Semiconductor device having a transparent window for passing radiation

• US 10,217,874 B2
• Filed: 03/20/2017
• Issued: 02/26/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Melexis Technologies NV (Sensinnovat BVBA)
• Original Assignee: Melexis Technologies NV (Sensinnovat BVBA)
• Inventors: Van Buggenhout, Carl, Chen, Jian
• Primary Examiner(s): Vu, Hung
• Application Number:
  US15/463,180
• Publication Number:
  US 20170194512A1
• Time in Patent Office: 708 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14618 Containers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14623 Optical shielding
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14649 Infrared imagers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14685 Process for coatings or optical elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/0203 Containers; Encapsulations , e.g. encapsulation of photodiodesfor photovoltaic devices H01L31/048; for organic photosensitive devices H10K30/80
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/02164 for shielding light, e.g. light blocking layers, cold shields for infrared detectors

Abstract

Method of encapsulating a semiconductor structure comprising providing a semiconductor structure comprising an opto-electric element located in a cavity formed between a substrate and a cap layer, the cap layer being made of a material transparent to light, and having a flat upper surface; forming at least one protrusion on the cap layer; bringing the at least one protrusion of the cap layer in contact with a tool having a flat surface region, and applying a opaque material to the semiconductor structure where it is not in contact with the tool; and removing the tool thereby providing an encapsulated optical semiconductor device having a transparent window integrally formed with the cap layer.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing a packaged semiconductor device with a transparent window, comprising the steps of:

a) providing a semiconductor structure comprising an opto-electric element located in a cavity formed between a substrate and a cap layer, the cap layer being made of quartz glass, sapphire glass or silicon, and having a substantially flat upper surface;

b) forming at least one protrusion extending on top of the cap layer;

c) bringing the at least one protrusion on top of the cap layer in contact with a tool having a substantially flat surface region, and applying an opaque material to the semiconductor structure at a portion thereof which is not in contact with the tool;

d) removing the tool thereby providing a packaged optical semiconductor device having a transparent window.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein step b) comprises removing part of the cap layer.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein removing in step b) comprises etching.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein step b) comprises adding a transparent layer on top of the cap layer.

5. A method according to claim 1,

wherein step c) comprises inserting the semiconductor structure in a molding device cavity, and introducing a molding compound into the molding device cavity for encapsulating the semiconductor structure except where the tool is in contact with the protrusion;

and wherein step d) further comprises removing the semiconductor structure from the molding device cavity.

6. A method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of physically or chemically treating an outer surface of the protrusion.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein the cap layer in step b) is formed in such a way that the resulting protrusion has a first cross-section at a first distance from the substrate, and a second cross-section at a second distance from the substrate larger than the first distance, whereby the area of the first cross-section is larger than the area of the second cross-section.