WHAT IS SINGLE CHIP PACKAGING (SCP)?

Single chip package (SCP) is a package that supports a single microelectronic device where its electrical, mechanical,
thermal, and chemical performance needs are adequately served. The device originates from a wafer, gets singulated or
diced, then packaged and burnt-in and tested.

Single Chip Packages can be attached to the second packaging level, usually a printed circuit board, with leads that
penetrate into solder plated holes in the board- the “pin-insertion “ type, or with leads that are soldered to the surface
of the board- the “surface mounted” type.

Single Chip Package, Chip Scale Package, or CSP, based on IPC/JEDEC J-STD-012 definition, is a single-die, direct surface
mountable package with an area of no more than 1.2 times the original die area.

Single chip module packaging is a type of packaging where packaging interconnections are formed upon the surface of
the die(s) and a fan-out area, using wafer-level packaging processes. The die singulated from wafer are populated in a
matrix frame, which resembles the shape of a wafer, and connections are made using the “build-up layers” process. The
package may contain multiple die and Surface Mount Devices (SMDs) as well. The assembled reconstituted wafer is
molded, and uses a grid of solder balls (BGA or ball grid array) for electrical connections.

WHAT ARE THE FUNCTIONS OF A SCPS?

1. Provide an efficient means for signal transmission and power distribution to and from the IC with which it is
packaged.
2. Provide an efficient means for signal transmission and power distribution between the packaged device and
other components of the system through subsequent assembly onto a system board.
3. Enable the device to be attached to the next level of packaging through a suitable interconnect scheme such as
surface mount technology (SMT).
4. Allow for efficient dissipation of heat generated by the packaged device during its operation.
 SCPs allow efficient dissipation of heat generated because the thermal performance can be improved by
using packaging materials with high thermal conductivity. Also, with SCPs, board density is not a
problem unlike multichip packaging that creates thermal complications because of the increase in circuit
and component density.
 To avoid these adverse effects, thermal design is essential for semiconductor packages. These are three
ways of how heat dissipates in electronic packages.
1. Convection from the top surface of the package into the atmosphere
2. Conduction from the external pins/balls to PWB and then convection into the atmosphere
3. Convection from the sides of the package into the atmosphere
5. Provide adequate operation of the device from external forces of mechanical or environmental nature which
may damage the device.
 Many devices are molded out of an epoxy plastic that provides adequate protection of the
semiconductor devices, and mechanical strength to support the leads and handling of the package.
Some devices, intended for high-reliability or aerospace or radiation environments, use ceramic
packages, with metal lids that are brazed on after assembly, or a glass frit seal. All-metal packages are
often used with high power (several watts or more) devices, since they conduct heat well and allow for
easy assembly to a heat sink. Often the package forms one contact for the semiconductor device. Lead
materials must be chosen with a thermal coefficient of expansion to match the package material.
6. Act as space transformer between the fine pitch grid of IC that is typically in the 100 micron range and the PWB
grid that is typically in the 200 micron range.
What are the Types of SCPs?

1. Through-Hole Mounting (THM): Through-hole mounting is the process by which component leads are placed
into drilled holes on a bare PCB. Through-hole components are best used for high-reliability products that
require stronger connections between layers.
2. Surface Mount Technology (SMT): SMT the process by which components are mounted directly onto the surface
of the PCB. Known originally as “planar mounting,” the method was developed in the 1960s and has grown
increasingly popular since the 1980s.

The key differences between SMT and through-hole mounting are (a) SMT does not require holes to be drilled through a
PCB, (b) SMT components are much smaller, and (c) SMT components can be mounted on both side of the board. The
ability to fit a high number of small components on a PCB has allowed for much denser, higher performing, and smaller
PCBs.

Single chip packages can be classified based on package materials. It can be a plastic package (plasticsubstrate) , a thin
film or a tape carrier (polyimide) and a ceramic material.

SCP can also be classified based on IC assembly type. It can be a surface mount device (SMT), through a hole device or it
can be a direct chip attach.

The classification can also be based on IC interconnections. It can be quad flat pack (QFP), it can be partial area array or
it can be a complete area array package (BGA).

Types of SCPs: Single chip packages classified into three types:

1. PTH (pin-through-hole) – through-hole technology (tht), also spelled "thru-hole", refers to the mounting scheme
used for electronic components that involves the use of leads on the components that are inserted into holes
drilled in printed circuit boards (PCB) and soldered to pads on the opposite side either by manual assembly
(hand placement) or by the use of automated insertion mount machines.
2. SMT (surface mount technology) - Surface-mount technology (SMT) is a method for producing electronic circuits
in which the components are mounted or placed directly onto the surface of printed circuit boards (PCBs).
3. SMT-Area Array - A chip package in which any part of the surface area of the chip can be used for
interconnection, rather than just the outer perimeter.

There are today a myriad of single-chip packages to choose from, each with their own acronym, such as DIP, PGA, SOP,
SOJ, TSOP, VTSOP, CC, PLCC, CPGA, BGA, TBGA, etc. However, all of these package types can be categorized into just
three general classes, based on their lead form factor:

 Dual In-line Packages: DIPs, rectangular packages with two rows of leads on two sides of the package, can be
through hole or SMT
 Chip Carriers: square packages, with leads on all four sides, strictly for SMT
 Grid Arrays: leads on an area array. For through hole, called PGA, for SMT, called LGA or BGA.
WHAT IS MULTICHIP PACKAGING?

A multi-chip module (MCM) is generically an electronic assembly (such as a package with a number of conductor
terminals or "pins") where multiple integrated circuits (ICs or "chips"), semiconductor dies and/or other discrete
components are integrated, usually onto a unifying substrate, so that in use it is treated as if it were a single component
(as though a larger IC).

MCP refers to a packaging configuration containing at most five (5) chips, connected via wirebonds to a multilayer circuit
board, and protected by either a molded encapsulant or a low-cost ceramic package. In the simplest case, dies can be
attached to a die paddle without a substrate, and inter-die communication is achieved through die-to-die wirebonding.

Multichip Packaging (MCP) defines a packaging option in which multiple die and/or packaged devices (SOICs, CSPs) are
incorporated into a single package. The MCP may be considered as an alternative to an Application Specific Integrated
Circuit (ASIC). Compared to the ASIC it is a viable option offering lower cost and faster time to market. It presents many
advantages providing for a significant increase in packaging efficiency by replacing multiple packages with a single
package. There is also a major reduction in overall size and weight.

“Multi-Chip Packages” or MCP is a terminology used within National Semiconductor Corp. Outsiders refer to the same
type of packaging as “Few-Chip Packages” or FCP (pro- posed by MCC) or low-end Multi-Chip Modules (MCM).

TYPES OF MCP:

Based on integration:

1. The Hybrid Circuit (HC) or Hybrid Integrated Circuit (HIC)

2. The Multichip Module (MCMs)
3. 3-D Packaging
4. System in Package (SiP) or System on Package (SoP).

Based on relevant pin count:

1. Molded plastic thru-hole packages.

2. Molded plastic surface mount packages.
3. Molded thin packages.
4. Molded PGAs and LGAs.
5. Cavity packages (non-hermetic).
6. Ceramic thru-hole packages.
7. Ceramic surface mount packages.
8. Ceramic PGAs

Based on technology used:

1. MCM-L – laminated MCM. The substrate is a multi-layer laminated printed circuit board (PCB).
2. MCM-D – deposited MCM. The modules are deposited on the base substrate using thin film technology.
3. MCM-C – ceramic substrate MCMs, such as low temperature co-fired ceramic (LTCC)

ADVANTAGES OF SCP OVER MCP

1. Improved performance as the length of the interconnection between dies is reduced.

2. Increased flexibility as it helps in the integration of different semiconductor technologies.
3. Lower off-chip driver power.
4. Ease of pluggability and removal for IC repair.
5. Lower heat generated by the IC.