Abstract: A circuit module (e.g., an amplifier module) includes a module substrate, a thermal dissipation structure, a semiconductor die, encapsulant material, and an interposer. The module substrate has a mounting surface and a plurality of conductive pads at the mounting surface. The thermal dissipation structure extends through the module substrate, and a surface of the thermal dissipation structure is exposed at the mounting surface of the module substrate. The semiconductor die is coupled to the surface of the thermal dissipation structure. The encapsulant material covers the mounting surface of the module substrate and the semiconductor die, and a surface of the encapsulant material defines a contact surface of the circuit module. The interposer is embedded within the encapsulant material. The interposer includes a conductive terminal with a proximal end coupled to a conductive pad of the module substrate, and a distal end exposed at the contact surface of the circuit module.

Abstract: A circuit module (e.g., an amplifier module) includes a module substrate, a thermal dissipation structure, a semiconductor die, encapsulant material, and an interposer. The module substrate has a mounting surface and a plurality of conductive pads at the mounting surface. The thermal dissipation structure extends through the module substrate, and a surface of the thermal dissipation structure is exposed at the mounting surface of the module substrate. The semiconductor die is coupled to the surface of the thermal dissipation structure. The encapsulant material covers the mounting surface of the module substrate and the semiconductor die, and a surface of the encapsulant material defines a contact surface of the circuit module. The interposer is embedded within the encapsulant material. The interposer includes a conductive terminal with a proximal end coupled to a conductive pad of the module substrate, and a distal end exposed at the contact surface of the circuit module.

Abstract: A packaged semiconductor device includes a substrate having input/output (I/O) pads, a semiconductor die attached to the substrate and electrically connected to the substrate with bond wires. A bond-wire reinforcement structure is formed over the bond wires before the assembly is covered with a molding compound. The bond-wire reinforcement structure prevents wire sweep during molding and protects the wires from shorting with other wires. In one embodiment, the bond-wire reinforcement structure is formed with a fiberglass and liquid epoxy mixture.

Abstract: A packaged semiconductor device includes a substrate having input/output (I/O) pads, a semiconductor die attached to the substrate and electrically connected to the substrate with bond wires. A bond-wire reinforcement structure is formed over the bond wires before the assembly is covered with a molding compound. The bond-wire reinforcement structure prevents wire sweep during molding and protects the wires from shorting with other wires. In one embodiment, the bond-wire reinforcement structure is formed with a fiberglass and liquid epoxy mixture.

Abstract: A “universal” substrate for a semiconductor device is formed of a non-conductive substrate material. A uniform array of conductive pillars is formed in the substrate material. The pillars extend from a top surface of the substrate material to a bottom surface of the substrate material. A die flag may be formed on the top surface of the substrate material. Pillars underneath the die flag are connected to pillars beyond a perimeter of the die flag with wires. Power and ground rings may be formed by connecting rows of pillars that surround the die flag.

Abstract: A “universal” substrate for a semiconductor device is formed of a non-conductive substrate material. A uniform array of conductive pillars is formed in the substrate material. The pillars extend from a top surface of the substrate material to a bottom surface of the substrate material. A die flag may be formed on the top surface of the substrate material. Pillars underneath the die flag are connected to pillars beyond a perimeter of the die flag with wires. Power and ground rings may be formed by connecting rows of pillars that surround the die flag.

Abstract: A packaged IC device in which a die is sandwiched between first and second substrates such that (i) peripheral electrical contact pads of the die are wire bonded to the first substrate, e.g., for routing functional input/output signals, and (ii) core-area electrical contact pads of the die are connected to the second substrate in a flip-chip arrangement, e.g., for routing one or more power supply voltages to the core area of the die. The second substrate has a shape and position that (i) expose the peripheral electrical contact pads of the die for unencumbered machine-implemented wire bonding during the assembly process, and (ii) enable direct electrical connections between the first and second substrates outside the footprint of the die, e.g., by way of the corresponding solder bumps attached between the two substrates.

Abstract: A semiconductor package includes a first lead frame type having a first type of package leads and a pre-molded portion, and a second lead frame type having a second type of package leads that surround a die pad and are supported by the pre-molded portion. An integrated circuit is attached to the die pad and electrically connected to the first and second types of leads with bond wires. A mold compound, which forms a mold cap, covers the first and second lead frame types, the integrated circuit and the bond wires. The first lead frame type may be a QFP type and the second lead frame type may be a QFN type.

Abstract: A circuit interconnecting substrate manufacturing method includes depositing a first layer of metallic powder on top of a carrier, and then forming a first layer of electrically conductive traces from the first layer of metallic powder. A second layer of metallic powder is then deposited onto at least one region of the first layer of electrically conductive traces. Then a second layer of electrically conductive traces is formed from the second layer of metallic powder and each trace of the second layer is electrically coupled to a trace of the first layer. An insulating material is deposited onto the carrier to provide an insulating substrate that supports the traces. The method does not require the use of any wet chemicals or chemical etching steps.

Abstract: A method of assembling semiconductor devices with semiconductor dies of alternative different configurations uses the same substrate panel. The dies of the selected configuration are placed in an array, mounted, and connected to internal electrical contact pads on a first face of the panel using main fiducial markings and an array of subsidiary fiducial markings corresponding universally to arrays of semiconductor dies of the different alternative configurations. The pitch of the subsidiary fiducial markings is equal to the spacing between adjacent rows of the internal electrical contact pads on the panel and is a sub-multiple of the pitch of the array of dies.

Abstract: A method of making an integrated circuit package, such as a ball grid array, includes providing a flexible tape that has first and second sets of bond pads on respective first and second surfaces thereof. A carrier is attached to the first surface of the flexible tape. Then conductive pillars are formed on the second set of bond pads and an intermediate layer of polymeric compound is deposited on the second surface of the flexible tape. After the compound has cured, a surface of the intermediate layer is ground to expose ends of the conductive pillars to form a sub-assembly comprising the flexible tape and the intermediate layer. Then the carrier is removed from the sub-assembly, thereby creating an interposer. The interposer is attached to a substrate and at least one die is attached to the interposer.

Abstract: A method of assembling semiconductor devices with semiconductor dies of alternative different configurations uses the same substrate panel. The dies of the selected configuration are placed in an array, mounted, and connected to internal electrical contact pads on a first face of the panel using main fiducial markings and an array of subsidiary fiducial markings corresponding universally to arrays of semiconductor dies of the different alternative configurations. The pitch of the subsidiary fiducial markings is equal to the spacing between adjacent rows of the internal electrical contact pads on the panel and is a sub-multiple of the pitch of the array of dies.

Abstract: A semiconductor pressure sensor device having a pressure-sensing die electrically connected to a microcontrol unit (MCU) using either through silicon vias (TSVs) or flip-chip bumps. An active surface of the pressure-sensing die is in facing relationship with the MCU. These embodiments avoid the need to used bonds to electrically connect the pressure-sensing die to the MCU, thereby saving time, reducing size, and reducing cost.

Abstract: A method for forming a pass-through layer of an interposer of a packaged semiconductor device in which conducting structures are extended between first and second ends of a casing. The conducting structures are subsequently encapsulated in a molding compound to form a molded bar, and the molded bar is sliced to obtain the pass-through layer. The pass-through layer has conducting vias, each corresponding to a sliced section of one of the conducting structures. The cost of pass-through layers formed in this manner may be less than that of comparable silicon or glass pass-through layers.

Abstract: A method of making an integrated circuit package, such as a ball grid array, includes providing a flexible tape that has first and second sets of bond pads on respective first and second surfaces thereof. A carrier is attached to the first surface of the flexible tape. Then conductive pillars are formed on the second set of bond pads and an intermediate layer of polymeric compound is deposited on the second surface of the flexible tape. After the compound has cured, a surface of the intermediate layer is ground to expose ends of the conductive pillars to form a sub-assembly comprising the flexible tape and the intermediate layer. Then the carrier is removed from the sub-assembly, thereby creating an interposer. The interposer is attached to a substrate and at least one die is attached to the interposer.

Abstract: An interposer for a packaged semiconductor device is formed by applying an encapsulant to (e.g., by overmolding or applying lamination of tapes to) a perforated metal foil having vertical metal tabs that form the vertical metal vias in the interposer. A solid metal foil can be stamped using a micro-stamping tool to form the perforated foil and vertical tabs. Bump pads and/or re-distribution layer (RDL) traces are formed (e.g., using wafer fabrication processes or by applying flexible tape RDL layers) on the top and back sides of the foil to complete the manufacturing process. Such interposers can be cheaper to manufacture than conventional interposers having silicon or glass substrates with through-silicon vias (TSVs) formed using wafer fabrication processes.

Abstract: A pressure sensor device includes a gel retainer that is mounted or formed on a substrate. The gel retainer has a cavity and a pressure sensing die is mounted inside the cavity. The die is electrically connected to one or more other package elements. A pressure-sensitive gel material is dispensed into the cavity to cover an active region of the pressure sensing die. A mold compound is applied on an upper surface of the substrate outside of the gel retainer.

Abstract: A packaged semiconductor device has an integrated circuit (IC) die and first and second volumes of molding compound. The first volume of molding compound is disposed on a first portion of a first side of the IC die and comprises a first molding compound. The second volume of molding compound is disposed on a second side of the IC die, different from the first side, and comprises a second molding compound, different from the first molding compound. By including different molding compounds, the properties of the packaged semiconductor device can be varied across the device.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor die encapsulated in a package casing and having four main side walls each oriented generally parallel with one of first or second orthogonal directions. Signal leads are electrically coupled to the die and each has an exposed portion that extends from one of the main side walls parallel with one of the first or second directions. One or more power bars are electrically coupled to the die and each has at least one power bar lead extending at a non-zero angle with respect to the first and second directions. The power bars and associated power bar leads are electrically isolated from the signal leads. One or more tie bars extends at a generally non-zero angle with respect to the first and second directions and is electrically isolated from the signal leads and the power bars and associated power bar leads.

Abstract: A method of attaching a bond wire to first and second electrical contact pads includes holding the bond wire in a capillary, wherein a first end of the bond wire extends out of an opening in the capillary, attaching the first end of the bond wire to the first electrical contact pad using a ball bonding technique, moving a second end of the bond wire toward the second electrical contact pad after the attachment of the first end of the bond wire, performing an electric flame off on the second end of the bond wire without forming a free air ball, and attaching the second end of the bond wire to the second electrical contact pad after the EFO on the second end of the bond wire.