Multichip Module Technology :Introduction , Multichip Module Technology Definitions, Design, Repair, and Test , When to Use Multichip Modules and Issues in the Design of Multichip Modules
Introduction M ul t ic hi p module (MCM) technology allows bare integrated circuits and passive devices to be mounted together on a common interconnecting substrate. An example is shown in Fig. 13.1 . In this photograph, eight chips are wire-bonded onto an MCM. MCM technology, however, is not just about packaging chips together; it can lead to new capabilities and unique performance and cost advantages. The purposes of this chapter are as follows: to explain the different multichip module technologies, to show how MCMs can be employed to improve the price/performance of systems, and to indicate some of the more important issues in MCM-system design. Multichip Module Technology Definitions In its broadest sense, a multichip module is an assembly in which more than one integrated circuit (IC) are bare mounted on a common substrate. This definition is often narrowed in such a way as to imply that the common substrate provides a higher wiring density than a conventional printed circu...