Category Archives: Wafer Level Packaging

GLOBALFOUNDRIES today announced the accomplishment of a key milestone in its strategy to enable 3D stacking of chips for next-generation mobile and consumer applications. At its Fab 8 campus in Saratoga County, N.Y., the company has demonstrated its first functional 20nm silicon wafers with integrated Through-Silicon Vias (TSVs). Manufactured using GLOBALFOUNDRIES’ leading-edge 20nm-LPM process technology, the TSV capabilities will allow customers to stack multiple chips on top of each other, providing another avenue for delivering the demanding performance, power, and bandwidth requirements of today’s electronic devices.

TSVs are vertical vias etched in a silicon wafer that are filled with a conducting material, enabling communication between vertically stacked integrated circuits. The adoption of three-dimensional (3D) chip stacking is increasingly being viewed as an alternative to traditional technology node scaling at the transistor level. However, TSVs present a number of new challenges to semiconductor manufacturers.

GLOBALFOUNDRIES utilizes a “via-middle” approach to TSV integration, inserting the TSVs into the silicon after the wafers have completed the Front End of the Line (FEOL) flow and prior to starting the Back End of the Line (BEOL) process. This approach avoids the high temperatures of the FEOL manufacturing process, allowing the use of copper as the TSV fill material. To overcome the challenges associated with the migration of TSV technology from 28nm to 20nm, GLOBALFOUNDRIES engineers have developed a proprietary contact protection scheme. This scheme enabled the company to integrate the TSVs with minimal disruption to the 20nm-LPM platform technology, demonstrating SRAM functionality with critical device characteristics in line with those of standard 20nm-LPM silicon.

“Our industry has been talking about the promise of 3D chip stacking for years, but this development is another sign that the promise will soon be a reality,” said David McCann, vice president of packaging R&D at GLOBALFOUNDRIES. “Our next step is to leverage Fab 8’s advanced TSV capabilities in conjunction with our OSAT partners to assemble and qualify 3D test vehicles for our open supply chain model, providing customers with the flexibility to choose their preferred back-end supply chain.”

As the fabless-foundry business model evolves to address the realities of today’s dynamic market, foundries are taking on increasing responsibility for managing the supply chain to deliver end-to-end solutions that meet the requirements of the broad range of leading-edge designs. To help address these challenges, GLOBALFOUNDRIES is engaging early with partners to jointly develop solutions that will enable the next wave of innovation in the industry. This open and collaborative approach will give customers maximum choice and flexibility, while delivering cost savings, faster time-to-volume, and a reduction in the technical risk associated with developing new technologies.

Wafers with a diameter of 450mm enable the micro-chip industry an increase in yield of up to 80%. This leads to an enormous increase in productivity. In order to control the product quality, these wafers receive a specific marking from the manufacturer.

Promptly at the start of the year, InnoLas Semiconductor GmbH has successfully installed a second 450mm system. As an optional bridge-tool variant the system can mark 450mm and 300mm wafers on either side. The system checks the result automatically and thus reduces the process operations significantly. According to requirements the customer can choose between vacuum handling and edge-grip handling. The latter transports the wafers especially carefully and cleanly.

The company places particular emphasis on in-house developments and products in the application of high-precision components. Together with the robust further development of proven engineering this takes care of the constant high quality standard in marking and handling processes, also for the new wafer sizes.

 “The marking and handling quality will be maintained at our high level for the new wafer sizes. To achieve this we use components developed in-house whenever the requirements are of high precision. These are otherwise not available in suitable quality as required by us and our customers,” Andreas Behr, general manager of the InnoLas Semiconductor GmbH, explains the consistently high standard achieved by his wafer marking systems.

450mm wafer laser marking system

In 2012, global PCB industry saw a jump in terms of output value, benefitting in a large part from the rapid growth in the shipment of Apple and Samsung, up 7.0% over 2011 to $62.4 billion, according to Research and Markets’ report Global and Chinese Advanced Rigid PCB Industry Report, 2012-2013. It was not always the truth for the full-blown PCB industry. However, there is no such possibility of a huge jump in 2013, as the report states the expected growth rate will slow down to 2.7%. For most rigid PCB vendors, it was doomed for them to face revenue dive in 2012 unless both Samsung and Apple were included in their client lists, while in 2013 their revenue is likely to drop even if Apple is among the clients.

The big acquisition event in 2012 was Viasystems’ takeover of America-based PCB producer DDI at a cost of $267 million in June. In 2011, DDI’s revenue reached $263 million, and its net income hit USD25 million.

In 2012, two massive fire accidents took place in PCB industry. One happened in April to the Changshu plant under Gold Circuit Electronics, the other was in September, with the sufferer coming to the Guangzhou plant under Viasystems. In Feb.2013, South Korean SIMMTECH was also on fire. PCB industry is vulnerable to fire accidents which break out twice annually at least. This leads to the natural reduction of capacity, balancing out the supply and demand.

In 2012, ZDT under Hon Hai Precision Ind. Co., Ltd. performed better, due to sizeable orders from Apple, the largest client. As a result, the revenue of ZDT witnessed huge jump, especially its revenue from flexible PCB. Hannstar PCB, as the world’s largest notebook PCB vendor, saw a substantial surge in revenue following the fire accident inflicting Gold Circuit Electronics, its largest rival.

SEMCO saw big rise in orders thanks to its parent company Samsung which won considerable orders, and COMPEQ also did a good job due to the growing orders from the big client Apple. However, Nanya PCB dwarfed in this regard, since its failure to get orders from the big client Intel for one quarter long. And it was the same story for LG INNOTEK, the mobile phone shipment of whose big client LG presented a steep drop. As for counterparts in Mainland China, they leveled out in this regard.

OneChip Photonics this week revealed strategic, outsourcing plans to expand into new markets, with announcements of newly-established relationships with semiconductor foundry GCS and wafer supplier IQE. Both announcements related to OneChip’s bigger, strategic plan to expand its services into the high-volume DCI market.

OneChip first announced that it is working with Global Communication Semiconductors (GCS), an ISO-certified pure-play compound wafer foundry. Under their fabless model, OneChip, based in Ottawa, Canada, has been working with GCS to process its OneChip-designed 4-inch InP-based wafers.  GCS will be providing an array of InP wafer processing services to OneChip, which OneChip will use to produce its photonic integrated circuits for the data center interconnect (DCI) and passive optical network (PON) markets.

“GCS is the most advanced, pure-play foundry of its kind, which offers indium phosphide and high-volume RF electronics processing technologies,” said Valery Tolstikhin, founder and CTO of OneChip Photonics. “Working with GCS gives us the commercial, high-volume processing capability we need to meet the strict cost requirements of the DCI and PON markets.”

OneChip believes that GCS’s foundry services, with its opto and heterojunction bipolar transistor (HBT) processes in indium phosphide, is an ideal match for their fabless model, which is built around its regrowth-free PIC platform. Because GCS’s opto and HBT and OneChip’s PIC technologies share the same process, the same fabrication process will be used to integrate both electronic and photonic pieces on one substrate.

“Our InP-based Opto and RFIC process technologies have great synergies with OneChip’s PIC technology,” Brian Ann, CEO of GCS, said. “We believe OneChip is a company that can create a truly volume business for photonics in the DCI market, with the unique ability to combine PICs and electronics to create the first optoelectronic circuits in InP.”

This market requires 100Gbps+ solutions with higher interface density and longer reach than those within the reach of currently deployed systems in 0.85um and multi-mode fibers. The DCI market also requires lower cost and power consumption than the solutions offered by the traditional telecom component vendors, which leads to the second of OneChip’s announcements.

OneChip announced plans to partner with IQE, using their epitaxial growth services to produce its InP PICs for the DCI and PON markets. IQE is an independent provider of III-V semiconductor epitaxy services, to grow the epitaxial (epi) structure, which OneChip will use to produce its PICs. IQE uses advanced crystal growth technology (epitaxy) to manufacture and supply bespoke semiconductor wafers “epi-wafers” to the major chip manufacturing companies, who then use these wafers to make the chips, which form the key components of virtually all high-technology systems.

“The iron-doped, semi-insulating 4-inch InP substrates, and the metal organic chemical vapour deposition (MOCVD) growth technique, required for OneChip’s epi-wafers, are the same as those used by IQE for its high-volume epitaxy products, so we have strong economies of scale in working together.,” said Tolstikhin. “IQE is recognized as a leading independent, pure-play epi-wafer foundry, which not only provides world-class services, but also perfectly fits into our fabless PIC manufacturing model.”

OneChip’s regrowth-free multi-guide vertical integration, or MGVI, platform eliminates the need for multiple epitaxial growth steps. This will enable OneChip to decouple epitaxial growth and wafer processing, while outsourcing both functions to GCS and IQE.

“OneChip has developed some exciting new integrated photonics products for the high-volume, but cost-sensitive, optical communications markets,” said Drew Nelson, president and CEO of IQE. “We are delighted to apply our unique high-volume manufacturing expertise in producing InP-based epi-wafers for OneChip’s innovative PIC technology. OneChip’s use of the fabless manufacturing approach further endorses IQE’s outsourcing business model in the field of photonic devices, and we look forward to helping OneChip continue to scale its business as it extends its unique PIC technology to new markets.”

What do you think of OneChip Photonics’ outsourcing plans? Use one of your social media accounts to login and share your thoughts in the comment section below. Comments on Solid State Technology articles will not automatically be posted to your social media accounts unless you select to share.

EV Group, a supplier of wafer bonding and lithography equipment for the MEMS, nanotechnology and semiconductor markets, today announced that it has installed a fully automated 300mm system from EVG’s Gemini product family of integrated wafer bonding clusters to a leading Chinese semiconductor foundry. This customer will use the system for 3D IC integration and advanced packaging—two high-volume applications for which EVG’s wafer bonding solutions are frequently used.

"This order from one of the largest Chinese foundries further cements EV Group’s position as the market and technology leader in wafer bonding for leading-edge applications," stated Hermann Waltl, executive sales and customer support director at EV Group. "China is an important market for us, and this order is further testament to our continued success in penetrating leading high-volume microelectronics manufacturers in China—from advanced substrate suppliers to light emitting diode (LED) and semiconductor device makers."

EVG won this order following a competitive bid with other leading process equipment suppliers.  Reasons cited by the customer for choosing EVG included high alignment accuracy, comprehensive process development and support, successful demo results in EVG cleanrooms, unmatched expertise in wafer bonding and other high-volume process solutions, and a technology roadmap that is strongly aligned with that of the customer. 

The EVG Gemini is a fully automated and integrated platform for wafer conditioning, wafer-to-wafer alignment and wafer bonding.  This highly modular design provides customers with a highly flexible solution that can integrate all of EVG’s technology solutions in one platform with minimized footprint.  Configurations can include the option of EVG’s clean modules, low temperature plasma activation modules, SmartView align modules with integrated bond capability, as well as dedicated bond modules.

Signetics Corporation today introduced their new MapBGA package to the industry. This alternative to standard PBGA packaging has improved reliability and design flexibility due to its unique assembly process. A one shot side gate map molding process is used to cover the entire substrate area, protecting the active traces and vias. This process allows for more efficient use of the substrate panels and strips with as much as 55% more units per panel verses a typical PBGA package. The process is very robust as it uses proven transfer molding equipment and the mold clamps only touch the non-active area of each strip. Also, the assembled devices are saw singulated, eliminating mechanical stress on the package from traditional punch methods of singulation. Finally, the map molding process allows the package to have a larger mold cap and in turn, accommodate a larger die.

"Mature packages such as the PBGA must continue to evolve to meet the changing demands of applications", stated YS Kim, vice president of engineering at Signetics. "The MapBGA package is able to provide that extra amount of design flexibility and reliability using proven assembly technologies and equipment to make it a cost effective alternative to standard PBGA," continued Kim.

 Signetics offers a broad range of ball grid array (BGA) packaging including flip chip, stacked die, multi-chip and thermally enhanced variations. Assembly partnerships with Tier 1 device manufacturers has helped drive Signetics to continue to develop these next generation BGA packages to create a dynamic portfolio of semiconductor assembly solutions.

Tokyo-based Asahi Glass Co., Ltd. and nMode Solutions Inc. of Tucson, Arizona, have invested $2.1 million to co-found a subsidiary business, Triton Micro Technologies , to develop via-fill technology for interposers, enabling next-generation semiconductor packaging solutions using ultra-thin glass. The new company, headquartered in Tucson with a manufacturing facility planned in California, will combine nMode’s interposer technology for electrically connecting semiconductor devices with AGC’s materials technology and micro-hole drilling techniques to produce 2.5-dimensional (2.5D) and three-dimensional (3D) through-glass-via (TGV) interposers needed for advanced semiconductor devices.

To achieve the next generation in high-density semiconductor packaging, interposer technologies are needed to form the high number of electrical connections between a silicon chip and a printed circuit board. Interposers allow high packaging integration in the smallest available form factors.

Triton Micro Technologies will manufacture ultra-thin glass interposers using a high-efficiency continuous process that lowers costs and helps to commercialize the widespread use of interposers. The company will draw upon nMode’s intellectual property and AGC’s proven carrier-glass technology and via-hole drilling methodologies to fabricate its interposers. Triton then will apply its proprietary technology to fill the high-aspect-ratio via holes with a copper paste that has the same coefficient of thermal expansion as glass. This reduces the potentially damaging effects of thermal stress during manufacturing and long-term use. Triton’s process creates high-quality electrodes within the interposer to provide the electrical interface capable of accommodating advanced, high-density ICs.

Triton’s interposers are compatible with wafers having diameters from 100mm to 300mm and thicknesses of 0.7mm and below. The company also can design and manufacture customized solutions for unique applications.

“The global semiconductor industry recognizes that silicon is approaching its performance limits as an interposer material, but the need remains to create smaller, more efficient packages for today’s and tomorrow’s high-performance ICs,” said Tim Mobley, CEO at Triton. “Our technology allows us to achieve known-good-die testing at the highest levels of packaging integration, faster cycle times and the lowest cost per unit in the market.”

Aptina announced yesterday that it has established a strategic partnership with LFoundry to continue the manufacture of CMOS image sensors in Avezzano, Italy following LFoundry’s purchase of Micron’s semiconductor fabrication facility.

Aptina’s sensors built in the Avezzano facility enable both manufacturers and end users to bring to market differentiated products in a wide variety of imaging applications including smart phones, automobiles, tablets, televisions, gaming platforms, sports cameras, medical equipment and digital cameras.

Following the closing of LFoundry’s recently announced purchase of Micron Technology Italia Srl., and its semiconductor fabrication facility in Avezzano, Italy, LFoundry will assume responsibility for continuing the manufacturing of silicon wafers for Aptina from Micron. Micron has been manufacturing imaging sensors for Aptina in the Avezzano facility for over five years. This transaction will include the assignment to LFoundry of Micron’s four-year wafer supply agreement with Aptina.

“We look forward to our continued relationship with the Avezzano facility, and building on our relationship with LFoundry,” said Tony Alvarez, Chief Operating Officer at Aptina. “We have a long and successful history with the Avezzano facility and have shipped to our customers over 1 billion image sensors manufactured at this location. We are confident that LFoundry will build on this legacy to assure the continued reliable supply of high quality and high performance products for our customers.”

Aptina has an established relationship with the Avezzano manufacturing team, creating processes and ensuring quality wafer manufacturing for Aptina’s customers. With LFoundry’s acquisition of the Avezzano plant, the supply chain will continue to be maintained and enhanced.

“The acquisition of the Avezzano, Italy facility promotes a strategic win for LFoundry, and the Avezzano facility. We look forward to helping Aptina to produce industry leading CMOS imaging solutions,” said LFoundry CEO Günther Ernst.

Micron remains a co-owner of Aptina and has said that it is committed to supporting a smooth transition of the ownership of the Avezzano facility to ensure success for all parties.

 

eMemory announced today that the accumulated number of customers’ wafers incorporating eMemory’s eNVM SIPs have now surpassed 5 million production mark. eMemory’s eNVM SIPs support a broad range of process platforms including logic, HV, SiGe, RF, and mixed signal throughout 0.5 microns to 40nm technology. They are widely found in mainstream consumer electronic products, such as smart phones and tablet PCs. Due to the increasing demand for hand-held smart devices, the growth in wafer production is expected to remain steady.

The sale of eMemory wafer has enjoyed double-digit growth for several years in a row. In 2012 alone, it saw growth in excess of 36% with over 1.5 million in wafer sales–a new company record. The significant increase in growth has been driven primarily by developments in its popular application areas such as power management ICs, display driver ICs and MEMS sensors. This momentum in growth in wafer production is expected to be accelerated with its additional applications in Full HD Display Driver ICs (DDI), Touch-Panel Controller ICs (TPC) and 2.4GHz RFICs this coming year. In the near future, eMemory will enter more innovative areas of applications, including Battery Gauge ICs, Near-Field Communication (NFC) ICs, CMOS-Image Sensor (CIS) ICs, single-chip Touch Display Driver Integration (TDDI) ICs and Programmable-Gamma (P-Gamma) ICs. This effort will further energize the momentum in growth, with further increased efficiency in broadening the application of SIP platform.

"2012 has been a great year for eMemory’s SIP products,” eMemory President Rich Shen pointed out. “Not only did we break wafer production records, but also we saw more than 37% growth in income from our royalty over the previous year. These achievements are the result of eMemory’s long-term dedication to eNVM SIPs and technical development, as well as our mastery of our SIP production lines and process platforms. Our outstanding sales record is a true testimony of the high level of confidence and support we have received from the clients."

eMemory’s NeoBit OTP technology in 55nm has entered into the pilot-production phase, while other OTP and MTP solutions in advanced modes such as 40nm, 28nm and 20nm are currently in the development and verification phase. eMemory offers diversified SIP production lines to meet with the product needs for having different endurance and density. eMemory’s superior technology and SIPs help customers effectively to reduce the time and costs incurred in developing products, making it the best choice for customers in looking for a partner in eNVM.

Fab equipment spending for Front End facilities is expected to be flat in 2013, remaining around $31.7 billion, increasing to $39.3 billion in 2014 — a 24% increase. The SEMI World Fab Forecast also reveals that in 2013 increases for fab equipment spending will vary by technology node and that fab construction spending will increase an overall 6.7% with major spending in China. The report tracks equipment spending at over 180 facilities in 2013. 

More than 262 updates have been made since the last publication of the SEMI World Fab Forecast. Updates are based on announced spending plans, including major changes for TSMC, Samsung, Intel, SK Hynix, Globalfoundries, UMC, and for some Japanese facilities and LED facilities.  Despite these adjustments, the overall forecast for equipment spending for 2013 has remained about the same. Depending on macro-economic risk factors, possible scenarios project a range of -3% to +3% change rate for fab equipment spending in 2013; in other words, hovering around flat.

Though the overall outlook has improved some, fewer players in the market can afford the rising costs for research and development and upgrading facilities as the amount of money needed to upgrade facilities at the leading edge technologies is immense.  The World Fab Forecast report shows increases for fab equipment spending, varying by technology node.  Fab equipment spending for 17nm and below is expected to kick off in 2013 and increase by a factor of 2.4 to about $25 billion from 2013 to 2014.

Fab construction spending is now expected to increase 6.7% with construction spending to reach almost $6 billion. In 2014, however, construction project spending is expected to contract by about 18%. Construction spending is led by TSMC, with seven different projects for the year; followed by Intel. Fab construction spending in China will increase by a factor of four due to Samsung’s Mega fab in Xian.

Capacity is now forecasted to expand by just 2.8% for this year and to improve to 5.4% growth in 2014.  Excluding 2009, the years 2012 and 2013 show the lowest growth rate for new capacity over the past ten years.   However, pent-up demand is expected for some product types because capacity additions have been cut to minimum levels while chip demand keeps increasing. Capacity additions and equipment spending are expected to pick up in the second half of 2013. In 2014, at least 5% in new capacity will be added and fab equipment spending will increase by 2%. The World Fab Forecast gives detailed capacity information by industry segment and by individual company and fab.

Since the last fab database publication at the end November 2012 SEMI’s worldwide dedicated analysis team has made 262 updates to more than 210 facilities (including Opto/LED fabs) in the database. The latest edition of the World Fab Forecast lists 1,146 facilities (including 310 Opto/LED facilities), with 58 facilities starting production this year and in the near future.

The SEMI World Fab Forecast uses a bottom-up approach methodology, providing high-level summaries and graphs; and in-depth analyses of capital expenditures, capacities, technology and products by fab. Additionally, the database provides forecasts for the next 18 months by quarter. These tools are invaluable for understanding how the semiconductor manufacturing will look in 2013 and 2014, and learning more about capex for construction projects, fab equipping, technology levels, and products.

SEMI’s Worldwide Semiconductor Equipment Market Subscription (WWSEMS) data tracks only new equipment for fabs and test and assembly and packaging houses.  The SEMI World Fab Forecast and its related Fab Database reports track any equipment needed to ramp fabs, upgrade technology nodes, and expand or change wafer size, including new equipment, used equipment, or in-house equipment.