LCP injection molded packages - keys to JEDEC 1 performance

The LCP (liquid crystal polymer) is a class of high performance, high temperature thermoplastic polymers which can be formulated to provide injection molding compounds having properties uniquely advantageous for electronic cavity packages. This paper presents three physical, electrical, and thermal characteristics of the base materials. The packages described include a thermally enhanced LDMOS made of LCP using a three tier assembly system, partially matched RF packages based on the electrical properties of LCP, and leaded packages using a 48 and 52 pin CCD/CMOS configurations as models. While LCP has an outstanding array of properties which make it advantageous for electronic applications, there is a notable disadvantage adhesion. Solutions to this problem can be found in the careful compounding and formulation of the LCP molding material. Formulation of the compounds and process techniques and controls are the keys to LCP package performance. The steps from starting materials to assembled packages are described in this paper.