MMS Announces New Multichip Substrate Technology; Implementation of Dow Cyclotene Boosts Performance and Reduces Cost.

DENVER--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Apr. 16, 1996--MCM '96/MicroModule Systems (MMS) announced today at the opening of the 5th International Conference and Exhibition on Multichip Modules (MCM '96) that it had completed qualification of a new substrate technology for multichip modules based upon copper and benzocyclobutene (BCB).

The new substrates provide a high-density interconnect for multichip modules, which are used in workstations, PCs, notebooks, and other products requiring a combination of high performance and small form factors.

MMS, a leading CPU subsystem manufacturer, implemented the new BCB substrate technology in partnership with the Dow Chemical Company. Dow markets BCB under the Cyclotene trademark. The qualification vehicle was a new implementation of MicroModule's TwinStar dual Pentium processor module, designed for desktop multiprocessing applications.

"The qualification of BCB provides a path for significantly lower costs and higher performance for our MCM customers," said Michael I. Grove, MicroModule Systems chairman and CEO. "By teaming with Dow Chemical, MMS has been able to integrate advanced materials technology into our thin film foundry in under two years."

Joseph Carr, global business director for Dow's Advanced Electronic Materials Group, said, "This joint effort is an example of Dow Chemical's commitment to achieving significant cost reduction and performance enhancement in electronic device fabrication and packaging applications. Working with our customers, these goals are achieved by combining materials science and processing know-how."

The Dow BCB is a photosensitive dielectric material that enables MMS to eliminate several process steps, and to build multilayer thin film substrates with 20% lower costs than the company's standard polyimide-based process. BCB has a dielectric constant of 2.65, which enables faster signal time of flight when compared with similar structures built using polyimide (dielectric constant of 3.5), cofired ceramic (dielectric constant of 9.5), or printed wire board (dielectric constant of 4.7).

Typical implementations of BCB in MicroModule Systems D-series thin film substrates feature 10 micron line widths, dielectric thickness ranging from 3 to 10 microns, and inter-layer connections (vias) 20 microns in diameter. By contrast, typical PC board traces are 5 mils wide (127 microns) on a 250 micron pitch.

Availability of multilayer BCB-based substrates is immediate. Qualified substrate materials include 150mm aluminum and glass wafers. MicroModule Systems has also made BCB performance data available to both Mentor Graphics Corporation and Tanner Research for use in their MCM design systems.

The MMS substrate foundry is also implementing a large area panel (LAP) substrate process using copper and BCB for high-volume MCM applications. This new form factor, coupled with the implementation of BCB, will enable MicroModule Systems to greatly expand its capacity throughout 1997 while continuing to reduce costs.

MicroModule Systems, Inc. is the world's largest fully merchant manufacturer of multichip subsystems and interconnect solutions. The ISO 9001-certified company has successfully completed over 200 unique MCM designs for customers in the computer systems, semiconductor, communications, defense and aerospace industries. Located in Cupertino, California, MicroModule Systems provides standard, custom, and enabling technology products for its customers.

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Note to Editors: Pentium is a registered trademark of Intel Corporation. Cyclotene is a registered trademark of the Dow Chemical Company. All other trademarks are the property of their respective holders. For a SEM (scanning electron microscopy) view of a BCB substrate cross section contact Howard Green of MicroModule Systems at [phone]. For more information about Cyclotene resins, contact Dow's customer service center at (800) 441-4DOW or via email at [e-mail]

CONTACT: MicroModule Systems, Inc.

Howard Green, 408/864-5986

[e-mail]

or

Miller Communications

Ann Stowe, 415/962-9550

[e-mail]

or

The Dow Chemical Company

Beth Middleton, 517/636-2474

[e-mail]