Pin grid array

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The pin grid array at the bottom of a XC68020, a prototype of the Motorola 68020 microprocessor
The pin grid array at the bottom of a XC68020, a prototype of the Motorola 68020 microprocessor

The pin grid array or PGA is a type of packaging used for integrated circuits, particularly microprocessors.

[edit] PGA

On a PGA, the integrated circuit (IC) is mounted in a ceramic slab of which one face is covered, or partially covered, in a square array of metal pins. The pins can then be inserted into the holes rapidly in a printed circuit board and soldered in place. They are almost always spaced 2.54 mm (a tenth of an inch) apart. For a given number of pins, this type of package occupies less space than older types such as the dual in-line package (DIP).

[edit] PGA Variants

The plastic pin grid array (PPGA) and later flip-chip pin grid array (FCPGA) versions were both created by Intel Corporation for their Pentium processors, and are often used on motherboards with ZIF (Zero Insertion Force) sockets to protect the delicate pins.

  • PPGA: Plastic pin grid array
  • FCPGA: flip-chip pin grid array
  • CPGA: Ceramic pin grid array
  • OPGA: Organic pin grid array

[edit] See also