Comparison of different interconnect technologies for high frequency applications

The technological capabilities of the existing interconnection technologies used at Bell-Alcatel are being analyzed with respect to the impact of the increasing bit rates for digital switching systems. A program was set up with IMEC (Interuniversity Microelectronic Center) to measure both the electrical performance and process capabilities of thick-film-interconnect, printed boards, and multiwire technology. The testing was done with bit rates up to 600 Mb/s. The work consisted of the following: simulation of the transmission behavior for different technologies; evaluation and determination of test vehicles for different technologies; actual manufacture of a number of interconnect test vehicles in different technologies, under controlled conditions; and measurement and comparison of the results with simulation up to a frequency of at least 10 GHz. Results are presented, and some conclusions are drawn. In particular, it is found that multiwire has intrinsically good features for high-speed interconnect and that multilayer technology is the compromise with the most stable characteristics