A visit to CERN (and the impressive electronics R&D center hidden within)
identified is for certain types of detectors of mind boggling as researchers try an this amazing machine and the discoveries
for medical applications. identify the last elusive bits of subatomic they hope to make. It is most impressive.
Another creative development was a matter that many believe hold the key to
long-tiered wire-bonded aluminum flex finally getting the full picture of where mat-
circuit detector developed by a team led ter and energy meet, the Higgs boson and, Verdant Electronics founder and president
by Alex Kluge for the ALICE experiment, as well, to hopefully identify the equally Joseph (Joe) Fjelstad has more than 35 years of
which hopes to study a state of matter elusive and mysterious dark matter that international experience in electronic intercon-
known as quark gluon plasma by collid- physicists believe makes up most of the nection and packaging technology in a variety
ing lead ions into one another at near universe. With the limitation of space, I of capacities from chemist to process engineer
the speed of light. Such a plasma state of would like to close by providing a sense and from international consultant to CEO. Mr.
matter scientists believe existed soon after of the magnitude by physically describing Fjelstad is also a well known author writing on
the Big Bang when the universe was still the largest experiment, ATLAS, which is the subject of electronic interconnection technol-
extremely hot, and the researchers hope 45 meters long, more than 25 meters high, ogies. Prior to founding Verdant, Mr. Fjelstad
to observe, as it expands and cools, how and weighing about 7,000 tons. To put co-founded SiliconPipe a leader in the develop-
it progressively gives rise to the particles that in perspective, it is about half as big ment of high speed interconnection technologies.
that constitute the matter of the universe as the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris and He was also formerly with Tessera Technologies,
today. For the experiment aluminum was weighs about the same as the Eiffel Tower, a global leader in chip-scale packaging, where he
required for the circuit design because of according to CERNs public relations folks was appointed to the first corporate fellowship
its lower density and greater ‘transparence’ (see photo). for his innovations.
to subatomic particles compared to copper. With the small sampling of dedicated
As a result, the technical staff at CERN scientists, engineers and technicians I
needed to develop its own unique fabrica- had the privilege to meet at CERN, I am
tion process to create and etch aluminum confident that the frontiers of science will
layers and metalize the vias. yield to their combined efforts, and I look
There is not enough space afforded me forward to learning the results when they
in this column to go into detail on all of do. I am certainly not alone in that regard.
the various experiments planned for the If this has sparked any interest, I highly
LHC, but it is safe to say that the size and recommend visiting the CERN website at
scope of the LHC project are nothing short
www.cern.ch to get more information on
Work inside the ALICE detector. (Photo courtesy CERN.)
6 – Global SMT & Packaging – December 2008
www.globalsmt.net
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