Proximity sensor and manufacturing method therefor

• US 10,244,638 B2
• Filed: 12/28/2015
• Issued: 03/26/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/21/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Stmicroelectronics Pte Limited (STMicroelectronics NV)
• Original Assignee: Stmicroelectronics Pte Limited (STMicroelectronics NV)
• Inventors: Luan, Jing-En
• Primary Examiner(s): Luu, Thanh
• Application Number:
  US14/981,185
• Publication Number:
  US 20170052040A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,184 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 11/245 Housings for sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/73265 Layer and wire connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00012 Relevant to the scope of the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/181 Encapsulation
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/0108 Transparent
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10151 Sensor
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2203/1327 Moulding over PCB locally or completely applying non-metallic protective coatings for encapsulating mounted components H05K3/284
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/284 for encapsulating mounted components H05K1/185 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/32 electrically connecting electric components or wires to printed circuits

Abstract

A proximity sensor is provided according to the embodiments of the present disclosure, comprising: a sensor chip; a light-emitting device; a substrate, the sensor chip and the light-emitting device being located on the substrate; a transparent molding material covering a light-emitting surface of the light-emitting device; and a non-transparent molding material separating the transparent molding material from the sensor chip.

Claims

1. A proximity sensor, comprising:

a substrate having a first surface;

a sensor chip coupled to the first surface of the substrate, the sensor chip having a sensor region on a surface of the sensor chip;

a layer of glass over the sensor region;

a transparent adhesive coupling the layer of glass to the sensor region of the sensor chip;

a light-emitting device coupled to the substrate by conductive wires, the light-emitting device having a light emitting surface;

transparent molding material sealing the light-emitting device and the conductive wires; and

non-transparent molding material on the surface of the sensor chip and not on the sensor region, the non-transparent molding material abutting a surface of the transparent molding material, a side surface of the layer of glass, and a side surface of the sensor chip, wherein the non-transparent molding material is on the substrate between the transparent molding material and the sensor chip.

2. The proximity sensor as claimed in claim 1, wherein the non-transparent molding material is on a perimeter of the transparent molding material.

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

4. The proximity sensor as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sensor region is on a first surface of the sensor chip, the proximity sensor further comprising:

a filtering component covering the sensor region of the sensor chip, the non-transparent molding material covering a remaining portion of the first surface.

5. The proximity sensor as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sensor region is on a first surface of the sensor chip.

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

7. An electronic apparatus, comprising:

a proximity sensor including;

a substrate having a first surface;

a sensor chip coupled to the first surface, the sensor chip including a sensor region on a surface of the sensor chip;

a layer of glass over the sensor region;

a transparent adhesive coupling the layer of glass to the sensor region of the sensor chip;

a light-emitting device coupled to the first surface, the light-emitting device having a light emitting surface;

transparent molding material sealing light-emitting device;

non-transparent molding material on the surface of the sensor chip but not on the sensor region of the sensor chip, the non-transparent molding material located abutting a surface of the transparent molding material, a side surface of the layer of glass, and a side surface of the sensor chip; and

a controller coupled to the proximity sensor.

8. The electronic apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein the non-transparent molding material is between the transparent molding material.

9. The electronic apparatus as claimed in claim 7, further comprising conductive wires that electrically couple the sensor chip to the substrate.

10. The electronic apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein the electronic apparatus is at least one of a mobile phone, a personal digital assistant, a laptop, a desktop computer, a wearable device, a camera, and a video device.

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

coupling a light-emitting device to a surface of a substrate;

electrically coupling the light-emitting device to the substrate by first conductive elements;

in a first molding process, sealing the light-emitting device and the first conductive elements in a transparent molding material;

coupling a sensor chip to the surface of the substrate, the sensor chip having a surface that includes a sensor region;

electrically coupling the sensor chip to the substrate by second conductive elements;

covering a sensor region of the sensor chip with a layer of glass, wherein a remaining portion of the surface remains uncovered from the layer of glass; and

in a second molding process, molding a non-transparent molding material on the substrate and the remaining portion of the surface of the sensor chip such that the non-transparent molding material covers a portion of the transparent molding material and a portion of the layer of glass and is between the transparent molding material and the sensor chip so that the non-transparent molding material abuts a side surface of the sensor chip and abuts a side surface of the transparent molding material.

12. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein:

coupling the sensor chip to the surface of the substrate comprises using an insulative attachment material to attach the sensor chip to the surface of the substrate, and

coupling the light-emitting device to the surface of the substrate comprises using a conductive attachment material to attach the light-emitting device to the surface of the substrate.

13. The method as claimed in claim 11, further comprising:

placing a filtering component over a sensor region of the sensor chip.

14. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein:

coupling the light-emitting device comprises coupling a plurality of light-emitting devices to the surface of the substrate by first conductive elements;

electrically coupling the light-emitting device comprises electrically coupling the plurality of light-emitting devices to the surface of the substrate;

sealing the light-emitting surface comprises sealing light-emitting surfaces of the light-emitting devices with transparent molding material;

coupling the sensor chip comprises coupling a plurality of sensor chips to the surface of the substrate by second conductive elements;

electrically coupling the sensor chip comprises electrically coupling the plurality of sensor chips to the substrate; and

the method further comprising;

performing singulation processing to form individual packages.