New from Nisshinbo Micro Devices is the Silicon Motherboard (Si-MB), a three-dimensional mounting technology that forms circuits on both sides of a silicon substrate and integrates ICs and passive components into a single package.
According to the company, the technology is the world’s first of its kind based on its research, and a prototype has demonstrated an approximately 80% reduction in mounting footprint compared with conventional discrete configurations.
The number of components required in industrial equipment, automotive systems, communication devices, and other applications is increasing. This creates challenges not only in achieving further miniaturisation, but also in procurement, supply-chain management, assembly, and product reliability. Component consolidation has therefore become an increasingly important approach to addressing these challenges.
While chiplet technology offers high-density integration of IC dies, integrating passive components such as resistors, capacitors, and inductors can be difficult. Silicon Motherboard technology addresses this limitation by combining functional ICs, components formed within the silicon substrate using wafer processing, and external passive components mounted on the bottom side of the substrate. This three-dimensional architecture enables components that are difficult to incorporate using conventional chiplet approaches to be integrated into a compact module.
What are the benefits of Silicon Motherboard?
Silicon Motherboard has the ability to accommodate passive components with characteristics important for analog circuit design, including large-capacitance capacitors exceeding 1,000 pF, low-resistance resistors below 1 Ω, and inductors. By integrating ICs and their peripheral components, the technology can also help optimize analog circuit performance as a complete system rather than treating the IC and external components separately.
For its prototype, Nisshinbo Micro Devices developed a window-comparator configuration incorporating two comparator ICs, resistive elements formed within the silicon substrate, and two chip resistors mounted on the underside. The resulting configuration demonstrated an approximately 80% reduction in mounting footprint compared with a conventional discrete implementation.
Another important feature is compatibility with existing mass-produced packages. Rather than requiring customers to introduce specialised package formats, Silicon Motherboard can use existing package types, allowing existing mounting equipment to be utilised. This can reduce implementation costs and shorten evaluation periods while supporting applications where high durability is required.
Nisshinbo Micro Devices plans to further develop Silicon Motherboard as a platform for integrated system solutions. By combining ICs with optimised peripheral components, the company aims to improve customer development efficiency, enhance circuit performance, and contribute to the continued miniaturization and evolution of electronic products.
More information: https://www.nisshinbo-microdevices.co.jp/en/about/info/20260819.html
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