This conference paper was submitted for presentation at the NAFEMS World Congress 2025, held in Salzburg, Austria from May 19–22, 2025.

Abstract

C. Koesemek (AT&S), S. Waschnig (AT&S), Brenda L. (AT&S), Stadlhofer Barbara (AT&S), M. Frewein (AT&S), P. Fuchs (PCCL). Integrated Circuit Substrates (ICS) are critical in modern electronics, supporting higher speeds and greater functionality as devices become more compact. The trend towards miniaturization and embedding components within IC substrates is driven by the demand for smaller, more powerful devices. This requires precision in manufacturing and innovations in fabrication techniques to address challenges like thermal management, mechanical stress, and signal integrity. Therefore, Embedded Component Packaging (ECP®) technology leads this trend by embedding components within the IC substrate layers, saving space and enhancing performance. However, miniaturization increases mechanical stress and warpage, affecting reliability. Simulations can help optimize the layer structures and material compositions to achieve the best performance with minimal warpage. Finite Element Method (FEM) simulations are essential for predicting and minimizing warpage in IC substrates, ensuring the reliability and performance of the final product. This study employs Finite Element Method (FEM) simulations and experimental measurements to analyze and predict warpage behavior in IC substrates with embedded component. A test vehicle was designed considering different embedded component configurations in order to validate the simulation by test. The investigation utilized several warpage measurement methods, including digital image correlation (DIC), shadow moiré, and 3D microscopy. The experimental results were then compared with the simulation results. Experimental data is collected to determine the local undulation level on the area of interest surface as well as the overall warpage level of the IC substrate. The IC substrate and embedded component were modeled using an advanced modeling technique known as the material homogenization approach. Using the material homogenization approach, embedded components were integrated by modeling three different materials within the same layer. This is a crucial part of the study, as these modeling methods enable the creation of a 3D solid model for complex IC substrate designs. The simulation results were compared with data from three different measurement methods. The strong agreement between the measured data and the simulation results clearly demonstrates that the IC substrate with embedded components can be effectively simulated using the presented material homogenization approach. Further work will also focus on the assessment of resin flow to scale the method to even more complex ICS structures including more build-up layers.