DBS-Switch

Large Area Panel processing «LAP»

European Commission, 4th Framework Project (FP4)

Thin film High Density Integration (HDI) offers the ultimate solution for many existing and new applications requiring either high electrical performance, smaller size, or both. However, the costs of these types of substrates has always been prohibitive. The EU consortium «LAP» was formed to reduce the cost for thin-film substrates; the main goal of the project being the development and demonstration of low cost, high-density substrate manufacturing technology for first level die assemblies. i.e.

The suitability of LAP technology was further demonstrated with the commercial implementation of a Direct Broadcast Satellite Switch operating up to 2.4GHz.

  • high density / low cost substrate technology
  • high performance MCM-D technology (50 µm line pitch & 50 µm via)
  • verification by prototyping on a LAP pilot line
  • compatibility of the LAP technologies of 3 manufacturers (within specified design rules)
  • verification of LAP technologies developed via 3 product demonstrators

Benefits of LAP Technology

The substrate technologies developed allows for a wide range of packaging options from inserted substrates into transfer-moulded packages to integrated MCM-L/D and MCM-M/D (M=metal) area array packages. This ongoing trend towards miniaturisation, increased functionality and higher frequencies offers several significant challenges, e.g.

  • increased functionality requires higher level of integration
  • high frequency applications demand high signal integrity
  • increased average component I/O density require still higher interconnect density
  • direct chip attach to board (COB) is increasing as this gives the lowest inductance and noise, combined with the highest I/O density
  • several chips in one package (MCM) or even a systems in a package (SIP) development are driven by increased functionality, reduced size and lower cost