LG Innotek today announced that it has developed original package technology (Copper Post Cu-post) to improve the performance of semiconductors and will be beginning mass production in the first quarter of 2020. This groundbreaking innovation paves the way for form-factor breakthroughs in future smartphone design.- Thin devices can benefit from reduced thickness and higher battery capacity- Current phones can benefit from the minimum height of the display module
In traditional mobile-chip packaging, solder balls are used to attach the semiconductor to the mainboard. This approach, however, introduces constraints on the downsizing of the constituent circuits and the size of the balls. LG Innotek’s Cu-post technology addresses the issue head-on by replacing solder bumps with copper pillars as interconnect and minimizes the pitch and size of solder bumps.
The impact of this innovation is far-reaching. LG Innotek is applying Cu-posts to develop semiconductor substrates that are smaller by 20% or more and maintain or improve performance. This reduction in substrate real estate is key for smartphone vendors looking to deliver lighter and more efficient devices without sacrificing power or performance.
In addition to shrinking, Cu-post technology has significant advantages in thermal handling. Copper offers more than 7x the thermal conductivity of traditional solder. This improved heat dissipation performance means heat generated from high-performance mobile chips that are running super-intensive activities such as AI calculations will be vented more easily, preventing the cooling system to throttle and also naturally leading to a longer device lifespan.
LG Innotek began to aggressively develop the next-generation technology from 2021 with future-oriented approach to meet the changes in the smartphone market. With more than 40 patents on Cu-post, the company is a leader in the high-end semiconductor substrate market – especially in RF-SiP and FC-CSP products.
“The construction of the E-mobility Lab is of strategic significance,” said Moon Hyuk-soo, CEO of LG Innotek. “This is not only the provision of devices; it is thoughtful technology to make our customers successful,” he added. “Innovative products that change the paradigm of the substrate industry will allow us to pursue differentiated value for customers.
Through the commercialization of the Cu-post process, LG Innotek is expected to enhance its standing as a global leader in advanced semiconductor substrates and play a role in driving the trend toward high performance, ultra-compact mobile devices.