Design for Packageability: an Overview

To achieve higher performing systems, microelectronic system designers should consider the e ects of packaging while developing integrated circuits (ICs). This practice, which we call \Design for Packageability", should permit a global optimization of the entire system by incorporating critical packaging factors into the IC design ow. Managers and engineers must be able to perform an early analysis of the expected system performance and cost prior to commiting major engineering resources and capital to its development. Early analysis computer-aided design (CAD) software is being developed to show the e ects of various IC design alternatives which may have even more impact on overall system performance than the change from conventional packaging to multi-chip module (MCM)-based packaging.