Abstract: An electronic die includes a multi-finger capacitor including a first electrically conductive plate including a plurality of first metal fingers joined together by a first metal base, and a second electrically conductive plate including a plurality of second metal fingers joined together by a second metal base. A dielectric layer is between the first electrically conductive plate and the second electrically conductive plate for electrically isolation. The plurality of first metal fingers and plurality of second metal fingers are interleaved with one another. The die can include a first portion that includes the multi-finger capacitor and a second portion that includes active circuitry configured to provide at least one circuit function, wherein the first and second electrically conductive plates are coupled to the active circuitry.

Abstract: Exemplary embodiments provide a heat pipe including a flexible chamber that is capable of expanding, compressing and/or restoring. In one embodiment, the heat pipe can include a hollow metal casing including a pipe structure connected to an expandable chamber at one end of the pipe structure. The other end of the pipe structure can include an evaporating section for receiving heat and the expandable chamber can include a condensing section for releasing the heat. The expandable chamber can be configured to change in volume to control one or both of a temperature and a pressure in the hollow metal casing. The heat pipe can also include a capillary system arranged at an inner surface of the hollow metal casing that includes the pipe structure and the expandable chamber.

Abstract: One embodiment of the invention is a semiconductor device (500) with a first (500a) and a second (500b) surface, a package including a plastic molding compound (501), and a semiconductor chip (502) inside the package. A first metal sheet (510, 401) covers at least portions of the first package surface (500a), has a thickness (510a, 401a), and is preferably made of copper to operate as a heat spreader. At least one metal connector (511, 402) is in contact with the sheet, has the same thickness as the sheet, and is shaped to be operable as a mechanical spring between sheet and chip. An opening (512, 404) in the sheet is located adjacent to the connector and filled with molding compound. A second metal sheet (520) covers at least portions of the second package surface (500b) and is connected to the chip.

Abstract: In a method and system for evaluating sub-critical fatigue crack growth in a semiconductor device, a plurality of energy pulses generated by an energy source are repeatedly impinged onto the semiconductor device for a predefined time interval. The repeated impinging of the plurality of energy pulses induces a mechanical stress within the semiconductor device. The induced mechanical stress, maintained below a threshold and repeated for a predefined number of cycles, causes a formation of a sub-critical fatigue crack within the semiconductor device. A detector detects the presence of the sub-critical fatigue crack leading to a fatigue failure. A rapid determination of a pass or fail status for a fatigue test of the semiconductor device is made by comparing a total number of cycles to fatigue failure to a predefined benchmark.

Abstract: A semiconductor chip (101) embedded in an insulating layer (102) of a sheet-like substrate (110), made of alternating layers of thermally insulating and conductive materials, has the heat flowing from the active chip surface through metal bumps (111, etc.) to a first metal layer (144) positioned in proximity, and from the passive chip surface through metal-filled vias (130, etc.) to a second metal layer (143) positioned in proximity. The metal layers operate as heat spreaders. From the heat spreaders, the thermal energy flows through metal-filled vias (120; 130) to the substrate surfaces. On one or both substrate surfaces may be metal plates (150; 260); they may have spots metallurgically suitable for attaching solder bumps. They may connect to external heat sinks.

Abstract: One embodiment of the invention is a semiconductor device (500) with a first (500a) and a second (500b) surface, a package including a plastic molding compound (501), and a semiconductor chip (502) inside the package. A first metal sheet (510, 401) covers at least portions of the first package surface (500a), has a thickness (510a, 401a), and is preferably made of copper to operate as a heat spreader. At least one metal connector (511, 402) is in contact with the sheet, has the same thickness as the sheet, and is shaped to be operable as a mechanical spring between sheet and chip. An opening (512, 404) in the sheet is located adjacent to the connector and filled with molding compound. A second metal sheet (520) covers at least portions of the second package surface (500b) and is connected to the chip.