Deployment of state-of-the-art technology for implantable medical systems

This paper describes the development approach for HIREL electronic applications that require further size, weight and cost reductions while their performance and reliability are improved in parallel. The project was divided into three parts. system/product design, component engineering and assembly process development This paper will focus on the top-down product design process that led to a concept where an entire new technology portfolio for manufacturing electronic packages was tailored to components, processes, and materials to allow an optimum fit: modular matching as a result of synergistic engineering. An electrostimulation device was selected as the test vehicle for implementation of these technologies because of ifs specific reliability and miniaturization requirements. 3D packaging was achieved using laminate rigid-flex substrate carriers (HDI MCM-L). An entire chip set was converted to SMT-compatible CSPs based on a waferlevel thinfilm redistribution process (CSP-WL). Already mature manufacturing technologies were chosen for both component engineering projects For the automated assembly of Multi-CSP Modules, an in-line assembly concept was implemented for all passive and active components.