Package–on–Package – Review on a Promising Packaging Technology

Package-on-Package (PoP) components are BGA packages stacked on each other. With this method not only board space is saved, but signal routes are also shortened. It was presented by a cooperation of Amkor and Nokia. The vertical 3 dimensional stacking of BGA components broadens the possibilities of planar surface mounting technology. The PoP technology is constantly evolving; the latest solutions offer wide variety of bumping and stacking technologies. This paper is a review on this aspiring 3D packaging method. Preliminary soldering experiments with dummy packages are also presented.