Published online by Cambridge University Press: 21 March 2011
We studied the influence of hydrothermal aging on the dielectric properties of epoxy molding compounds used for integrated circuits packaging. Samples were subjected to two different aging (JEDEC 1 and JEDEC 3 procedures, followed by a thermal stress at 240°C for a few minutes). Resistance to aging was studied as a function of crosslinking density. Water uptake increases with crosslinking. Aging leads to a reduction in the dielectric constant and to an increase in the loss factor. Post-mold curing is found to slightly enhance the resistance against hydrothermal aging.