IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON COMPONENTS, PACKAGING AND MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY, VOL. 5, NO.

3, MARCH 2015

307

High-Performance and High-Data-Rate

Quasi-Coaxial LTCC Vertical Interconnect
Transitions for Multichip Modules and
System-on-Package Applications
Emmanuel Decrossas, Member, IEEE, Michael D. Glover, Member, IEEE, Kaoru Porter,
Tom Cannon, Thomas Stegeman, Student Member, IEEE, Nicholas Allen-McCormack,
Michael C. Hamilton, Senior Member, IEEE, and H. Alan Mantooth, Fellow, IEEE

Abstract A new design of stripline transition structures

and flip-chip interconnects for high-speed digital communication systems implemented in low-temperature cofired
ceramic (LTCC) substrates is presented. Simplified fabrication,
suitability for LTCC machining, suitability for integration with
other components, and connection to integrated stripline or
microstrip interconnects for LTCC multichip modules and system
on package make this approach well suited for miniaturized,
advanced broadband, and highly integrated multichip ceramic
modules. The transition provides excellent signal integrity at
high-speed digital data rates up to 28 Gbits/s. Full-wave simulations and experimental results demonstrate a cost-effective
solution for a wide frequency range from dc to 30 GHz and
beyond. Signal integrity and high-speed digital data rate performances are verified through eye diagram and time-domain
reflectometry and time-domain transmissometry measurements
over a 10-cm long stripline.
Index Terms Full tape thickness feature, low-temperature
cofired ceramic (LTCC) interconnect, multichip module (MCM),
quasi-coaxial vertical transition, signal integrity, system on
package.

I. I NTRODUCTION
PPLICATIONS in the field of high-speed digital
electronics have been driving the trends of future
communication equipment. Cost-effective technologies for
multichip modules are necessary to realize high- frequency

Manuscript received May 14, 2014; revised September 8, 2014 and

January 14, 2015; accepted January 16, 2015. Date of publication
February 2, 2015; date of current version March 5, 2015. This work was
supported by Auburn University, Auburn, AL, USA. Recommended for
publication by Associate Editor T. J. Schoepf upon evaluation of reviewers
comments.
E. Decrossas was with the High Density Electronics Center, University of
Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701 USA. He is now with the Jet Propulsion
Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125 USA
(e-mail: edecrossas@ieee.org).
M. D. Glover, K. Porter, and T. Cannon are with the High Density
Electronics Center, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701 USA
(e-mail: mglover@uark.edu; kmaner@uark.edu; tcannon@uark.edu).
T. Stegeman, N. Allen-McCormack, and M. C. Hamilton are with the
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Auburn
University, Auburn, AL 36849 USA (e-mail: thomas.p.stegeman@gmail.com;
nza0019@tigermail.auburn.edu; mchamilton@auburn.edu).
H. A. Mantooth is with the Department of Electrical Engineering, University
of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701 USA (e-mail: mantooth@uark.edu).
Color versions of one or more of the figures in this paper are available
online at http://ieeexplore.ieee.org.
Digital Object Identifier 10.1109/TCPMT.2015.2394234

communication
systems.
Low-temperature
cofired
ceramic (LTCC) substrates offer promising solutions because
of the combination of multilayered structures, flexible
fabrication techniques, advanced passive device integration
of radio frequency (RF)/microwave components, and low
losses up to millimeter-wave frequencies. Novel trends in
LTCC processing and packaging allow highly integrated and
versatile components [1]. In addition, manufacturer efforts
to produce high-performance LTCC tape materials benefit
the development of new designs for future densely integrated
electronic systems.
Previous
vertical
transition
structures
include
microstrip-to-stripline transitions where the signal lines
are connected through a via. However, to compensate for
the large capacitive effect occurring at the transition, it is
necessary to lower the ground of the stripline in the transition
region [2] or to use air cavities [3] to reduce the impedance
mismatch. Schmuckle et al. [2] have measured a reflection
coefficient below 10 dB from 10 to 30 GHz. Using an air
cavity, Lee [3] was able to obtain a reflection coefficient
below 10 dB from 55 to 60 GHz. It should be noted that
a reflection coefficient level below 10 dB is commonly
accepted, i.e., <10% of the power is reflected. Another
approach involves screen-printing interlayers connected
together with vias to form the ground structure surrounding
the signal via. Baras and Jacob [4] predicted broad frequency
band and high performance up to 50 GHz of their vertical
interconnect design only through simulations considering
eventual misalignments between package and footprint on
the motherboard due to the fabrication tolerance. When
compared with our present approach, this method requires
different screens and may be expensive depending on the
number of layers used in the design. Presented herein is the
design of a new transition from RF/microwave connectors or
adapters to a stripline transmission line using a quasi-coaxial
line embedded in LTCC. Amaya et al. [5] have shown that
it is possible to improve the performance of quasi-coaxial
vertical transitions by increasing the number of ground vias
in the surrounding fence. Their simulations, performed up
to 110 GHz, demonstrate that an optimized vertical transition
offers a 30% bandwidth enhancement compared with a vertical

U.S. Government work not protected by U.S. copyright.

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TABLE I
D IMENSIONS OF THE S TRUCTURE IN M ICROMETERS

Fig. 1.
As-simulated design of the high-performance transition from
a 2.4-mm connector to stripline using a quasi-coaxial structure in LTCC.

transition with no via fence grounding. Unfortunately, their

work was limited to 12 surrounding ground vias due to
LTCC fabrication constraints. In addition, the measurements
of the fabricated microstrip to stripline back-to-back vertical
transition show only a reflection coefficient below 10 dB
up to 25 GHz. During the firing process, the LTCC tape
tends to shrink and mechanical stresses occur around
the filled vias, which can ultimately crack the ceramic.
DuPont developed a 9K7 LTCC tape in which the shrinkage
and mechanical stresses are reduced compared with their
previous products (such as 951), allowing design and
fabrication engineers to overcome this fabrication constraint
and develop new structures that were previously not viable.
This new transition design reduces the impedance mismatch
occurring between the different interfaces and improves the
transmission coefficient and frequency bandwidth performance
compared with traditional structures. In addition, it can be
easily produced, as the technology involved in the fabrication
process does not require equipment other than that which is
already commonly used in LTCC fabrication.
Our process uses full tape thickness features, where a
nibbling technique, using multiple punches, is used to create a
trench in the LTCC tape, which is then filled with conducting
paste [6]. The multiple closely spaced punches can also be
used to realize air cavities in the LTCC. After describing
the design and fabrication technique in Section II, Section III
presents the measured data in the frequency and time domains
to evaluate the performance of our design.
II. D ESIGN AND FABRICATION
The approach to designing the quasi-coaxial transition is
to use the nibbling technique to create the external ground
plane of the transmission line, while the internal conductor is
realized using the traditional via technique, as shown in Fig. 1.
The LTCC is used as the dielectric medium between the signal
and the ground plane. The dimensions of the transmission
lines were first determined based on the desired characteristic
impedance. The diameter of the internal signal conductor was
determined by the size of the via punch (with a diameter
of approximately 6 mils) and assuming a coaxial waveguide
filled with LTCC [7]. Experimental characterization of
the LTCC DuPont 9K7 and datasheets provided by the
manufacturer indicated an approximate relative permittivity
r = 7.1 and a loss tangent = 0.001 in the frequency band
of interest. The dimensions were then optimized using
a 3-D finite-element electromagnetic solver, ANSYS
high-frequency structure simulator (HFSS) [8].

Fig. 2. Schematic of the mechanical design of the quasi-coaxial transition.

Both the top and intermediate layers containing the stripline are shown.

The model shown in Fig. 1 is divided into three main

regions. Region 1 represents a Molex 2.4 mm precision
connector working up to 50 GHz, the dimensions of which
are provided by the manufacturer. The other side of the
connector, not shown here, was attached to a 50- coaxial
cable connected to an Agilent performance network analyzer.
Region 2 was defined as a 50- coaxial line filled
with LTCC. The external ground plane was designed as a
horseshoe structure [9].
Region 3 is the stripline structure embedded in LTCC where
the signal trace is sandwiched between a top and a bottom
ground plane.
Drawings of the top view and midsection of the design
with dimensions summarized in Table I are shown in Fig. 2.
Simulations of the transition shown in Fig. 1 using ANSYS
HFSS were performed; the resulting scattering parameters are
shown in Fig. 3. The simulated reflection coefficient (S11 ) is
below 10 dB from dc to 30 GHz, and the insertion loss
is <1 dB for the frequency band of interest. This proof of
concept was fabricated using the traditional LTCC process,
and measurements were performed. The transition does not
only enhance the bandwidth of the devices compared to other
previously reported LTCC vertical interconnects [3][5], but
full-wave simulations also show that it offers more flexibility
and stability in the design with respect to fabrication tolerances
when compared with existing topologies.

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Fig. 3. Simulated scattering parameters (using HFSS) of the transition shown

in the inset and Fig. 1. The insertion loss (S21 , black curve) and the return
loss (S11 , red curve) below 10 dB from dc to beyond 50 GHz are plotted.

It is worth noting that during the fabrication process, it

was difficult to handle the LTCC tape after punching, as the
quasi-coaxial piece was attached only through a narrow feature
attached to the stripline structure. Therefore, the design was
modified to include 600-m notches (or apertures) in the
surrounding ground plane that are separated by 120, as shown
in Figs. 2 and 4. These features added mechanical support to
the structure and facilitated easier handling and processing
during the fabrication process with a minimal impact on
the electromagnetic performance of the vertical interconnect
according to the full-wave simulations obtained with HFSS
and according to the measured results.
Cross-sectional and top-side views of the fabricated
quasi-coaxial transitions are shown in Fig. 4. It should be noted
that a very small amount of silver paste spread between the
LTCC tapes during the lamination/firing process. Furthermore,
an extra LTCC tape is added at the bottom only for flatness
and mechanical stress consideration.
The measured dc resistance is dependent on the finite
conductivity of the silver paste employed in the LTCC process
(dc 3.107 S/m) and the length of the stripline; the value
measured was 1 .
III. M EASURED P ERFORMANCE
A. Frequency-Domain Characterization
To evaluate the high-frequency response of the vertical
transition from the connector to the stripline, a complete
transmission line consisting of the two transitions connected
through a 5-cm-long stripline was simulated and scattering
parameters (S-parameters) of the two-port network were measured using a performance network analyzer.
A 5-cm-long transmission line was fabricated to highlight
the insertion loss due to fabrication tolerances, the roughness
of the metallic signal trace, and skin effects occurring at high
frequencies.
Ripples were caused for the most part by multiple reflections
set up by mismatched impedance at various transitions and
connectors, as shown in the simulations and measurements

Fig. 4. Cross-sectional and top-side views of the fabricated line. The samples
are measured under the microscope as indicated in the pictures to verify the
fabrication tolerances of our developed process.

in Fig. 5. Although such design can be easily replicated up

to 50 GHz and beyond, the fabrication tolerances are critical
and limit the frequency band of the device, as shown in Table I.
The design itself is highly sensitive to the alignment of the
coaxial connectors, as shown in Fig. 5, where a simulation
is carried out considering only a misalignment of 150 m
between the connector and the center of the signal via. A shift
in frequency occurs between the predicted and measured
results of the reflection coefficient (S11 ) mainly due to this
misalignment. It should be noted that the shift of frequency
between the measured and simulated scattering parameters is
more pronounced due to the fabrication tolerances, as shown
in Table I.
B. Time-Domain Experiments
Time-domain measurements were performed on 5- and
10-cm-long 9K7 LTCC single-ended striplines with
connections made using the coaxial launch and Molex 2.4-mm
bolt-on surface mount connectors.
Time-domain reflectometry (TDR) and time-domain transmissometry (TDT) measurements were made using an
Agilent 86100D sampling oscilloscope equipped with a
54754A differential TDR module and a 86118A 70-GHz dual

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Fig. 5. Comparison of the simulated (using HFSS) and measured reflection (S11 ) and transmission (S21 ) coefficients of the stripline structure shown
in the inset. HFSS simulations are carried out with the information collected
after the fabrication of the device, as shown in Table I. According to the
simulation software, 150-m misalignment of the connectors with
LTCC substrate shows a frequency shift in S11 (dotted line).

sampling module. Representative TDR and TDT plots are

shown in Fig. 6 for a 5- and 10-cm-long transmission lines
with a rise time fixed to 45 ps. Near 50  impedance should
be noted in the vicinity of the input and output of the lines
corresponding to the connector-launch-transition region.
To explore the use of these LTCC structures for high-speed
data transmission, we have also tested their performance using
a bit error rate test (BERT) system. In these tests, we used
an Agilent N4903B high-performance serial BERT with data
ranging from 10 to 28 Gbits/s. We note that this system uses
an Agilent N4876A 28-Gbit/s 2:1 multiplexer to generate
2 data rate from a lower data rate from the N4903B. This
higher data rate is passed through the structure being tested,
and then demultiplexed to allow error detection at a lower data
rate using the N4903B.
For instance, for the case of 20-Gbit/s data to be transmitted
through the structure under test: 10-Gbit/s data are generated
by the pattern generator of the N4903B and then multiplexed
by a factor of 2:1 to a data rate of 20 Gbits/s. The data passing
through the device under test are then demultiplexed by a
factor of 1:2 and sent to the error detector of the N4903B (i.e.,
every other bit is checked). For 28-Gbit/s data, a mux ratio of
2:1 and a demux ratio of 1:4 (i.e., every forth bit is checked)
is used due to the limits of the error detector in this setup.
A representative eye diagram for 25-Gbit/s data is shown
in Fig. 7 for a 10-cm-long single-ended LTCC stripline.
We observe a clean and open eye with sufficient height and
width to allow a very low bit error rate (BER) below 1013
(i.e., <1 error bit in 1013 transmitted bits). We note that this
is an acceptable BER level for many high data rate systems;
however, BER level is usually evaluated for a specific system.
For instance, high-speed serial links, including SerDes devices,
require the BER to be at a level 1012 or lower [10]. The measured level is also a conservative estimate, and a smaller BER
could probably be achieved by running the test for a longer
time or with enhanced data processing. Additional digital

Fig. 6.
Time-domain reflectometry and transmissometry (green) of
a 5- (blue) and 10-cm (red)-long LTCC stripline topology using the connector/launch/transition described in this paper.

Fig. 7. Representative eye diagram for high-speed digital data (25 Gbits/s)
passed through the 10-cm LTCC stripline structure (with connectors, launches,
and transitions).

data transmission analysis is shown in Fig. 8, where we present

the measured eye height and the percent of ideal eye width
as functions of data rate over a range of data rates from
10 to 28 Gbits/s. As expected, we observe a rolloff of the
response (eye height) due to attenuation of higher frequency
components of the digital data signal caused by the frequencydependent losses that can be observed in the transmission
coefficients (S21 ) plots shown in Fig. 5. Those losses are
mainly due to metallic losses caused by the roughness and

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311

Fig. 8. (a) Eye height and (b) percent of ideal eye width as a function of
digital data rate for a 10-cm-long LTCC stripline structure including
Molex 2.4-mm bolt-on surface mount connectors, quasi-coaxial transitions,
and the stripline.

finite conductivity of the sintered silver paste used in the

LTCC fabrication process. The reduction in eye width arises
from an increasing impact of jitter as the data rate is increased.
C. Repeatability of Connector Assembly
To explore the repeatability of the attachment of the 2.4mm connector to the LTCC launch structure, multiple measurements were performed by repeating a cycle of attach,
measure, and detach on a known good sample. All frequencydomain measurements were performed with an Agilent Performance Network Analyzer N5227A network analyzer. Data
were taken for the frequency range of 10 MHz50 GHz
with a 10-MHz step. The data collected for each recorded
measurement were averaged over four sweeps by the network analyzer. Data were taken for two different structures.
Each structure was disassembled and reassembled for three
different measurements. S-parameter data for these measurements are shown in Fig. 9, where both S11 and S21
are shown. The mean of the measurements along with
+/ error windows representing the standard deviation is
presented in these plots. We note that the longer 10-cm
LTCC stripline transmission line structures were used for this
portion of the experiment and present a slightly larger insertion
loss. From Fig. 9, we observe that there is approximately
1 dB of S11 variation at 30 GHz due to assembly variation.
This variation is likely due to the tolerances associated with

Fig. 9.
S-parameter variation due to 2.4-mm connector reassembly for
a 10-cm-long LTCC stripline structure using the connector/launch/transition
described in this paper.

the alignment of the connector pin and ground ring with

the corresponding signal pad and ground ring on the
LTCC transition structure.
IV. C ONCLUSION
The broadband vertical transition structure presented in
this paper is suitable for system-on-package applications at
RF/microwave and millimeter-wave frequencies. After
electromagnetic simulations for structure optimization,
we successfully demonstrated the use of the DuPont 9K7
tape system to realize and characterize the performance of
these structures in the frequency and time domains.
It is worth noting that these structures would have been
considerably more challenging to fabricate using tape
systems such as DuPont 951, due to increased shrinkage
and resulting mechanical stress. The effects of the connector
were considered in this paper, although the connectors can
be easily replaced by coplanar waveguides for probe measurements or by microstrip lines in the LTCC or another
suitable structure. In addition, the design is also suitable for
surface mount interconnects such as land-grid-array or
ball-grid-array technologies as applied to LTCC packaging.
The frequency band limitations for this technology are due

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to fabrication tolerances, including conductor roughness,

conductor thickness, cross-sectional shape of the signal lines,
the finite conductivity of the conducting paste utilized in the
LTCC process, and the length of the stripline due to insertion
losses. We do note that this single-ended structure with two
connectors, launches, and transitions can successfully transmit
data at rates up to at least 28 Gbits/s, with BER lower
than 1 1013 , without the use of any signal conditioning
(i.e., de-emphasis or equalization). We have also characterized
the repeatability of the connector assembly process. This
structure and the corresponding differential stripline equivalent
show promise for the use of 9K7 LTCC substrates for modules
requiring high-speed digital data transmission.
R EFERENCES
[1] D. Anderson, Trends in LTCC processing, in Proc. IMAPS Conf.
Exhibit. Ceram. Interconnects Technol., Next Generat., Denver, CO,
USA, 2003, pp. 165170.
[2] F. J. Schmckle, A. Jentzsch, W. Heinrich, J. Butz, and M. Spinnler,
LTCC as MCM substrate: Design of strip-line structures and flip-chip
interconnects, in IEEE MTT-S Int. Microw. Symp. Dig., Phoenix, AZ,
USA, May 2001, pp. 19031906.
[3] Y. C. Lee, CPW-to-stripline vertical via transitions for 60 GHz LTCC
SOP applications, Prog. Electromagn. Res. Lett., vol. 2, pp. 3744,
Mar. 2008.
[4] T. Baras and A. F. Jacob, Advanced broadband 2nd-level-interconnects
for LTCC multi-chip-modules, in Proc. IEEE German Microw. Conf.,
Ulm, Germany, Apr. 2005, pp. 2124.
[5] R. E. Amaya, M. Li, K. Hettak, and C. J. Verver, A broadband
3D vertical microstrip to stripline transition in LTCC using a quasicoaxial structure for millimetre-wave SOP applications, in Proc. Eur.
Microw. Conf. (EuMC), Paris, France, Sep. 2010, pp. 109112.
[6] A. Boutz, Inductors in LTCC utilizing full tape thickness features,
M.S. thesis, Dept. Elect. Comput. Eng., Kansas State Univ., Manhattan,
KS, USA, 2009.
[7] D. M. Pozar, Microwave Engineering. New York, NY, USA: Wiley,
2005.
[8] Ansoft HFSS, Version 14.0.0, Ansys, Pittsburgh, PA, USA, 2011.
[9] E. Decrossas, M. D. Glover, K. Porter, T. Cannon, H. A. Mantooth, and
M. C. Hamilton, Broad frequency LTCC vertical interconnect transition
for multichip modules and system on package applications, in Proc.
44th Eur. Microw. Conf., Nuremberg, Germany, Oct. 2013, pp. 104107.
[10] U. Guin and C. Chiang, Design for bit error rate estimation of
high speed serial links, in Proc. IEEE 29th VLSI Test Symp. (VTS),
May 2011, pp. 278283.
Emmanuel Decrossas (S08M12) received the
B.S. and M.S. (Hons.) degrees in engineering
science and electrical engineering from the Universit Pierre et Marie Curie, Paris, France, in 2004 and
2006, respectively, and the Ph.D. degree in electrical
engineering from the University of Arkansas (UA),
Fayetteville, AR, USA, in 2012.
He was a Visiting Scholar Student with the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA, in 2006,
to initiate an international student exchange program
and work on reconfigurable microelectromechanical
systems antennas for wireless applications. He was a Post-Doctoral Fellow
with the High Density Electronics Center, UA, in 2012, where his research
involves in signal and power integrities signal in low temperature
co-fired ceramic (LTCC). He started his work with the NASA Jet Propulsion
Laboratory (JPL), Pasadena, CA, USA, in 2012. His work with JPL lead
to the development of terahertz silicon micromachining components for
radar imaging, 3-D printed devices, and dielectric waveguide combined with
CMOS technology for communication. His current research interests include
modeling, optimization, and design of RF/microwave components, dielectric
characterization, computer-aided design of microwave devices, microfabrication, and nanotechnology to develop and model high frequency devices, signal
and power integrities design, and LTCC components.
Dr. Decrossas is a member of the Eta Kappa Nu, the Honor Society
for Electrical Engineering. He received the prestigious NASA Post-Doctoral
Fellowship Award.

Michael D. Glover (M07) received the B.S., M.S.,

and Ph.D. degrees in electrical engineering from
the University of Arkansas (UA), Fayetteville, AR,
USA, in 1993, 1995, and 2013, respectively.
He has contributed to the High Density Electronics
Center (HiDEC) with UA in various roles since
1993, where he managing a number of electronic
integration projects and producing hundreds of mask
and printed circuit board designs for various thin
film, ceramic, and hybrid microelectronic projects.
He has interests in computer-aided design and manufacturing, computer architecture, programming, microelectronic packaging
and fabrication, and digital systems. He is currently the Director of the
Ceramic Integration Laboratory with HiDEC, UA, and a Research Assistant
Professor with the Department of Electrical Engineering. His current research
interests include the packaging/integration of wide bandgap power devices.
Dr. Glover is a member of the IEEE Components, Packaging and
Manufacturing Technology Society, the IEEE Power Electronics Society, and
Eta Kappa Nu. He was a recipient of the William D. and M. A. Brown
Staff Excellence Award from the Department of Electrical Engineering, UA,
in 2011.

Kaoru Porter received the B.S. and M.S. degrees

in electrical engineering from the University of
Arkansas (UA), Fayetteville, AR, USA, in 1995 and
1997, respectively.
She is currently a Research Associate, and
manages the operation of the High Density Electronics Center with the Ceramic Integration Laboratory,
Department of Electrical Engineering, UA. She has
been in her current position providing equipment and
process training associated with low temperature
co-fired ceramic since 2007. Her extensive experience has developed novel solutions in both advanced power integrated
packages and compact antennas.

Tom Cannon obtained his degree as an Electronics

Technician E-VI from the U.S. Navy, Pentagon,
VA, USA, in 1982.
He specialized in navigational radar systems,
microwave communication, and surface to air
computer guidance systems. After leaving the Navy,
he owned his own business in Fayetteville, AR,
USA, where he performed troubleshooting and
repair on microelectronics and macromechanical
systems for 12 years. He joined the High Density
Electronics Center, University of Arkansas,
Fayetteville, in 2008, as a Research Assistant. Some of his responsibilities
include the installation of new equipment, troubleshooting, and repair of
various systems and research. He helped with the design and installation of
a complete PECVD and MOCVD system for INB Laboratories. In 2009, he
helped with the testing of the recirculation power for the National Center for
Reliable Electric Power Transmission. In 2010, he started computer-aided
design work with low temperature co-fired ceramic on a new fuel cell design,
and is currently testing new ceramic cells.

Thomas Stegeman (S13) received the B.S. and

M.S. degrees in electrical engineering from Florida
State University, Tallahassee, FL, USA, in 2010
and 2011, respectively. He is currently pursuing the
Ph.D. degree in electrical engineering with Auburn
University, Auburn, AL, USA.
He is a Graduate Research Assistant with Auburn
University. He is also an Honorably Separated
Veteran with the United States Air Force, Pentagon,
VA, USA, after 10 years of service as an Avionics
Technician Craftsman.

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Nicholas Allen-McCormack, photograph and biography not available at the

time of publication.

Michael C. Hamilton (S97M05SM12)

received the B.S. degree from Auburn University,
Auburn, AL, USA, in 2000, and the M.S. and
Ph.D. degrees from the University of Michigan, Ann
Arbor, MI, USA, in 2002 and 2005, respectively,
with a focus on organic electronics, all in electrical
engineering.
He was with the MIT Lincoln Laboratory,
Lexington, MA, USA, from 2006 to 2010, where
he was involved in a range of advanced electronics,
sensors, and integration technologies. In 2010, he
joined the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Auburn
University, as an Assistant Professor. He serves as an Assistant Director
of the Alabama Micro/Nano Science and Technology Center with Auburn
University. He is leading research efforts in packaging and integration
of dense high-speed/high-power systems, signal and power integrity of
advanced integrated systems, application of micro and nanostructures
for enhanced performance of RF and microwave systems, packaging for
extreme environments (both high and low temperature), and superconducting
technologies.

313

H. Alan Mantooth (S83M90SM97F09)

received the B.S. (summa cum laude) and
M.S. degrees in electrical engineering from
the University of Arkansas (UA), Fayetteville,
AR, USA, in 1985 and 1986, respectively, and
the Ph.D. degree from the Georgia Institute of
Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA, in 1990.
He joined Analogy, Inc., Beaverton, OR, USA, in
1990, where he focused on semiconductor device
modeling and the research and development of
HDL-based modeling tools and techniques. In 1998,
he joined as a Faculty Member, the Department of Electrical Engineering,
UA, where he currently holds the rank of Distinguished Professor. He helped
establish the National Center for Reliable Electric Power Transmission
(NCREPT) at UA in 2005, for which he serves as the Director. He serves
as the Executive Director of NCREPT and two of its constitutive centers
of excellence, such as the NSF I/UCRC on Grid-connected Advanced
Power Electronic Systems and the NSF Vertically Integrated Center on
Transformative Energy Research. His current research interests include
analog and mixed-signal IC design and computer-aided design (CAD),
semiconductor device modeling, power electronics, and power electronic
packaging.
Dr. Mantooth is a member of the Tau Beta Pi and Eta Kappa Nu, and
a Registered Professional Engineer in Arkansas. He serves as the Vice
President of Operations for the Power Electronics Society. In 2006, he was
selected as the inaugural holder of the 21st Century Endowed Chair in
Mixed-Signal IC Design and CAD.