Abstract: An electronic device may include a housing and circuitry carried by the housing. The electronic device may also include a finger sensing device carried by the housing and coupled to the circuitry. The finger sensing device may include a mounting substrate, and a semiconductor interposer having a lower surface adjacent the mounting substrate. The finger sensing device may also include a plurality of semiconductor finger sensing die on an upper surface of the semiconductor interposer in side-by-side and abutting relation, and defining a finger sensing surface to receive at least one finger thereon.

Abstract: A finger sensing device may include a mounting substrate, an integrated circuit (IC) die carried by the mounting substrate and having an array of electric field-based finger sensing elements, and first electrical connections coupling the mounting substrate and the IC die. In addition, the finger sensing device may include a protective plate attached over the array of electric field-based finger sensing elements and having a dielectric constant greater than 5 in all directions and a thickness greater than 40 microns to define a capacitive lens for the array of electric field-based finger sensing elements. The finger sensing device may also include an encapsulating material adjacent the mounting substrate and the IC die and around at least the first electrical connections.

Abstract: An electronic device may include a housing and circuitry carried by the housing. The electronic device may also include a finger sensing device carried by the housing and coupled to the circuitry. The finger sensing device may include a mounting substrate, and a semiconductor interposer having a lower surface adjacent the mounting substrate. The finger sensing device may also include a plurality of semiconductor finger sensing die on an upper surface of the semiconductor interposer in side-by-side and abutting relation, and defining a finger sensing surface to receive at least one finger thereon.

Abstract: A finger sensing device may include a mounting substrate, an integrated circuit (IC) die carried by the mounting substrate and having an array of electric field-based finger sensing elements, and first electrical connections coupling the mounting substrate and the IC die. In addition, the finger sensing device may include a protective plate attached over the array of electric field-based finger sensing elements and having a dielectric constant greater than 5 in all directions and a thickness greater than 40 microns to define a capacitive lens for the array of electric field-based finger sensing elements. The finger sensing device may also include an encapsulating material adjacent the mounting substrate and the IC die and around at least the first electrical connections.

Abstract: A controlled material transport method for carrying materials to and from workstations, test equipment, and processing and assembly tools in a common facility. The present invention includes a rigid “robot vehicle” mountable to a passive track system, which can be routed to service all processing tools on the factory floor. The robot vehicle includes a hoist assembly and gripper assembly, which together perform such functions as picking up magazines, placing magazines, and loading magazines into the processing tools. The hoist assembly is capable of functioning in an operational envelope, which includes any target location within a 3-axis Cartesian coordinate system, to the extent of the range of motion of the hoist assembly. The hoist assembly also provides rigid and controlled z-axis travel, while being compact when retracted. The gripper assembly facilitates loading of the magazines, especially chute style magazines, which are commonly found on many existing processing tools.

Abstract: A modular integrated circuit package is mounted on a surface of a printed circuit board. The integrated circuit package includes a rigid interposer releasably coupling a component module to a substrate member designed to be affixed to the printed circuit board. The substrate member has a first side with plural first electrical connectors for connection to the circuit board and a second side with second electrical connectors coupled to the first electrical connectors. The interposer includes a plurality of electrical connectors that couple electrical connectors of the component module to the second electrical connectors of the substrate member. The component module also includes plural clip members that engage a lower surface of the interposer to releasably couple the component module to the interposer.

Abstract: An integrated circuit package with a path of high thermal conductivity is disclosed. A thermally conductive slug, formed of a material such as copper, is attached to an underside portion of a substrate, such as a printed circuit board or a ceramic substrate, through which an opening has been formed. An integrated circuit chip is mounted to one side of the slug exposed in the opening. An opposing surface of the slug lies below the plane of the underside of the substrate. The chip is wire bonded to the substrate, and is encapsulated in the conventional manner. Solder balls are attached to a portion of the underside of the substrate not covered by the slug in a ball-grid-array manner, for mounting to a circuit board. Upon mounting to the circuit board, a path of high thermal conductivity is provided between the chip and the circuit board, through the slug and the solder balls.

Abstract: A system for packaging integrated circuit components including a ball grid array substrate with a plurality of solder balls coupled to the substrate. A semiconductor device is mounted on the substrate and electrically coupled to the solder balls. One or more terminals are coupled to the substrate and electrically coupled to said semiconductor device. A detachable module contains auxiliary component. The module comprises a body portion for containing the component and one or more electrical connectors for mating with respective terminals to hold the module to the substrate and to electrically couple the component with the semiconductor device. The terminals may also be connected to the solder balls such that a component may be optionally provided either on the circuit board or in the detachable module.

Abstract: An integrated circuit package with a path of high thermal conductivity is disclosed. A thermally conductive slug, formed of a material such as copper, is attached to an underside portion of a substrate, such as a printed circuit board or a ceramic substrate, through which an opening has been formed. An integrated circuit chip is mounted to one side of the slug exposed in the opening. An opposing surface of the slug lies below the plane of the underside of the substrate. The chip is wire bonded to the substrate, and is encapsulated in the conventional manner. Solder balls are attached to a portion of the underside of the substrate not covered by the slug in a ball-grid-array manner, for mounting to a circuit board. Upon mounting to the circuit board, a path of high thermal conductivity is provided between the chip and the circuit board, through the slug and the solder balls.

Abstract: An integrated circuit package with a path of high thermal conductivity is disclosed. The package is formed into a substrate, such as a printed circuit board or a ceramic substrate, through which an opening has been formed to receive a thermally conductive slug, formed of a material such as copper. An integrated circuit chip is mounted to one side of the slug, and the opposing surface of the slug is exposed at the underside of the substrate. The chip is wire bonded to the substrate, and is encapsulated in the conventional manner. Solder balls are attached to the underside of the substrate and of the slug in ball-grid-array fashion, for mounting to a circuit board. Upon mounting to the circuit board, a path of high thermal conductivity is provided between the chip and the circuit board, through the slug and the solder balls.

Abstract: A system for packaging integrated circuit components including a ball grid array substrate with a plurality of solder balls coupled to the substrate. A semiconductor device is mounted on the substrate and electrically coupled to the solder balls. One or more terminals are coupled to the substrate and electrically coupled to said semiconductor device. A detachable module contains auxiliary component. The module comprises a body portion for containing the component and one or more electrical connectors for mating with respective terminals to hold the module to the substrate and to electrically couple the component with the semiconductor device. The terminals may also be connected to the solder balls such that a component may be optionally provided either on the circuit board or in the detachable module.

Abstract: A leadframe carrier and insert compatible with a temperature-affectable, expandable and contractable leadframe strip to be bonded with a selected plurality of semiconductor chips, said carrier being automatically separable and removable with regard to said insert during manufacture despite possible clinging which may be induced by the expansion and contraction of said carrier insert.

Abstract: A leadframe carrier and insert compatible with a temperature-affectable, expandable and contractable leadframe strip to be bonded with a selected plurality of semiconductor chips, said carrier being automatically separable and removable with regard to said insert during manufacture despite possible clinging which may be induced by the expansion and contraction of said carrier insert.

Abstract: A universal nest (1)) for accommodating a separate one of a pair of ribbon connectors (12 and 12') of heights h.sub.1 and h.sub.2, respectively, comprises an elongated beam (26) along which a first block (28) of a height h.sub.1 is slidably mounted. A slide (42) is slidably mounted on the upper surface (34) of the first block (28) for movement between a first position at which it overhangs a portion of the block to expose part of its upper surface, and a second position at which it overlies the upper surface (34). When the slide (42) is at its first position, the upper surface (34) will support an end of the first connector (12). The slide, when displaced to its second position, itself supports an end of the second connector (12'). A second block (60), having a pair of opposed shelves (66 and 68) of a height h.sub.1 and h.sub.2, respectively, is rotatably mounted to the beam (26) distant from the first block (28).

Abstract: An apparatus for inverting and handling integrated circuit dice employs rotating apparatus for rotating a chip carrier by 180 degrees to invert and transfer dice from one set of receptacles to another; together with an apparatus for precisely aligning dice resting at random positions within a set of oversized receptacles.

Abstract: A leadframe carrier and insert compatible with a temperature-affectable, expandable and contractable leadframe strip to be bonded with a selected plurality of semiconductor chips, said carrier being automatically separable and removable with regard to said insert during manufacture despite possible clinging which may be induced by the expansion and contraction of said carrier insert.

Abstract: An apparatus for removing selected integrated circuit dice from a wafer array of dice sequentially moves a striker above a tape to the underside of which the array is mounted and then knocks a die down from the array of dice into a receptacle for transport to further processing stages.

Abstract: A method of forming leadframes for use in manufacturing semiconductor chips starts with fabricating a plurality of leadframes by metal stamping or etching leadframe patterns into a flat ribbon of conductive material. The leadframe patterns include a plurality of outwardly radiating leads, inner radiating leads, and a central perimeter for interconnecting the outwardly and inner radiating leads. The outwardly radiating leads are arranged in groups, each of which are directed along planar perpedicular coordinates. The inner radiating leads have 180 degrees turns in the plane of the leadframe. The inner radiating leads are then successively bent at an acute angle and parallel to the plane of said leadframe so that the inner radiating leads are offset from the plane of the leadframe. The bending is performed in such a manner that each of the leads are formed with a stable spring force for effective bonding to corresponding semiconductor chip pads.

Abstract: A leadframe for an integrated circuit includes a set of individual leads temporarily connected in an array; each lead having an exterior portion shaped in a standard form and an interior portion shaped to form a standard array of contacts and to have the same spring constant for deflections perpendicular to the plane of the leadframe.

Abstract: An integrated circuit chip includes a top layer of dielectric penetrated by conductive vias connecting electrical contacts within the integrated circuit proper to a network of electrical leads disposed on top of the dielectric layer; the network of leads, in turn, being connected to an array of contact pads adapted for simultaneous solder connection to a leadframe.