Thermally resilient conformal hybrid interconnects printed with Aerosol Jet

Summary

The article presents an aerosol jet printing method for creating thermally reliable hybrid interconnects capable of overcoming vertical steps using a conformal dielectric architecture.

Why it matters

Hybrid electronics require robust interconnects that can withstand high temperatures and complex topographies; this work demonstrates a scalable solution by employing thermally stable dielectrics such as benzocyclobutene. Maintaining electrical performance after exposure up to 300 °C and multiple thermal cycles addresses a critical reliability bottleneck in advanced packaging.

Highlights

• Printed silver interconnects, supported by a thin dielectric layer and a compact corner, surpass vertical steps up to 2 mm.
• Electrical performance remains stable after a single exposure at 300 °C, as well as after 30 cycles at 250 °C and 100 cycles at 150 °C.
• The conformal architecture reduces material usage while providing geometric scalability for densely multi-stepped structures.

Critical take

The study focuses on thermal reliability but does not address long-term mechanical fatigue or environmental aging; these factors could affect the durability of printed interconnects in real-world applications.