Teardown Analysis of Samsung S20 Exynos 990 SoC

TL;DR

This paper provides a detailed teardown analysis of the Samsung S20 Exynos 990 SoC, revealing its complex 3D packaging, integration techniques, and implications for high-performance, power-efficient mobile applications.

Contribution

It offers the first comprehensive microstructural analysis of the Exynos 990 SoC with advanced 3D PoP packaging, highlighting innovative integration and packaging strategies.

Findings

Revealed complex component integration within the SoC

Demonstrated advantages of fcPoP design for performance and power efficiency

Provided insights into future semiconductor packaging directions

Abstract

The mobile phone has evolved from a simple communication device to a complex and highly integrated system with heterogeneous devices, thanks to the rapid technological developments in the semiconductor industry. Understanding the new technology is indeed a time-consuming and challenging task. Therefore, this study performs a teardown analysis of the Samsung Exynos S20 990 System-on-Chip (SoC), a flagship mobile processor that features a three-dimensional (3D) package on-package (PoP) solution with flip chip interconnect (fcPoP). The fcPoP design integrates the SoC and the memory devices in a single package, reducing the interconnection length and improving signal integrity and power efficiency. The study reveals the complex integration of various components and the advanced features of the SoC. The study also examines the microstructure of the chip and the package using X-ray, SEM, and optical microscopy techniques. Moreover, it demonstrates how the fcPoP design enables the SoC to meet the demands of higher performance, higher bandwidth, lower power consumption, and smaller form factor, especially in 5G mobile applications. The study contributes to understanding advanced packaging methodologies and indicates potential directions for future semiconductor innovations.