3-D PACKAGING TECHNOLOGY
Package Stackable BGA
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Amkor Technology’s Package Stackable very-thin fine-pitch Ball Grid Array (PSvfBGA) is a high-density bottom package in a new JEDEC family called Package on Package (PoP). PSvfBGA was developed to address complete product requirements to achieve optimum cost and performance. It eliminates the test, yield, and logistic obstacles with stacked die assembly, provides OEMs with full sourcing and product flexibility, and leads to the reduction of the development required for new device combinations. Amkor Technology, Chandler, Ariz., www.amkor.com.
DIE ATTACH EQUIPMENT & MATERIALS
HANDLING EQUIPMENT / FIXTURES
Die Feeder
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The DDf Ultra feeds a wide range of bare die and flip chips with high throughput, and is mountable to most placement machines. As a complement to the DDf, the performance of DDf Ultra is optimized around the handling of small flip chips. The DDf Ultra is capable of feeding die down to 0.5 mm sq. with a throughput exceeding 6,000 die/hour – with smaller die sizes and higher throughputs planned. Hover-Davis Inc., Rochester, N.Y., www.hoverdavis.com.
DISPENSING / ENCAPSULATION / MOLDING / UNDERFILL EQUIPMENT & MATERIALS
Molding System
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The Osprey system is fully programmable, eliminating product-related part (PRP) conversion. The robust, highly flexible indexing technology can handle 90- to 300-mm leadframe widths. Features include a compact mold tool or chase, which can be changed frequently, and a pellet bowl feeding system that dispenses various epoxy molding pellet diameters at the turn of a knob. ASM Pacific Technology Ltd., Hong Kong, www.asmpacific.com.
ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY MATERIALS / SURFACE TREATMENT EQUIPMENT & MATERIALS
Batch Washer
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Focus-Wash is a combination of several wash methods that “focuses” the wash solution into smaller, higher-impact areas. Capabilities include a spray system with a 15° spray angle, increasing flow rate by approximately 60% to better reach between boards, and a spray arm that uses 10 nozzles arranged to create 10 concentric spray patterns. An oscillating board rack eliminates “blind spots” by creating infinite impingement angles. Multi-stage, high-performance spray pump designs optimize the pump/nozzle design to provide increased pump performance and efficiency. Aqueous Technologies Corp., Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., www.aqueoustech.com.
FLIP CHIP ATTACH EQUIPMENT & MATERIALS
Flip Chip Production Line
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The 8800 FC Smart Line interlinks three machine modules: the 8800 FC Smart Line Flip Chip Bonder with integrated dispenser, a curing station with integrated electrical testing, and an optical inspection and reject-marking unit. A dual-head dispensing system, with needles for small dies and a shower head for large dies, offers fast, precise adhesive application, with two online cameras that monitor exact substrate adjustment and check for correct adhesive application. The dual-head flip chip bonding system ensures 8500-uph throughput with 25-µm at 3 ∑ process accuracy. The adhesive cures with a multi-thermode bond head, guaranteeing quick pitch change between 9.5 and 14.25 mm. Fully automatic cover-tape handling prevents thermode contamination by adhesive. Datacon Technology AG, Radfeld, Austria, www.datacon.at.
INSPECTION / IMAGING EQUIPMENT
Surface Inspection System
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3Di All-Surfaces combines high accuracy and speed to increase bump yields. The system is able to inspect the front surface of wafers for patterned area 2-D defects such as passivation, excess residue, and missing, damaged, or satellite bumps. The system reports 3-D bump height at production speeds, and is able to measure the roughness of copper, gold, and solder bumps for morphology. It combines high throughput and high-accuracy bump and wafer inspection in one system. August Technology Corp., Bloomington, Minn., www.augusttech.com.
NOVEL PACKAGE DESIGN
Etched Leadless Package
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The etched leadless package, or ELP, package family is based on a patented technology that includes tight integration for an increased I/O count, reduced footprint to optimize board space, and features that enable electrical and thermal performance. It offers singulation that increases reliability at the die to package interconnects, improves saw blade life, and provides pre-singulation strip testing. The new package family has no exposed metal on the package sides, and the half-pattern leadframes ensure a robust assembly process. Advanced Interconnect Technologies, Sunnyvale, Calif., www.aitsales.com.
PACKAGE DESIGN SOFTWARE & EQUIPMENT
Bond Wire Software Tool
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The Bond Wire Optimizer is a stand-alone tool that calculates clearances of bond wires based on bond-wire profiles and X and Y die placement tolerances. Advanced features include capillary sequencing and capillary clearance checking tools. These tools are for pre-manufacturing error checking tools on the PC. CAD Design Software, Los Gatos, Calif., www.cad-design.com.
QUALITY ASSURANCE / MANAGEMENT TOOLS
Process Development Tool
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The SlimKIC 2000 is designed to handle the higher process temperatures required by lead-free assemblies, protecting product quality as it is processed through the reflow process. The kit includes a stainless-steel thermal barrier that offers heat protection up to 350ºC, and medium temperature thermocouples rated up to 400ºC. The optional KIC Auto-Focus provides the best “first guess” and automatic optimized oven setup for difficult lead-free applications. KIC, San Diego, Calif., www.kicthermal.com.
REFLOW EQUIPMENT
Induction Pump
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The flat linear induction pump (FLIP) solder bath for lead-free wave soldering solutions features linear induction pumping technology, in which three phases of AC current flow through induction coils to induce horizontal magnetic fields inside a solder bath. The magnetic fields generate vertical force (F) per Fleming’s left-hand law. The force moves molten solder upward through nozzles, which flows down by gravity. Tamura H.A. Systems Inc., Beaverton, Ore., www.tamura-ha.com.
Laser Soldering System
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The PRO-8 inline soldering station features a 60-W diode laser with a 10,000-hour life, a 4-axis Cartesian robot, a fiducial recognition system, an air knife and fume extraction on the soldering lens, an automated solder feeder, and an optional Micro Camera interfaced into a high-resolution panel for real-time viewing. The laser can be precisely controlled and is highly repeatable, providing a highly focused heating zone. Its process speed results yield solder-grain size reduction and intermetallic oxide formation. PRO-MATION Inc., Kenosha, Wis., www.pro-mation-inc.com.
SEMICONDUCTOR ASSEMBLY & TEST SERVICES (SATS)
Package Test Technology
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Developed as an alternative to traditional contactor methods using spring pins for test sockets, the Quatrix photolithographic package test technology uses a single plane of contacts without moving parts to offer repeatable dimensional placement tolerance and electrical performance in meeting the most aggressive roadmaps for package tests. Advanced photolithography techniques result in precise, flexible contact geometries with 3- to 4-µm repeatability. With lower touchdown force between the contacts and the package, Quatrix test sockets eliminate problems associated with the high combined forces encountered in high-pin-count applications for chips with high-density I/O. Kulicke & Soffa Industries Inc., Willow Grove, Pa., www.kns.com.
SPECIALIZED ADVANCED PACKAGING EQUIPMENT & MATERIALS
RFID Assembly System
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Reel-to-reel RFID assembly system includes throughput up to 9,000 cph, a full, 20” wide Web process capability, and 12-µm placement repeatability at ± 3 sigma. The system offers either passive or active design, direct die pick from wafers down to 0.008”, and positive displacement dispense technology. The system features modular construction, allowing for future capacity expansion. It is fully capable of placing ancillary components, such as batteries, and it also is capable of tape-and-reel die placement. It uses complete closed loop process control on the thermal compression station to ensure consistency of performance and high quality. The cure station also provides pressure control of each thermode, and real-time feedback provides statistical process control. Tyco Electronics Automation Group, Willow Grove, Pa., www.tycoelectronics.com.
SUBSTRATE & SUBMOUNT EQUIPMENT & MATERIALS
Ball Placement System
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BP2000 provides dual motorized cameras attached to the pin transfer head, resulting in PR alignments on two fiducial marks of the BGA substrate before both flux and ball placement, so it will not severely affect cycle time. With alignment calculation, both the pin transfer head and ball transfer head can correct its position with respect to the substrate position in the X, Y, and theta directions. ASM Pacific Technology Ltd., Hong Kong, www.asmpacific.com.
TESTING EQUIPMENT
Test Socket
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The new Long Life ATE Socket was designed and developed by Gryphics to provide a lower cost, yet high performance alternative to existing Test Sockets used for QFN, QFP, or SO style devices in an Automated High Volume Production environment. The unique design incorporates a polymer substrate populated wit high frequency test contacts snapped into place, facilitating easy removal and replacement of the contacts individually or as a group. Special features on the contacts have been designed to address the unique effects of lead free solders. Gryphics Inc., Plymouth, Minn., www.gryphics.com.
THERMAL MANAGEMENT TECHNOLOGY
Thermally Conductive Grease
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TC-5022 thermally conductive grease offers a 10% to 15% reduction in thermal resistance, according to customer testing, improving thermal performance. It provides a thermal “path” between the microprocessor package and its device-cooling heatsink and highly efficient transfer of heat away from the processor. It allows manufacturers to achieve low thermal resistance (0.07 cm2C/W) with thin bond lines (<25 µm), offering long-term thermal stability and enabling pressure-independent processing. It also gives users a wide process window to improve manufacturing consistency, repeatability, and overall yield. Dow Corning Corp., Midland, Mich., www.dowcorning.com.
WAFER DICING / THINNING EQUIPMENT
Mass Imaging Platform
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Galaxy Micron-class high-accuracy mass imaging platform accurately places solder balls at both the wafer and substrate levels, as well as for ultra-fine-pitch print and reflow bumping. Equipped with ISCAN (Intelligent Scalable Control Area Network) technology, the Instinctiv user interface, IP-based access to DEK’s knowledge servers through Interactiv, and HawkEye on-board 100% print verification technology, it enables next-generation manufacturing, maximizes uptime, and reduces cost of ownership. DEK Printing Machines Ltd., Flemington, N.J., www.dek.com.
WAFER-LEVEL PACKAGING EQUIPMENT & MATERIALS
Wafer Printing System
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The SemiTouch wafer printer system (STW-1) is capable of both wafer stencil printing and bumping within a single system. One important advantage is that by pressing a single button, the system converts itself from a wafer bumper to stencil printer in a short time, eliminating changeover and facilitating the process. Milara Inc., Medway, Mass., www.milarasmt.com.
WIRE BONDING EQUIPMENT
Wire Bonder
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The Harrier dual-head gold/copper wire bonder is equipped with ASM-developed motion control and precise vision technology, ensuring high speed and placement accuracy with 50-µm pad pitch capability. It also is capable of achieving 6.3- to 43-K throughput with a wire count of 2 to 14 wires. “Reverse indexing” and “multi-tasking” capabilities ensure complete independence of the two bond heads. ASM Pacific Technology Ltd., Hong Kong, www.asmpacific.com.