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Advanced Image Sensor Packaging Solutions

In recent years, image sensor adoption has surged due to advancements in technology and diverse applications across several industries.

Key drivers include the proliferation of high-resolution sensors in smartphones, the rise of ADAS and autonomous vehicles in automotive, and increasing use in healthcare, industrial automation, and security systems.

Emerging technologies like AR/VR, drones, and IoT further highlight the growing importance of image sensor solutions.

UTAC Group has over two decades of experience in advanced image sensor packaging and testing, supported by advanced technology roadmap developments and manufacturing operational excellence, making UTAC Group a market leader for image sensor packages.

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UTAC Image Sensor Technology

UTAC Group manufactures CMOS image sensor devices in both ceramic and laminate packages for several leading imaging customers. The development of our iBGA technology (imaging BGA) allows us to offer robust laminate package alternatives to ceramic packages, with higher I/O density, lower cost and faster development times whilst still meeting stringent automotive grade reliability.

iBGA Image Sensor
Laminate Package

Key Package Characteristics

  • Higher I/O density
  • Glass stacked on image sensor
  • Smaller form factor
  • Lower cost (substrate + glass)
  • High board level reliability
  • Meets AEC-Q100 Grade 2 reliability
  • Development ongoing for Grade 1
iBGA Image Sensor<br />
Laminate Package<br />
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Laminate Package<br />
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iBGA Package Structure & Reliability Results

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High-End Image Sensor Production

Our production facilities are especially focused on high-end image sensor packaging, boasting a class 10 cleanroom environment for critical assembly processes, fully automated inspection equipment, and specialized cleaning steps – particularly critical for high resolution and small pixel size devices.

The entire packaging and test flow is consolidated under one roof to optimize manufacturing operations. This gives us better control over all production processes, ensuring rapid test execution after assembly and resulting in higher quality, improved yields, and faster cycle times.

High-End Image Sensor Production

iBGA High Level Process Flow

Key Considerations

  • Particle control is critical, especialy for small pixel sizes
  • Key processes with exposed image sensor die are in high cleanliness environment
  • Several automatic inspection and cleaning steps to guarantee good device quality and high yields
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Market Segment Applications

Automotive

Automotive

High-reliability image sensor packages for ADAS, Autonomous Driving and User Experience applications such as lane detection, obstacle recognition, 360° surround view, gesture recognition, and in-cabin monitoring.

Industrial Systems

Industrial Systems

Imaging and Time-of-Flight (ToF) sensors for machine vision, automation, inspection systems and robotics with industrial image sensors.

Security

Security

Surveillance and smart security systems with enhanced resolution and night vision capabilities.

Consumer Electronics Packaging

Consumer Electronics Packaging

High-end camera modules for smartphones

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Key Enabling Technologies
for Image Sensor Packaging

Through our advanced image sensor packaging development activities, UTAC Group offers a broad range of key enabling technologies to address the needs of next-generation image sensor packages.

Package Structure
Package Structure
Advanced laminate-based iBGA design to support the latest generation of image sensor dies with narrow keep out zones.
Light Spectrum
Light Spectrum
Customizable glass filters to cater for a variety of light spectra and device applications, including visible light, NIR and SWIR.
Anti-flaring Solutions
Anti-flaring Solutions
Specific bill of materials and process integration for package designs to minimize flaring and stray light artefacts.
Package Size
Package Size
Devices >100mm² running in mass production and in development for packages >15x15mm² to support higher resolution devices.
Package Encapsulation
Package Encapsulation
Fully molded package with exposed filter glass, targeted for higher reliability and larger package sizes.
Higher Integration
Higher Integration
Multi-die and SiP variants to support increased device functionality whilst maintaining compact form factors.
Particle Control
Particle Control
High cleanliness environment coupled with in-line cleaning and effective operational practices to minimize particles and foreign material
Automotive Certified Line
Automotive Certified Line
IATF16949 certified line complying to AEC-Q100 automotive qualification standards for automotive image sensors, with robust processes and automated inspection stations.
Design, Simulation & Process Development
Design, Simulation & Process Development
In-house team to support all packaging aspects from design to development
Reliability & Failure Analysis
Reliability & Failure Analysis
In-house capability for reliability testing and failure analyses to support device qualification and production release

Image Sensor Package Development Trends

Image Sensor Package Development Trends
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Image Sensor Testing

Image Sensor Testing

With our state-of-the-art test floor, we provide our customers with full turnkey image sensor device manufacturing solutions including wafer probing and final part testing. Our final part testing supports a full automotive flow with tri-temperature capable handlers as well as burn-in capability.

Our testers can support the latest high data rate needs of modern image sensors such as MIPI C-PHY/D-PHY. The handlers are equipped with different illumination sources to cater for different light spectra, with high parallelism capability to reduce test time and overall cost of test.

UTAC Group’s internal test development team supports customers on hardware design, sourcing, test program definition and development – providing a one-stop solution from test plan to production execution.

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Elevate Your Image Sensor Solutions to the Next Level

For full turnkey image sensor device manufacturing solutions or customized production processes, our highly experienced team is equipped to support you with proven, reliable, world-class solutions.

Contact us for a quote