Broadcom’s AFEM-8215 - PAMiD in the iPhone 13 series

The PAD module represents the most complex form of RF SiP module for smartphones. This business was worth $5.4B in 2021, it is expected to grow at a 7% CAGR toward 2026.

Staying true to its choices for each previous iPhone series iteration, Apple has again selected an innovative radio frequency (RF) front-end module (FEM) for its flagship. Each year Broadcom, its faithful supplier, has advanced its filters and innovative packaging technology to compete with the other market players and maintain its contract. This year, for the third time, Broadcom chose dual side molding ball grid array (BGA) packaging, coupled to new electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding to enable a very high-density system-in-package (SiP) with frequency band sharing. The packaging includes an SMD component at both sides of the PCB substrate, and the filter design integrated 2-in-1 filter in the BAW filter for the first time.

In 2021, Broadcom remains the only supplier of the same module for several versions of the latest Apple iPhone series: 13, 13 Mini, 13 Pro, and 13 Pro Max. Like its predecessor, the AFEM-8200, the AFEM-8214/15 is a mid- and high-band (MB and HB) long-term evolution (LTE) and 5G FEM. It features several dies: power amplifier (PA), silicon-on-insulator (SOI), switch, and film bulk acoustic resonator (FBAR) filters. The filters still use 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 material. One specification is the model number depending on the global region of the smartphone: the U.S. version has two additional bands, which required more filter in the module.

For this special version, Broadcom innovates on several points. Thanks to the dual side molding BGA technology, the density of the packaging has growth and the critical dies (master switches, power management IC (PMIC), low-noise amplifier (LNA), and several SMD components) have been completely isolated from the filtering part. On the EMI management, compartmental shielding using silver wire bond has allowed a huge reduction in the packaging cost. Finally, with the latest filtering design, only two-in-one FBAR-BAW filter on the Tx, Rx, and RxTx path has been integrated in the module. Thanks to all of these innovations, Broadcom managed to deliver a miniaturized package despite the added complexity with 5G.

This report contains a complete analysis of the FEM SiP, including a detailed analysis of the PA, the switches, the LNA, the filtering dies, and the internal/external EMI shielding. This report also features a cost analysis and a price estimation of the component. Finally, it includes a comparison with the AFEM-8072, MB/HB LTE FEM in the Apple iPhone X, the AFEM-8092, MB/HB LTE FEM in the Apple iPhone XS, the AFEM-8100, MB/HB LTE FEM in the Apple 11 series, and the AFEM-8200, MB/HB LTE FEM in the Apple 12 series.

 

Overview / Introduction

• Executive Summary
• Reverse Costing Methodology

Company Profile

RF Components Market Forecast

• Supply Chain
• Broadcom
• Company Major Customers in 2020
• Filter technologies
• Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max Teardown

Physical Analysis

• Summary of the Physical Analysis
• Main Board Analysis
• Packaging
  • Package Views & Dimensions
  • Package Opening: Power amplifier, Switch, RF IC, Filters
  • Bloc Diagram Estimation
  • Package Cross-Section: Overview, CT Scan, Dimensions, Substrate, Internal & External Shielding
  • Summary of physical data
• Active Components: Power Amplifier, Switch, LNA
  • Die Views & Dimensions
  • Die Cross-Section
  • Die Process Characteristics
• Passive Components: Filter Dies
  • Dies Views, Dimensions & Opening
  • Dies Overview: Cap, Substrate, Cells
  • Die Cross-Section: Sealing Frame, Anchor, TSV, Holes, FBAR Structure
  • Die Physical Data Summary

Physical Comparison with previous Mid/High band FEM from Broadcom

• Package Evolution with Technology Enabler
• Package Cross-Section
• Package Integration Evolution: Die Number, Die Distribution, EMI Shielding, Die Area, Die Cost
• Supplier Evolution: Power Amplifier, Switches

Manufacturing Process

• Global Overview
• Switch & matching RFIC Die Front-End Process
• Filter Die Front-End Process & Fabrication Unit
• Filter Die Front-End Process Flow
• Packaging Process & Fabrication Unit
• Packaging Process Flow

Cost Analysis

• Summary of the cost analysis
• Yields Explanation & Hypotheses
• PA die
  • Die Front-End Cost
  • Die front Cost per process steps
  • Die Wafer & Die Cost
• Switch & LNA Die
  • Die Front-End Cost
  • Die Wafer & Die Cost
• Filter die
  • Die Front-End Cost
  • Die front Cost per process steps
  • Die Wafer & Die Cost
• Packaged Component
  • Packaging Cost
  • Packaging Cost per process steps
  • Component Cost

Cost Comparison with previous Mid/High band FEM from Broadcom

Front-End Module Estimated Price

Related Analyses

System Plus Consulting Service

Product’s key features:

• Detailed photos
• Package CT scan
• Precise measurements
• Materials analysis
• Manufacturing process flow
• Supply chain evaluation
• Manufacturing cost analysis
• Estimated sales price
• Technical and cost comparison with the AFEM-8072, AFEM-8092, AFEM-8100, and AFEM-8200

Available on our Yole Group All-Inclusive Semiconductor Packaging Package