The performance of epoxy/boron nitrade/cordierite underfill materials: single system

Abstract

This study focuses on optimizing single filler systems for hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) and cordierite (COR) to evaluate their distinct impacts on the performance of epoxy underfill materials in microelectronic packaging. Epoxy’s thermal conductivity is a constraint to the epoxy’s heat dissipation at high power densities. Furthermore, high filler loadings often hinder the mechanical integrity of epoxy and the processability of epoxy underfills for microelectronics. This study investigates the balance between processing constraints and functional improvements by analysing the effects of filler loadings. The study aims to manage the trade-offs among thermal conductivity, glass transition temperature, coefficient of thermal expansion, and rheological behavior, as well as form the structural and electrical integrity of the underfills, through their mechanical strength and dielectric properties. The study examines the surface interactions of the fillers, the physical appearance of the fillers, and their surface chemistries, as they impact the epoxy and dictate the fillers’ dispersion and the interfacial bonding between the fillers and the epoxy matrix. The information the study considers affects the performance of the fillers and is a metric for the performance of underfills in a targeted design of specialized semiconductors.