Keywords: IC Substrate

Substrates for integrated circuits have lately become more well-known. It stems from novel integrated circuit designs such as ball grid packaging and chip-scale (CSP) (BGP). These IC packages demand innovative package carriers, which the IC substrate can accept. Understanding the significance of IC package material is no longer adequate for an electronics designer or engineer. You must be familiar with the production of IC substrates, how they function in electronics and the sectors in which they are used.

This page gives you in-depth details on IC substrate, including its characteristics and manufacturing method.

IC Substrate

The integrated circuit substrate serves as the building block of IC packages (or IC package substrates). They protect the exposed IC while facilitating communication between it and the PCB's trace network. As a result, the performance of the circuit is significantly influenced by the substrate. They consist of a supporting core in the center of several layers. The IC substrate also features a network of conductor pads and drill holes. Often, they are denser than traditional PCBs. As a result, making them might be challenging.

IC is a product at the intermediary stage that does the following tasks:

• a semiconductor IC chip is captured;
• Connect the chip to the PCB by installing an internal wire;
• It may serve as a heat dissipation channel and shield, strengthening, and supporting IC chips.
• Signal and power distribution

Some of its traits include:

• It has a board size of 150*50mm, is a single IC carrier, and has a variety of surface coatings, including hard gold, soft gold, Ni/Au, and gold/palladium/nickel.
• It features a contour tolerance of 0-50 microns in addition to a buried blind hole, impedance, and buried resistance capacity.
• The pattern spacing/width is between 10 and 80 microns, with a minimum ring width of 50 microns.
• Fifth, its minimum PCB thickness tolerance is 0-micron, and its minimum aperture in the micro-hole is 0.03mm and 0.1mm in the through-hole.
• Finally, it contains 2-10 layers and a board thickness of 0.1-1.5mm.

What an Integrated Circuit Has to Offer

Certain characteristics in an integrated circuit must be present when aligning your IC with an IC substrate. IC has the following traits, for example:

• A small-scale circuit: The debugging, installation, and design processes are typically straightforward and consistent since the IC is frequently tiny.

• Cost-effectiveness: All integrated circuits (ICs) are generally less expensive and perform better than other components.
• Integral circuits are very dependable because they contain fewer virtual welding and soldering junctions. They are noteworthy for their performance and consistency as a consequence.
• Fewer failures: ICs fail less frequently than conventional circuits.
• High efficiency and energy savings: Integrated circuits are also energy efficient since they use less energy.

Labeling of IC Substrates

The many IC substrates may be divided into three main groups. Package type, the bonding method, and material attributes/characteristics are the categories. They may be separated into application fields as well.

Type categorization of packaging

The kind of carrier is specified by the package type. As a result, each package can require a different collection of substrates.

• IC substrate with a ball grid

This substrate is suitable for IC packages with more than 300 pins. This is due to its improved heat dissipation and electrical performance.

• Chip-scale IC substrate package

This kind of substrate is tiny and paper-thin. It is suitable for smaller single-chip packages with a low pin count as a result (CSPs). Memory, telephony, and electrical goods with minimal pins are the main uses of CSP IC substrates.

• IC substrate for flip-chips

For creating implosion chip ties in a chip-scale flip-chip container, this substrate works well. It features superior heat dissipation protection against circuit failure and signal interference as a consequence. Low signal interference, little circuit loss, good performance, and efficient heat dissipation are all characteristics of the FC (Flip Chip) chip package.

• Sorting based on Material Characteristics

Because integrated circuits perform several activities, their substrates need a variety of material kinds and properties. The majority are:

• substrate for a multi-chip module IC

In a single package, this IC substrate integrates chips with different functionality. The product can be the best option because of its qualities, such as lightweight, thinness, shortness, and miniaturization. This sort of substrate naturally performs badly in signal interference, heat dissipation, excellent routing, and other areas since several chips are packaged into a single package.

These substrates are made of resin by rigid manufacturers. They can thus be created from Epoxy, Ajinomoto Build-up Film (ABF), or Bismaleimide Triazine (BT). The range of the CTE (coefficient of thermal expansion) is 13 to 17 ppm/°C.

• Flex

These resins are used to create this kind of substrate. Their electrical properties and coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE), which ranges from 13 to 27 ppm/°C, are also comparable.

• Ceramic

The substance used to create this kind of substrate is ceramic. Aluminum nitride, silicon carbide, or aluminum oxide is frequently used in their construction. Its CTE is modest, ranging from 6 to 8 ppm.

Sorting based on bonding technology

The method by which an integrated circuit is connected to packaging or external circuitry is known as bonding technology. Once more, every connection can require a substrate with a unique set of characteristics.

• Wire fusion

Wire bonding is the most typical kind of bonding. Wires from the chip's connections to the packaging, carrier, or external circuit are normally threaded by a person or machine.

• Chip Flip (FC)

The most popular connectivity technique for this kind of bonding is solder balls or bumps. Placing solder balls on the chip pads, we turn the processor over and line it with the pads of the open circuit. This bond can be created by manufacturers utilizing a solder interface, welded junction, or polymer adhesive.

PCB for Integrated Circuit Application

IC substrates can be used for the following:

• packing for memory chips
• Chip packing for micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS)
• packaging for radio frequency (RF) chips
• Packages for computer chips
• In high-speed communication devices, integrated circuitry is.
• These chips are used in products like smartphones, computers, and tablets that are used in daily life.
• printers, laptops, and RAM modules as memory equipment
• Applications in Telecommunications, Industrial Equipment, and Automotive

• Medical care, industrial control, aerospace, military, and telecommunications networking applications

IC substrate characteristics 

• Integrated Circuit substrates come in a broad variety of shapes, sizes, and other characteristics. They include the following:
• Lightweight: IC Substrates are frequently thin. This is mostly because of the content they use.
• incredibly reliable
• These substrates have a covering of protection around the integrated circuit. They must thus be constructed of sturdy materials.
• There are fewer wires and solder connections needed.
• Substrates for ICs are generally smaller than those for PCBs. They thus employ fewer wires and solder connections.
• After the design is finished, little IC substrates are incredibly small. They use less material to build as a consequence.
• Durability
• Even though they are little, IC substrates are durable.