ICs as drivers of ICT carbon footprint: An approach to more accurate die size assessment

The area of semiconductor dies contained in chip packages on printed circuit board assemblies is a main driver for the environmental impacts of information and communication technology equipment in life cycle assessment and carbon footprint analyses. Approaches to the estimation of die area contained in a device can be based on assumed die-to-package ratios, radiographic imaging, or direct measurement. This paper demonstrates the impact that different approaches to die area estimation have on the estimated total life cycle environmental impact of a smartphone.