Lesson plan
Solid Logic Technology
Solid Logic Technology (SLT) was IBM's method for hybrid packaging of electronic circuitry introduced in 1964 with the IBM System/360 series of computers. It was also used in the 1130, announced in 1965. IBM chose to design custom hybrid circuits using discrete, flip chip-mounted, glass-encapsulated transistors and diodes, with silk-screened resistors on a ceramic substrate, forming an SLT module. The circuits were either encapsulated in plastic (early prototypes) or covered with a metal lid. Several of these SLT modules (20 in the image on the right) were then mounted on a small multi-layer printed circuit board to make an SLT card. Each SLT card had a socket on one edge that mounted onto pins on the computer's backplane (the reverse of how most other companies' modules were mounted). IBM considered monolithic integrated circuit technology too immature at the time. SLT was a revolutionary technology for 1964, with much higher circuit densities and improved reliability over earlier packaging techniques such as the Standard Modular System. It helped propel the IBM System/360 mainframe family to overwhelming success during the 1960s. SLT research produced ball chip assembly, wafer bumping, trimmed thick-film resistors, printed discrete functions, chip capacitors and one of the first volume uses of hybrid thick-film technology.…
Article summary
Solid Logic Technology (SLT) was IBM's method for hybrid packaging of electronic circuitry introduced in 1964 with the IBM System/360 series of computers. It was also used in the 1130, announced in 1965. IBM chose to design custom hybrid circuits using discrete, flip chip-mounted, glass-encapsulated transistors and diodes, with silk-screened resistors on a ceramic substrate, forming an SLT module. The circuits were either encapsulated in plastic (early prototypes) or covered with a metal lid. Several of these SLT modules (20 in the image on the right) were then mounted on a small multi-layer printed circuit board to make an SLT card. Each SLT card had a socket on one edge that mounted onto pins on the computer's backplane (the reverse of how most other companies' modules were mounted). IBM considered monolithic integrated circuit technology too immature at the time. SLT was a revolutionary technology for 1964, with much higher circuit densities and improved reliability over earlier packaging techniques such as the Standard Modular System. It helped propel the IBM System/360 mainframe family to overwhelming success during the 1960s. SLT research produced ball chip assembly, wafer bumping, trimmed thick-film resistors, printed discrete functions, chip capacitors and one of the first volume uses of hybrid thick-film technology.…
Key claims
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Discussion questions
- Summarise the article in your own words. Which single claim would you verify first, and why?
- Which claim in this article is most likely to be revised as the sources update? How would you check its current status?
- If two sources disagreed about one of these facts, what would you need in order to trust one over the other?
Bibliography
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Key claims and bibliography are generated from the same tracked claims and sources as the article page.