Abstract: An assembly includes a structure, a plurality of terminals and a plurality of compliant pads disposed between said terminals and said structure. The terminals are aligned with at least some of said pads, with the pads providing a standoff between the structure and the terminals. The compliant pads are preferably made of a non-conductive material such as a silicone elastomer.

Abstract: A microelectronic assembly and a fabrication method are provided which includes a microelectronic element such as a chip or element of a package. A plurality of surface-mountable contacts are arranged in an array exposed at a major surface of the microelectronic element. One or more passive elements, e.g., a resistor, inductor, capacitor, or combination of the same are mounted to the microelectronic element, with an inner terminal of the passive element conductively mounted to an exposed surface of one contact and an outer terminal displaced vertically from the major surface of the microelectronic element.

Abstract: A microelectronic package includes a microelectronic element having contacts, a dielectric element, at least a portion of the dielectric element extending beneath the microelectronic element, and a structure including portions of a lead frame. The structure includes a plurality of terminals and leads formed integrally with the terminals, at least some of the terminals and at least some of the leads being disposed entirely beneath the microelectronic element, and at least some of the contacts being connected to at least some of the terminals by at least some of the leads. The leads and terminals are at least about 50 microns thick.

Abstract: Substrates having molded dielectric layers and methods of fabricating such substrates are disclosed. The substrates may advantageously be used in microelectronic assemblies having high routing density.

Abstract: A packaged microelectronic device is provided which includes: (a) a unit having a chip with an upwardly-facing front surface and a downwardly-facing rear surface, a lid overlying at least a portion of the front surface of the chip, the lid having a top surface facing upwardly away from the chip and unit connections exposed at the top surface of the lid. At least some of the unit connections are electrically connected to the chip. The packaged microelectronic device also includes a package structure including structure defining package terminals, at least some of the package terminals being electrically connected to the chip. The package structure, the unit or both define a downwardly-facing bottom surface of the package, the terminals being exposed at the bottom surface.

Abstract: A method of making a microelectronic package includes providing a lead frame having at least one bus element and a plurality of branches extending from the bus element, each branch including a terminal and an elongated lead extending between the bus element and the terminal. The method includes applying a carrier element to the lead frame to form a laminate with the branches adhering to a first surface of the carrier element, and severing the branches from the bus element, leaving the branches mechanically connected to one another by the carrier element so as to form an in-process unit. The method also includes assembling a microelectronic element with the in-process unit so that the microelectronic element overlies a second surface of the carrier element.

Abstract: A stacked chip assembly includes individual units having chips mounted on dielectric layers and traces on the dielectric layers interconnecting the contacts of the chips with terminals disposed in peripheral regions of the dielectric layers. At least some of the traces are multi-branched traces which connect chip select contacts to chip select terminals. The units are stacked one above the other with corresponding terminals of the different units being connected to one another by solder balls or other conductive elements so as to form vertical buses. Prior to stacking, the multi-branched traces of the individual units are selectively connected, as by forming solder bridges, so as to leave chip select contacts of chips in different units connected to different chip select terminals and thereby connect these chips to different vertical buses. The individual units desirably are thin and directly abut one another so as to provide a low-height assembly with good heat transfer from chips within the stack.

Abstract: A stacked chip assembly includes individual units having chips mounted on dielectric layers and traces on the dielectric layers interconnecting the contacts of the chips with terminals disposed in peripheral regions of the dielectric layers. At least some of the traces are multi-branched traces which connect chip select contacts to chip select terminals. The units are stacked one above the other with corresponding terminals of the different units being connected to one another by solder balls or other conductive elements so as to form vertical buses. Prior to stacking, the multi-branched traces of the individual units are selectively interrupted, as by breaking the individual branches, so as to leave chip select contacts of chips in different units connected to different chip select terminals and thereby connect these chips to different vertical buses.

Abstract: A stacked chip assembly includes individual units having chips mounted on dielectric layers and traces on the dielectric layers interconnecting the contacts of the chips with terminals disposed in peripheral regions of the dielectric layers. At least some of the traces are multi-branched traces which connect chip select contacts to chip select terminals. The units are stacked one above the other with corresponding terminals of the different units being connected to one another by solder balls or other conductive elements so as to form vertical buses. Prior to stacking, the multi-branched traces of the individual units are selectively interrupted, as by breaking the individual branches, so as to leave chip select contacts of chips in different units connected to different chip select terminals and thereby connect these chips to different vertical buses.

Abstract: A stacked microelectronic assembly includes a dielectric element and a first and second microelectronic element stacked one atop the other with the first microelectronic element disposed between the second microelectronic element and the dielectric. The dielectric element has opposed first and second surfaces with conductive features exposed at the first surface and terminals exposed on the second surface. Preferably, the contact-bearing face of the first microelectronic element confronts the first surface of the dielectric with at least some of the conductive features being movable with respect to the contacts or terminals. By providing such movable features, joining units have heights of about 300 microns or less may be joined to the terminals thereby reducing the overall height of the microelectronic assembly to 1.2 mm and less.

Abstract: A stacked chip assembly includes individual units having chips mounted on dielectric layers and traces on the dielectric layers interconnecting the contacts of the chips with terminals disposed in peripheral regions of the dielectric layers. At least some of the traces are multi-branched traces which connect chip select contacts to chip select terminals. The units are stacked one above the other with corresponding terminals of the different units being connected to one another by solder balls or other conductive elements so as to form vertical buses. Prior to stacking, the multi-branched traces of the individual units are selectively interrupted, as by breaking the individual branches, so as to leave chip select contacts of chips in different units connected to different chip select terminals and thereby connect these chips to different vertical buses.

Abstract: A stacked chip assembly includes individual units having chips mounted on dielectric layers and traces on the dielectric layers interconnecting the contacts of the chips with terminals disposed in peripheral regions of the dielectric layers. At least some of the traces are multi-branched traces which connect chip select contacts to chip select terminals. The units are stacked one above the other with corresponding terminals of the different units being connected to one another by solder balls or other conductive elements so as to form vertical buses. Prior to stacking, the multi-branched traces of the individual units are selectively connected, as by forming solder bridges, so as to leave chip select contacts of chips in different units connected to different chip select terminals and thereby connect these chips to different vertical buses. The individual units desirably are thin and directly abut one another so as to provide a low-height assembly with good heat transfer from chips within the stack.

Abstract: A component incorporating a dielectric element such as a polymeric film with leads and terminals thereon is assembled with a semiconductor chip and bond regions of the leads are connected to contacts of the chip. At least one lead incorporates a plural set of connecting regions connecting the bond region of that lead to a plurality of terminals. One or more of the connecting regions in each such plural set are severed so as to leave less than all of the terminals associated with each such plural set connected to the contacts of the chip.

Abstract: A method of encapsulating microelectronic assemblies includes providing a substrate, securing at least one packaged chip atop the substrate, electrically interconnecting the at least one packaged chip and the substrate, and providing a dam atop the substrate, the dam surrounding the at least one packaged chip secured to the substrate. The method includes providing a cover layer over the dam and the at least one packaged chip secured atop the substrate, whereby the substrate, the dam and the cover layer define an enclosed space surrounding the at least one packaged chip. A curable liquid encapsulant is introduced into the enclosed space and cured to provide a compliant layer around the at least one packaged chip. The packaged chips may be electrically connected with the substrate using conductive leads or wires. Each packaged chip may include a semiconductor chip and a dielectric sheet electrically connected to the semiconductor chip.

Abstract: A stacked chip assembly includes individual units having chips mounted on dielectric layers and traces on the dielectric layers interconnecting the contacts of the chips with terminals disposed in peripheral regions of the dielectric layers. At least some of the traces are multi-branched traces which connect chip select contacts to chip select terminals. The units are stacked one above the other with corresponding terminals of the different units being connected to one another by solder balls or other conductive elements so as to form vertical buses. Prior to stacking, the multi-branched traces of the individual units are selectively interrupted, as by breaking the individual branches, so as to leave chip select contacts of chips in different units connected to different chip select terminals and thereby connect these chips to different vertical buses.

Abstract: Microelectronic assemblies are encapsulated using disposable frames. The microelectronic assemblies are disposed within an aperture defined by a frame. The aperture is covered by top and bottom sealing layers so that the frame and sealing layers define an enclosed space encompassing the assemblies. The encapsulant is injected into this closed space. The frame is then separated from the encapsulation fixture and held in a curing oven. After cure, the frame is cut apart and the individual assemblies are severed from one another. Because the frame need not be held in the encapsulation fixture during curing, the process achieves a high throughput.

Abstract: A microelectronic assembly has a first microelectronic element, a second microelectronic element, and a structure which projects downwardly from the second microelectronic element and at least partially encompassing the first microelectronic element. The structure is at least partially flexible. A method of making a microelectronic assembly with a structure that is at least partially flexible is also disclosed.

Abstract: A method of making a microelectronic assembly including a compliant interface includes providing a first support structure, such as a flexible dielectric sheet, having a first surface and a porous resilient layer on the first surface of the first support structure, stretching the first support structure and bonding the stretched first support structure to a ring structure. The first surface of a second support structure, such as a semiconductor wafer, is then abutted against the porous layer and, desirably after the abutting step, a first curable liquid is disposed between the first and second support structures and within the porous layer. The first curable liquid may then be at least partially cured.

Abstract: A method of making a semiconductor chip package by attaching a chip to a dielectric layer; placing the dielectric layer and chip into a mold; disposing a thixotropic composition that has been sheared to reduce its viscosity into the mold and curing the thixotropic composition after the chip and dielectric layer have been removed from the mold. A method of making a semiconductor chip package without using a mold by disposing a sheared thixotropic composition between a semiconductor chip and a dielectric layer and then curing the thixotropic composition to form a cured encapsulant.

Abstract: A method of making a microelectronic assembly including a compliant interface includes providing a first support structure, such as a flexible dielectric sheet, having a first surface and a porous resilient layer on the first surface of the first support structure, stretching the first support structure and bonding the stretched first support structure to a ring structure. The first surface of a second support structure, such as a semiconductor wafer, is then abutted against the porous layer and, desirably after the abutting step, a first curable liquid is disposed between the first and second support structures and within the porous layer. The first curable liquid may then be at least partially cured.