In this paper, key design issues and considerations for Signal Integrity(SI) and Power Integrity(PI) of a TSV-based 3D IC are introduced. For the signal integrity and power integrity of a TSV-based 3-D IC channel, analytical modeling and analysis results of a TSV-based 3-D channel and power delivery network (PDN) are presented. In addition, various design techniques and solutions which are to improve the electrical performance of a 3-D IC are investigated.

Low-Temperature-cofired ceramics (LTCC) antenna packages have been extensively researched and utilized in recent years due to its excellent electrical properties and ease of implementing dense package integration topologies. This paper introduces some of the key research and development activities using LTCC packaging solutions for 60 GHz antennas at Samsung Electronics [1]. The LTCC 60 GHz antenna element topology is presented and its measured results are illustrated. However, despite its excellent performance, the high cost issues incurred with LTCC at millimeter wave (mmWave) frequencies for antenna packages remains one of the key impediments to mass market commercialization of mmWave antennas. To address this matter, for the first time to the author's best knowledge this paper alleviates the high cost of mmWave antenna packaging by devising a novel, broadband antenna package that is wholly based on low-cost, high volume FR4 Printed Circuit Board (PCB). The electrical properties of the FR4 substrate are first characterized to examine its feasibility at 60 GHz. Afterwards a compact multi-layer antenna package which exhibits more than 9 GHz measured bandwidth ($S_{11}{\leq}-10$ dB) from 57~66 GHz is devised. The measured normalized far-field radiation patterns and radiation efficiency are also presented and discussed.

Over the past several decades in the microelectronics industry, devices have gotten smaller, thinner, and lighter, without any accompanying degradation in quality, performance, and reliability. One permanent and deniable trend in packaging as well as wafer fabrication industry is system integration. The proliferating options for system integration, recently, are driving change across the overall semiconductor industry, requiring more investment in developing, ramping and supporting new die-, wafer- and board-level solution. The trend toward 3D system integration and miniaturization in a small form factor has accelerated even more with the introduction of smartphones and tablets. In this paper, the key issues and state of the art for system integration in the packaging process are introduced, especially, focusing on ease transition to next generation packaging technologies like through silicon via (TSV), 3D wafer-level fan-out (WLFO), and chip-on-chip interconnection. In addition, effective solutions like fine pitch copper pillar and MEMS packaing of both advanced and legacy products are described with several examples.

This paper discusses effects of mesh planes on signal integrity in high-speed glass ceramic packages. One of serious signal integrity issues in high-speed glass ceramic packages is high far-end (FE) noise coupling between signal interconnects. Based on signal integrity analysis, a methodology is presented for reducing far-end noise coupling between signal interconnects in high-speed glass ceramic modules. This methodology employing power/ground mesh planes with alternating spacing and a via-connected coplanar-type shield (VCS) structure is suggested to minimize far-end noise coupling between signal lines in high-speed glass ceramic packages. Optimized interconnect structure based on this methodology has demonstrated that the saturated far-end noise coupling of a typical interconnect structure in glass ceramic modules could be reduced significantly by 73.3 %.

The current expanding mobile markets incessantly demands small form factor, low power consumption and high aggregate throughput for silicon-level integration such as memory to logic system. One of emerging solution for meeting this high market demand is 3D through silicon stacking (TSS) technology. Main challenges to bring 3D TSS technology to the volume production level are establishing a cost effective supply chain and building a reliable manufacturing processes. In addition, this technology inherently help increase number of IOs and shorten interconnect length. With those benefits, however, potential signal and power integrity risks are also elevated; increase in PDN inductance, channel loss on substrate, crosstalk and parasitic capacitance. This paper will report recent progress of wide IO memory to high count TSV logic device assembly development work. 28 nm node TSV test vehicles were fabricated by the foundry and assembled. Successful integration of memory wide IO chip with less than a millimeter package thickness form factor was achieved. For this successful integration, we discussed potential signal and power integrity challenges. This report demonstrated functional wide IO memory to 28 nm logic device assembly using 3D package architecture with such a thin form factor.