Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1443477
56 PCB007 MAGAZINE I JANUARY 2022 Feature Interview by Nolan Johnson I-CONNECT007 At the October 2021 EIPC Technical Snap- shot webinar, Jan Vardaman, president and founder of TechSearch International gave a presentation on "Chip Package Choices, Chal- lenges and Trends." I-Connect007 reached out to Vardaman to get an overview of exactly how these new packaging techniques will change the printed circuit board chain through design and manufacture. Nolan Johnson: What factors are driving inno- vation in chip packaging? Jan Vardaman: With the intro duc t ion of advanced semiconductor nodes there is a need for smart packaging to provide the eco- nomic advantages that have been traditionally achieved with silicon scaling. While it is pos- sible to fabricate integrated circuits (ICs) that are larger than reticle size, it is not economi- cal given the yield loss (defect density), mask cost, and manufacturing cost of the advanced nodes. Johnson: What is heterogenous integration? What does it provide as an advantage? Vardaman: Heterogeneous integration is defined as two or more dissimilar die assem- bled into a standard package that provides a functional subsystem. It can include MEMS sensors, passives, filters, and/or antennas. Drivers for heterogeneous integration differ slightly between high-performance applica- tions and other applications. Combinations of memory and logic in the same package are increasingly common for high-performance applications. e need for reduced latency is driving the increased adoption of high-band- Disruptive Chip Packaging Developments in PCB Fabrication Jan Vardaman