The Active Mold Packaging (AMP) technology

Electrically functionalizing the real-estate of the Epoxy Mold Compound.

AMP converts the passive Epoxy Mold Compound (EMC) only used for protection today, into an active carrier of electrical functionality.

Why should I use AMP and what is it?

AMP stands for Active Mold Packaging

AMP establishes horizontal and vertical interconnect access between active and passive components in a heterogenous 2.5D packaging approach.

AMP is based on 3 proven and standardized, electronics manufacturing technologies.

1. Molding

Transfer- & Compression-Molding of thermo-set epoxy mold compound, doped with a laser-activateable additive.

Granular- and tablet- style EMC made from AMP-doted material

2. Laser Direct Structuring

Laser Direct Structuring and Drilling of the mold compound, activates the additive in the mold compound.

EMC laser-structured with laser-drilled through mold via (TMV)

3. Electro-less plating

Electro-less plating deposits a conformal copper layer on only the laser activated areas of the compound.

EMC metallized with metallized TMV

Outstanding characteristics of AMP Technology

AMP Technology is an enabling and yet simple technology approach to IC Packaging.

Cost Control

Flip-Chip Package-on-Package AMP (fc-PoP AMP)

fc-PoP AMP: flip-chip (fc) package-on-package (PoP) using AMP

Up to 30% cost reduction compared to conventional flip-chip Package-on-Package solutions, based on sequential layer build-up RDL formation using the semi-additive process (SAP), molding, drilling, solder ball placement, second flip-chip assembly and mold cap.

Improve Package Performance

Comparison of package height and signal path length of wire bond (left) vs. Flat-Bond (right) interconnects: Flat-Bond packages enable package height reduction and 50% shorter signal path lengths.

Increase functional density of the IC Package

Active Mold Packaging increases the electrical density and functionality of IC packages and SiPs

Active Mold Packaging (AMP) helps increasing the functional density of packages. AMP is very well suited for a selection of other mid-range applications requiring horizontal and vertical interconnects such as

Fine line/space conductive trace formation for Flip Chip Redistribution Layer (RDL) applications down to 25 µm

Medium sized conductive area formation for RF based Antenna-on/in Packages with operating frequencies up to 98 GHz

Large conductive area formation for conformal and compartment EMI shielding applications

Large bulk copper volume formation for heat dissipation and heat sink power package applications

Solderable conductive area formation for incorporation of passive components such as IPDs and SMD in SiP applications

Based on proven technologies

Epoxy Mold Compounds (EMC)	EMCs are based on thermoset polymers. Due to its excellent meachnical, chemical and electrical properties it is the most suited material for encapsulation. It's properties can be adjusted over a wide range satisfying the requirements of different applications, including RF-, logic-, discrete-, power-packages as well as for sensors and MEMS.
Laser-Direct Structuring (LDS)	The LDS technology has proven its versatility in RF-, medical-, sensing- and MEMS-applications. By offering the LDS technology in combination with compression-, transfer- and liquid molding of thermoset compounds it enables the use of the real-estate of the mold compound. The digital character of laser processing, allows for late design freezes and easy, fast and inexpensive circuitry layout changes.
Plating	The LDS technology does not require the formation of a seed layer via expensive PVD or CVD processes, just electro-less plating. For applications that require copper layers larger than 10um, a subsequent chemical plating step can be used too.

Digital and Flexible Transfer of circuit design

The 2.5D circuit design is transferred digitally from your design tool to the laser. Making a quick change to the circuit design in your Electronic Design Automation (EDA) tool changes the pattern on the molding compound.
The digital nature provides greater flexibility allowing for very late design freezes. Just in case the package performance needs to be adjusted due to changing market requirements.

Reduces manufacturing complexity

Our 2.5D IC technology is based on three easy steps: Molding, Laser Direct Structuring and Plating. With this process, there is no need for sequential layer build-up, no semi-additive processing, no masking, no lithography, no seed layer deposition nor resist stripping/ashing.

Fully automated processing

LPKF AMP 3000 with fully automatic loading and unloading for a maximum strip size of 300mm x 100mm.

Advantages of the AMP technology

Mold Compound Details

A selection of different Laser Direct Structuring - Epoxy Mold Compound (LDS-EMC) grades are available from major IC packaging compound suppliers. Through a close cooperation between LPKF and these suppliers, the compound formulation can be adjusted to your application specific compound requirements.