Microwave Nanopackaging and Interconnects [From the Guest Editor's Desk]

It is a fact that, as interconnect feature sizes shrink, the resistivity of metal-based interconnect increases. This is due to surface and grain boundary scattering, while at increasing frequency the surface roughness becomes an additional source of loss. Furthermore, due to the rapid increases in current densities, wires, especially power and ground lines, become more and more vulnerable to electromigration. Future RF advanced packaging applications require new materials endowed of low electrical resistance, high reliability, chip-to-package interconnects, and improved thermal management; moreover, packaging polymers with improved mechanical properties are required.