Dominique Numakura's Newsletter from Japan

InterNepcon (continued), Semiconductor package

The 7th IC Packaging Technology EXPO was held with INTERNEPCON JAPAN 2006. Major semiconductor and packaging companies showcased their new IC packaging technologies and products. Many of these companies came from the U.S., Europe, Korea and Taiwan. 

A major discussion during the exhibition involved SiP, "System in Package". A lot of new ideas featured how many chips could be put in small spaces.

Wire bonding for stacked dies is still major technology in the packaging industry. The latest machines featured smaller pitches less than 40 microns for wire bonding. Flip chip technology has been considered the alternative technology to wire bonding because it can make more interconnects in the same spaces with the arrayed micro bumps. Machine manufacturers illustrated smaller than 30 micron pitches for the stud bumps on the large size wafers.  The combination of wire bonding and flip chip technology could be a common solution for manufacturers.

Several companies were proposing PoP (Package on Package) technology for multi-chip modules and have applied for volume productions. A big advantage of PoP technology is to have the electrical test KGD (Known Good Die) before the final assembly.

Multi-layer board manufacturers also presented the HDI circuit boards as the substrates for IC packaging. They exhibited finer pitches less than 50 microns with smaller via holes than 50 microns.

A new packaging technology with multi-layer boards was embedded bare LSI chips. The IC bare chips are mounted on the inner layers of the boards.  This concept could be better than embedded passive because the electrical tests and reworks of the inner layers can be conducted safely. A couple of manufacturers said they already started volume production of the boards.

Dominique Numakura

Headlines of the week

Hitachi Cable (Major substrate supplier in Japan)
Will invest 2.5 billion yens to increase the manufacturing capacity of the lead frames 33% to1600 tons per month for IC and discrete devices.

Matsushita Electric Works (Major PWB supplier in Japan)
Will globally expand the business of the high heat resistant copper laminates "HIPER Series" for the lead-free soldering.
 
Arima Devices (Taiwan)
Has acquired the optical pick-up business from Philips.

Fujitsu (Major electronics company in Japan)
Is planning to produce 1.8" hard disc drives for consumer applications introducing the technology from Cornice.

Fujikura (Major flexible circuit manufacturer in Japan)
Has developed a large size DSC type solar cell module (1190 x 840 mm). It can provide low cost products by screen printing process.

Hikifune (Plating company in Japan)
Has established a electro gold plating process for the optical fibers instead of the high cost sputtering process.

Yamashita Matsushita Denko (Major PWB company in Japan)
Will promote the HDI PWB products introducing a build-up process with a micro-via technology "R-via" for smaller drilling than 100 microns.

Hitachi Chemical (Electronics material supplier in Japan)
Will invest 1.6 billion yens to build a new dry film plant with 50 million square meters per year in China for the growing market in the country.

Matsushita Electric Works (The largest PWB material supplier)
Will commercialize a new halogen-free coverlay film for the flexible printed circuits. The volume production will be conducted in Kunshan Plant of China.
 
Mektron (Major flexible circuit manufacturer in Japan)
Has developed new fine line process for the 50 micron pitch double side flexible circuits.

Fuji Kiko (PWB equipment manufacturer)
Has unveiled a new build-up technology "FACT-EV" for mobile products and disc drives.  The new technology provides fine traces with a high heat conductivity.

Clover Electronics (PWB manufacturer in Japan)
Has started the volume production of the multilayer boards with embedded IC chips.