Modeling of Thermal Stress in Microelectronic and Photonic Structures: Role, Attributes, Challenges, and Brief Review

Abstract

The role and the attributes of, and challenges in, the predictive modeling of the thermomechanical behavior of microelectronic and photonic structures (packages) are addressed. Merits, shortcomings and interaction of theoretical and experimental approaches are discussed, as well as the role and the interaction of the analytical (“mathematical”) and numerical (computer-aided) modeling. We briefly review the published work in the field, with an emphasis on the analytical modeling of the thermally induced stresses and displacements. The review is based, to a great extent, on the author’s research conducted during his eighteen years tenure with Bell Laboratories, Physical Sciences and Engineering Research Division, Murray Hill, New Jersey. The major message of the article is that a viable and reliable optoelectronic product can be successfully created and delivered to the market in a timely fashion only provided that predictive modeling, whether analytical or numerical, is widely and effectively used, in addition and, preferably, prior to experimental investigations and testing.