Abstract: Packages for an integrated circuit die and methods and leadframes for making such packages are disclosed. The package includes a die, a die pad, peripheral metal contacts, bond wires, and an encapsulant. The die pad and contacts are located at a lower surface of the package. The die pad and the contacts have side surfaces which include reentrant portions and asperities to engage the encapsulant. A method of making a package includes providing a metal leadframe having a die pad in a rectangular frame. Tabs extend from the frame toward the die pad. The die pad and tabs have side surfaces with reentrant portions and asperities. A die is attached to the die pad. The die is electrically connected to the tabs. An encapsulant is applied to the upper and side surfaces of the leadframe. Finally, the leadframe is cut in situ so that the die pad and tabs are severed from the frame, the sides of the package are formed, and the package is severed from the leadframe.

Abstract: Tools and methods for making molded an optical integrated circuit including one or more waveguides are disclosed. In one embodiment, a molding die is provided that includes a substrate that has a topographically patterned first surface. A conformal protective film is provided over the first surface of the substrate. The substrate may be formed of silicon or gallium arsenide, and may be patterned using conventional semiconductor patterning techniques, such as plasma etching. The protective film may be metal (e.g., nickel or titanium), diamond, or some other hard material. Typically, a plurality of such molding dies are formed from a wafer of the substrate material. The die is pressed into a moldable material, such as thermal plastic, to form the wave guide(s) of the optical integrated circuit. A plurality of the dies may be mounted around the curved surface of a heated roller, and a heated tape of the waveguide material may be fed under the roller in a mass production process.

Abstract: A wafer includes a vertical scribe line and a horizontal scribe line on a front-side surface of the wafer. An intersection of the vertical scribe line and the horizontal scribe line is optically recognized through a wafer support attached to the front-side surface of the wafer. The wafer is drilled all the way through at the intersection to form a back-side alignment mark on a back-side surface of said wafer. The back-side alignment mark is used to aligning a saw, which singulates the wafer from the back-side surface.

Abstract: An image sensor package includes an image sensor having an active area and bond pads on a front surface of the image sensor. A window is mounted to the image sensor by flip chip bumps formed between the bond pads of the image sensor and interior traces on an interior surface of the window. The window has an area less than an area of the front surface of the image sensor. A bead is formed between the window and the front surface of the image sensor thus forming a sealed cavity in which the active area is located. The bead has sides coplanar with sides of the image sensor such that the image sensor package is chip size.

Abstract: Tools and methods for making molded an optical integrated circuit including one or more waveguides are disclosed. In one embodiment, a molding die is provided that includes a substrate that has a topographically patterned first surface. A conformal protective film is provided over the first surface of the substrate. The substrate may be formed of silicon or gallium arsenide, and may be patterned using conventional semiconductor patterning techniques, such as plasma etching. The protective film may be metal (e.g., nickel or titanium), diamond, or some other hard material. Typically, a plurality of such molding dies are formed from a wafer of the substrate material. The die is pressed into a moldable material, such as thermal plastic, to form the wave guide(s) of the optical integrated circuit. A plurality of the dies may be mounted around the curved surface of a heated roller, and a heated tape of the waveguide material may be fed under the roller in a mass production process.

Abstract: A VCSEL package includes a substrate and a VCSEL device coupled to the substrate. The VCSEL device includes a first VCSEL and a calibration VCSEL. A sensor is coupled to the substrate such that a sensor area of the sensor is aligned with the calibration VCSEL. The sensor measures light from the calibration VCSEL to determine the power output of light emitted from the first VCSEL. The measured light is subsequently used to adjust the electrical power input to the VCSEL device to maintain the power output of the light emitted from the first VCSEL at a fixed or constant value.

Abstract: FileNameFileName-33-Integrated circuit packages including interconnection posts with multiple metal terminals are disclosed. An exemplary package includes a molded plastic body with integral plastic posts extending from the body. Each post is coated with a plurality of electrically separate metal terminals. The metal terminals extend from a surface of the body, along a sidewall of a respective post, to an end of the post. An integrated circuit is mounted on the body. Conductive paths, which may include vias through the body, electrically couple different bond pads of the integrated circuit to the metal terminals of the posts. In some embodiments, posts on opposing sides of the plastic body enable stacking, and electrical coupling, of two or more packages. The metal terminals of posts of the lower package may be engaged with the metal terminals of corresponding posts on a mounting substrate.

Abstract: A thin integrated circuit package having an optically transparent window provides a small profile optical integrated circuit assembly for use in digital cameras, video cellular telephones and other devices requiring a small physical size and optical integrated circuit technology. A tape having a conductive metal layer on a surface is used to interface the optical integrated circuit die with electrical interconnects disposed on a surface of the tape opposite the die. A supporting structure surrounds the die and a glass cover is either bonded to the top of the supporting structure over the die, or the glass cover is bonded to the top of the die and the gap between the glass cover and supporting structure filled with encapsulant. The resulting assembly yields a very thin optical integrated circuit package.

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: A package includes a substrate having a pocket, an overflow reservoir around a periphery of the pocket, and a mating surface around a periphery of the overflow reservoir. An electronic component is mounted within the pocket. The pocket is over filled with a flowable material. A window or waveguide is mounted to the substrate. The overflow reservoir captures the flowable material that spills out of the pocket during mounting of the window or waveguide thus preventing contamination of the mating surface.

Abstract: A method for forming an image sensor assembly includes forming a lead frame or Land Grid Array (LGA) integrally into a molded image sensor die package so that the lead frame or LGA is fully supported and structurally fortified by the molded image sensor die package. An image sensor die is then attached to the thus supported lead frame or LGA using a standard flip-chip connection.

Abstract: A central aperture is formed in a substrate. Traces are formed on a lower surface of the substrate, the traces having tabs protecting beyond a sidewall of the central aperture. An image sensor is 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: Semiconductor devices and methods of forming such devices are disclosed. The devices include a package allowing for increased thermal dissipation. In one embodiment, the device includes a power MOSFET die that is electrically connected to a portion of the substrate with a metal strap. The die and at least portions of the strap and substrate are encapsulated in an insulative encapsulant, such as molded plastic. A top surface of the strap is exposed to the environment through the encapsulant. The exposed surface may have grooves formed therein, or fins formed thereon, to facilitate heat transfer.

Abstract: A method of capturing an image at an angle to a line of sight an image sensor includes receiving radiation of the image. The received radiation is reflected towards an active area of the image sensor with a first panel of a reflector. The radiation strikes the active area and the image sensor captures the image.

Abstract: A method of making a package includes providing a metal leadframe having a die pad in a rectangular frame. Tabs extend from the frame toward the die pad. The die pad and tabs have side surfaces with reentrant portions and asperities. A die is attached to the die pad. The die is electrically connected to the tabs. An encapsulant is applied to the upper and side surfaces of the leadframe. Finally, the leadframe is cut in situ so that the die pad and tabs are severed from the frame, the sides of the package are formed, and the package is severed from the leadframe.

Abstract: An optical module includes a lens housing and a substrate having a base and a sidewall. An image sensor is mounted to the base. The sidewall includes a joint surface and the lens housing includes a mounting surface. The mounting surface of the lens housing is bonded to the joint surface of the substrate thus mounting the lens housing to the sidewall. To minimize the overall width of the optical module and to maximize the strength of the bond between the lens housing and the substrate, the mounting surface of the lens housing is formed with a locking feature. The locking feature includes a horizontal surface bonded to the joint surface and a vertical surface bonded to an interior surface of the sidewall.

Abstract: An image sensor package includes a substrate and an image sensor coupled to the substrate. The image sensor includes an upper surface having an active area. A reflector lid is coupled to the substrate. The reflector lid has a first panel having a planar surface. The planar surface is at least partially reflective and is angled relative to the upper surface of the image sensor to reflect electromagnetic radiation to the active area of image sensor.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for connecting optical fibers to waveguides and other optical elements are disclosed. In one embodiment, an optical fiber is modified so as to have opposing orthogonal tapered sidewalls that taper toward a tip of the fiber. An optical connector for the fiber includes a base having a receiving section and a waveguide formed therein. The receiving section is a flared channel having opposing orthogonal tapered sidewalls and a horizontal bottom surface perpendicular to the sidewalls. The waveguide is optically accessible at a narrow inner end of the channel. The angle of taper of the sidewalls of the channel matches the angle of taper of the sidewalls of the optical fiber. When the optical fiber is inserted into the open end of the channel and is moved toward the narrow inner end of the channel, the sidewalls of the fiber and channel come into contact with each other. In addition, a bottom surface of the fiber rests on the horizontal bottom surface of the channel.

Abstract: A packaged electronic device includes connection contacts that are formed on the contact pads on the second surface of the substrate. In contrast to the prior art, the connection contacts are not solder contacts but are formed of nickel/aluminum plated copper and are therefore harder and less malleable and subject to deformation than prior art solder balls. The connection contacts are formed to align with, and contact, attachment pads formed on the motherboard or other system component. A tension device is then used to mechanically attach the packaged electronic device of the invention to the motherboard.

Abstract: Embodiments of stackable packages for an electronic device, such as an integrated circuit chip or a micro-machine, are disclosed. The packages may be stacked and electrically interconnected without soldering. The package includes a molded plastic body. Stacking clips are molded into the package body. Leads formed of spring metal are embedded at the bottom of the package so that a surface of the lead is exposed through the mold compound. The leads extend upwards adjacent to the sides of the package body, and extend over the top surface of the package body. A spring member, such as a crook spring, is bent into the leads. The spring member, along with the inherent spring of the spring metal, causes the leads to press against juxtaposed lead portions of a package stacked therewith, which forces the leads of the two packages against each other, thereby forming a secure electrical connection between the packages. A tool for disengaging the interconnected clips of stacked packages also is described.