Abstract: A structure includes holes formed in a layer of tape. The holes are aligned over active areas on chips formed in a wafer. A custom vacuum chuck with a plurality of suction ports is aligned on the tape such that the suction ports contact only the tape and not the hole portions. Flats of the custom vacuum chuck are formed so that a perimeter of the flats contacts, and rests on, the tape. In addition, the flats of the custom vacuum chuck are formed so that the flats cover the entire active area on the first surface of each of the chips. Consequently, the combination of the custom vacuum chuck and the single layer of tape form a protective cavity over the active areas of the chips during singulation from the wafer.

Abstract: A package for an integrated circuit chip is disclosed, along with structures and methods for making and mounting the package. An exemplary embodiment of the package includes a molded body having leads embedded therein with an aperture adjacent each of the leads. A portion of each lead that is internal to the periphery of the package body is exposed through the corresponding aperture. Electrical connection to the leads is made within the respective corresponding apertures.

Abstract: This invention provides a method for making a semiconductor package with stacked dies that eliminates fracturing of the upper die(s) during the wire bonding process. One embodiment of the method includes the provision of a substrate and pair of semiconductor dies, each having opposite top and bottom surfaces and a plurality of wire bonding pads around the peripheries of their respective top surfaces. One die is attached and wire bonded to a top surface of the substrate. A measured quantity of an uncured, fluid adhesive is dispensed onto the top surface of the first die, and the adhesive is squeezed toward the edges of the dies by pressing the bottom surface of the second die down onto the adhesive until the two dies are separated by a layer of the adhesive. The adhesive is cured, the second die is then wire bonded to the substrate, and the dies are then molded over with an encapsulant.

Abstract: To form a micromachine package, a bead is applied to the rear surface of a controller chip. The controller chip is positioned above an active area in a front surface of a micromachine chip. The bead is attached to the front surface of the micromachine chip to attach the controller chip to the micromachine chip. Once the controller chip is attached to the micromachine chip, the bead and controller chip form an enclosure around the micromachine area. This enclosure protects the micromachine area from the ambient environment. Bond pads on a front surface of the controller chip are then wirebonded to leads of a leadframe or substrate.

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: To form an image sensor package, a window is mounted above an active area on an upper surface of an image sensor. The image sensor further includes a plurality of bond pads on the upper surface. Interior traces on a lower surface of a step up ring are aligned with the bond pads on the upper surface of the image sensor. Bumps are formed between the interior traces and the bond pads thus flip chip mounting the step up ring to the image sensor. The step up ring is mounted such that the window is located in or adjacent a central aperture of the step up ring. An underfill material is applied into the central aperture. The underfill material flows from the central aperture between the lower surface of the step up ring and the upper surface of the image sensor. The underfill material encloses the bumps. The underfill material is cured, if necessary, to form a package body.

Abstract: A sealed ceramic package for a semiconductor device and a method of fabricating the same are disclosed. In one embodiment, a ceramic substrate has a set of cavities each having an opening at a substrate top surface. A semiconductor die is disposed within each cavity, and is electrically connected through the substrate to input/output terminals of the substrate. The substrate has a metal film on the top surface thereof around the opening of the respective the cavities. A metal lid panel, covering the cavity openings, is soldered to the metal film by reflowing a layer of solder disposed over a lid panel bottom surface, thereby sealing the die in each cavity. Subsequently, individual packages are singulated from the ceramic substrate.

Abstract: A thin image sensor package includes an image sensor having an active area which is responsive to radiation. The image sensor is mounted to a substrate which is transparent to the radiation. The image sensor is mounted such that the active area of the image sensor faces the substrate. Of importance, the substrate serves a dual function. In particular, the substrate is the window which covers the active area of the image sensor. Further, the substrate is the platform upon which the image sensor package is fabricated. As a result, the image sensor package is thin, lightweight and inexpensive to manufacture.

Abstract: A window is mounted directly to an upper surface of a micromirror device chip. More particularly, the window is mounted above a micromirror device area on the upper surface of the micromirror device chip by a bead. The window in combination with the bead form a hermetic enclosure about the micromirror device area thus protecting the micromirror device area from moisture and contamination.

Abstract: To form an image sensor package, a window is mounted above an active area on an upper surface of an image sensor. A noncritical region of the upper surface of the image sensor is between the active area and bond pads of the image sensor. A lower surface of a step up ring is mounted above the noncritical region of the upper surface of the image sensor. An upper surface of the step up ring includes a plurality of electrically conductive traces. Bond wires are formed between the bond pads of the image sensor and the electrically conductive traces on the upper surface of the step up ring. The step up ring is mounted so that the window is located in or adjacent a central aperture of the step up ring.

Abstract: A method includes adhesively mounting an adhesive lower surface of a protective layer to a top surface of a die such as an image sensor die or a micromachine die. A special-purpose area on the top surface of the die is contacted and protected by said protective layer. The protective layer includes a polymerizable material, which includes the adhesive lower surface. The method further includes rendering the adhesive lower surface to be nonadhesive. The adhesive lower surface is rendered nonadhesive by polymerizing the polymerizable material of the protective layer with ultraviolet radiation.

Abstract: A method of packaging a device is disclosed. In one embodiment, a substrate including a common voltage plane and a mounting region is provided, with the device mounted to the mounting region. An electrically conductive dam structure is disposed on the surface of the substrate with the electrically conductive dam structure being electrically coupled to the common voltage plane and circumscribing a perimeter of the mounting region. An electrically insulating encapsulant at least partially fills a pocket defined by the substrate and the electrically conductive dam structure, the electrically insulating encapsulant contacting the electrically conductive dam structure. An electrically conductive encapsulant is provided that overlies the electrically insulating encapsulant, the electrically conductive encapsulant being coupled to the electrically conductive dam structure.

Abstract: An electronic device, such as a sensor die, is packaged by first forming a hole through a substrate. The hole is made large enough to position the entire electronic device within the hole. A tape is then applied to the second surface of the substrate to cover a second side of the hole, thereby creating a tape surface at the bottom of the hole. The electronic device is then positioned within the hole such that the electronic device is in contact with, and adhered to, the tape surface at the bottom of the hole. Electronic connections are made between the electronic device and the substrate and a layer of encapsulant is applied. In one embodiment, the electronic device is a sensor die and an optical element is positioned over an active region of the sensor die before the encapsulant is applied. The encapsulant then surrounds and holds the optical element in position over the active region of the sensor die.

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: Methods for forming packages for housing an integrated circuit device are disclosed. In one embodiment, a plastic sheet having an first surface is provided. An array of package sites is formed on the first surface of the plastic sheet. The package sites each include a metal die pad and leads surrounding the die pad. The package sites may be formed by applying a first metal layer on the first surface of the plastic sheet, and then applying a second metal layer in a pattern that defines the die pads and leads of the package sites. The first metal layer is then selectively etched using the second metal layer as an etch mask. Next, an integrated circuit die is placed on each die pad of the array. The die is electrically connected to the leads surrounding the respective die pad. An encapsulant is applied onto the first surface of the plastic sheets so as to cover the package sites.

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 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.