STATS ChipPAC extends flip chip services in China to full turnkey

By Ann Steffora Mutschler, Senior Editor -- Electronic News, 11/20/2007

Singapore–based semiconductor test and advanced packaging service provider STATS ChipPAC Ltd. announced the expansion of its flip chip services to provide a turnkey solution in China, with the company’s operation in Shanghai to offer high volume, low cost, turnkey flip chip services including wafer bump, sort, assembly and final test, next year.

STATS ChipPAC said it is following a two-phased approach in extending its full turnkey flip chip services to China.

The company explained that the first phase is the addition and qualification of assembly and test equipment meant for high volume flip chip package manufacturing and said that its Shanghai location recently completed internal qualification of flip chip assembly and test. Customer qualification is ongoing and the company expects qualification to be completed in Q4 with volume manufacturing expected to begin in Q1 2008.

The second phase will include the addition of electroplated wafer bumping services, which is crucial to achieving superior bump quality, higher yield, and finer bump pitches over other wafer bumping methods, the company reminded. Electroplated wafer bumping on 8-inch (200 mm) silicon wafers is scheduled to be added in the first half of next year, followed by the addition of 12-inch (300 mm) wafer bumping in the second half of next year.

Wan Choong Hoe, executive VP and COO at STATS ChipPAC explained that as demand for flip chip technology continues to grow in applications such as high performance ASICs and graphics as well as DSPs and integrated 3D packages for mobile platforms, it will be essential to have a low cost, high volume manufacturing location for flip chip solutions.

The company said it has successfully ramped advanced technologies in China and believes it is an important strategic location for customers who are looking for cost effective flip chip technology.

STATS ChipPAC currently offers flip chip services such as large single die packages with passive components used for graphics and ASIC devices, to modules and complex three dimensional (3D) packages that contain logic, memory and radio frequency (RF) devices and integrate flip chip and wire bonding interconnection within the same package.

Wan added in a statement, “Over the last three years, STATS ChipPAC has focused on aggressively expanding its flip chip portfolio in terms of technology, manufacturing capacity and geographic footprint. Our new service offering in China complements our advanced flip chip portfolio in South Korea as well as our bumping capabilities in Taiwan and Singapore. Flip chip technology is an important part of our plan to grow STATS ChipPAC Shanghai into a mega site for full turnkey backend solutions encompassing wafer bump, sort, assembly and final test.”

Last month, STATS ChipPAC opened the doors to a second 371,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Shanghai, China, which its claims is the largest full turnkey assembly and test service in the country.