Bare die will shine on
09/01/2000
BY MITCH MYERS
"Circuit manufacturers are more accepting of bare die than they were in the past."
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As one of many packaging options available to today's designers and assemblers, bare die sometimes can get lost in the shuffle. Until recently, this focused portion of the market has been misunderstood and under-analyzed.
For four consecutive years, the Annual Semi Dice Inc. Bare Die Survey has addressed this concern. By shining a light on this particular segment, the survey has provided the electronics industry with invaluable working knowledge of bare die. Most important, the survey results are clear - the future of bare die is bright.
Semiconductor manufacturers will benefit from knowing that circuit manufacturers are more accepting of bare die than they were in the past. Half of the circuit manufacturers surveyed this year predicted an increase in bare die consumption within the next 12 months - a five percent increase over last year. While this indicates that circuit manufacturers are beginning to recognize the value of designing with bare die, some limitations still cloud the way to total acceptance.
Availability and cost continue to be the largest factors limiting the broader use of bare die among circuit manufacturers. More than 80 percent of semiconductor manufacturers reported that they currently offer bare die. The participants said that their offerings are available directly, as well as through die distributors. Both semiconductor and circuit manufacturers agree that smaller component and increased speed requirements, as well as wafer-level testing, will help spur the broader use of bare die and make it the least-expensive packaging choice.
It is also critical for semiconductor manufacturers to know what concerns circuit manufacturers face when ordering or specifying bare die. In the 2000 survey, circuit manufacturers indicated that their greatest concern was quality. Greater than 28 percent of circuit manufacturers reported that handling was an issue, and nearly 20 percent were concerned about profitability.
What can semiconductor manufacturers do to help ease these concerns? Supplying more information on bare die geometries would be useful when designing circuits with bare die, according to nearly 30 percent of circuit manufacturers. Twenty-one percent would like to see increased information on the expected life span of the part, and more than 26 percent are interested in general literature geared toward bare die.
Semiconductor manufacturers remain optimistic about the future of bare die. In both the 1999 and the 2000 semiconductor manufacturer surveys, greater than 40 percent of the participants indicated an increase in sales. In excess of 60 percent said they expect bare die wafer sales to increase in the next year.
Eventually, the remaining clouds will clear and bare die will shine on. Until then, the Annual Semi Dice Inc. Bare Die Survey will continue to provide information that is critical to the microelectronics industry - highlighting the need to focus on this growing segment.
MITCH MYERS, president and COO, can be contacted at Semi Dice Inc., 10961 Bloomfield Street, Los Alamitos, CA 90720; 562-594-4631; Fax: 562-430-5942; E-mail: [email protected].