Broadcom AFEM-8072 Mid&High Band Front End module in iphone 8/X RF report by Stéphane ELISABETH February 2018 version 1 2018 by System Plus Consulting Broadcom AFEM-8072 1
Table of Contents 4 o Executive Summary o Reverse Costing Methodology Company Profile 8 o Broadcom o Company Major Customers o Apple History o Filter technologies o Apple iphone 8 & X Teardown 23 o RF Components Market Forecast o Supply Chain 27 o Summary of the 28 o Module 30 Package Views & Dimensions Package Opening: Power amplifier, Switch, RF IC, Filters Package Cross-Section: Overview, Dimensions, Substrate, Internal & External Shielding Summary of physical data, Switch 56 Die Views & Dimensions Die Cross-Section Die Process Characteristics Die 74 Die View & Dimensions Die Overview, Delayering & Main Block ID Die Process Die Cross-Section Die Process Characteristic o Filter Dies 86 High/Mid band repartition Dies Views, Dimensions & Opening Dies Overview: Cap, Substrate, Cells Die Cross-Section: Sealing Frame, Anchor, TSV, Holes, FBAR Structure Die Physical Data Summary with seperated Mid & High Band FEM from Broadcom 123 Manufacturing Process 130 & matching RFIC Die Front-End Process o Filter Die Front-End Process & Fabrication Unit o Filter Die Front-End Process Flow o Packaging Process & Fabrication unit o Packaging Process Flow 147 o Summary of the cost analysis 148 o Yields Explanation & Hypotheses 150 o Filter die 152 Die Front-End Cost Die front Cost per process steps Die Wafer & Die Cost die 157 Die Front-End Cost Die Wafer & Die Cost o Packaged Component 159 Packaging Cost Packaging Cost per process steps Component Cost Filter & Front-End Module Estimated Price 164 Feedbacks 168 Company services 170 2018 by System Plus Consulting Broadcom AFEM-8072 2
Executive Summary o Executive Summary o Reverse Costing Methodology o Glossary Located on the main PCB substrate underneath the Sim card slot, the RF Front-End (RFFE) has different configuration depending on the Transceiver chipset. The AFEM-8072 from Broadcom was found in the Japanese and Sim-Free version of the Apple iphone X (A1865 and A1902). In the European version, two separated modules from Avago shares the RFFE area with Qorvo, Skyworks, and TDK-Epcos. The AFEM-8072 is a Mid and High band LTE FEM. As usual, it features several dies: Power amplifier, SOI Switch, Filters. The last ones are still using Avago s Microcap bonded-wafer Chip Scale Packaging (CSP) technology with Through-silicon Vias (TSVs) enabling electrical contacts and Scandium Doped Aluminum nitride (AlScN) as a piezoelectric. Although for this special version, Broadcom has integrated two advanced features, first a RF IC featuring several IPD for the antenna matching and second an EMI shielding inside the FEM to reduce interferences between the dies. Moreover, Broadcom has decided to integrate Sony as a low power SOI switch supplier. Thank to all these innovation, Broadcom is able to supply a cost effective two-in-one component with reduced I/O number. In this report, the complete FEM SiP is analyzed, including a complete analysis of the RF IC featuring IPDs, the filtering dies and the Internal and External EMI shielding. It also features a cost analysis and a price estimation of the component. Finally, it also integrated a physical comparison with the Mid and High band LTE FEM in the last Apple iphone X (A1901). 2018 by System Plus Consulting Broadcom AFEM-8072 3
RF Components Market Forecast o Market Forecast o Supply Chain 2018 by System Plus Consulting Broadcom AFEM-8072 4
Package Views & Dimensions 2018 by System Plus Consulting Broadcom AFEM-8072 5
Package Overview 2018 by System Plus Consulting Broadcom AFEM-8072 6
Package Overview Switch 2018 by System Plus Consulting Broadcom AFEM-8072 7
Package Cross-Section 2018 by System Plus Consulting Broadcom AFEM-8072 8
Package Cross-Section Internal Shielding 2018 by System Plus Consulting Broadcom AFEM-8072 9
Power Amplifier Die Cross-Section 2018 by System Plus Consulting Broadcom AFEM-8072 10
Matching RFIC Die Cross-Section 2018 by System Plus Consulting Broadcom AFEM-8072 11
Filters Die Overview 2018 by System Plus Consulting Broadcom AFEM-8072 12
Filters Die Overview High-Band 2018 by System Plus Consulting Broadcom AFEM-8072 13
Filters Die Overview Mid-Band 2018 by System Plus Consulting Broadcom AFEM-8072 14
Filters Die Opening Cells 2018 by System Plus Consulting Broadcom AFEM-8072 15
Filters Die Cross-Section TSV 2018 by System Plus Consulting Broadcom AFEM-8072 16
Filters Die Cross-Section FBAR Structure 2018 by System Plus Consulting Broadcom AFEM-8072 17
Filters Physical Data Summary Scandium Concentration 2018 by System Plus Consulting Broadcom AFEM-8072 18
Package View & Dimension o Die Number & Area o Package Shielding Apple iphone X A1865 & A1902 2018 by System Plus Consulting Apple iphone X A1901 2018 by System Plus Consulting Broadcom AFEM-8072 2018 by System Plus Consulting Broadcom AFEM-8056 & AFEM-8066 2018 by System Plus Consulting 2018 by System Plus Consulting Broadcom AFEM-8072 19
Package Opening Die area o Die Number & Area o Package Shielding 2018 by System Plus Consulting Broadcom AFEM-8072 20
Filters Process Flow (1/7) o Dies Process o Filter Fabrication Unit o Filter Process Flow o Packaging Fabrication Unit o Packaging Process Flow 2018 by System Plus Consulting Broadcom AFEM-8072 21
Packaging Process Flow (1/3) o Dies Process o Filter Fabrication Unit o Filter Process Flow o Packaging Fabrication Unit o Packaging Process Flow 2018 by System Plus Consulting Broadcom AFEM-8072 22
Filter Front-End Cost o Synthesis o Filter Wafer & Die Cost Wafer & Die Cost o Packaging Cost o Component Cost 2018 by System Plus Consulting Broadcom AFEM-8072 23
Matching RFIC Front-End Wafer & Die Cost o Synthesis o Filter Wafer & Die Cost Wafer & Die Cost o Packaging Cost o Component Cost 2018 by System Plus Consulting Broadcom AFEM-8072 24
Component Cost o Synthesis o Filter Wafer & Die Cost Wafer & Die Cost o Packaging Cost o Component Cost 2018 by System Plus Consulting Broadcom AFEM-8072 25
Filter & FEM Estimated Selling Price o Financial Ratios o Manufacturer Price 2018 by System Plus Consulting Broadcom AFEM-8072 26