Abstract: A method and apparatus for enhancing the electrical and thermal performance of semiconductor packages effectively, especially for laminated packages, where sinterable materials cannot be used. The concept of this invention is to embed silver or silver-coated nanomaterials, which can be nanoparticles, nanoflakes, nanowires etc., into die backside to improve the interface between die and die attach materials, thus enhancing electrical and thermal performance through sintering and enhancing reliability by improving adhesion.

Abstract: A chip is attached to a substrate with wires spanning from the chip to the substrate is loaded in a heated cavity of a mold. The wire surfaces are coated with an adsorbed layer of molecules of a heterocyclic compound. A pressure chamber of the mold is loaded with a solid pellet of a packaging material including a polymerizable resin. The chamber is connected to the cavity. The vapor of resin molecules is allowed to spread from the chamber to the assembly inside the cavity during the time interval needed to heat the solid pellet for rendering it semi-liquid and to pressurize it through runners before filling the mold cavity, wherein the resin molecules arriving in the cavity are cross-linked by the adsorbed heterocyclic compound molecules into an electrically insulating at least one monolayer of polymeric structures on the wire surfaces.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for enhancing the thermal performance of semiconductor packages effectively. The concept of this invention is to provide silicon nanowires on the backside of an integrated circuit die to directly attach the die to the substrate, thereby improving the interface between die and substrate, and thus enhancing thermal performance and enhancing reliability by improving adhesion.

Abstract: Methods and compositions are described for preparing metal salts and selectively separating metals from substrates and other metals. The methods can include a thionyl reagent that reacts with a metal in a solution to produce a metal salt. The reaction can be controlled by varying reagents and conditions such that the method can be used to selectively separate one or more metals from another metal or from a substrate. The method can also be used for removing metals from a surface. Compositions produced by the method are also described.

Abstract: The assembly of a chip (101) attached to a substrate (103) with wires (201) spanning from the chip to the substrate is loaded in a heated cavity (402) of a mold; the wire surfaces are coated with an adsorbed layer of molecules of a heterocyclic compound (302); a pressure chamber (404) of the mold is loaded with a solid pellet (410) of a packaging material including a polymerizable resin, the chamber being connected to the cavity; the vapor of resin molecules is allowed to spread from the chamber to the assembly inside the cavity during the time interval needed to heat the solid pellet for rendering it semi-liquid and to pressurize it through runners (403) before filling the mold cavity, whereby the resin molecules arriving in the cavity are cross-linked by the adsorbed heterocyclic compound molecules into an electrically insulating at least one monolayer of polymeric structures on the wire surfaces.

Abstract: The packaging of an electric contact including a semiconductor chip (102) having terminals (101) of a first metal and connecting wires (111, 112) of a second metal, the wires forming at the terminals regions (113) of intermetallic compounds of the first and second metals; a solution of an aromatic azole compound dissolved in ethanol is dispensed onto the surfaces of the wire spans and the intermetallic regions, thereby forming on the surfaces layers (301) of adsorbed molecules of the aromatic azole compound; chip and wire bonds are encapsulated in a polymerizable resin (401), thereby exploiting the adsorbed aromatic azole molecules as catalysts to cross-link resin molecules into polymerized structures (402) having a mesh density capable of inhibiting the diffusion of impurity ions (410) and thus protecting the surface of the intermetallic regions.

Abstract: The present invention provides for a relatively simple method to decrease the electrical resistivity of conductive adhesives by in-situ nanoparticle formation and sintering using a reducing agent. The reducing agent was found to cause sintering within the conductive adhesive by facilitating the reduction of the silver salts of fatty acids on the surface of silver flakes, leading to the formation of nano-/submicron-silver necks. These silver necks bridge neighboring silver flakes, decreasing the contact resistance between flakes within the conductive adhesives. The reducing agent also removes at least a portion of the lubricant commonly found on silver flakes used in conductive adhesives, thus reducing the tunneling resistance between the silver flakes.