**7. Packaging**

To protect the chip from harsh external environment (e.g. being exposed to UV light or moisture or being scratched), it is essential to encapsulate the chip in a ceramic or plastic package—a process known as packaging. The three most commonly used packaging techniques are (i) wire bonding, (ii) flip chip and (iii) tape-automated bonding (TAB) [10]. IC packaging marks the end of the entire chip manufacturing process. The chip is therefore ready to be released to the market, once the packaging process is completed.
