Fwd: (U) Circuits Made of Solid Aluminum: Unisys is on the Trail

[David Farber <farber@central.cis.upenn.edu>]

 The following is from Business Week 8/23/93 (p.70) Please share as
 appropriate.


 Unisys Corp raised eyebrows 2 months ago by saying that it is
 considering a radical approach to making printed circuit boards; putting
 the circuitry on solid aluminum sheets instead of laying copper patterns
 on a laminated base. What makes the idea especially novel is its source:
 the former Soviet repubic of Belarus. By now, aluminum circuit boards
 should be coming off an experimental production line whose finishing
 touches were added on 8/6, says Thomas D. Watson, strategic planning
 director for electronic systems.


 How can conductive circuits be created in solid aluminum? By surrounding
 the flat "wires" on the board with aluminum oxide, which is an
 electrical insulator - and which is easily formed by treating the boards
 with common citric acid. That eliminates the need for the highly toxic
 chemicals now used in processing circuit boards.


 What's more, since aluminum oxide isn't a thermal insulator, the boards
 dissipate heat much faster, which means chips can be packed tighter
 without danger of frying. Someday, Watson speculates, even the chips
 themselves might be fabricated on aluminum to reduce the risk of
 overheating. That sounds as if Unisys is leaning toward licensing the
 technology from East/West Technology Partners, Ltd., the Arlington, VA
 organization representing the Belarussians. But officially, that
 decision hasn't been made yet.