system in package (Chip) (SiP)

System in Package (SiP) refers to semiconductor circuits that combine various chips in a package to form a complete electronic system. In such a SiP package, all functions that are normally performed by individual chips are combined in a single chip.

These can be analog and digital functions, such as those of comparators or amplifiers, logic circuits or memory units, input/output (I/O) systems and digitalsignal processing ( DSP).

In a system-in-package, all individual chips are stacked on top of each other to form a package. These three-dimensional chips, 3D ICs, result in significant space savings and lower assembly costs.

In contrast to a system-on-chip( SoC), a system-in-package (SiP) consists of individual chips housed in a package. The system-on-chip, on the other hand, is a single chip that contains the complete electronics. Since chips already exist for most functionalities, SiP technology combines them in a single package. The individual stacked chips of a SiP package can be interconnected with through- silicon vias( TSV) or wire bonding.

Structure of a System in Package (SiP)

The advantages of SiP technology lie in its flexibility, whereby active and passive components and analog and digital circuits can be combined to form a system. The combination is technology independent and allows the use of CMOS technology, silicon germanium( SiGe), gallium arsenide( GaAs) and other compound semiconductors.

SiP packages belong to the group of 3D ICs. The predecessor technology is multi-chip modules( MCM), in which different chips were also assembled in a ceramic package. One technology for system-in-package is the SESUB technology, Semiconductor Embedded in Substrate (SESUB).