of
materials properties and molecular structure. The other major area is the LCP
encapsulation of micro sensors in the process and automobile industry. The Finnish
companies Eimo Oyj, Nokia Mobile Phones, Premix Oy, Savcor Oy and VTI Hamlin and TUT are
participating in the extended project financed jointly by Tekes, VTT and industrial
companies.
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For further information,
please contact:
Jouni Enqvist,
Senior Research Officer,
VTT Chemical Technology,
tel. + 358 (0)3 316 3580 or
+ 358 (0)50 596 3623
jouni.enqvist@vtt.fi
