Compression Molding for Thin PoP Top Packages

Abstract

The package on package (PoP) has become the preferred method for vertical stacking of logic processors and memory in mobile applications. The industry is constantly working toward reducing the total stack height, and current road maps point toward a total stack Z-height of 1mm. One approach to reduce the package height is to reduce the mold cap thickness as well as reduce the mold cap clearance (the distance between the top silicon die to the mold top). In this study, we used the compression molding for manufacturing top PoP packages with 200μm, 250μm, 300μm, and 350μm mold cap and with sub-100μm mold cap clearance. As part of the mold material selection, two different form factors, granular and powder form, of the mold compound were used for the compression mold process. The key objective for this study is to investigate compression mold process and to study its effect on the package integrity. The major challenge for PoP stack up is the package warpage at reflow temperatures. All the PoP packages must meet certain critical warpage criterion to meet board mount yield requirements. Warpage of the packages was measured by the shadow moiré method, and the warpage results for the packages molded by the transfer mold were compared against that of the compression molded packages. Results indicate that there is considerable difference in warpage behavior betwee n the pellet and powder form of the same mold compound. However, the granular form of the same mold compound resulted in similar warpage behavior of the pellet form mold compound. Further analysis was done to compare the filler distribution in the mold for transfer versus the compression mold process. Results indicate much uniform filler distribution in compression mold furthering evidence that the warpage for the unit level package will be uniform across the strip. Warpage results were analyzed using finite element methods, and the results are extrapolated to different package XY dimensions. The data obtained from these experiments show that the compression mold method can be potentially implemented for thin PoP top packages in the future.