Status and trends for PWBs with embedded components

Increasing packaging density and the requirement for high performance electronic devices are driving high density interconnect (HDI) printed wiring board (PWB) technology towards utilization of the inner space of a PWB for component placement. Aspocomp has been manufacturing HDI PWBs at Salo for more than 5 years. The main focus has been on higher packaging density and on accommodating the needs of future chip packages. In volume production, cost and performance have to be balanced. As a result, manufacturing and material yields, process automation, the cost of materials and added value technologies like embedded passives are key considerations in meeting the high volume requirements of the marketplace. This paper describes how these parameters have evolved over time and how it has been possible to achieve the stringent tolerances required in the manufacturing processes.