Innovation and new market factors are driving advanced packaging. In this post, we highlight some of the trending topics propelling advanced packaging and ask why now, what problem is the new technology solving, and finally what are the implications.
Advanced Packaging Trends
- Photonics Packaging — is essential in the optical market. There are many new photonics packaging applications, including automotive and home networks. Wafer level packaging is adapting to meet the semiconductor market demands. There is a need today for innovation in networks, as all devices are becoming connected. With new types of packages, the advanced packaging industry is more flexible to accommodate manufacturing of multiple types of photonics packages. These more effective networks are driven by the innovation in advanced packaging, which is producing these much higher volumes of data transfer.
- IoT — the Internet of Things is the evolution of all devices being connected through networks by gathering data and sending information. As IoT drives demand for new technology, this will impact advanced packaging technology. Key growth drivers are the demand for data and fewer delays (latency). Virtual reality and augmented reality are also progressing as part of the IoT space. For example, virtual reality includes wearables such as gloves that contain light-emitting diodes and sensors. Virtual reality is improving the customer experience and is a growing market in the electronics industry. A great example of sensors collecting useful data is the detection of motion with security cameras.
- CoS — Chip on Submount (CoS) will be essential as the telecom market continues to grow. The telecom market is driven by the IoT and expansive communications applications. Telecom applications need to be reliable, long lasting, and high performing. These specifications require unique packaging platforms, which are application-specific due to fiber attach. The requirement of multiple functionalities and lower cost of optical components has resulted in the increasing demand for CoS. The demand for faster speed data transmission will directly impact the advanced packaging industry, resulting in the demand for high volume manufacturing (HVM) of CoS. The improvements in advanced packaging at the chip level will be seen in consumer electronics with lower latency, improved data speeds, and lower cost of information transfer.
- Hybrid Electronics — is a new platform for electronic advances in the defense component packaging and medical device packaging industries. Driven by modernization, hybrid electronics are integrated with sensors onto substrates. For example, in the defense industry, hybrid electronics have enabled more flexibility in wearable sensors. As advanced packaging of sensors improves, in turn, increases hybrid electronics efficiency, we will see a reduced total cost of ownership.
The advanced packaging industry is entering a new phase of growth driven by these exciting trends in the semiconductor and photonic industries. For more information on the latest trends subscribe to the blog.