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Tessera Introduces Next-Generation Interconnect Platform
April 16, 2007 | Business WireEstimated reading time: 4 minutes
Tessera Technologies, Inc. today announced the MicroPILR(TM) Interconnect platform, a highly innovative technology family that is designed to revolutionize the interconnect within semiconductor packages, substrates, Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs) and other electronic components. The novel interconnection is achieved through low-profile, pin-shaped contacts which replace conventional technologies used today, such as solder balls on semiconductor packages and plated vias in package substrates and PCBs. These contacts deliver a number of key benefits needed to meet emerging product roadmaps, including significantly reduced profile, fine pitch, improved electrical and thermal performance, and enhanced reliability. By addressing the technical limitations of current generation interconnect, Tessera's MicroPILR platform has the potential to become a fundamental building block of next-generation mobile, computing and consumer electronic products.
A key demonstration of the technology has been in a high density, package stacking application. Working closely with one of the world's preeminent semiconductor manufacturers, Tessera has developed an 8-die FLASH package stack that is less than 1.2 mm thick. Each individual package can be tested prior to stacking which results in near100% stacked yield.
According to Mr. Shozo Saito, Corporate Vice President and Executive Vice President of Semiconductor Company, Toshiba Corporation, "We have been evaluating Tessera's MicroPILR platform for many months. Our initial technical results on the stacking of multiple NAND Flash devices in this low profile packaging technology are promising. Tessera has been pioneering advanced interconnect technologies for nearly two decades, and the MicroPILR platform is an innovative new technology offering."
According to Bruce McWilliams, Tessera's Chairman, President and CEO, "Tessera developed the MicroPILR(TM) platform to enable the ongoing evolution of electronics, which will require breakthroughs in interconnect to achieve greater levels of integration and functionality at lower levels of cost. Tessera is actively engaged with key members of the supply chain, including leading semiconductor manufacturers, subcontract assemblers, and materials suppliers, to drive widespread adoption of Tessera's MicroPILR platform. We look forward to offering our customers and the global electronics industry a powerful tool in meeting next-generation product roadmaps."
With the unveiling of this new technology, Tessera is introducing its next-generation packaging family while significantly expanding its product offering to include PCBs and other interconnect applications. Prismark estimates the interconnect market (including multilayer PCBs and advanced package assembly) will grow from approximately $34Bn in 2006 to $51Bn in 2011. According to Brandon Prior, Senior Consultant, Prismark, "The MicroPILR(TM) platform targets the fastest growing areas of advanced interconnects which include 3D package solutions and advanced substrate technologies. It addresses many of the challenges faced by other 3D solutions including height reduction, test, and manufacturability."
Licensing
Tessera is actively engaged with the global supply chain to drive high volume adoption of the MicroPILR technology family. The first implementation of the technology family available for licensing is for packaging and packaging substrate applications. Tessera is also offering related services, such as technology transfer and training, and prototype samples are available.
Technical Overview of MicroPILR Interconnect Platform
Tessera's MicroPILR technology platform leverages existing assembly processes and infrastructure to enable rapid integration into next-generation electronics. MicroPILR pins can be used as internal or external interconnections in a variety of applications, including the interconnection between semiconductor die and package substrates, semiconductor packages and PCBs, the layers within package substrates, and PCBs to PCBs.
MicroPILR pins can be formed directly onto substrates and are typically nickel/gold plated copper. They currently range from 25 to 175 microns in height and 40 to 200 microns in pin tip diameter, with height and diameter dimensions varying depending on application. In a die to package substrate application, MicroPILR technology is capable of enabling contact pitches down to 100 microns. In package to PCB applications, pitches down to 0.3 mm or lower can be achieved; and within package substrates, pitches of 150 micron or lower are possible.
MicroPILR Pins Applied to Advanced Packaging
The advanced attributes of the MicroPILR platform make it possible to package a broad range of semiconductor devices, from small die with low I/O to large die with high I/O. Devices can be packaged in single-chip, multi-chip, package-on-package, and other configurations. Specific device applications include: high density stacked Flash, DRAM and SRAM packaging; logic plus memory packaging; and stacked and mobile memory packaging. The finer pitch benefits of the technology also make it an attractive packaging solution for next-generation FPGAs and microprocessors, and the improved electrical and thermal performance provide key benefits for RF device packaging.
The replacement of solder balls with MicroPILR pins reduces package height up to 50% over BGA technologies used today. In stacking applications, the ability to test & burn-in each individual package before stacking enables near 100% stacked yields. In addition, the highly co-planar aspect of the MicroPILR pins are designed to enable socketless testing if needed, which can reduce testing cost, simplify testing, reduce test socket maintenance, and help to minimize the parasitics associated with high speed testing today. Tessera has developed a 150 micron package that the company believes is the world's thinnest individually testable and stackable package. For more information on Tessera's MicroPILR technology family, go to http://www.tessera.com/.
About Tessera Technologies, Inc.
Tessera is a leading provider of miniaturization technologies for the electronics industry. Tessera provides a broad range of advanced packaging, interconnect, and consumer optics solutions which are widely adopted in high-growth markets including consumer, computing, communications, medical and defense electronics. Tessera's customers include the world's top semiconductor companies such as Intel, Samsung, Texas Instruments, Toshiba, Micron and Infineon. The company's stock is traded on the Nasdaq National Market under the symbol TSRA. Tessera is headquartered in San Jose, California. http://www.tessera.com/.