Advanced Packaging Awards 2008: Signs of Hope
08/01/2008
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In a slowing economy, everyone looks for signs of hope for a strong future. Unfortunately at times like these, funding for R&D often takes a back seat to the basic needs of a company to conduct commerce and basically stay in business by doing the same things in the same way just to keep pace. In fact, the real threat is that fear itself will force us into stagnation. And status quo is the true enemy. Courage is needed to be innovative in tough times.
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As we visit companies, we see the keys of success that feed creativity. At Freescale’s Technology Forum not only did they talk about how their products make things “smarter” with sensors and microprocessors, they also invited technology partners and university students to participate. Collaboration was key. At Unisem Group, many of the test handlers on the floor were there on consignment as a cooperative effort between supplier and customer. Everywhere, we see test labs in OEM facilities where customers regularly test out equipment or work together. Companies join consortia to bring stacked die with TSVs to market earlier. Interconnect now has more materials based on cost control issues than ever before, with Kulicke & Soffa introducing customer-supported methods to substitute copper for gold in wire bonding, and Henkel offering polymeric glue in place of silver alloy in paste. Green materials abound from the Occam process which eliminates solder paste, to the RCP package, to Unisem’s etched leadless package (ELP).
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Packaging will save the industry in many ways ??? cost control, innovative methods to green, stacked packages to integrate electronics further ??? but not without the creative people in this industry. For the past eight years, Advanced Packaging magazine has held the Advanced Packaging Awards (APAs), an awards program that gives credit, recognition, and encouragement to those who regularly invest in R&D to come up with creative new products. This year, the APAs recognized winners and finalists who exhibited the courage to continue to innovate as the real hope for the future.
Gail Flower
Editor-in-Chief
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3D Packaging
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Flip Chip Package-in-Package
Flip Chip Package-in-Package (fcPiP) is a 3D package stacking solution from STATS ChipPAC that integrates the baseband, memory and analog functions of a mobile communication device into a single package. The fcPiP combines flip chip and wire bond interconnection in the same package to deliver increased speed, performance and miniaturization. STATS ChipPAC, Techpoint, Singapore www.statschippac.com
Cleaning Chemistres
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Stencil Cleaner
AQUANOX A4241, from Kyzen Corp. is an innovative product that is said to efficiently complete two processes. It was developed to clean populated circuit boards and stencils. This product has a revolutionary inhibitor package that will not damage the stencils and reportedly cleans even the toughest lead-free. Kyzen Corp. Nashville, TN. www.kyzen.com.
Cleaning Equipment/Environmentally Friendly Materials
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Batch Defluxing System
The Trident, from Aqueous Technologies, is capable of removing all flux residues including rosin, no-clean, and water soluble. Equipped with a chemical injection system that automatically adds a programmable volume of defluxing chemical to the wash water, it also dries and tests all in one unit. Additionally, the Trident is equipped with a closed-loop wash solution recycling system. Fewer chemicals are needed and nothing goes down the drain into the environment. Aqueous Technologies, Rancho Cucamonga CA, www.aqueoustech.com
Dispense/Encapsulation/Molding/Underfill Equipment and Materials
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Encapsulation Tool
The new phase in encapsulation requires a machine that handles both liquid and solid encapsulant for the packaging of advance packages like high brightness LED and high I/O IC. IDEALcompress is able to perform this task by combining compression and dispensing technology. The tool is able to encapsulate large format substrates, maximize asset usage, and achieves eco-friendly manufacturing due to the elimination of material waste. ASM Pacific Technologies Ltd. Hong Kong www.asmpacific.com
Flip Chip Equipment and Materials
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Multi Flip Chip Die Bonder
The Datacon 8800 CHAMEO dual-head multi-flip chip die bonder is designed to enable high volume, throughput, and precision performance for the completion of a multi-chip product in one production cycle. Two independent bond heads, flip units, slide fluxers and upward-looking cameras working in parallel and independently of each other increases throughput, as does the strategy of short paths for architecture and flow control.
Other features include consistent, high-accuracy operation, wafer-handling capabilities, image-recognition system, and post-bond inspection. Datacon Technology GmbH, Radfeld, Austria www.datacon.at
Die-attach Equipment and Materials
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Automatic Multi-chip Modules Bonder
The latest generation large-area chip bonder from ASM Pacific Technologies Ltd., the MCM12, is said to address the growing market for MCM, SIP, and hybrid applications. It is a fully automatic multiple die, SMD, and flip chip bonding system with up to 300-mm wafer handling capability. Direct die, flip chip, stack die, and SMD bonding can all be integrated into this single platform tool. It features a fully programmable dispensing system, and automatic pick-up and ejector tool changing systems. ASM Pacific Technologies Ltd. Hong Kong www.asmpacific.com
Handling Equipment and Fixtures
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Laser Cut Stencil
Slic Stencils incorporate a base material with a denser grain structure for fewer voids, smoother aperture walls, and the same tensile and yield strength as stainless steel. Results identified in an objective print study show significant improvements to the aperture wall smoothness which translates to enhanced printed deposits. The Slic Stencil has the mechanical and thermal properties of industry standard stainless steel, yet offers superior paste release due to the makeup of this proprietary material. FCT Assembly, Greeley, CO www.fctassembly.com
Inspection Equipment and Services
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Macro Defect Inspection System
The NSX Inspection System from Rudolph Technologies, Inc. is a high-throughput, repeatable advanced macro defect inspection system that is able to detect defects as small as 0.5 µm. It is used primarily for applications in back-end semiconductor manufacturing processes which can have a major impact on OQA and yield. Thin wafer handling, high-speed color image capture and supermax illumination are three options for the NSX System that give customers the flexibility required to address a broad range of products and applications. Rudolph Technologies, Inc., Bloomington, MN www.rudolphtech.com
Novel Package Design
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Wafer-level Camera Technology
OptiML WLC from Tessera Technologies enables a complete camera module in an ultra-small, low-profile form factor. Thousands of lenses can be built at wafer level simultaneously, providing more lenses per wafer to reduce manufacturing and development costs. The materials used for the optical elements enable assembly of the camera module to the phone board using typical IC manufacturing processes. The technology can scale from VGA to multi-mega pixel resolutions to help OEMs provide cost-effective product differentiation. Tessera Technologies, Inc., San Jose, CA www.tessera.com
Package Design Software and Equipment
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MEMS Simulation Environment
ARCHITECT with Scene3D from Coventor creates a rapid virtual prototyping environment for challenging MEMS and MEMS-enabled systems. This schematic-based MEMS design and simulation environment is used to determine the behavior of a MEMS device as a standalone component and in a surrounding system. At simulation speeds far beyond the capabilities of Finite Element Analysis, engineers can achieve more accurate “first-pass” designs, in less time. Coventor, Inc., Cary, NC, www.coventor.com
Reflow Equipment
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Solder Reflow Oven
With 8-zone air or nitrogen models, 350??C maximum temperature, flexible platform configuration, low nitrogen and power consumption, and a comprehensive menu of options, the Pyramax 100 from BTU provides optimized lead-free processing. BTU’s innovative patented Flux Management System traps flux residue from the process chamber, preventing it from settling within the oven. BTU International, North Billerica, MA www.btu.com
Semiconductor Assembly and Test Services
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MEMS Production Line
Freescale set out to establish an advanced MEMS 200-mm (8-inch) production line in Austin, Texas to address the growing sensors market demand. This new production line, Oak Hill Fab, was designed to complement the existing 150-mm MEMS capacity in Sendai, Japan. Through a variety of innovative fab processes, Freescale shortened the manufacturing process while leveraging the same equipment and saving money. By using existing tools, the upfront cost to implement MEMS was minimized and the number of process steps was reduced by approximately 30%. Freescale Semiconductor, Austin,TX www.freescale.com
Surface Treatment Equipment and Materials
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Spray Coating System
The EVG150 NanoSpray is a fully automated high-topography spray coating system. The patent-pending spray coating technique, designed for coating very small and deep patterns, features a unique spray process based on a spray mist created by ultrasonic nozzles, significant improvements in refined dispense and targeted positioning of the spray stream, the ability to support wafers up to 300-mm in diameter, and homogenously coats features 300-µm deep and 100 µm in diameter. EV Group, St. Florian, Austria www.evgroup.com
Testing Equipment Services
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Multi-site Testing Instrument
The MultiWave instrument from Credence integrates the functionality of multiple instruments into one multi-channel arbitrary waveform generator and digitizer unit to provide a cost-effective mixed-signal solution for multi-site testing of highly integrated SiP and SoC devices. MultiWave’s four independent wide-range generator channels and four independent digitizer channels allow for concurrent, fully synchronized testing of video and audio components, designed to generate AC or DC signals in a wide frequency range, from high precision audio to high speed video applications. Credence, Milpitas, CA www.credence.com
Wafer Dicing/Thinning Equipment
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Laser Dicing System
The IX-4100 ChromaDice from JP Sercel Associates is a high throughput, high speed Class 1 laser workstation developed for automated wafer singulation and other wafer processing tasks with the ability to handle up to 300-mm wafers. It uses UV laser technology to scribe/singulate wafers, rather than mechanical saw cutting. It is a fast, low-stress method that minimizes chip breakage after cutting, for higher yields with kerfs as narrow as 2.5 µm, the narrowest cut width in the industry, and minimal debris generation in a vibration-free process. JP Sercel Associates, Manchester, NH www.jpsercel.com.
Thermal Management Technology
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Thermal Copper Pillar Bump
Nextreme’s thin-film thermal bump technology reportedly improves the performance of electronics by embedding cooling, temperature control, and power generation capabilities deep inside electronic packages. A thin-film thermoelectric material is integrated into solder bumps used in flip chip packaging, enabling active thermal management right at the surface of the chip. Unlike conventional solder bumps that provide an electrical path and a mechanical structure, each thermal bump acts as a solid-state heat pump on a microscale level. Nextreme, Durham, NC www.nextreme.com
Wafer level Packaging Equipment and Materials
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Stencil Technology
VectorGuard Platinum from DEK meets the challenges of ultra fine pitch printing. This technology was developed for manufacturers working with unprecedented aperture and web space dimensions. It suits advanced applications including ball grid arrays (BGAs), direct chip attach, flip chip, and wafer-level packaging. Founded on an innovative MEMS-based fabrication process, VectorGuard Platinum’s high-level precision facilitates apertures of 20 µm on 50 µm pitch with uniform thickness. Platinum stencils deliver smooth sidewalls for highly efficient paste transfer ??? even when dealing with square apertures. DEK International, Weymouth, UK www.dek.com
Wire Bonding Equipment and Materials
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Wire Bonder
The IConnPS High Performance Wire Bonder offers advanced features and process capabilities for wire bonding the latest stacked die, Low K, and multi-tiered packages. Offering +/- 2.0 µm accuracy for sub-35 µm ultra-fine -pitch requirements, the IConnPS features advanced looping processes, a programmable dual frequency transducer, automatic self-teaching Bond Integrity Test System, and Programmable Focus optics for complex stacked-die packages. Kulicke & Soffa, Fort Washington, PA www.kns.com