1998-10-28 , S/IC-2043/24
Product News From Philips Semiconductors

In support of customer demand and the industry's trend toward smaller, more compact designs, IDT (Integrated Device Technology, Inc.), Philips Semiconductors and Texas Instruments (TI) have jointly decided to source several logic devices with the same functionality and pin-outs in space-saving, low-profile, fine-pitch ball grid array (LFBGA) packaging. This initiative marks the first implementation of BGA packaging in logic devices.

Space-constrained devices such as wireless telephone systems, base stations, networking systems, memory modules, personal computers (PCs) and handheld computers are ideal applications for logic devices in LFBGA packages. This sourcing arrangement provides manufacturers with multiple sources for these products, allowing them to achieve efficient time-to-market and significant cost savings.

"We have utilized the technical strengths and expertise of three leading logic companies to develop a very power and space-efficient 32-bit logic package," said Tony Walker, IDT's director of marketing for logic products. "This new package provides improved circuit integration for board miniaturization and further system integration."

"Philips Semiconductors has a strong commitment to provide innovative logic solutions that help reduce board space and, ultimately, costs for our customers," said Catherine de Villeneuve, director of marketing for Philips Semiconductors' Logic Products Business Line. "In response to our customers' demands for 32-bit applications, Philips Semiconductors' objective has been to provide high-performance products in a package that enables significant electrical improvements compared to existing package options."

"This is the first time in the logic market that several companies have jointly decided to define packaging, pin-out and functionality," said Ed Agis, TI's worldwide product marketing manager for logic products. "This addresses a real need in the industry."

IDT, Philips Semiconductors and TI have defined a LFBGA package with a 0.8-mm ball pitch, 0.5-mm ball size and a nominal height of 1.4 mm which has been approved by JEDEC, JC-11 Committee (MO-205). The 96-ball package takes up just 74.25 sq. mm of board real estate. When compared to existing logic devices in other types of packages, such as TSSOP (thin shrink small outline package) the new LFBGA package will reduce board space by up to 65 percent for the same functionality.

Compared with alternative types of packaging, the 0.8-mm ball pitch LFBGA logic package provides improved characteristics in areas such as electrical and thermal performance. The LFBGA package reduces inductance by 45 percent compared to TSSOP packages. Additionally, the small impedance variations between the package's pins results in a lower skew rate. In tests comparing the thermal performance of this BGA package with TSSOP packages, the LFBGA package was found to be up to 50 percent more efficient at dissipating heat.

The initial introduction of 32-bit logic families being released by IDT, Philips Semiconductors and TI is noted below.

Samples of the first logic devices in BGA packages are expected late in calendar year 1998. Production volumes are expected to be available during the first quarter of calendar year 1999. Future plans also call for the release of additional logic devices in LFBGA.

More information about these logic devices and LFBGA packaging, including an application note, is available on the World Wide Web at the following sites:

IDT	http://www.idt.com/
Philips Semiconductors	http://www.philipslogic.com/ or  http://cdrom.semiconductors.com/logic/
Texas Instruments	http://www.ti.com/sc/

About IDT
IDT enables a digitally connected world by providing innovative semiconductor solutions to leading-edge designers in communications and computing. IDT's broad product mix consists of communications memories, networking devices, both RISC and x86 microprocessors, high-speed SRAMs and high-performance logic. The company's innovative technologies and products take aim at markets expected to exceed a total of US$ 20 billion in 1998.

Headquartered in Santa Clara, Calif., the company employs approximately 4,800 people worldwide and has manufacturing facilities in California, Oregon, the Philippines and Malaysia. IDT stock is traded on the Nasdaq stock market under the symbol "IDTI." Additional information about IDT is easily accessible through the world wide web (www.idt.com), CD-ROM by calling +1 800/345-7015, or via fax-on-demand at 800/9-IDT-FAX.

About Philips Semiconductors
Philips Semiconductors, a division of Royal Philips Electronics, headquartered in Eindhoven, The Netherlands, is the ninth largest semiconductor supplier in the world. Philips Semiconductors' innovations in digital audio, video, and mobile technology position the company as a leader in the consumer, multimedia and wireless communications markets. Sales offices are located in all major markets around the world, and are supported by regional customer application labs.

About Texas Instruments
The worldwide leader and pioneer in digital signal processing solutions since 1982, Texas Instruments provides innovative DSP and mixed signal/analog technologies to more than 30,000 customers in the computer, wireless communications, networking, Internet, consumer, digital motor control and mass storage markets worldwide. To help customers get to market faster, TI offers easy-to-use development tools and extensive software and hardware support, enhanced by its extensive network of third party DSP solutions providers that produce more than 1,000 products using TI technology.

Texas Instruments Incorporated is a global semiconductor company and the world's leading designer and supplier of digital signal processing solutions, the engines driving the digitization of electronics. Headquartered in Dallas, Texas, the company's businesses also include materials and controls, educational and productivity solutions, and digital imaging. The company has manufacturing or sales operations in more than 25 countries.

Texas Instruments is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol TXN. More information is located on the World Wide Web at  http://www.ti.com/

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