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Full Introduction About IC Packages Types and Functions

Integrated circuits (ICs) incorporate miniaturized electronic

components fabricated together into a single chip. To connect, protect

and support these fragile silicon dies, they are enclosed in a container

known as an IC package. Various standardized package types have

evolved to suit different IC applications and assembly methods. This

article provides a comprehensive overview of popular IC package

classifications, structures, materials, functions and manufacturing

processes.

Table of Contents

IC Package Role and Classification

An IC package serves several essential functions:

 Protects vulnerable silicon die from physical, electrical or

environmental damage

 Provides mechanical support and structure for handling

 Supplies external electrical connections via leads or pads

 Facilitates heat dissipation away from the die during operation

 Allows the IC to be integrated onto a printed circuit board (PCB)

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IC packages can be classified based on:

 Lead/connection types – through-hole, surface mount

 Package material – plastic, ceramic, metal

 Pin count – number of leads or pads

 Die mounting – pin grid array, ball grid array

 Package outline dimensions and standards

By understanding package characteristics, engineers can select optimal

configurations for each IC application.

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Through-Hole IC Packages

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Early ICs used packages with metal leads or pins that passed through

holes on the PCB to make electrical and mechanical connections. These

through-hole (PTH) packages include:

DIP (Dual In-line Package)

The venerable DIP, introduced in 1964, has two parallel rows of

through-hole pins projecting from the long edges of a narrow rectangular

plastic or ceramic body. Common variations:

 DIP – Dual In-line Package, 2+ pins

 CDIP – Ceramic DIP, widespread until the 1990s

 PDIP or Plastic DIP – Inexpensive molded plastic package

 Narrow DIP – More compact with 0.3” row spacing

DIPs can contain anywhere from 4 to 64 pins. The large, through-hole

leads provide robust mechanical connection but limit component density

on PCBs. DIPs are still used for moderate complexity ICs like

microcontrollers where larger packages are acceptable.

TO – Transistor Outline

Originated for packaging individual transistors, the TO package has

evolved into a diverse, expanding family for ICs:

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 TO-92 – Small, low-power, plastic, 3-leaded package often used for

transistors.

 TO-126 – Larger plastic power package with a metal tab for

heatsinking

 TO-220 – Widely used metal can-type package able to dissipate

substantial heat

 TO-247 / TO-3P – Large metal package with screw mounting for high

power levels

 TO-263 / D2PAK / SOT-223 – Smaller surface-mountable TO style

package

TO packages are valued for efficient power dissipation and low cost.

However, their size can limit PCB space efficiency versus

newer SMT packages.

Quad Packages

Quad packages have four rows of through-hole leads extending from the

underside of a square plastic or ceramic body. Two popular variations are:

 QFP (Quad Flat Pack) – Four sides of leads in gull wing shape; up to

208 pins

 PQFP (Plastic Quad Flat Pack) – Molded plastic version of QFP with

lower cost

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With high pin counts in a compact space, QFPs were widely used for

microprocessors and ASICs until surface mount packages supplanted

them.

QFN Component Mounting

While through-hole IC packages dominated early electronics, the need for

miniaturization drove adoption of smaller surface mount alternatives.

Surface Mount IC Packages

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Surface mount technology (SMT) allows IC packages to be directly

attached to the PCB surface rather than plugged into through-holes. This

enables smaller package sizes, higher component density, automated

assembly and improved reliability. Popular surface mount IC package

types include:

SOT – Small Outline Transistor

The SOT family provides small surface mount IC packages suitable for

automated assembly. Some key examples:

 SOT-23 – Very small, low profile 3-pin package, typically for

transistors

 SOT-223 – Larger plastic SMT power package able to dissipate 5W+

heat

 SOT-89 – Smaller plastic power package often used for regulators

 SOT-143 – Smaller power package with exposed metal tab as

heatsink

For low cost, small size and ease of assembly, SOT packages are widely

used for power management and analog ICs.

SOIC – Small Outline IC

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The SOIC family provides small surface mount IC packages in standard

widths similar to common through-hole DIP packages:

 SOIC-8 to SOIC-28 – Narrow versions with 0.05” lead pitch

 SOJC – Wider plastic package with lead spacing up to 0.65”

 SOP – Exposed pad on underside; often used for power devices

SOIC packages range from 1.75mm to 15mm wide. Their modest size, low

cost and easy assembly using standard SMT production lines make SOICs

popular for analog, logic and communications ICs.

QFN/DFN – Quad/Dual Flat No Leads

QFN and DFN packages have a surface-mounted exposed metal pad on

the underside instead of perimeter pins. Some specs:

 QFN – Square footprint, usually pitch 0.4 to 1.0mm

 DFN – Rectangular footprint, similar

 LQFN/QFN-DD – Very compact with 0.4/0.5mm pitch, low profiles

 PowerQFN – Exposed pads for power devices

The ‘no leads’ design allows very compact footprint, thin profiles, good

thermal and electrical performance. QFNs are often used for processors,

ASICs, FPGAs and RF/wireless ICs.

BGA – Ball Grid Array

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Instead of pins or leads, BGA packages have an array of solder balls on the

underside that connect directly to the PCB surface. Types include:

 PBGA – Plastic ball grid array, lower cost

 CBGA – Ceramic BGA, better thermal and electrical conductivity

 *TBGA *– Tape BGA uses a flexible tape substrate

 μBGA – Micro BGA with very small pitches below 1mm

With their high pin density, BGAs are ideal for complex processors, ASICs,

GPUs and chipsets. However, rework and inspection are challenging.

LGA – Land Grid Array

LGAs also have a grid of exposed pads on the underside like a BGA. But

there are no solder balls. Instead, spring-loaded clips or sockets

make conductive contact with the LGA pads. Benefits include:

 Allows for socketed mounting of ICs

 No soldering avoids PCB substrate damage

 Permits easy replacement and upgrades of ICs

Intel and AMD often use LGAs for their high pin count processors to

support socket mounting.

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This overview covers the most prevalent IC package configurations used

across consumer, industrial, automotive, aerospace and other electronics

sectors.

IC Package Materials Overview

IC packages use various encapsulation materials to protect and support

the internal silicon die and electrical connections. Common materials

include:

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Plastic Packages

Plastic is the most widely used IC package material due to its low cost,

ease of molding and adequate performance for many applications.

Common plastic packaging types:

 Epoxy Molding Compound – Black epoxy resin heavily used for

molded packages

 PPS (Polyphenylene Sulfide) – Costlier but higher performance

plastic

 LCP (Liquid Crystal Polymer) – Expensive but excellent electrical and

moisture protection

 PPA (Polyphthalamide) – High temperature plastic for devices up to

300°C

Plastic packaging is susceptible to moisture intrusion and mechanical

stresses. But new materials and construction techniques continue

improving plastic package robustness.

Ceramic Packages

Ceramic packages offer higher performance and reliability than plastic for

demanding applications, at a premium price. Some ceramic materials

include:

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 Alumina (Al2O3) – Most common ceramic type; moderately priced

 Aluminum Nitride (AlN) – Excellent thermal conductivity

 Beryllium Oxide (BeO) – Toxic but unmatched thermal performance

 Silicon Carbide (SiC) – Hard, lightweight, high thermal conductivity

Ceramics withstand higher temperatures and have closely matched CTE

(coefficient of thermal expansion) to silicon dies. But they still may use

plastic encapsulation internally.

Metal Packages

Metal IC packages leverage steel, copper, aluminum alloys to remove heat

from high power dies. Examples include:

 Alloy 42 (Fe-Ni-Co) – General purpose, low cost nickel-iron alloy

 Kovar (Fe-Ni-Co) – Well-matched CTE to minimize die stress

 Cu-Mo-Cu – Copper-molybdenum laminate with excellent thermal

properties

 AlSiC – Aluminum silicon carbide composite, very high thermal

conductivity

Metal packaging is essential for ICs dissipating over several watts of power.

The materials are heavier but CTE-matched to silicon.

Hybrid and Multi-Chip Modules

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Hybrid microelectronic assemblies combine multiple bare dies and other

components in a substrate package providing mechanical stability and

electrical interconnection. Benefits include:

 Integration of dies, passives, MEMS, antennas

 Shorter connections yield better electrical performance

 Allows mixed die technologies (Si, GaAs, SiC, etc.)

 Substrate dissipates heat from high power dies

 Reduce size/weight versus separate components

 Lower cost compared to custom IC solutions

MCMs (multi-chip modules) are an important example of hybrid packaging

used for miniaturization and high performance assemblies.

Emerging IC Package Materials

Several new IC package materials are emerging including:

 Liquid crystal polymers – Low cost, low loss material for high

frequency packages

 Composites like DAP/nSAP – High stiffness and low CTE for large,

thin packages

 Photosensitive epoxies – Simplifies embedding bare die in PCBs

 Graphene – Extreme strength and thermal conductivity

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IC packaging continues advancing to meet demands for smaller, higher

performance and lower cost electronics across all market segments.

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IC Package Manufacturing Processes

Producing IC packages requires precision manufacturing and assembly

techniques including:

Molding – Used to form plastic encapsulation around the die using

transfer or injection molding of epoxy compounds.

Soldering – Solder attach is used to mount the silicon die onto package

leadframes or substrates and make electrical interconnects.

Wire bonding – Thin gold, aluminum or copper wires connect the die pads

to inner package traces and pins. Both ball and wedge bonding are used.

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Plating – Leadframes and traces are plated with nickel, palladium or other

metals to enable wire bonding and soldering.

Trimming and forming – Excess leadframe material is trimmed after

molding. Leads are bent into shape for through-hole or surface mounting.

Marking – Laser etching or ink printing adds markings with part numbers,

logos, pin 1 indicator and other information.

Coating – Anti-corrosion, chemical or hermetic conformal coatings may be

applied for additional protection.

Advanced high-precision machinery enables efficient mass production of

most common IC package types. But new package designs often require

development of custom proprietary processes.

IC Packaging Trends

The relentless trends toward smaller, higher performance, lower cost

electronics drive ongoing advances in integrated circuit packaging. Some

examples include:

 2.5D and 3D packaging – Stacking multiple dies in one package

enables greater integration in small form factors. High bandwidth

interconnects like through-silicon vias (TSVs) connect stacked dies.

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 Wafer level chip scale packaging (WLCSP) – Packaging dies at the

wafer level prior to singulation reduces materials cost and size.

Fan-out WLCSP can provide large solder ball arrays for tight

interconnect pitch and integration.

 Embedded die – Dies embedded directly into the PCB substrate or

package allow greater component density with enhanced electrical

performance.

 Advanced materials – New organic, ceramic and metal materials

enhance electrical, thermal and mechanical characteristics.

 Heterogeneous integration – Packaging multiple dissimilar dies and

components enables highly integrated modules with optimized

performance.

IC package technology must progress to support ongoing improvements

in semiconductor die speed, power, functionality and density.

Summary

The IC package provides a critical interface between the fragile silicon die

and real-world mounting and operation. Standard package types balance

costs, capabilities and manufacturing processes suited to diverse IC

applications, from low power signal processing to high current power

control. By selecting appropriate package configurations, electrical

engineers can fully leverage advancing semiconductor technology across

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end product segments from consumer IoT to high reliability aerospace

electronics.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the main functions of an IC package?

The key functions of an IC package are:

 Protect die from physical damage or corrosion

 Provide electrical connections via leads/pads

 Remove heat from die during operation

 Allow handling of die and attachment to PCB

 Enable integration into larger electronic system

The package ensures the IC can be utilized in real-world environments.

What are some differences between plastic and ceramic IC packages?

Compared to plastic packages, key advantages of ceramic packages

include:

 Withstand much higher temperatures

 Better match of CTE to silicon die

 Increased ruggedness and reliability

 Higher frequency electrical performance

 Improved thermal dissipation

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But ceramics cost more than plastics and require careful handling.

What are some key benefits of BGA packages?

Some benefits of ball grid array (BGA) packages are:

 High pin density from grid array

 Overall smaller package size

 Shorter trace lengths boost high speed signal integrity

 Direct surface mounting simplifies PCB assembly

 Fine pitches enable greater interconnect density

 Improved performance for processors, GPUs and FPGAs

The solder ball array facilitates integration of complex ICs.

Related Posts:

1. Full introduction about Antenna Types and PCB materials

2. Different Types of BGA (Ball Grid Array) Packages

3. The Functions and Types of PCB Plates

4. Types and Functions of RF Multiplexer

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