Micro and Nano Electronic Applications

Abstract

The examination of the use of metal/polymer composites in the electronic industry requires a re-examination of the expressions used in earlier chapters. The composites to be reviewed will be characterized by the contiguous association of two or more diverse materials which leads to a synergistic or superior performance. In large dimension composites such as oriented fiber reinforced polymers which are used in advanced structures, it is not difficult to visualize the roles played by the high strength fibers in the relatively low strength matrix body. The electrical or electronic devices associated with semiconductors, photovoltaic devices, electrical energy distribution, the utilization of magnetic particles on disks and tapes, and the small energy storage capabilities of batteries and capacitors, may entail the use of thin foils, adhesives, bonding elements, and insulative surfaces that are in the micrometer and submicrometer range. The fact that these devices can not always be visually identified as composites does not exclude them from the sophisticated arena of advanced composites. In fact, as molecular dimensions are approached, the rheology of material combinations and associative charge transfer phenomena do not necessarily follow the patterns of the macroscale processes.