'SiP Packaging: The New SoC?' -- Semico's Perspective.Business Editors/High-Tech Writers PHOENIX--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 8, 2003 As NRE (Non-Recurring Engineering) Refers to the cost of creating a new product, which is paid up front. Contrast with "production cost," which is ongoing and based on the quantity of material produced. (Non-Recurring Engineering Non-recurring engineering (NRE) refers to the one-time cost of researching, designing, and testing a new product. When budgeting for a project, NRE must be considered in order to analyze if a new product will be profitable. ) costs for SOC (System-on-a-Chip) integrated circuits Integrated circuits Miniature electronic circuits produced within and upon a single semiconductor crystal, usually silicon. Integrated circuits range in complexity from simple logic circuits and amplifiers, about 1/20 in. (1. are approaching $30 million, SiP (System-in-Package) packaging has emerged as an alternative. An SiP combines multiple ICs, discretes, passives or other elements in one package to provide a complete system or subsystem in that one package. There are many high-volume applications that are very well suited for SoCs; but, according to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. a just published Semico Research Corp. study, "SiP Packaging: The New SoC?" SiPs will be used instead of SoCs in many applications where the potential semiconductor revenue generated is less than $1.5 billion. For contract semiconductor packaging companies, the SiP packaging market is a tremendous growth opportunity. Semico predicts that SiP contract packaging revenue will increase from $82.0 million in 2002 to $747.9 billion, a CAGR CAGR See: Compound Annual Growth Rate of 55.6%. Although it is now possible to integrate some systems onto an SoC, there are many problems: difficulties with combining different process technologies, isolating noise generated by RF or analog sections, high NRE costs, a long time to market and others. The Semico study identifies these SoC problems, describes the ways that SiPs overcome them and discusses additional advantages offered by SiPs. SiPs are being used extensively in applications such as cell phones, Bluetooth modules, 802.11 modules, CMOS image sensors, computer graphics and network packet switching A network technology that breaks up a message into small packets for transmission. Unlike circuit switching, which requires the establishment of a dedicated point-to-point connection, each packet in a packet-switched network contains a destination address. . The Semico study provides functional block diagrams, roadmaps and five-year forecasts for unit shipments in those end-use markets. In the future, there is a very large potential for SiPs in embedded micrologic applications. Some companies are already offering combinations of a microcontroller chip and memory chips in one package. SiPs can combine a micrologic chip, one or more memory chips, analog chips and other components in one package to provide an embedded micrologic solution with NRE costs that are insignificant compared to the NRE costs for an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) Pronounced "a-sick." A chip that is custom designed for a specific application rather than a general-purpose chip such as a microprocessor. (Application Specific Integrated Circuit integrated circuit (IC), electronic circuit built on a semiconductor substrate, usually one of single-crystal silicon. The circuit, often called a chip, is packaged in a hermetically sealed case or a nonhermetic plastic capsule, with leads extending from it for ) or an SoC. "SiP Packaging: The New SoC?" provides detailed information about SiP packaging, applications and end-use markets, valuable information for packaging companies, semiconductor manufacturers and OEMs alike. This study is available for immediate shipment. The list price is $3,500. Semico Research Corp. is a leading provider of semiconductor market research and custom consulting. Descriptions of other products and services are available at www.semico.com or from Semico Research Corp., P.O. Box 9850, Phoenix, AZ 85020. |
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