Abstract:

Passive components, primarily resistors and capacitors, make up the majority of components for electronic circuits. Cost and performance are critical factors while size becomes important in hand held devices. Integrated passive components promise breakthroughs in performance, size, and eventually cost However, poor economic and business conditions have hampered the infrastructure development needed for widespread deployment of integrated passive components. This economic weakness has also made designers more risk evasive in the evaluation of new technologies.

The 2002 NEMI Roadmap finds that performance is the main driver for embedded passives while the lack of design and simulation tools, and test equipment is the primary hindrance to the technology development. In spite of the problems, embedded passive component implementation has been accomplished by manufacturers who have internally developed design tools to circumvent the infrastructure weakness.

The NEMI Roadmap has established new metrics to quantify and compare space savings for comparing discrete passives with integrated passive alternatives. New cost models have allowed us to evaluate the alternative passive component technologies. The space savings, component count savings, board size savings, and conversion cost savings are weighed against higher materials costs. The technical needs and infrastructure needs are spelled out for thin core laminates, ceramic loaded pastes, plated resistors, thin film resistor foils and polymer thick film resistors. Critical gap analyses illustrate the NEMI view of the Integrated Passive Technology's future.

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