Understanding IC Packaging Technology on PCBs

For those in the PCB industry, having a solid grasp of IC packaging on circuit boards is crucial, especially during circuit board analysis and PCB copying processes. Here, we delve into key industry terminology related to IC packaging technology on PCBs, essential for PCB copy board or PCB design engineers.

BGA (Ball Grid Array)

BGA is a surface mount package with spherical contacts, replacing traditional pins with spherical bumps on the PCB. Designed for multi-pin LSI applications, BGAs offer smaller dimensions compared to QFPs, with over 200 pins possible. Despite challenges in visual inspection post-reflow soldering, BGAs ensure stable connections for evaluation through functional testing.

BQFP (Quad Flat Package with Bumper)

A four-sided pin flat package with cushioning at each corner to prevent pin bending. Commonly used by American semiconductor manufacturers in microprocessors and ASICs, BQFPs have a pin center distance of 0.635mm and pin counts ranging from 84 to 196.

Butt Welding PGA (Butt Joint Pin Grid Array)

Another term for surface mount PGA, offering efficient circuit board integration.

C- (Ceramic)

Indicates ceramic packages like CDIP, commonly used in various circuits.

Cerdip

A ceramic dual in-line package sealed with glass, suitable for circuits like ECL RAM and DSPs. Cerdips with glass windows are ideal for EPROM circuits, offering better heat dissipation than plastic QFPs.

Cerquad

A ceramic QFP with hermetic sealing, designed for logic LSI circuits. Cerquads provide efficient heat dissipation but at a higher packaging cost compared to plastic QFPs.

CLCC (Ceramic Leaded Chip Carrier)

A ceramic chip carrier with T-shaped pin configurations, used for encapsulating circuits with windows like ultraviolet erasable EPROMs.

COB (Chip on Board)

COB is a bare chip mounting technology where a semiconductor chip is manually attached to a PCB, offering simplicity but lower packaging density compared to other technologies.

DFP (Dual Flat Package)

DIP (Dual In-Line Package)

DIP, which stands for Dual In-Line Package, is a type of plug-in package commonly used in standard logic ICs, memory LSIs, and microcomputer circuits. The package features pins extending from both sides, and it can be made of plastic or ceramic. The pin center distance is 2.54mm, with pin counts ranging from 6 to 64. While the standard package width is 15.2mm, there are also narrower variants known as skinny DIP and slim DIP, with widths of 7.52mm and 10.16mm, respectively. Ceramic DIPs sealed with low-melting glass are referred to as cerdip. DIP is a prevalent plug-in package in the electronics industry.

Flip-Chip

Flip-Chip is a bare chip packaging technology that involves flip-soldering the chip to the printed circuit board. Metal bumps created in the electrode area of the LSI chip connect with the PCB’s electrode area. This packaging method results in a small and thin package, as the package footprint closely matches the chip size. However, differences in thermal expansion coefficients between the PCB substrate and the LSI chip can impact connection reliability. To address this issue, resin reinforcement for the LSI chip and the use of substrate materials with similar thermal expansion coefficients are crucial.

FQFP (Fine Pitch Quad Flat Package)

FQFP, or Fine Pitch Quad Flat Package, refers to a type of QFP with a small pin center distance, typically under 0.65mm. This package design is suitable for applications requiring high pin counts in a compact space. FQFP is commonly used in electronic devices where miniaturization is essential.

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