Shrinking integrated circuits a big deal for microelectronics
Using a micropipette nozzle the researchers can make tiny wire bonds to connect integrated chips using a direct-write technique (Image: L. Brian Stauffer)
Article Summary
The miniaturization of electronics has seen the wiring of connections between chips and circuit boards become a substantial obstacle. Such connections are traditionally made from pre-fabricated metal wires that connect to a designated bonding pad on a chip. However, many microelectronic devices are much smaller than the required 50-by-50 micron square bonding site, prohibiting integrated functions on a very small scale. Engineers at the University of Illinois have now developed a novel direct-writing method for manufacturing metal interconnects that could enable the further shrinking of integrated circuits and expand microelectronics.
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