Page 29 - System on Package_ Miniaturization of the Entire System

Intr oduction to the System-on-Package (SOP) Technology 7

consumer functions. Figure 1.4 shows some examples of electronic systems in the past
and others projected in the future. This trend is expected to continue to megafunction
systems that are about a cubic centimeter in size with not only computing and
communication capabilities but also with sensors to sense, digitize, monitor, control,
and transmit through the Internet to anyone anywhere.

1.3 Building Blocks of an Electronic System
The basic building blocks of an electronic system are listed in Table 1.1. The table also
outlines and contrasts the traditional elements of an electronic system with SOP-based
components of these building blocks.

Building Blocks Traditional Technology SOP-based Technology
Power sources DC adapter, power cables, Embedded thin-film batteries,
power socket microfluidic batteries
Integrated Logic, memory, graphics, Embedded and thinned ICs in
circuits control, and other ICs, substrate
SOCs
Stacked ICs in SIPs with wire bond and Wire-bonded and flip-chip SIPs.
3D/Packaged flip chip Through silicon via (TSV) SIPS and
ICs in 3D substrates
Packages or Multilayer organic Multilayer organic and silicon
substrates substrates substrates with TSVs
Passive Discrete passive Thin-film embedded passives in
components components on printed organics, silicon wafer and Si
circuit board (PCB) substrate

Heat removal Bulky heat sinks and heat Advanced nano thermal interface
elements spreaders. Bulky fans for materials, nano heat sinks and heat
convection cooling spreaders, thin-film thermoelectric
coolers, microfluidic channel based
heat exchangers
System board PCB-based motherboard Package and PCB are merged into
the SOP substrate
Connectors/ USB port, serial port, Ultrahigh density I/O interfaces
sockets parallel port, slots [for
dual in-line memory
modules (DIMM) and
expansion cards]
Sensors Discrete sensors on PCB Integrated nanosensors in IC and
SOP substrate
IC-to-package Flip chip, wire bond Ultraminiaturized nanoscale
interconnections interconnections

TABLE 1.1 Building Blocks of a Traditional Electronic System versus an SOP-based System