Mcm-D Prototype of the Supersparc Chipset in Two Weeks

Abstract

We have successfully fabricated and assembled a MCM-D prototype of the Sun SuperSPARC ("Viking") chipset, consisting of CPU, cache controller, and eight SRAM mounted on a 1.9"x1.9" copper-polyimide substrate. What makes this accomplishment interesting is that the total elapsed period (from the day the implementation go-ahead was received until the day the prototype assembly was complete) was two weeks. The prototyping sequence which was followed during the two weeks included the following individual steps: MCM design (including die placement, interconnect net routing, and connectivity check), substrate customization, shorts/opens testing, die procurement, wafer sawing, die attach (including discrete resistors and capacitors, as well as the integrated circuits), die wirebonding, and assembly of the MCM into a perimeter-leaded ceramic package.