Epoxy Molding Compounds For Future AT&T Applications: Experimental Evaluation of Adhesive Strength.

Microelectronic devices are routinely encapsulated with epoxy molding compounds for environmental protection. The adhesive strength of the encapsulants is critical to the reliability of the package. In this study, this strength is evaluated for four epoxy molding compounds being considered for future AT&T applications. The adherends are copper, nickel, and gold and the adhesive strength is determined experimentally using a novel approach reported previously. Co-axial cylindrical specimens are used with metal inner cylinders and epoxy outer cylinders. This study is part of a larger effort to select one or more most promising epoxy molding materials(s) for future AT&T applications, and is carried out in accordance with a program developed earlier this year for the evaluation of mechanical properties and strength characteristics of candidate materials.