Packaging

Technologies

Wire bonding TCI TSV TGV F2F FC

Concepts

COB CSP PiP SiP PoP

Single-Row

SiP

Dual-Row

DIP DFN SOIC TSOP ZIP

Quad-Row

QFN

Grid Array

BGA LGA PGA

2.5D IC

2.5D IC Interposer Embedded Interposer Embedded Bridge CoWoS EMIB

3D IC

3D IC Foveros WoW SoIC

Chip-on-Wafer-on-Substrate (CoWoS) is a two-point-five dimensional integrated circuit (2.5D IC) through-silicon via (TSV) interposer-based packaging technology designed by TSMC for high-performance applications.

Overview

CoWoS is a 2.5D wafer-level multi-chip packaging technology that incorporates multiple dies side-by-side on a silicon interposer in order to achieve better interconnect density and performance. Individual chips are bonded through micro-bumps on a silicon interposer forming a chip-on-wafer (CoW). The CoW is then subsequently thinned such that the TSV perforations are exposed. This is followed C4 bumps formation and singulation. A CoWoS package is completed through bonding to a package substrate.

Versions

TSMC has introduced a number of versions since they first introduced the technology in 2012.

CoWoS-1

First-generation CoWoS were primarily used for large FPGAs. CoWoS-1 had an interposer die area of up to ~800 mm², very close to reticle limit

CoWoS-2

Second-generation of CoWoS increased the interposer size considerably through mask stitching. Originally qualified for 1200 mm², TSMC has since increased the interposer size to 1,700 mm². Those large packages are referred to as CoWoS-XL2.

Examples

Nvidia Pascal P100:

• 16 nm SoC chip + 4 HBM2 (16 GB)
• 1200 mm² interposer
• 300 W TDP
• 150B transistors (15.3B SoC)

NEC Sx-Aurora:

• 16 nm process
• 60 mm x 60 mm (3600 mm²) package
• 32.5 mm x 38 mm (1235 mm²) interposer
• 15mm x 33mm (495 mm²) logic
• 300 W TDP

CoWoS Products

• AMD Vega (7nm only)
• Barefoot Networks Template:barefoot
• Fujitsu A64FX
• Habana Labs Gaudi
• Intel Spring Crest
• Nvidia Pascal
• Nvidia Volta
• NEC SX-Aurora
• Xilinx Virtex-7
• Xilinx Virtex UltraScale

This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.

Bibliography

• TSMC, 63 IEEE -1887th Electronic Components and Technology Conference (ECTC).