Optimizing Flip Chip Substrate Layout for Assembly

Programs have been developed to predict the expected yield of flip chip assemblies, based on substrate design and the statistics of actual manufactured boards, as well as placement machine accuracy, variations in bump sizes, and possible substrate warpage. These predictions and the trends they reveal can be used to direct changes in design so that defect levels will fall below the acceptable limits. Shapes of joints are calculated analytically, or when this is not possible, numerically by means of a public domain program called Surface Evolver. The method is illustrated with an example involving the substrate for a flip chip BGA....