Headline: VLSI Shipping Chip-Scale Packaging Optimized For Wireless And Portable
Markets; Driving Next Generation Packaging For Broader Market Availability And
Lower System Costs
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SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 16, 1998--VLSI
Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ:VLSI) today announced that it is shipping in
production volumes semiconductors targeted for the wireless and
portable markets using an 0.8mm ball pitch, chip-scale package.
The Fine Pitched Ball Grid Array (FPBGA) package is ideal for
applications requiring improved portability, form-factor size and
reliability such as cellular phones, PDAs, pagers, camcorders, PCMCIA
cards and global positioning systems. The new package is VLSI's first
generation fine pitch package and is another addition to the company's
package offerings that are cost effective, reliable and designed to
meet the market's broad range of price/performance needs.
70 Percent Smaller than Current TQFP Technology
The new FPBGA is the result of the combination of VLSI's
experience in wireless applications and Amkor Technology's expertise
in package technology. VLSI is the first to ship production volumes of
Amkor's flex-based product. The new, low-cost, flexible tape substrate
FPBGA technology is the smallest package size for lead counts between
100 to 280 leads, and is 70 percent smaller than current Thin Quad
Flat Pack (TQFP) technology. VLSI's second generation FPBGA will be
implemented in 0.5mm ball pitch, which represents an 80 percent size
reduction over TQFP technology, and is anticipated to be available for
volume production in the second half of 1999.
Helping to Define Chip-Scale Packaging Technology
VLSI's experience and leadership in the wireless market is
driving infrastructure and definition for chip-scale packaging
technology. Working with major packaging sub-contractors, such as
Amkor, VLSI is helping to establish an open-tooled, chip-scale
packaging infrastructure that will make the new packaging technology
more broadly available at a lower cost.
*T
VLSI's contributions to this effort include:
-- Matching the package footprints to affordable system board
technology
-- Identifying the best combinations of package body size, pin count
and die size
-- Defining variables to meet reliability requirements of the wireless
and portable markets such as solder volume, design features, board
thickness, pad size, etc.
*T
Cost Effective Migration to Chip-Scale Technologies
"The FPBGA technology represents significant reduction in form
factor for applications that would have normally found their way into
TQFPs," said Tom Dockery, manager of VLSI'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."
Technical Details
The new 100 to 280 pin count FPBGA package family, with 0.8mm
ball pitch and 0.48mm ball size, is optimized for wireless and
portable applications that require high density I/O and a small
footprint. The package utilizes a chip-up, wirebonded configuration
with a flexible tape circuit substrate that is over-molded. The fine
line features of the tape substrate offer greater density for smaller
packages and systems, and also has a future ability to allow for even
greater reductions in size.
Current VLSI FPBGA Applications
VLSI is currently using the new chip-scale packaging in several
of its wireless standard products. These include the OneC(tm) GSM
platform, a highly integrated, customizable, single-chip baseband
silicon solution, and the single-chip CDMA+(tm) dual-core baseband
solution, the market's most highly integrated CDMA product. Both
products are packaged in a 180 FPBGA with a board area of only
12x12mm.
About VLSI Technology
VLSI Technology, Inc. designs and manufactures custom and
semicustom integrated circuits for leading firms in the wireless
communications, networking, consumer digital entertainment and
computing markets. VLSI's value proposition is based on full-service
customer support, deep libraries of vertical market-focused IC
intellectual property, unparalleled custom circuit design expertise
enabled through the Velocity Rapid Silicon Prototyping design style,
and one of the world's most flexible and efficient custom circuit
manufacturing facilities. The company is based in San Jose,
California, with 1997 revenues from continuing operations of $712.7
million, and approximately 2,200 employees worldwide. Visit VLSI's
homepage at vlsi.com.
Note to Editors: OneC, CDMA+ and Velocity are trademarks of VLSI
Technology, Inc. All other brand or product names are trademarks
and/or registered trademarks of their respective owners.
CONTACT: VLSI Technology, Inc.
Earle Speranza, 408/922-5268
earle.speranza@sanjose.vlsi.com
KEYWORD: CALIFORNIA
INDUSTRY KEYWORD: COMPUTERS/ELECTRONICS COMED TELECOMMUNICATIONS
PRODUCT
KEY:VLSIFX
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