A multi-institution research consortium led by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has published a framework for advancing polymer-based semiconductor packaging materials, directly addressing reliability deficiencies affecting sensors and electronic control units (ECUs) in harsh automotive environments.
Background
As transistor scaling approaches physical limits, the industry faces mounting packaging challenges-from mechanical stress and distortion to environmental degradation and failure mechanisms-while polymer-based packaging materials have emerged as critical factors in reliability, performance, and cost. For the automotive sector, the stakes are compounded by regulatory requirements: automotive chips must withstand temperatures from -40°C to 150°C, demonstrate exceptional reliability over 15-year lifespans, and comply with rigorous standards such as AEC-Q100 and ISO 26262.
Reliability of advanced microelectronic packaging has become the top priority across multiple semiconductor growth markets, including automotive, industrial, and cloud computing. Yet systematic tools for characterizing and predicting polymer behavior under these conditions remain fragmented. Coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) mismatch in polymer-based packaging materials is widely acknowledged as a primary contributor to temperature-induced sensor drift, while recent experimental findings indicate that moisture ingress at the packaging interface can induce plastic deformation, exacerbating nonlinear drift in long-term bias.
Research Details
Published in IEEE Transactions on Components, Packaging and Manufacturing Technology (Vol. 15, No. 10, pp. 2071-2082, 2025), the paper is authored by researchers from NIST, North Carolina State University, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, ASE, Intel, Innocentrix, and Binghamton University. The work outlines critical challenges and opportunities related to polymer-based "soft" materials in advanced semiconductor packaging, with emphasis on polymer science, measurement science (metrology), and the strategic development of research-grade test materials (RGTMs). These efforts aim to advance the fundamental understanding of structure-property-processing relationships, promote standardized characterization guidelines, and accelerate qualification of next-generation packaging materials.
A central output of the initiative is the development of open, nonproprietary benchmark polymers. NIST is pioneering RGTMs-open polymer systems that allow researchers across industry, academia, and government to compare results, improve reproducibility, and feed reliable data into computational models, a capability with direct relevance to automotive qualification workflows. Co-author William Chen, Chair of the IEEE Heterogeneous Integration Roadmap, stated: "Modeling without metrology is imagination."
The paper identifies cure kinetics, residual stress, viscoelastic behavior, and moisture reliability as the core technical domains requiring standardized test protocols. Delamination and cracking rank among the most common mechanical failure mechanisms, with delamination frequently observed at the interface between molding compounds and adjacent materials-failure modes driven primarily by CTE mismatch and temperature differentials between packaging layers. These failure modes are directly relevant to ADAS radar and lidar modules, power electronics gate drivers, and body domain controllers that cycle thermally during normal vehicle operation.
The authors emphasize the need for close collaboration among materials scientists, process engineers, and metrology experts to enable a holistic strategy, highlighting cross-sector partnerships among industry, academia, and government as essential to addressing pressing challenges in packaging materials and processes.
The research is funded in part through the CHIPS and Science Act framework. The CHIPS National Advanced Packaging Manufacturing Program has finalized $300 million in award funding under its first Notice of Funding Opportunity for advanced substrates and material research to Absolics Inc., Applied Materials Inc., and Arizona State University. Automotive end-use cases are explicitly cited among program targets, alongside high-performance computing, biomedical, and space applications.
Outlook
With some new packaging materials taking 10 to 25 years to reach production, the authors stress that early, collaborative work is essential. For Tier-1 automotive electronics suppliers, the practical implications are significant: RGTM benchmarks could streamline AEC-Q100 and ISO 26262 qualification by providing reproducible reference points during material selection. The industry increasingly recognizes the need for standardized benchmarks to correlate polymer performance, with NIST efforts also focused on rebuilding U.S.-based supply chains for packaging materials and creating shared databases of material properties. Cross-sector alignment among polymer formulators, module integrators, and certification bodies will be required before revised qualification routes can be formalized.
