VLSI taps Amkor's flex-based BGAs
for 0.8-mm pitch chip-scale packing
semibiznews.com
SAN JOSE, Calif.--VLSI Technology Inc. here today said it has begun shipping products in a new 0.8-mm pitch ball-grid array (BGA) chip-scale package. The Fine Pitch Ball Grid Array (FPBGA) is targeted at portable equipment applications, such as cellular phones, camcorders, PDAs, global positioning systems and PC card peripherals.
The FPBGA is VLSI Technology's first generation of fine-pitch packages, which resulted from collaboration with chip-packaging giant Amkor Technology Inc. VLSI Technology said it is the first company to ship production volumes of Amkor's flex-based BGA product.
"The FPBGA technology represents significant reduction in form factor for applications that would have normally found their way into TQFPs [thin quad flat packs]," said Tom Dockery, manager of VLSI Technology's Corporate Technology Planning Group. "The chip-scale nature of the FPBGA make it nearly as effective as direct chip attach technology without the cost and infrastructure penalties associated with attaching the chips directly to system boards.
"These advantages, combined with the open supply base, which VLSI is helping to establish, is creating excitement and demand for FPBGAs within the wireless and portable markets," he added.
VLSI Technology said the flexible tape substrate FPBGA technology is the smallest package size for lead counts between 100 to 280 leads, and is 70% smaller than current TQFP technology. VLSI Technology said a second-generation FPBGA will be implemented in 0.5-mm ball pitch, which represents an 80% size reduction over TQFP technology. That package is expected to become available for volume production in the second half of 1999. |
