Microsystems for medical applications

The different 3D interconnection techniques have been initially applied to memories for a couple of main reasons market and easiness. With the development of a 3D technique from 1988, first at THOMSON-CSF and after at 3D PLUS, other criteria have been taken in account: stacking of the heterogeneous components, civilian applications which could be ruggedized later, and very low cost compatible with communication, automotive and medical applications. To allow this, each of the six operations of the flow chart are derived from large scale manufacturing in connected domains: devices are mounted into foils, taken from the smart cards manufacturing "Reel to Reel process" developed by GEMPLUS, same plastic moulding than the encapsulation technique of dice into plastic packages, plating identical to the metallized holes process in the printed circuit board industry, and laser etching by the mean of a YAG marking laser.