Package on package

Package on package (PoP) is an integrated circuit packaging method to combine vertically discrete logic and memory ball grid array (BGA) packages. Two or more packages are installed atop each other, i.e. stacked, with a standard interface to route signals between them. This allows higher component density in devices, such as mobile phones, personal digital assistants (PDA), and digital cameras.

Typical configurations

Two widely used configurations exist for PoP:

• Pure memory stacking — two or more memory only packages are stacked on each other
• Mixed logic-memory stacking — logic (CPU) package on the bottom, memory package on top. For example, the bottom could be an application processor for a mobile phone. The logic package is on the bottom because it needs many more BGA connections to the motherboard.

Typical logic plus memory PoP stack, common to mobile phone application processors or baseband modems from 2005 onward

Benefits

The most obvious benefit is motherboard space savings. PoP shares this trait with stacked-die packages. However there are several key differences between stacked-die and stacked-package products.

The main financial benefit of package on package is that the memory device is decoupled from the logic device. Thus:

• The memory package can be tested separately from the logic package
• Only "known good" packages are used in final assembly (if the memory is bad only the memory is thrown away and so on). Compare this to stacked-die packages where the entire set is useless and rejected if either the memory or logic is bad.
• The end user (such as makers of mobile phones or digital cameras) controls the logistics. This means memory from different suppliers can be used at different times without changing the logic. The memory becomes a commodity to be sourced from the lowest cost supplier. This trait is also a benefit compared to PiP (package in package) which requires a specific memory device to be designed in and sourced upstream of the end user.
• Any mechanically mating top package can be used. For a low-end phone, a smaller memory configuration may be used on the top package. For a high-end phone, more memory could be used with the same bottom package. This simplifies inventory control by the OEM. For a stacked-die package or even PiP (package in package), the exact memory configuration must be known weeks or months in advance.
• Because the memory only comes into the mix at final assembly, there is no reason for logic suppliers to source any memory. With a stacked-die device, the logic provider must buy wafers of memory from a memory supplier.

Electrically, PoP offers benefits by minimizing track length between different interoperating parts, such as a controller and a memory. This yields better electrical performance of devices, since shorter routing of interconnections between circuits yields faster signal propagation and reduced noise and cross-talk.

JEDEC standardization

• JEDEC JC-11 committee deals with package outline drawing standards related to the bottom PoP package. See documents MO-266A and JEDEC publication 95, Design Guide 4.22.
• JEDEC JC-63 committee deals with top (memory) PoP package pinout standardization. See JEDEC Standard No. 21-C, Page 3.12.2 – 1

Other names

Package on package is also known by other names:

• PoP — refers to the combined top and bottom packages
• PoPt — refers to the top package
• PoPb — refers to the bottom package
• PSvfBGA — refers to the bottom package: Package Stackable Very thin Fine pitch BGA
• PSfcCSP — refers to the bottom package: Package Stackable Flip Chip Chip Scale Package

External links

• Innovations push Package on Package into new markets, Flynn Carson, Semiconductor International, April 2010
• Practical Components PoP Samples and Test Boards (daisy chains)
• Package-on-Package: The Story Behind This Industry Hit (Semiconductor International, 6/1/2007)
• Package-on-package is killer app for handsets (EETimes Article July 2008)
• "POP" Goes the Future (Assembly Magazine, 9/30/2008)
• Package on Package: Top and Bottom PoP Technologies
• PoP Solder Balling (Circuits Assembly Magazine, December 2010)
• The BeagleBoard uses a PoP processor
• Killer app for cell handsets EETimes 10/20/2008
• TMV: An ‘Enabling’ Technology for Next-Gen PoP Requirements Semicon International 11/04/2008
• Rolling with Solder Balls (Circuits Assembly Magazine, October 2010)
• Don't Drown the Part! (Circuits Assembly Magazine, August 2010)
• POP (Package On Package): An Ems Perspective On Assembly, Rework And Reliability 02/12/2009
• Hamid Eslampour et al.Comparison of Advanced PoP Package Configurations, 2010 Electronic Components and Technology Conference (ECTC) Proceedings