Flip-Chip Packages accounted for 13% of all integrated circuit (IC) packages by the end of 2010, but this was worth over 29% of the Global IC  assembly, packaging and test market.

Throughout this report on flip-chip technologies and markets, you will find out how this market emerged almost from scratch 15 years ago and turned into a $16 billion plus market, and why analysts think that even though it is a large market by the figures and looks mature at first sight, that it is still in its growth phase, with major technology and application and supply chain transformations looming ahead.

Renewed interest in flip-chip technologies is motivated in many application areas concurrently by such factors as the rising cost of gold used for wire bonding, the need for low thickness devices, continued CMOS downscaling, higher currents and temperatures, and lower voltages.

Today, many sophisticated devices can no longer be packaged with wire bonding technology and the mobile applications are increasingly requiring footprint and weight reduction coupled with higher electrical performance (signal propagation and power distribution). The emergence of the 28nm CMOS technology node in particular, poses new quality and reliability constraints on interconnect technologies so as to cope with the increasing fragility of the back end of line, which may disqualify wire bonding. Not to mention the ever increasing IO density, making it necessary to develop new bumping and substrate technologies. It is not any longer only about higher performance and lower cost reliable interconnects or assembly and packaging technologies. If remained unresolved, the above constraints will prove to be bottlenecks if not obstacles to the continuation of Moore’s law.

A Segmented Market With Diverse "Realities"

Summarizing the flip-chip market and its dynamics with just a few words and figures can be misleading, as there is a wide diversity of flip-chip technologies and applications, with different drivers, levels of maturity and sometimes alternative technologies. To some, flip-chip applies to large digital system-on-chip devices like microprocessors, graphical processor units or chipsets for personal computers and gaming stations. Yet, flip-chip applies to a number of different applications addressing different packaging forms. Flip-chip applies not only to packages but also to interconnection of bare integrated circuits, like the display drivers found around all LCD screens worldwide; and flip-chip packages can address devices with die sizes ranging from less than 1mm² up to the maximum die sizes (around 650mm²).

The flip-chip market is undergoing major technology and supply chain transformations which this report describes along with their impacts on the semiconductor industry for the coming 5 years.

• Why are copper pillars becoming so popular?
• How will this affect the business?
• Who is investing in these technologies?
• How is the supply chain changing and how are new technologies reshaping the value chain?
• Will CMOS foundries seize a significant stake in this business at the expense of assembly dedicated companies in the years to come?
• How will the high value of substrates in the overall flip-chip cost of ownership be challenged?
• And what will substrate manufacturers propose to maintain it?

These are some of the questions addressed through the 360-degree analysis of the World’s highest value semiconductor packaging technology.

Focus of the Report

Throughout this report, you will find everything you should know about flip-chip:

• an exhaustive presentation of the flip-chip markets
• the applications served and their key drivers
• the technologies used from substrates to underfills to wafer bumping to assembly
• the analysis of the supply chain
• a cost analysis section
• an analysis of the market and its value chain
• and, of course, the complete set of market forecasts from 2010 to 2016 in billion units and in million wafers by application, by player type, by technology, by wafer size,…

The list and ranking of the main substrate, underfill and wafer bumping players is also detailed as of the end of 2010, including the detailed respective production capacities for wafer bumping.

Who Should Buy This Report

•     Integrated semiconductor device manufacturers and fabless semiconductor companies

        -Visualize the drivers and expected benefits by application of flip-chip as well as the alternative options
        -Benchmark the industry status of flip-chip
        -Identify possible partnership /or second source packaging subcontractors for your forthcoming developments

•     Assembly and test service companies

        -Benchmark the industry status of flip-chip. Evaluate your market and technology position
        -Screen possible new applications and technologies to support diversification strategy with flip-chip technologies

•     Silicon wafer foundries

        -Screen possible new applications and technologies to support diversification strategy with wafer bumping

•     Equipment and material suppliers

        -Understand the differentiated value of your products and technologies in this large and fast growing market
        -Identify new business opportunities and prospects

•     Electronic module makers and Original Equipment Makers

       - Evaluate the benefits of using flip-chip devices in your end system
        -Monitor different suppliers to adjust your sourcing strategy

•     PCB and IC substrate manufacturers

        -Monitor the evolution of IC packaging, assembly and test, especially linked to the emerging 3D silicon/glass interposers and other 3D silicon technologies. Evaluate opportunities and threats for the flip-chip substrate market.
        -Screen possible new applications and technologies to support diversification strategy with flip-chip substrates


TABLE OF CONTENTS

1 - SCOPE OF THE REPORT & DEFINITIONS

2 - EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

3 - MARKET FORECASTS (2011-2016)

    Flip-chip packages (Mu) by end application
    Flip-chip packages (Mu) by device type
    RDL and wafer bumping by application (kWafers)
    RDL and wafer bumping by wafer size (kWafers)
    RDL and wafer bumping by front-end (CMOS) process node (kWafers)
    Flip-chip package and assembly market value by process step (M$)
    Equipment and material volumes and costs

4 - PROCESS FLOW AND TECHNOLOGIES

    Flip-chip package platforms
    Flip-chip and assembly process flows
    Redistribution layers
    Lead-free regulations
    Bumping technologies & 1st interconnect pitches
    Copper Pillars
    Flip-Chip substrates : technologies, players, trends and 2010 market status
    Pick, flip and place
    Underfilling
    Fluxing
    Thermal Interface Materials
    Flip-Chip roadmap

5 - APPLICATIONS AND DRIVERS OF FLIP-CHIP

     1. End-Market drivers for flip-chip

    Computing
    Handsets
    Telecom & Infrastructures
    Network servers
    Consumer
    Medical
    Automotive
    Military & Aerospace

     2. Application focus for:

    Microprocessors (MPU’s)
    Graphical processor units (GPU’s)
    Chipsets
    ASICs
    FPGAs
    DDR memories
    Application processors (APE’s)
    Baseband ICs
    Transceivers
    Front-end modules
    High power LEDs
    LCD drivers
    CMOS image sensors
    DSPs
    SAW + BAW filters

6 - COSTS STRUCTURE, FLIP-CHIP MANUFACTURING & ASSEMBLY

    Costs of RDL and wafer bumping
    Cost of substrates
    Cost of assembly

7 - SUPPLY CHAIN ANALYSIS

    Manufacturing and sourcing strategies
    Players and technologies
    RDL and bumping « mid-end » Wafer foundries

8 - ROADMAPS AND PERSPECTIVES

9 - CONCLUSIONS