Abstract:
In a semiconductor module including multiple semiconductor devices, a signal that flows through a bonding wire connected to one semiconductor device is prevented from acting as noise which affects another semiconductor device, thereby improving the operation reliability of the semiconductor module. A second semiconductor device provided alongside a first semiconductor device includes a current output electrode via which large current is output. The current output electrode is electrically connected to a substrate electrode provided to a first wiring layer via a bonding wire such as a gold wire. The bonding wire is provided across the side E2 of the second semiconductor device. The bonding wire connected to the first semiconductor device is provided across a side of the first semiconductor device that corresponds to the side El of the second semiconductor device, i.e., the side F2, F3, or F4 of the first semiconductor device.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from the prior Japanese Patent Application No.2007-296150, filed on Nov. 14, 2007, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The present invention relates to a semiconductor module and an image pickup apparatus mounting the semiconductor module. 
         [0004]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0005]    In recent years, improvement of the functions of electronic devices with a reduced size has involved an increased demand for providing a semiconductor module, which is to be employed in such an electronic device, with an even smaller size in a further integrated form. In order to meet such a demand, the MCM (multi-chip module), which mounts multiple semiconductor chips on a substrate, has been developed. 
         [0006]    As an MCM structure which mounts semiconductor chips, a multi-stage stack structure is known in which multiple semiconductor chips are stacked. In an MCM having such a multi-stage stack structure, external electrodes are provided in the perimeter of each semiconductor chip. Furthermore, each external electrode is connected via a bonding wire to a corresponding electrode pad formed on the substrate. 
         [0007]    Such an MCM is mounted on a CCD camera as a built-in component, for example. Each semiconductor chip has its own function. For example, a control circuit is formed as a built-in circuit on a semiconductor chip which provides a function as a logic device element. Also, a circuit which supplies current to a motor which drives a CCD is formed as a built-in circuit on a semiconductor chip that provides a function as a driver device element. 
       DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION 
     [Problems to be Solved by the Invention] 
       [0008]    As such MCMs have come to be provided with higher circuit density, a semiconductor device which provides a function as a driver device and a semiconductor device which provides a function as a logic device are mounted further closer to each other in the form of a package. Accordingly, in some cases, a signal, which flows through a bonding wire connected to the semiconductor device which provides a function as a driver device, acts as noise which affects the semiconductor device which provides a function as a logic device. This reduces the operation reliability of the semiconductor device having a function as a logic device. Accordingly, this reduces the operation reliability of the semiconductor module. 
         [0009]    Furthermore, there is a demand for providing an image pickup apparatus such as a digital camera with an even smaller size. The MCM has a problem in that the mounting of adjacent semiconductor devices further closer to one another markedly reduces the operation reliability of the aforementioned semiconductor devices, leading to malfunctioning of the image pickup apparatus. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0010]    The present invention has been made in view of such a problem. Accordingly, it is a general purpose of the present invention to provide a technique for preventing a signal that flows through a bonding wire connected to one semiconductor device from acting as noise which affects the other semiconductor devices in a semiconductor module having multiple semiconductor devices, thereby improving the operation reliability of the semiconductor module. Also, it is another general purpose of the present invention to provide a technique for improving the operation reliability of an image pickup apparatus mounting a semiconductor module having multiple semiconductor devices in the form of a built-in semiconductor module. 
       [Means for Solving the Problems] 
       [0011]    An embodiment of the present invention relates to a semiconductor module. The semiconductor module comprises: a wiring substrate including substrate electrodes on one main surface thereof; a first semiconductor device which is mounted on the wiring substrate, and which includes a logic signal electrode via which a logic signal is input or output; a second semiconductor device which is mounted alongside the first semiconductor device, and which includes a current output electrode via which large current is output; a first bonding wire which electrically connects the logic signal electrode and the corresponding substrate electrode; and a second bonding wire which electrically connects the current output electrode and the corresponding substrate electrode. With such an embodiment, as viewed from the main surface side of the wiring substrate, the first bonding wire is provided across a side of the first semiconductor device that does not face a side of the second semiconductor device. 
         [0012]    With such an embodiment, the logic signal electrode and the first bonding wire provided to the first semiconductor device are arranged so as to be distanced from the second semiconductor device. Thus, such an embodiment prevents noise from occurring in the first semiconductor device due to the effect of large current output from the second semiconductor device. 
         [0013]    With such an embodiment, the current output electrode may be provided along a side of the second semiconductor device across which the second bonding wire is provided. 
         [0014]    Also, with such an embodiment, the first semiconductor device may output a camera shake correction signal used to correct blurring due to camera shake applied to an image pickup apparatus. Also, the second semiconductor device may output large current to be supplied to a driving means which drives a lens of the image pickup apparatus according to the camera shake correction signal. With such an arrangement, the driving means may be a voice coil motor. 
         [0015]    Also, with such an embodiment, the logic signal electrode may be provided along a side of the first semiconductor device that differs from a side facing a side of the second semiconductor device. Also, the distance between the side of the second semiconductor device across which the second bonding wire is provided and the side of the wiring substrate facing the aforementioned side may be smaller than the distance between the opposite side of the second semiconductor device opposite to the side across which the second bonding wire is provided and the side of the wiring substrate facing the opposite side. With such an arrangement, the first semiconductor device and the second semiconductor device may be arranged with an offset with respect to one another in the direction orthogonal to the side of the second semiconductor device across which the second bonding wire is provided. 
         [0016]    Another embodiment of the present invention relates to an image pickup apparatus. The aforementioned image pickup apparatus includes a semiconductor module according to any one of the above-described embodiments. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0017]    Embodiments will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings which are meant to be exemplary, not limiting, and wherein like elements are numbered alike in several Figures, in which: 
           [0018]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram which shows a circuit configuration of an image pickup apparatus including a semiconductor module according to an embodiment; 
           [0019]      FIG. 2  is a plan view which shows a schematic configuration of the semiconductor module according to the embodiment; 
           [0020]      FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional diagram which shows a schematic configuration of the semiconductor module according to the embodiment; and 
           [0021]      FIG. 4  is a transparent perspective view which shows a digital camera including the semiconductor module according to the embodiment. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0022]    The invention will now be described by reference to the preferred embodiments. This does not intend to limit the scope of the present invention, but to exemplify the invention. 
         [0023]    Description will be made regarding an embodiment according to the present invention with reference to the drawings. It should be noted that, in all the drawings, the same components are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof will be omitted as appropriate in the following description. 
         [0024]    A semiconductor module according to the embodiment is suitably employed for an image pickup apparatus such as a digital camera etc., having a camera shake correction function (an anti-shake function).  FIG. 1  is a block diagram which shows a circuit configuration of an image pickup apparatus having a semiconductor module according to the embodiment. A digital camera includes a signal amplifier unit  10  and a camera shake correction unit(an anti-shake unit)  20 . The signal amplifier unit  10  amplifies an input signal with a predetermined gain, and outputs the signal thus amplified to the camera shake correction unit  20 . The camera shake correction unit  20  outputs a signal, which is used to control the lens position so as to perform camera shake correction, to the signal amplifier unit  10  based upon an input angular velocity signal and an input lens position signal. 
         [0025]    Specific description will be made regarding a circuit configuration of a digital camera. 
         [0026]    A gyro sensor  50  detects the angular velocity along two axes, i.e., the X axis and the Y axis of a digital camera. The angular velocity signal acquired by the gyro sensor  50  in the form of an analog signal is amplified by an amplifier circuit  12 , following which the angular velocity signal thus amplified is output to an ADC (analog/digital converter)  22 . The ADC  22  converts the angular velocity signal thus amplified by the amplifier circuit  12  into an angular velocity signal in the form of a digital signal. The angular velocity signal output from the ADC  22  is output to a gyro equalizer  24 . 
         [0027]    In the gyro equalizer  24 , first, the digital angular velocity signal output from the ADC  22  is input to an HPF (high-pass filter)  26 . The HPF  26  removes frequency components that are lower than the frequency components due to camera shake from the angular velocity signal output from the gyro sensor  50 . In general, the frequency components due to camera shake are within a range of 1 to 20 Hz. Accordingly, the frequency components which are equal to or lower than 0.7 Hz are removed from the angular velocity signal, for example. 
         [0028]    A pan/tilt decision circuit  28  detects panning movement and tilting movement of the image pickup apparatus based upon the angular velocity signal output from the HPF  26 . When the image pickup apparatus is moved according to the movement of the subject or the like, the gyro sensor  50  outputs an angular velocity signal according to the movement. However, change in the angular velocity signal due to the panning movement or tilting movement is not the result of camera shake. Accordingly, in some cases, there is no need to correct the optical system such as a lens  60  or the like. The pan/tilt decision circuit  28  is provided in order to perform camera shake correction without being affected by change in the angular velocity signal due to panning movement or tilting movement. Specifically, in a case of detecting that the angular velocity signal has continuously exhibited a predetermined value during a predetermined period, the pan/tilt decision circuit  28  judges that the image pickup apparatus is in the panning movement state or the tilting movement state. It should be noted that panning movement indicates movement in which the image pickup apparatus is moved in the horizontal direction according to the movement of the subject or the like. Tilting movement indicates movement in which the image pickup apparatus is moved in the vertical direction. 
         [0029]    A gain adjustment circuit  30  changes the gain for the angular velocity signal output from the HPF  26  based upon the judgment results from the pan/tilt decision circuit  28 . For example, when the image pickup apparatus is not in the panning movement state or the tilting movement state, the gain adjustment circuit  30  performs gain adjustment for the angular velocity signal output from the HPF  26 . On the other hand, when the image pickup apparatus is in the panning movement state or the tilting movement state, the gain adjustment circuit  30  performs gain adjustment such that the magnitude of the angular velocity signal output from the HPF  26  is reduced to zero. 
         [0030]    An LPF (low-pass filter) serves as an integrating circuit which integrates the angular velocity signal output from the gain adjustment circuit  30  so as to generate an angular signal which indicates the movement amount of the image pickup apparatus. For example, the LPF  32  obtains the angular signal, i.e., the movement amount of the image pickup apparatus, by performing filtering processing using a digital filter. 
         [0031]    A centering processing circuit  34  subtracts a predetermined value from the angular signal output from the LPF  32 . When the camera shake correction processing is performed in the image pickup apparatus, in some cases, the position of the lens gradually deviates from the base position during continuously executed correction processing, and the position of the lens approaches the limit of the lens movable range. In this case, if the camera shake correction processing is continued, the image pickup apparatus enters the state in which, while the lens can be moved in one direction, the lens cannot be moved in the other direction. The centering processing circuit is provided in order to prevent such a state. The centering processing circuit performs a control operation so as to prevent the lens from approaching the limit of the lens movable range by subtracting a predetermined value from the angular signal. 
         [0032]    The angular signal output from the centering processing circuit  34  is adjusted by a gain adjustment circuit  36  so as to be within the signal range of a hall element  70 . The angular signal thus adjusted by the gain adjustment circuit  36  is output to a hall equalizer  40 . 
         [0033]    The hall element  70  is a magnetic sensor that makes use of the Hall effect, which serves as a position detecting means for detecting the position of the lens  60  in the X direction and the Y direction. The analog position signal including the position information with respect to the lens  60  thus obtained by the hall element  70  is amplified by the amplifier circuit  14 , following which the analog position signal is transmitted to the ADC  22 . The ADC  22  converts the analog position signal thus amplified by the amplifier circuit  14  into a digital position signal. It should be noted that the ADC  22  converts the analog output of the amplifier  12  and the analog output of the amplifier  14  into digital values in a time sharing manner. 
         [0034]    The position signal output from the ADC  22  is output to the hall equalizer  40 . In the hall equalizer  40 , first, the position signal output from the ADC  22  is input to an adder circuit  42 . Furthermore, the adder circuit  42  receives, as an input signal, the angular signal adjusted by the gain adjustment circuit  36 . The adder circuit  42  adds the position signal and the angular signal thus input. The signal output from the adder circuit  42  is output to a servo circuit  44 . The servo circuit  44  generates a signal for controlling the driving operation of a VCM  80  based upon the signal output to the servo circuit  44 . In general, the current (VCM driving current) of this signal is 200 to 300 mA. It should be noted that, in the servo circuit  44 , filtering processing may be performed using a servo circuit digital filter. 
         [0035]    The VCM driving signal output from the servo circuit  44  is converted by a DAC (digital/analog converter)  46  from the digital signal to an analog signal. The analog VCM driving signal is amplified by an amplifier circuit  16 , following which the analog VCM driving signal thus amplified is output to the VCM  80 . The VCM  80  moves the position of the lens  60  in the X direction and the Y direction according to the VCM driving signal. 
         [0036]    Here, description will be made regarding the circuit operation of the image pickup apparatus according to the present embodiment when camera shake does not occur, and the circuit operation thereof when camera shake occurs. 
         [0037]    (Operation When Camera Shake Does Not Occur) 
         [0038]    When camera shake does not occur, the image pickup apparatus has no angular velocity. Accordingly, the gyro equalizer  24  outputs a signal “0”. The position of the lens  60  driven by the VCM  80  is set such that the optical axis thereof matches the center of the image acquisition device element (not shown) such as a CCD or the like provided to the image pickup apparatus. Accordingly, the analog position signal output from the hall element  70  via the amplifier circuit  14  is converted by the ADC  22  into a digital position signal which indicates “0”. Subsequently, the digital position signal thus converted is input to the hall equalizer  40 . When the position signal is “0”, the servo circuit  44  outputs a signal for controlling the VCM  80  so as to maintain the current position of the lens  60 . 
         [0039]    On the other hand, in a case in which the position of the lens  60  does not match the center of the image acquisition device element, the analog position signal output from the hall element  70  via the amplifier circuit  14  is converted by the ADC  22  into a digital position signal which indicates a value that differs from “0”, following which the digital position signal thus converted is output to the hall equalizer  40 . The servo circuit  44  controls the VCM  80  according to the value of the digital position signal output from the ADC  22  such that the value of the position signal is set to “0”. 
         [0040]    By repeatedly performing such an operation, the position of the lens  60  is controlled such that the position of the lens  60  matches the center of the image acquisition device element. 
         [0041]    (Operation When Camera Shake Occurs) 
         [0042]    The position of the lens  60  driven by the VCM  80  is set such that the optical axis thereof matches the center of the image acquisition device element. Accordingly, the analog position signal output from the hall element  70  via the amplifier circuit  14  is converted by the ADC  22  into a digital position signal which indicates “0”, following which the digital position signal thus converted is output to the hall equalizer  40 . 
         [0043]    On the other hand, when the image pickup apparatus moves due to camera shake, the LPF  32  and the centering processing circuit  34  output an angular signal which indicates the movement amount of the image pickup apparatus based upon the angular velocity signal detected by the gyro sensor  50 . 
         [0044]    The servo circuit  44  generates a driving signal for the VCM according to a signal obtained by adding the position signal, which is output from the ADC  22  and which indicates “0”, and the angular signal output from the centering circuit. In this case, although the position signal indicates “0”, the angular signal which indicates a value that differs from “0” is added. Accordingly, the servo circuit  44  generates a correction signal which moves the lens  60 . 
         [0045]    It should be noted that the camera shake correction according to the present embodiment is not so- called electronic camera shake correction whereby the image acquired by the CCD is temporarily stored in memory, and the camera shake components are removed by making a comparison with the subsequent image. The camera shake correction according to the present embodiment is optical camera shake correction such as a lens shift method whereby the lens is optically shifted, or a CCD shift method whereby the CCD is shifted, as described above. 
         [0046]    Consequently, optical camera shake correction has the advantage of solving problems that are involved in an arrangement employing an electronic camera shake correction mechanism, i.e., a problem of deterioration of the image quality due to the processing in which a fairly large image is acquired and the image thus acquired is trimmed, a problem of limits in the correction range and the image acquisition magnification due to the CCD size, and a problem in that burring in the static image cannot be corrected in increments of frames. In particular, optical camera shake correction is effectively employed in an arrangement in which a static image is acquired from a high-quality video image. 
         [0047]    The VCM  80  moves the lens  60  based upon the correction signal output from the servo circuit  44 . Accordingly, such an arrangement allows the image acquisition device element included in the image pickup apparatus to acquire a signal after blurring in the subject image due to camera shake is suppressed. By repeatedly performing such a control operation, such an arrangement provides camera shake correction. 
         [0048]      FIG. 2  is a plan view which shows a schematic configuration of a semiconductor module according to an embodiment.  FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view which shows a schematic configuration of the semiconductor module according to the embodiment. It should be noted that, in  FIG. 2 , a sealing resin  150  described later is not shown. 
         [0049]    A semiconductor module  100  includes a wiring substrate  110 , a first semiconductor device  120 , a second semiconductor device  130 , a third semiconductor device  140 , a fourth semiconductor device  170 , a sealing resin  150 , and solder balls  160 . 
         [0050]    The wiring substrate  110  includes a first wiring layer  114  and a second wiring layer  116  with an insulating resin layer  112  introduced therebetween. The first wiring layer  114  and the second wiring layer  116  are connected to each other through via holes  117  each of which is provided in the insulating resin layer  112  in the form of a through hole. Each solder ball  160  is connected to the second wiring layer  116 . 
         [0051]    Examples of the materials that may be used to form the insulating resin layer  112  include a melamine derivative such as BT resin etc., liquid crystal polymer, epoxy resin, PPE resin, polyimide resin, fluorine resin, phenol resin, and thermo-setting resin such as polyamide- bismaleimide resin. In order to improve the heat releasing performance of the semiconductor module  100 , the insulating resin layer  112  preferably has high heat conductivity. Accordingly, the insulating resin layer  112  preferably contains silver, bismuth, copper, aluminum, magnesium, tin, zinc, alloys thereof, or the like, as a high heat conductivity filler. 
         [0052]    Examples of the materials that may be used to form the first wiring layer  114  and the second wiring layer  116  include copper. 
         [0053]    The first semiconductor device  120  and the second semiconductor device  130  are mounted alongside on a main surface S 1  of the wiring substrate  110 . The third semiconductor device  140  is mounted such that it is layered on the first semiconductor device  120 . The first semiconductor device  120  is a logic device which corresponds to the camera shake correction unit  20  shown in  FIG. 1 . The second semiconductor device  130  is a driver device or a power device which corresponds to the signal amplifier unit  10  shown in  FIG. 1 . The third semiconductor device  140  is a CPU. The third semiconductor device  140  provides a part of the functions of the first semiconductor device  120 , or provides the functions of the first semiconductor device  120  instead of the first semiconductor device  120 , as necessary. The fourth semiconductor device  170  is a memory device such as EEPROM. The fourth semiconductor device  170  stores data necessary for camera shake correction control operation. The first semiconductor device  120 , the second semiconductor device  130 , the third semiconductor device  140 , and the fourth semiconductor device  170  are sealed with the sealing resin  150  in the form of a package. The sealing resin  150  is formed using the transfer molding method, for example. 
         [0054]    The first semiconductor device  120  includes logic signal electrodes  122  each of which allows a logic signal to be input or output. Examples of logic signals to be input to the first semiconductor device  120  include the angular velocity signal and the position signal described above. Typically, the logic signal is provided with a current of 2 mA. Furthermore, examples of the logic signals output from the first semiconductor device  120  include a camera shake correction signal. The logic signal electrode  120  is electrically connected to a substrate electrode  118   a  provided to the first wiring layer  114  via a bonding wire  124  such as a gold wire or the like. 
         [0055]    The second semiconductor device  130  includes current output electrodes  132  each of which allows large current to be output. Examples of large currents output from the second semiconductor device  130  include a current (200 to 300 mA) for driving the VCM. The current output electrode  132  is electrically connected to a substrate electrode  118   b  provided to the first wiring layer  114  via a bonding wire  134  such as a gold wire or the like. In addition to the current output electrodes  132 , the second semiconductor  130  includes chip electrodes  136  each of which is used to input/output a signal to/from other semiconductor devices. The chip electrode  136  is electrically connected to a substrate electrode  118   c  provided to the first wiring layer  114  via a bonding wire  137  such as a gold wire or the like. It should be noted that the connections via the bonding wires  124 ,  134 , and  137  can be made after the first semiconductor device  120  is mounted on the wiring substrate  110 , and the second semiconductor  130  is mounted on the first semiconductor device  120 . 
         [0056]    As shown in  FIG. 2 , as viewed from the main surface S 1  of the wiring substrate  110 , each bonding wire  124  connected to the first semiconductor device  120  is provided across a side of the first semiconductor device  120  other than the side F 1  that faces the side E 1  of the second semiconductor device  130 , i.e., the side F 2 , F 3 , or F 4 . Furthermore, the logic signal electrodes  122  are provided along the sides F 2 , F 3 , and F 4 . 
         [0057]    With regard to the second semiconductor device  130 , each bonding wire  134  is provided across a side of the second semiconductor device  130  other than the side E 1  that faces the side F 1  of the first semiconductor device  120 . With the present embodiment, each bonding wire  134  is provided across the side E 2  adjacent to the side E 1 . Furthermore, the current output electrodes  132  are provided along the side E 2 . 
         [0058]    Furthermore, the chip electrodes  136  are provided along the sides E 1 , E 3 , and E 4 . Each bonding wire  137  is provided across the side E 1 , E 3 , or E 4 . 
         [0059]    It should be noted that the first semiconductor device  120  and the second semiconductor device  130  are mounted at positions with an offset with respect to one another in the y-axis direction shown in  FIG. 2 . With the present embodiment, the center position of the first semiconductor device  120  is located closer to the center position of the wiring substrate  110  in the y-axis direction. Accordingly, the distance between the side E 3  of the second semiconductor device  130  and the side G 3  of the wiring substrate  110  is greater than the distance between the side E 2  of the second semiconductor device  130  and the side G 2  of the wiring substrate  110 . On the other hand, the distance between the side F 2  of the first semiconductor device  120  and the side G 2  of the wiring substrate  110  is the same as that between the side F 3  of the first semiconductor device  120  and the side G 3  of the wiring substrate  110 . 
         [0060]    The third semiconductor device  140  includes external electrodes  142  electrically connected to electrode pads  125  provided to the first semiconductor  120  via bonding wires  144 . Such an arrangement allows the third semiconductor device  140  to transmit/receive signals to/from the first semiconductor device  120 . Furthermore, the third semiconductor device  140  includes external electrodes  148  electrically connected to the substrate electrodes  118   b  provided to the first wiring layer  114  via bonding wires  146 . 
         [0061]    The fourth semiconductor device  170  is mounted alongside the side E 3  opposite to the side E 2  along which the current output electrodes  132  are provided and across which the bonding wires  134  are provided. More preferably, the fourth semiconductor device  170  is provided near the corner of the wiring substrate  110  which is opposite to the current output electrodes  132  and the bonding wires  134  provided to the second semiconductor device  130 . 
         [0062]    With the semiconductor module  100  described above, with regard to the second semiconductor device  130 , the current output electrodes  132  are provided along a side of the second semiconductor device  130  other than the side E 1  that faces or is adjacent to the side F 1  of the first semiconductor device  120 . Furthermore, each bonding wire  134  is provided across a side of the second semiconductor device  130  other than the side E 1 . With such an arrangement, the current output electrodes  132  and the bonding wires  134  are provided at positions distanced from the first semiconductor device  120 . This prevents noise from occurring in the first semiconductor device  120  due to the effect of large current output from the second semiconductor device  130 . 
         [0063]    Furthermore, with regard to the first semiconductor device  120 , the logic signal electrodes  122  and the bonding wires  124  are not provided along/across the side F 1  that faces or is adjacent to the side E 1  of the second semiconductor device  130  which outputs large current. Such an arrangement prevents noise from occurring in the first semiconductor device  120  due to the effect of large current output from the second semiconductor device  130 . 
         [0064]    In addition, the fourth semiconductor device  170  is provided at a distant position from the current output electrodes  132  and the bonding wires  134 . Thus, such an arrangement prevents noise from occurring in the fourth semiconductor device  170 . As a result, such an arrangement improves the operation reliability of the fourth semiconductor device  170 , thereby improving the operation reliability of the semiconductor module  100 . 
         [0065]    Moreover, the distance between the side E 3  of the second semiconductor device  130  and the side G 3  of the wiring substrate  110  is greater than the distance between the side E 2  of the second semiconductor device  130  and the side G 2  of the wiring substrate  110 . Thus, such an arrangement ensures the region for mounting the fourth semiconductor device  170 . 
         [0066]      FIG. 4  is a transparent perspective view which shows a digital camera including the semiconductor module according to the above-described embodiment. A digital camera includes the gyro sensor  50 , the lens  60 , the hall element  70 , the VCM  80 , and the semiconductor module  100 . As shown in  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 3 , the semiconductor module  100  includes the first semiconductor device  120 , the second semiconductor device  130 , and the fourth semiconductor device  170  mounted alongside one another. Furthermore, the third semiconductor device  140  is mounted such that it is layered on the first semiconductor device  120 . It should be noted that  FIG. 4  shows a configuration of the semiconductor module  100  in a simplified manner with the components other than the first semiconductor device  120 , the second semiconductor device  130 , the third semiconductor device  140 , and the fourth semiconductor device  170  simplified and omitted as appropriate. 
         [0067]    Even in a case in which the first semiconductor device  120  and the second semiconductor device  130  are mounted close to one another, such an arrangement provides a digital camera with a further reduced size without involving reduction in the operation reliability. 
         [0068]    The present invention is not restricted to the above-described embodiments. Also, various modifications may be made with respect to the layout and so forth based upon the knowledge of those skilled in this art. Such modifications of the embodiments are also encompassed by the scope of the present invention. 
         [0069]    The image pickup apparatus described in the present specification is not restricted to the above-described digital camera. Also, the image pickup apparatus described in the present specification may be a video camera, a camera mounted on a cellular phone, a security camera, etc. The present invention can be effectively applied to such arrangements in the same way as with the digital camera.