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SST offers small Flash package for Bluetooth
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Tuesday, December 10, 2002
The need for ever-smaller components is often met with initially expensive solutions, but in consumer applications like cellular handsets and wireless accessories, too much cost can kill a market.
Silicon Storage Technology Inc. today unveiled its Micro-Package technology, addressing the size and cost of flash memory--a key ingredient of wireless devices.
The Micro-Packages will be aimed primarily at the Bluetooth wireless space, where manufacturers are crying for smaller and lower-cost alternatives to existing packages, said Ben Cheung, marketing manager at SST's standard memory products group in Sunnyvale, Calif.
New cell phone models are less than a half-inch thick. To accommodate this space constraint, a Bluetooth module--containing a baseband processor, RF circuitry, and flash memory, has to be less than 2mm in height, Cheung said.
Typical BGA-style flash packages are about 1mm high, which doesn't leave much room to stack the other components.
"Customers tell us the packaging requirements are so small that they have to resort to using bare-die solutions, which is not optimal because there's a lot of complexity and cost associated with handling bare die," Cheung said.
Using bare die can double the cost of a flash chip, he noted.
"One of the problems holding up Bluetooth adoption is that headsets are so expensive--often more than the cell phone itself," Cheung said. "If we can get [headsets] into the $39 range, then I think we can expand the Bluetooth market."
SST hopes the effort will also elevate it to a position of dominance in flash memory for wireless applications. In densities up to 8Mbits for all applications, the company held a 30% share in 2001, according to Web-Feet Research Inc., Monterey, Calif.
"Since we're focused on low-density flash, we see an opportunity to get into the wireless market through Bluetooth and GPS applications," Cheung said.
SST will offer the Micro-Packages for its MPF-series standard parallel flash devices in densities from 4Mbits to 32Mbits, but will support other densities by customer request. Bluetooth modules today use 4Mbits of flash, but will use 8Mbits next year, Cheung said.
The lightweight packages operate in the industrial temperature range. They have a 48-contact, 4- x 6mm footprint, and are offered as BGA-style WFBGAs (part no. M1Q) with a 0.73mm profile or solder-bump-type XFLGAs (part no. C1Q) with a 0.52mm profile.
Samples of 3.3V 4- and 8Mbit devices are available now in x 16 configurations. Volume production is slated to begin in March. SST said the packages will be supported by a variety of assembly and test partners.
The company plans to offer 16M x 16 devices by late 2003, and 32M x 16 a year later. Pricing is expected to be comparable to SST's standard BGA pack- ages. Lead-free options are available for both packages at no price premium, Cheung said.
By: DocMemory
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