Evaluation of SoftMountSM Technology for Use in Packaging UltraThinwall Ceramic Substrates

Quantitative in-use pressure measurements were taken from packaging ceramic substrates with the SoftMount^SM technology and two more traditional technologies, stuffing and tourniquet. Each technology was assessed using four separate mat materials. Mat selection enhanced the application of the SoftMount^SM technology through the reduced pressures applied to the substrate during packaging. High temperature and low temperature thermal cycling studies were performed on the canned converters for the three packaging technologies so that an evaluation could be made of converter durability. The SoftMount^SM packaging technology yielded the lowest pressures of all the processes studied, regardless of mat type. The laminar hybrid mat evaluated yielded the best combination of pressure and durability performance. Low temperature residual shear strengths following thermal cycling of the converters showed good correlation between the SoftMount^SM technology and the stuffing method. All three packaging methods, SoftMount^SM, stuffing, and tourniquet, yielded comparable high temperature residual shear strengths following thermal cycling.