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From: pape@leadsv.UUCP (Robin Pape)
Newsgroups: net.micro
Subject: Re: alternative to current circuit board technology
Message-ID: <414@leadsv.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 18-Apr-85 17:00:32 EST
Article-I.D.: leadsv.414
Posted: Thu Apr 18 17:00:32 1985
Date-Received: Mon, 22-Apr-85 02:11:22 EST
References: <9869@brl-tgr.ARPA> <1399@amdahl.UUCP>
Organization: LMSC-LEADS, Sunnyvale, Ca.
Lines: 31

> > [ from the Austin American Statesman, April 9, 1985 ]
> > 
> >         CIRCUIT BOARD UPDATE SHOWN
> > 
> > MOSAIC SYSTEMS Inc, said Monday it has developed a small alternative to the
> > conventional circuit board on which computer chips are mounted.  Mosaic's
> > process uses microscopic current conductors deposited on a wafer rather than
> > using wires to link chips together. 
> > [ does anyone know what is being described here?  Certainly, linking chips
> > together using wires doesn't sound like current methods.  ---Werner        ]
> > -------
> 
> I vaguely remember a newspaper account of this where the channels consist
> of amorphous silicon (the Ovshinsky technology) which are made conducting
> or not by an applied voltage. Chips are glued on top of the wafer - sort
> of surface mount - and the wafer serves as the circuit board. It is alleged
> to be a neat way of fabricating very small "boards".  The conduction of
> the channels can be changed for EC's.
> 
Back in 1968-69 timeframe we "surface mounter" a bunch of MOS memory
chips onto a 2" silicon wafer using "solder bump" technique. The
interconnection was by standard metalization layers.

This was at Philco-Ford Micro E division in Santa Clara. We did this
primarily because ceramic substrates processes were not available
in-house but we were up to our ears in reclaimable wafers. Worked OK -
but it was not commercialized.

Figured it would come around again in due time!

                                 (-: ROBIN :-)