System in a package

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A system in a package (SiP) or system-in-package is a number of integrated circuits (ICs) enclosed in one chip carrier package or encompassing an IC package substrate that may include passive components and perform the functions of an entire system. The ICs may be stacked using package on package, placed side by side, and/or embedded in the substrate.^[1] The SiP performs all or most of the functions of an electronic system, and is typically used when designing components for mobile phones, digital music players, etc.^[2] Dies containing integrated circuits may be stacked vertically on the package substrate. They are internally connected by fine wires that are bonded to the package substrate. Alternatively, with a flip chip technology, solder bumps are used to join stacked chips together and to the package substrate, or even both techniques can be used in a single package. SiPs are like systems on a chip (SoCs) but less tightly integrated and not on a single semiconductor die.^[3]

SIPs can be used either to reduce the size of a system, improve performance or to reduce costs.^[4][5] The technology evolved from multi chip module (MCM) technology, the difference being that SiPs also use die stacking, which stacks several chips or dies on top of each other.^[6][7]