Very thin POP and SIP packaging approaches to achieve functionality integration prior to TSV implementation

Discrete function integration is achieved at the package level with a variety of packaging solutions, mainly package on package. In this paper we review mainstream package on package technology offerings and compare them against improved versions of these packages where advances in materials properties and processing techniques are leveraged to meet increasingly tighter overall package thickness requirements while maintaining or improving the reliability, yield and cost effectiveness metrics set by the existing technologies. Different avenues to achieve very thin POP and system-in-a-package constructions are explored in detail, showing the implications in terms of material properties, new or improved processing steps and design trade-offs. Similarly, we show examples where these new techniques have been used successfully to achieve the stricter thickness targets and to prove that these technologies are ready to be applied and leveraged immediately for functionality integration without requiring extended development times or completely new processing methodologies.