Dual-Functioning Glass Interposer with Low Substrate Loss

Glass Functions as an Interconnecting Layer and Hosting Medium for High Quality Radio Frequency Components

This glass interposer replaces traditionally used silicon in integrated circuits and system-on-package (SOP) platforms. Silicon interposer technology is subject to high substrate loss in the radio frequency/microwave range and is costly to manufacture. University of Florida researchers have discovered a glass interposer that provides the unique advantage of dual functionality as a hosting medium for high quality radio frequency (RF) components and the conventional use as an interconnecting layer. The glass interposer would be a good hosting medium for high quality RF components such as bandpass filters, integrated antennas and supporting modern devices required for SOP and system-on-a-chip (SOC) technologies. Therefore, this improved interposer is applicable to a range of electronic products including inductors, capacitors, resonators, antennas, and transformers.

Application

Glass interposer as hosting medium and interconnecting layer in system-on-package and system-on-a-chip systems

Advantages

• Provides low substrate loss in RF range, improving on traditionally used silicon
• Reduces material costs, lowering associated manufacturing expenses
• Improves mechanical robustness in SOP and SOC systems, allowing high quality interconnection
• Combines with substrate integrated waveguide and metamaterial architectures, offering superior functional devices such as compact, multiband resonators, filters, and antennas

Technology

The glass interposer layer can be fabricated using the Corning fusion process. This process produces a pristine surface in addition to a thin and strong glass. Through glass vias (TGV) can be formed by laser drilling, reactive ion etching, or electrical discharge. The dual functionality of the interposer allows for integration of high quality RF components such as metamaterial circuits and substrate integrated waveguides on the glass layer. When combined with these advanced microwave technologies, the interposer allows device compactness and superior interconnect architecture that can’t be achieved with currently used silicon interposers.