Multichip packages-the nest stage of integration for automotive electronics?

The ever increasing complexity and pervasion of electronics on modern vehicles has an omnipresent problem-space. Whilst the benefits of adding electronic control to various functions is appreciated, the space taken by the electronic control unit is not. Consequently electronic systems are forced into hostile environments and provided with very little space. The authors illustrate the potential role of advanced semiconductor packaging in tackling this problem. They concentrate on a concept allowing multiple chips to be placed in a single package which is suitable for the hostile automotive environment. This approach allows the mixing of both different technologies (bipolar, CMOS etc.) and of functions (digital, analogue, memory etc.). Problems such as thermal management and mechanical stressing of chips in a multichip environment are addressed. A single package approach has many advantages in addition to area savings, such as reduced number of solder joints, shorter interconnects and of great interest at the moment, improved EMC performance. The authors consider these aspects in some detail