Hexagonally Aligned Bump Pads for Fine-Pitch Semiconductor Substrates
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current semiconductor packages face challenges in accommodating fine-pitch bumps due to limitations in the design of printed circuit boards (PCBs) as substrates, which hinder the miniaturization and performance enhancement of semiconductor chips in portable devices.
Innovation Solution
The design of a printed circuit board (PCB) substrate that aligns a large number of bump pads in a unit area by arranging them hexagonally around vias, with connection patterns connecting the vias to multiple bump pads, allowing for increased integration and efficient use of space, and alternating bump pad groups for power and ground terminals.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a typical PCB layout is used to accommodate fine-pitch bumps, then the semiconductor chip size can be reduced, but the PCB cannot support the fine-pitch bumps due to insufficient bump pad density
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from conventional rectangular/grid-aligned bump pad layouts to a hexagonal arrangement, utilizing a different geometric dimensioning system. This hexagonal pattern allows bump pads to be positioned at vertices of hexagons centered on vias, achieving higher spatial density and better utilization of the PCB surface area, thereby supporting fine-pitch bumps effectively
2Quantity of substance
If the number of bump pads in a unit area is increased, then fine-pitch bumps can be supported, but the PCB layout complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the bump pad arrangement into modular hexagonal units, each centered on a via. This segmentation into repeating hexagonal patterns simplifies the overall layout design while achieving high bump pad density. The modular nature of the hexagonal arrangement makes it easier to scale and adapt to different chip sizes and bump configurations
Solution Approach 2:
By adopting hexagonal geometry instead of rectangular grid alignment, the patent achieves more efficient space utilization with simpler repeating patterns. The hexagonal lattice structure provides natural symmetry and regularity that simplifies routing and connection design while maximizing bump pad density
Data Source
AI summary
Provided are a printed circuit board (PCB) having hexagonally aligned bump pads as a substrate of a semiconductor package, and a semiconductor package including the same. The PCB includes: a PCB body; a bottom metal layer at a bottom of the PCB body; and a top metal layer at a top of the PCB body, and the top metal layer includes: vias vertically connected to the PCB body; bump pads hexagonally aligned in a horizontal direction around the vias; and connection patterns connecting the vias to two or more of the bump pads. Accordingly, the number of bump pads in a unit area of the PCB may be increased.