Abstract: Integrated circuit packages that may be easily stacked one on top of the other are disclosed. The package includes a molded plastic body having metal-coated interconnection posts on both its upper and lower surfaces. An integrated circuit is mounted on the upper surface. Metal traces on the upper surface electrically connect each bonding pad on the integrated circuit to a one of a plurality of groups of four interconnection posts on the upper surface. Vias through the substrate electrically connect each group of four posts on the upper surface to an interconnection post on the lower surface of the package. Two or more packages can be stacked and electrically connected by wedging the lower posts of a top package between each group of four posts on the upper surface of a lower package. The lower posts of the lower package may be soldered to a conventional printed circuit board, or may be mounted on a mounting substrate that also has corresponding groups of four interconnection posts.

Abstract: A protective layer includes a polymerized region, which forms a cavity in an interior surface of the protective layer. The protective layer is mounted to a micromachine chip such that an active area of the micromachine chip is located within the cavity of the protective layer. The protective layer protects the active area during front-side or back-side singulation of the micromachine chip from a micromachine substrate.

Abstract: An RF shielded package includes a heat sink having a plurality of spring elements. The spring elements press the heat sink against a mold half during encapsulation to prevent encapsulant from leaking between the heat sink and the mold half. Further, the spring elements ground the heat sink to shield an electronic component from RF radiation.

Abstract: Chip-size semiconductor packages (“CSPs”) containing multiple stacked dies are disclosed. The dies are mounted on one another in a stack such that corresponding ones of the vias in the respective dies are coaxially aligned. An electrically conductive wire or pin is in each set of aligned vias and soldered to corresponding ones of the terminal pads. The pins include portions protruding from the stack of dies that serve as input-output terminals of the package. Heat spreaders can be interleaved between the stacked dies to enhance heat dissipation from the package.

Abstract: A structure for protecting a special-purpose area of an image sensor die or a micromachine die during singulation of the die from a wafer includes a protective layer that has a polymerized upper zone and an unpolymerized lower zone. At least part of the unpolymerized lower zone has an adhesive lower surface that is attached to a top surface of the wafer so that the protective layer overlies and protects the special-purpose area during either frontside or backside sawing. The unpolymerized lower zone is then entirely polymerized to make the adhesive lower surface nonadhesive to facilitate removal of the protective layer from the die.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a flip chip image sensor package includes forming an aperture in a substrate and mounting an image sensor to the substrate. The image sensor is mounted such that an active area of the image sensor is aligned with the aperture. A bead is formed around a periphery of the image sensor. An aperture side of the aperture, the image sensor, and the bead define a pocket. The method further includes filling the pocket with a transparent liquid encapsulant and hardening the transparent liquid encapsulant. The hardened transparent liquid encapsulant serves as the window for the flip chip image sensor package.

Abstract: Semiconductor packages and methods of making packages are disclosed. An exemplary method includes providing a printed circuit board having a first surface with circuit traces thereon, first apertures, and a second aperture. Each circuit trace overlies a first aperture, and an end of the circuit trace is near the second aperture. Solder balls are placed in each first aperture and fused to the overlying circuit trace. A die is placed in the second aperture. Each circuit trace may include a third aperture over the first aperture. Solder from the solder ball within the first aperture fills the overlying third aperture. A second package can be stacked on a first package. Solder balls of the second package each fuse with an underlying solder ball of the first package through a third aperture of the first package. The dies of the stacked packages may be positioned for optical communication with each other.

Abstract: An electronic component is mounted to an upper surface of a substrate. A heat sink is aligned above the electronic component and supported by spring elements of the heat sink on the upper surface of the substrate. The spring elements press the heat sink against a mold half during encapsulation to prevent flash from forming on the heat sink and also operate to ground the heat sink.

Abstract: An image sensor package includes a substrate having a central aperture. Electrically conductive traces on a lower surface of the substrate include tabs projecting below and under hanging the central aperture. An image sensor is flip chip mounted to the tabs and thus supported in the central aperture by the tabs. By mounting the image sensor in the central aperture, the resulting image sensor package is relatively thin.

Abstract: A mounting for a package containing a semiconductor chip is disclosed, along with methods of making such a mounting. The mounting includes a substrate having a mounting surface with conductive traces thereon, and an aperture extending through the substrate. The package includes a base, such as a leadframe or a laminate sheet, and input/output terminals. A chip is on a first side of the base and is electrically connected (directly or indirectly) to the input/output terminals. A cap, which may be a molded encapsulant, is provided on the first side of the base over the chip. The package is mounted on the substrate so that the cap is in the aperture, and a peripheral portion of the first side of the base is over the mounting surface so as to support the package in the aperture and allow the input/output terminals of the package to be juxtaposed with to the circuit patterns of the mounting surface. Because the cap is within the aperture, a height of the package above the mounting surface is minimized.

Abstract: An image sensor package includes an image sensor, a window, and a molding, where the molding includes a lens holder extension portion extending upwards from the window. The lens holder extension portion includes a female threaded aperture extending from the window such that the window is exposed through the aperture. A lens is supported in a threaded lens support. The threaded lens support is threaded into the aperture of the lens holder extension portion. The lens is readily adjusted relative to the image sensor by rotating the lens support.

Abstract: An image sensor package includes a molding having a locking feature. The package further includes a snap lid having a tab, where the tab is attached to the locking feature of the molding. To form the image sensor package, a window is placed in a pocket of the molding. The snap lid is secured in place. Once secured, the snap lid presses against a peripheral region of an exterior surface of the window. The window is sandwiched between the molding and the snap lid and held in place.

Abstract: A novel semiconductor package comprises a rigid dielectric, e.g., ceramic, substrate having first and second portions joined to one another at respective margins thereof to form an angle, e.g., a right angle, between the portions. Each of the portions has electrically conductive paths connected to one another through the angle. A semiconductor device, e.g., a die, is mounted to the first portion and electrically connected to the conductive paths thereof. An array of electrically conductive lands, balls, or pins are mounted on the second portion for connecting the package to a printed circuit board. In a high-power embodiment, the device is mounted directly on a threaded stud projecting from the first portion to enable intimate thermal coupling of the device to a heat sink. In another embodiment, a connector projects from the first portion to optically couple an optical device directly to an end of a fiber optic cable.

Abstract: To form a micromachine package, bond pads on a front surface of a controller chip are aligned with corresponding traces on a front surface of a micromachine chip. The bond pads are physically connected to the traces thus mounting the controller chip as a flip chip to the micromachine chip. A bead is formed around a periphery of the controller chip. The bead and the controller chip form an enclosure around a micromachine area in the front surface of the micromachine chip. This enclosure protects the micromachine area from the ambient environment.

Abstract: A vacuum sealed package for a semiconductor chip, such as a micro-electromechanical (MEM) chip, is disclosed, along with a method of making such a package. In an exemplary embodiment, the package includes a ceramic substrate and a lid that together define a cavity wherein the chip is mounted. The substrate includes a conductive (e.g., metal) interconnect pattern that extends, at least in part, vertically through the substrate. I/O terminals are provided on an external surface of the substrate. A vent hole, at least partially lined with a metal coating, extends through the substrate into the cavity. A metal plug seals the vent hole. The vent hole is sealed by placing the package in a vacuum chamber, evacuating the chamber, and heating the chamber so as to cause a metal preform on the substrate to flow into the vent hole and form the plug.

Abstract: An image sensor package includes an image sensor having an upper surface. The image sensor further includes an active area and bond pads on the upper surface. A window is supported above the active area by a window support. Interior traces are formed on a lower surface of a step up ring. Electrically conductive bumps are formed between the interior traces on the lower surface of the step up ring and the bond pads on the upper surface of the image sensor thus flip chip mounting the step up ring to the image sensor. Electrically conductive vias extend through the step up ring to electrically connect the interior traces to exterior traces formed on an upper surface of the step up ring.

Abstract: An image sensor package includes a molding having a locking feature. The package further includes a snap lid having a tab, where the tab is attached to the locking feature of the molding. To form the image sensor package, a window is placed in a pocket of the molding. The snap lid is secured in place. Once secured, the snap lid presses against a peripheral region of an exterior surface of the window. The window is sandwiched between the molding and the snap lid and held in place.

Abstract: A control system having an input and an output module connected to a communication bus or network. The input module is responsive to a signal that represents a condition. In response to the condition, the input module transmits the representative signal onto the communication bus. The output module includes a reflex function. The reflex function converts the representative signal into a state signal. The output module is capable of transmitting the state signal onto the communication bus.

Abstract: A micromachine package includes a micromachine chip having a micromachine area in a front surface of the micromachine chip. The package further includes a controller chip having a rear surface and a front surface. Bond pads are on the front surface of the controller chip. A bead secures the rear surface of the controller chip to the front surface of the micromachine chip. By mounting the controller chip directly on the micromachine chip, the size of the package is minimized. Further, the bead and controller chip form an enclosure around the micromachine area. This enclosure protects the micromachine area from the ambient environment.

Abstract: An image sensor package includes an image sensor having an active area, a window, and a window support in contact with the active area and in contact with the window. The window support entirely encloses, and thus protects, the active area of the image sensor. During use, radiation passes through the window, passes through the window support, and strikes the active area, which responds to the radiation. By forming the window and the window support to have a similar refractive index, the amount of reflected radiation is minimized thus enhancing the sensitivity of the image sensor package. Further, the window support completely fills the region between the window and the active area thus eliminating any possibility of moisture condensation within the image sensor package.