What is an IC packaging?

IC packaging is the material that contains the semiconductor device.

Package testing refers to the housing that surrounds the circuit material and protects it from corrosion or physical damage. The contacts on the chip are connected with wires to the pins of the package housing, and these pins are in turn connected to other devices through wires on the printed circuit board, thus connecting the internal chip to the external circuit.

Why is IC packaging important?

IC packaging technology has evolved since the 1970s, when ball grid array (BGA) packaging was first used by electronics package manufacturers.

IC packaging is the final stage in the production of semiconductor devices and is a very important one. The package is essentially a housing designed to protect the module and facilitate the electrical contact that carries the signal to the electronic device circuit board.

What are the common types of IC packages?

There are various classifications of IC packages, but there are two main types of packages: leadframe type and substrate type.

Leadframes are the most common type of IC package. You can use these packages for lead bonded interconnect chips with silver or gold plated finishes. For surface mount plastic packages, manufacturers typically use copper leadframe material.

In addition to the basic structural definition of an IC package, there are other categories that distinguish secondary interconnect types.

• Pin grid arrays: for socketing
• Leadframe and dual inline packages: for components with pins through holes
• Chip-level package: a single-chip, direct surface-mountable package with an area less than 1.2 times the area of the chip.
• Quad flat package: Lead frame package without lead type
• Quad flat no-lead: miniature package, chip size, for surface mounting
• Multi-chip packages: Multiple ICs, discrete components, and semiconductor chips are integrated onto a substrate, making the multi-chip package similar to a larger IC
• Area array packages: These packages offer maximum performance while saving space by allowing any portion of the chip surface area to be used for interconnects

It is worth noting that many companies use face-to-face packages, such as BGA packages, which come in a variety of forms, including microchip-level packages and larger packages. BGA construction involves organic substrates, and its best application is in multi-chip structures.

How to choose the right IC package?

Choosing the right IC package for your PCB design starts with understanding the various technical information about producing IC packages. The following are some key design considerations.

Material Composition

The performance of an IC package depends heavily on its chemical, electrical, and material composition. Leadframe packages, a popular format, use silver or gold wire bonding finishes, which makes the process simpler and more affordable.

Applicable Substrates

The substrate is the part of the IC package that gives the board its mechanical strength and allows it to be connected to external devices. The interposer layer supports the connection wiring in the package. In some cases, the terms “substrate” and “interposer layer” are interchangeable.

• Rigid substrates and tape encapsulated substrates. Rigid substrates are strong and well defined, while tape substrates are thin and flexible
• Substrates for auxiliary metal conductors. The metal conductors in an IC package route signals to various interconnect functions. Therefore, the substrate must help facilitate this process.

To summarize

There are many elements to IC packaging for electronic systems. Different market segments affect the price, popularity and availability of packaging materials. Learn how they affect the performance requirements of your components and keep up with new developments in advanced packaging.

If you need advice on various types of packaging or board-related issues, contact KingPCB today.