Abstract
The rapid growth of integrated circuit technology, culminating in VLSI circuits, is responsible for the proliferation of new, surface mountable device packages with large numbers of input-output terminals. Conventional printed circuit or multilayer techniques have been driven to the technological edge in the effort to interconnect these new types of packages. Because the etched conductors can be replaced with fine, insulated wires, automated high density discrete wiring techniques can provide easier high density interconnections and with shorter turn-around times. Among the dozen or so presently available discrete wiring techniques, the fastest growing is Multiwire®. Multiwire is a computer based design and manufacturing system, where special machines are precisely laying down polyimide insulated wires over adhesive coated substrates having etched power and ground planes. The finished boards exhibit microstrip characteristics, providing impedance control for high speed applications. The manufacturing process and Multiwire board performance capabilities are described in this paper.