In electronics manufacturing, integrated circuit (IC) packaging is the final stage of semiconductor device fabrication. The integrated circuit is encapsulated in a supporting case, known as a "package", which supports the electrical contacts which connect the device to a circuit board.
The huge variety of ICs in the semiconductor industry all have different packaging requirements: The package type for a particular device depends on different parameters including size, power dissipation, field-operating conditions, and cost. Advanced packaging technologies include BGA, Flip-Chip, CSP, LGA, and PGA.
Multi-chip modules, systems-in-package, as well as heterogeneous integration of dissimilar chips or sensors allow higher integration densities compared to multiple chips on a conventional printed circuit board (PCB). These packages offer advantages in terms of speed, cost, functionality, and ease of integration for system designers.
Depending on packaging method and the technical requirements, different materials need to be structured to implement the required fan out and mapping of the IC contact pads. The materials range from silicon (through-silicon vias) to polymers to ceramics to metals.
What these all have in common is the requirement for a flexible and high-resolution lithography technology. Heidelberg Instruments’ VPG+ systems are designed for flexible production applications and offer high throughput, automatic distortion compensation, and focus following for substrates with low planarity.