Flip Chips and Solder Bump Technology Gaining Popularity

In modern times, the flip chip market has seen a lot of new advancements and innovations. Flip chips are used in a wide array of industries such as electronics, automotive & transport, IT & telecommunication, and healthcare. The electronic industry has witnessed a surge in the demand for flip chips as smartphones and tablets are widely used worldwide. Smartphones and tablets make use of flip chips that are also known as controlled collapse chip connection (C4). A thorough analysis of the flip chip market is carried out by experts at Allied Market Research in a recently published report. The market size, share, and growth are discussed to give valuable insights about the industry.

Traditionally used wired connections have seen a drop in their applications in recent times. The demand for flip chip technology has gained popularity as it offers several cost-effective and efficient solutions compared to wired connections. Wired connection require long and lengthy wires to make a successful connection making it tedious and time consuming. Solder bumps used in flip-chips reduce the length of the connection considerably saving a lot of working space.

Power consumption is a crucial issue organizations have given special focus to in the last decade. In a wired connection, a large amount of power is consumed whereas solder bumps in flip-chips reduce power consumption considerably, making them energy efficient. Another advantage the flip chip technology offers is high frequency of transmission. To sum it up, flip chip technology has gained popularity over wired connection and the change in trend is quite evident. Flip-chip assembly and wire bonding are principal methods for interconnecting ICs. While both methods offer several advantages, however, in modern types the former has gained importance.

Flip Chip and 3D IC Technology for the Packaging Industry

The microelectronic industry has witnessed packaging of flip chip devices over the years. It has been applied for manufacturing computers and consumer electronic products. In recent times, 3D IC technology has made its presence felt. The chip technology has its own limitations such as the Moore’s law that limits its applications. The scope for miniaturization is high for 3D IC technology giving it a slight edge over the flip chip technology.

The integration of both the technologies, namely, the chip and the packaging technology, will supplement the growth of the electronic industry for the next 15 to 20 years. 3D IC in semiconductors are showing promising results. It saves a lot of space in the device that has minimum room. Microelectronic organizations are currently developing Through-Si-Vias (TSV) technology and the micro bump technology that can be used in vertical interconnections. The IC packaging market is set to grow as the true potential of the technology is realized by manufacturers and leading organizations worldwide.

Wide range of applications to boost the flip chip market

The demand for wafer will encourage the growth of the flip chip market. Although the technology was introduced around 30 years back by IBM, it is not a well-established and matured industry. There have been several technological advancements made in the flip chip industry that are exploring fresh avenues. New bumping solutions for advanced technologies such as 3DIC and 2.5D are in the development phase. A bumping step is required for any packaging technology that is being used.

The flip chip package market is set to expand owing to demand from different domains especially in CMOS 28nm IC for new applications such as APE and BB, next wave of DDR memory and 3DIC/2.5D interposer that use micro-bumping. Cu pillar could soon become interconnect of choice for flip chip. The traditional applications of flip chips include laptops, desktop CPU’s, and GPU’s. The number of people using smartphones and tablets is growing exponentially and this is another reason why the flip chip market is set to grow worldwide.

Asia-Pacific is a Hotspot for the Flip Chip Market

The flip chip market is set to expand in the Asia-Pacific region. China and Taiwan are the leading markets in the region owing to the rise in the use of smartphones and tablets. The infrastructure in the aforementioned regions is suitable and is a lucrative opportunity for top manufacturers and industry players such as Amkor Technology, TSMC Ltd, and IBM.

Looking at the growing demand for sensors from the smartphones and automotive markets, in June 2016, Amkor Technology announced that the company will extend its operations in China by setting up a new microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) and sensor packaging line in Shanghai. The move will help the company to cater to the demands of its customers efficiently not only in China but also at the global level. The chip market will see a steady growth in the coming years as sensor content of smartphones, internet of things devices, and smart automobiles increase.

Omkar Gaikwad, is a senior content writer with Allied Market Research. He has worked closely with industry specialists from different segments including chemical, automotive and transportation, information technology, life sciences, construction and manufacturing & energy and power. Omkar’s articles concentrate principally on balancing relevant data but never at the expense of making the content engaging. He believes in giving fair-minded information to guide significant business choices. Any comments should be sent to the author at omkar.gaikwad@alliedanalytics.com.