IC Packages

DIP is one of the mature IC packages still being used today and provides an inexpensive solution for circuit design. Rectangular in shape, the DIP has leads extending from both of its longer sides, forming two rows of in-line, through-hole pins. While plastic packaging is standard, ceramic packages which are hermetically sealed are desirable for high-reliability applications.

• Mount: Through-hole, socket
• Applications: Standard logic ICs, memory LSIs, electromechanical relays, LED segment displays, ribbon connectors, low-power electronics

A flange mount (FM) package is one that provides a method to readily attach one surface of the IC device to a heat sink to achieve thermal management. The terminals may exit from, or be attached to, any surface of the package. Flange Mount packages are available in both plastic and ceramic varieties.

• Mount: Solder-down, Bolt-down
• Applications: Military, high-power RF, rugged environment applications

Ball Grid Array (BGA)

The BGA package is a popular packaging option for devices with high I/O requirements, especially those in small form factor designs. Solder balls arranged in an array on the bottom of the package are used for external electrical connections instead of leads. Solder balls are attached to a laminated substrate at the bottom side of the package. The die of the BGA is connected to the substrate either by wire-bonding or flip-chip connection.

• Mount: Surface
• Applications: Wireless infrastructure, mobile, portable electronics, automotive, aerospace, industrial

Land Grid Array (LGA)

Related to both the Pin Grid Array (PGA) and Ball Grid Array (BGA), a Land Grid Array (LGA) package contains contacts (lands) on the underside of the package. Unlike the PGA, LGAs are designed to either fit in a socket or be surface-mounted to the PCB. The LGA differs from the BGA in that it uses flat contacts instead of solder balls.

• Mount: Surface or socket
• Applications: High-end microprocessors

Pin Grid Array (PGA)

In a PGA package, pins are arranged in an array with common spacing on the underside of the package. PGAs are available in both plastic and ceramic package options. PGAs can provide higher lead counts than packages with leads that go around the periphery of the chip, so are a popular choice for applications with high I/O requirements.

• Mount: Through-hole, socket
• Applications: Microprocessors

PLCCs are an inexpensive package choice that come in square or rectangular shapes. They differ from other surface mounted devices in that they use J-shaped leads rather than gull wing or L-shaped ones. This allows PLCC devices to be directly soldered onto a PCB or mounted on a socket and are more space-efficient that other lead shapes.

• Mount: Surface or socket
• Applications: Memory, processors, controllers, ASICs, DSPs for products ranging from consumer through automotive and aerospace.

Quad Flat Packages (QFP) are generally square in shape and have gull-wing leads on all four sides. Some QFPs have an exposed pad underneath or on top of the package that may act as a ground connection and/or heat sink. QFPs are generally plastic unless otherwise specified. Ceramic packages are hermetically sealed, making them desirable for high-reliability applications.

• Mount: Surface
• Applications: Commercial, automotive, and industrial products. Ceramic versions desirable for high reliability applications including space, radiation or military/defense applications.

Quad flat no-lead (QFN) packages are equipped with electrode contacts (usually copper) around all four sides instead of leads, allowing them to have a smaller mounting area and lower height than QFP packages. An exposed thermal pad on the bottom of the QFN package can be soldered directly to the system PCB for optimal thermal transfer of heat from the die. QFN packages come in two types – ‘plastic-molded’ and ‘air-cavity.’ The plastic-molded is the cheaper of the two because it simply consists of a lead frame encapsulated by plastic. The latter type contains an air cavity and requires an additional ceramic or plastic lid to seal the package.

• Mount: Surface
• Applications: All end equipment including automotive

A single in-line package (also known as SIP) is similar to a dual in-line package (DIP) except contains a single row of connection pins that extend from the bottom of the package. SILs come in both plastic or ceramic options and can be either molded, conformal coated or uncoated.

• Mount: Surface, through-hole or socket
• Applications: Memory modules, resistor arrays, diodes, oscillators, timers

Shrunk version of standard DIP but with a second bend in the leads to allow for surface mounting. Available in both plastic and ceramic options. The SON variation of the small outline package have contact pads that are exposed and flush with the bottom of the package rather than leads that extend beyond the package body.

• Mount: Surface
• Applications: Memory LSI, gate drivers, wireless / RF, op-amps, logic, ASICs, audio/video, consumer electronics.

Fan-Out Wafer-Level Packaging (FOWLP)

In standard wafer-level packaging, components are attached to ICs while still on the uncut wafer, and the final packaged device is the same size as the die itself. In fan-out wafer level packaging, however, the wafer is diced first, then very precisely re-positioned on a carrier wafer. The space this allows around each die provides for a higher number of contacts without increasing the die size compared to a standard WLP.

• Mount: Surface mount
• Applications: Mobile, wearables

Wafer-Level Chip-Scale Package (WLCSP)

WLCSP is the smallest package currently available on the market making it a great package solution for space-constrained applications. The WLCSP package is simply a bare die with a redistribution layer to rearrange the pins or contacts on the die so they can be big enough and have sufficient spacing so they can be handled like a BGA package.

• Mount: Surface
• Applications: Mobile, wearables