Paul A. Kohl, Hercules, Inc. /Thomas L. Gossage Chair and Regents’ Professor
Georgia Institute of Technology, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering

Abstract: Dielectric materials (i.e. insulators) provide critical functions throughout the
packaging hierarchy, including on-chip dielectrics, package substrates, and printed wiring
boards. In this presentation, the role of dielectrics, their critical properties, and the type of
materials at each level of packaging will be reviewed. Of particular interest is the need for
improved dielectrics in packaging- the dielectric in chip substrates and printed wiring boards.
The scaling of transistors to smaller dimensions requires that on-chip and off-chip dielectrics
operate at higher frequency, lower-voltage and less energy loss. This needs to be achieved
with improved packing density (smaller features) and at low-cost. The status of existing
materials and the challenges they face will be reviewed.

Bio Sketch: Paul Kohl received a Ph.D. from The University of Texas, in Chemistry in 1978. After
graduation, Dr. Kohl was employed at AT&T Bell Laboratories in Murray Hill, NJ from 1978 to
1989. During that time, he was involved in new chemical processes for silicon and compound
semiconductor devices and their packaging. In 1989, he joined the faculty of the Georgia
Institute of Technology in the School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, where he is
currently a Regents’ Professor and holder of the Hercules Inc. /Thomas L. Gossage Chair. Dr.
Kohl’s research interests include new materials and processes for advanced interconnects
for integrated circuits, and electrochemical energy devices for energy conversion and
storage. He has 250 journal publication, 63 US patents, and more than 400 conference
presentations. Dr. Kohl is the past Editor of the Journal of The Electrochemical Society and
Electrochemical and Solid-State Letter, past Director of the MARCO Interconnect Focus
Center, and past President of the Electrochemical Society.

Pizza lunch will be provided, however we ask that you limit yourself to two slices
so that all attendees are accommodated.