Proximity sensor, electronic apparatus and method for manufacturing proximity sensor

• US 10,126,462 B2
• Filed: 12/29/2015
• Issued: 11/13/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Stmicroelectronics Pte Limited (STMicroelectronics NV)
• Original Assignee: Stmicroelectronics Pte Limited (STMicroelectronics NV)
• Inventors: Luan, Jing-En
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, John
• Application Number:
  US14/982,518
• Publication Number:
  US 20170123101A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,050 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 8/12 using one transmitter and one receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/73265 Layer and wire connectors

Abstract

The embodiments of the present disclosure provide a proximity sensor, an electronic apparatus and a method for manufacturing a proximity sensor. The proximity sensor comprises a sensor chip, a light-emitting device, a transparent molding material and a non-transparent molding material, wherein the sensor chip comprises a sensor region; the light-emitting device is located on the sensor chip and is electrically coupled to the sensor chip; the transparent molding material at least covers a light-emitting surface of the light-emitting device; and the non-transparent molding material isolates the transparent molding material from the sensor region.

Claims

1. A proximity sensor, comprising:

a sensor chip including a sensor region;

a light-emitting device located on the sensor chip and electrically coupled to the sensor chip, the light-emitting device including a light-emitting surface;

a transparent molding material covering the light-emitting surface of the light-emitting device; and

a non-transparent molding material isolating the transparent molding material from the sensor region of the sensor chip.

2. The proximity sensor as claimed in claim 1, wherein the light-emitting device is sealed by the transparent molding material.

3. The proximity sensor as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a conductive attachment material, wherein the light-emitting device is secured to the sensor chip by the conductive attachment material.

4. The proximity sensor as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a filtering component covering the sensor region of the sensor chip.

5. The proximity sensor as claimed in claim 4, further comprising a transparent adhesive, wherein the filtering component is coupled to the sensor chip by the transparent adhesive.

6. The proximity sensor as claimed in claim 1, wherein the non-transparent molding material covers a portion of the sensor chip, wherein the sensor region is not covered by the non-transparent molding material.

7. The proximity sensor as claimed in claim 1, wherein the non-transparent molding material covers a portion of the transparent molding material, wherein a light emergent path of the light-emitting device is not covered by the non-transparent molding material.

8. The proximity sensor as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sensor chip comprises through-silicon vias.

9. A proximity sensor, comprising:

a sensor chip including a sensor region;

a light-emitting assembly located on the sensor chip, the light-emitting assembly including;

a substrate,

a light-emitting device located on the substrate and electrically coupled to the substrate, and

a transparent molding material covering a light-emitting surface of the light-emitting device, wherein the substrate is electrically coupled to the sensor chip; and

a non-transparent molding material isolating the light-emitting assembly from the sensor region.

10. The proximity sensory as claimed in claim 9, wherein the non-transparent molding material is located on a surface of the sensor chip between the sensor region and the light-emitting assembly.

11. The proximity sensory as claimed in claim 9, further comprising transparent molding material covering the sensor region of the sensor chip.

12. An electronic apparatus, comprising:

a proximity sensor including;

a sensor chip including a sensor region, the sensor region located on a first surface of the sensor chip,

a light-emitting device located on the sensor chip and electrically coupled to the sensor chip,

a transparent molding material covering a portion of the light-emitting device and the sensor region of the sensor chip, and

a non-transparent molding material located on the first surface of the sensor chip between the transparent molding material covering the light-emitting device and the sensor region of the sensor chip; and

a controller coupled to the proximity sensor.

13. The electronic apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein the non-transparent molding material covers the first surface of the sensor chip.

14. The electronic apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein the non-transparent molding material covers side surfaces of the sensor chip.

15. A method for manufacturing a proximity sensor, comprising:

placing a light-emitting device on a first portion of a surface of a sensor chip, a second portion of the surface of the sensor chip including a sensor region;

electrically coupling the light-emitting device to the sensor chip;

covering a light-emitting surface of the light-emitting device with a transparent molding material; and

isolating the transparent molding material from the sensor region by forming a non-transparent molding material on the surface of the sensor chip between the first and second portions.

16. The method as claimed in claim 15, wherein prior to placing the light-emitting device on the first portion of the sensor chip, the method comprises placing the sensor chip on a carrier;

the method further comprising;

after isolating the transparent molding material from the sensor region, removing the carrier.

17. The method as claimed in claim 15, wherein covering the light-emitting surface of the light-emitting device with the transparent molding material comprises:

sealing the light-emitting device with the transparent molding material.

18. The method as claimed in claim 15, wherein electrically coupling the light-emitting device to the sensor chip comprises:

attaching the light-emitting device to the sensor chip using a conductive attachment material.

19. The method as claimed in claim 15, further comprising:

after covering the light-emitting surface of the light-emitting device with the transparent molding material, and before isolating the transparent molding material from the sensor region by forming the non-transparent molding material, placing a filtering component above the sensor region.

20. The method as claimed in claim 19, wherein placing the filtering component above the sensor region comprises:

adhering the filtering component to the sensor chip by a transparent adhesive.

21. The method as claimed in claim 15, wherein isolating the transparent molding material from the sensor region by forming the non-transparent molding material further comprises:

partially covering the first portion of the surface of the sensor chip with the non-transparent molding material, such that the second portion of the surface of the sensor chip is not covered by the non-transparent molding material.

22. The method as claimed in claim 15, wherein isolating the transparent molding material from the sensor region by forming a non-transparent molding material further comprises:

partially covering the transparent molding material with the non-transparent molding material, wherein a light emergent path of the light-emitting device is not covered by the non-transparent molding material.

23. The method as claimed in claim 15, wherein the sensor chip comprises through-silicon vias.

24. The method as claimed in claim 15, further comprising:

after isolating the transparent molding material from the sensor region with the non-transparent molding material, performing singulation processing.

25. A method for manufacturing a proximity sensor, comprising:

coupling a light-emitting assembly to a first portion of a surface of a sensor chip, a second portion of the surface of the sensor chip including a sensor region that remains exposed, the light-emitting assembly including;

a substrate,

a light-emitting device located on the substrate and electrically coupled to the substrate, and

a transparent molding material at least covering a light-emitting surface of the light-emitting device; and

forming a non-transparent molding material on the sensor chip between the first and second portions thereby isolating the light-emitting assembly from the sensor region.

26. The method as claimed in claim 25, further comprising coupling a transparent molding material to the sensor region of the sensor chip using an adhesive material.