Multi-chip module

A classic multi-chip module (MCM, sometimes MCP of English Multi Chip Package ) consists of a plurality of individual microchips (or dice ), which are accommodated in a common housing planar ( side by side), and appearance such as a chip to the outside, then work and are used. From the outside, such chips are not directly visible, but look like many others. Today it employs the term MCM to the modules, in addition to semiconductor dies micromechanical elements or discrete passive components, such as capacitors or resistors in SMDs ( Surface Mounted Device qv ) include. Such MCM and MCM with vertically arranged components (see below die stacking ) correspond much more to the features of a system -in-package ( see also "System -in-Package ").

, The individual chips can be designed specifically in an MCM to integrate. Then you 're dealing with individual chips in a completely different technologies that can not be easily integrated on a single die. Examples here are mainly digital microcontroller and its analog peripherals and / or flash memory, sometimes microprocessor cores and their other external cache blocks, eventually in cellphones, the combination of processor, SRAM and flash memory. In the area of ​​intelligent sensor systems ( such as pressure sensors ), eg evaluation chip and micromechanics are packaged in an enclosure. This procedure is usually a less expensive alternative to monolithic integration of all components in a semiconductor is (see " System on a Chip ").

But it can also be used in chips, which would otherwise be incorporated into the housing and used alone. This occurs when one wants to save the development time for a completely integrated chip for small series or a quick shot. The connection to an MCM can develop much faster.

For functionality, it is usually necessary to each other to connect the individual chips electrically. This is done on the species, as they are also normally used in microelectronics: direct bonding on miniaturized circuit carrier ( lead frames, substrates, printed circuit boards). Thus, an MCM is a special case of an electronic printed circuit board assembly (compact module) represents a further important installation process is eg Flip Chip.

Piled into multiple chips on each other, it is called the stacking or system -in-package (SiP ). Thus, the complete component is not too high when stacked this that this first be ground thin at times with some effort. Then they are molded as usual chip bonded to the external pins and packed in a housing. A new method, stacked to combine this with each other, is called TSV ( for Through-Silicon -Vias). The The layers as in multilayer printed circuit boards can be contacted through holes. Too many this but you can not stack directly above the other, as this will cause overheating problems because of the difficult heat dissipation.