SoC and SiP, the Yin and Yang of the Tao for the New Electronic Era

• Published in: Proceedings of the IEEE 2009-01, Vol.97 (1), p.9-17
• Main Authors: Maurelli, Alfonso, Belot, Didier, Campardo, Giovanni
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Assembly systems; Design engineering; Diffusion; Electronics; Electronics packaging; Logic; Memory management; Microcontrollers; Moderators; Packages; Passive components; Performance analysis; Radio frequency; Radio spectrum management; System in package (SiP); System on chip; system on chip (SoC); System-on-a-chip; Systems design; Taoism; Technology management
• ISSN: 0018-9219; 1558-2256
• DOI: 10.1109/JPROC.2008.2007453

ldquoMore than Moorerdquo is becoming the password for these coming years. New steps to overcome technology limitations to diffuse, on the same die, different chips to have a complete system have been developed. This approach is called system in package (SiP), a way to have in a package dies of logic, analog, memory, passive components, etc., assembled to obtain a miniaturized board. SiP performances and limitations are here analyzed to understand advantages versus system on chip (SoC). This paper is a discussion about the main items that can lead to the choice of the right approach-SiP or SoC-before a system design start. Three persons attend to our virtual meeting: an SoC technology development manager, expert in microcontroller embedded memories and technology integration; an SiP analog radio-frequency design senior expert; and a moderator that designed embedded memories and now SiP, all involved to understand how to reach a tradeoff among these two approaches. Like for the Yin and Yang, symbol of the equilibrium for the Taoist philosophy, the two opposites divide the circle of the life, with a piece of each in the other.