Microelectronic assemblies incorporating inductors

• US 20040032011A1
• Filed: 06/02/2003
• Published: 02/19/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tessera, Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Tessera, Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Beroz, Masud, Haba, Belgacem, Warner, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 7,012,323 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 257/676
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Abstract

Inductors are provided in chip assemblies such as in packaged semiconductor chips. The inductors may be incorporated in a chip carrier which forms part of the package, and may include, for example, spiral or serpentine inductors formed from traces on the chip carrier. The chip carrier may include a flap bearing the inductive element, and this flap may be bent to tilt the inductive element out of the plane of the chip carrier to reduce electromagnetic interaction between the inductive element and surrounding electrical components. Other inductors include solenoids formed in part by leads on the chip carrier as, for example, by displacing leads out of the plane of the chip carrier to form loops in vertically-extensive planes transverse to the plane of the chip carrier. Additional features provide trimming of the inductor to a desired inductance value during by breaking or connecting leads during assembly.

Claims

1. A chip assembly comprising:

(a) a chip having a front surface with contacts thereon;

(b) a generally planar substrate overlying said front surface, said substrate including a planar dielectric structure and a first inductor including one or more conductors extending in a spiral on said dielectric structure, said one or more conductors having leads formed integrally therewith, at least some of said leads extending from said substrate to at least some of said contacts on said chip.

2. A chip assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein said substrate further includes a second inductor including one or more conductors extending in a spiral on said dielectric structure and second inductor leads formed integrally with the one or more conductors of said second inductor, said second inductor overlying said first inductor so that said first inductor is disposed between said second inductor and said chip, said second inductor leads being connected to said chip, one or more of said second inductor leads extending through the spiral first inductor between turns thereof.

3. A component for making a microelectronic assembly comprising a generally planar substrate including a dielectric layer having one or more bonding windows thereon and an inductor including one or more conductors extending in a spiral on said dielectric layer, said one or more conductors having leads formed integrally therewith, said leads extending into alignment with said one or more bonding windows.

4. A component for making a microelectronic assembly including:

(a) a substrate including a metallic layer including a ferromagnetic material, a first dielectric layer on one side of said metallic layer, a second dielectric layer on the opposite side of said metallic layer and a plurality of vias extending through said metallic layer and said first and second dielectric layers;

(b) a plurality of first conductors on said first dielectric layer; and

(c) a plurality of second conductors on said second dielectric layer, at least some of said first and second conductors being connected in series with one another to so as to form a solenoidal inductor including plurality of loops, each such loop including one said first conductor and one said second conductor, at least some of said loops surrounding at least a part of said ferromagnetic material so that the surrounded ferromagnetic material constitutes a ferromagnetic core for said solenoidal inductor.

5. A component as claimed in claim 4 wherein said substrate is flexible.

6. A component as claimed in claim 4 wherein said first and second dielectric layers are formed as coatings on said metallic layer.

7. A component as claimed in claim 4 further comprising connection elements for connecting said inductor to a semiconductor chip separate from said component.

8. A component for making a microelectronic assembly comprising:

(a) a substrate including a dielectric layer having first and second sides;

(b) a plurality of first side conductors on said first side of said dielectric layer;

(c) a plurality of second side conductors on said second side of said dielectric layer;

(d) a plurality of first loop conductors, each said first loop conductor extending from one of said first side conductors to another one of said first side conductors and projecting away from said substrate on the first side of said dielectric layer so that said first loop conductors and said first side conductors cooperatively form a first solenoid; and

(e) a plurality of second loop conductors, each said second loop conductor extending from one of said second side conductors to another one of said second side conductors, each said second loop conductor projecting away from said substrate on the first side of said dielectric layer so that said second loop conductors and said second side conductors cooperatively form a second solenoid surrounding said first solenoid.

9. A component for making a microelectronic assembly comprising:

(a) a substrate including a dielectric layer; and

(b) a plurality of conductive elements arrayed on said substrate along a path, each such conductive element extending transverse to said path, said substrate having bond windows on opposite sides of said path, each said conductive element including a first lead portion aligned with one said bond window on one side of said path, a second lead portion aligned with another said bond window on the other side of said path and a trace portion extending between the first and second lead portions.

10. A microelectronic assembly comprising a component as claimed in claim 9 and a chip having a front face and a plurality of conductive units, each said conductive unit of said chip including a first contact exposed on said front face, a second contact exposed on said front face and a conductor extending between such first and second contacts, said substrate overlying said front face of said chip, said lead portions being connected to said contacts so as to form a solenoid including a plurality of turns connected in series and arrayed along said path, each turn including one said conductive element of said component and one said conductive unit of said chip.

11. A method of making a solenoid comprising the step of assembling a component as claimed in claim 9, to a chip having conductive units, each having first and second contacts, and bonding the lead portions of the conductive elements to the first contacts on the chip and the second lead portions to the second contacts on the chip so that the first and second lead portions of each conductive element are connected to different conductive units on the chip.

12. A method of making a solenoid comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a component including a dielectric element, a first window and leads extending across the bond window substantially in a horizontal plane; and

(b) bending at least some of the leads out of the horizontal plane so as to form one or more vertically-extensive loops.

13. A method as claimed in claim 12 further comprising the step of positioning a substrate below said dielectric element and bonding at least some of the bent leads to said substrate.

14. A method as claimed in claim 13 wherein said bending step includes breaking at least some of the leads which are bent, and said bonding step includes bonding the broken leads to pads on said substrate so that the broken leads are connected to one another by the pads.

15. A method as claimed in claim 13 wherein said bending step includes displacing at least some of said leads relative to said dielectric element without breaking those leads.

16. A method as claimed in claim 15 wherein said providing step includes providing at least one lead having an initial curvature in a horizontal plane and said displacing step includes displacing said at least one lead in a vertical direction so as to at least partially straighten the curvature in the horizontal plane and impart a curvature in a vertical plane.

17. A method as claimed in claim 15 wherein said displacing step includes twisting at least one lead about a horizontal twist axis so as to move a section of the lead offset from the twist axis in a vertical direction.

18. A method as claimed in claim 12 wherein said first bond window extends along a path and said leads include a plurality of leads extending side-by-side, transverse to the path, said bending step being performed so as to form a plurality of vertically-extensive loops arrayed along the path.

19. A method ,as claimed in claim 12 wherein said step of providing said component includes providing said component with said leads in first and second sets interspersed with one another along said path, and with traces on said dielectric element interconnecting leads of the first set with leads of the second set so that leads of the first and second sets are connected in series with one another.

20. A microelectronic assembly comprising:

(a) a dielectric element extending generally in a first horizontal plane and having a first window extending at least partially through the dielectric element;

(b) a plurality of leads extending across the window, said leads being spaced apart from one another along a horizontal path, said leads including first and second sets of leads interspersed with one another along the path and connected in series with one another, at least one said lead of said second set being offset at said window in a vertical direction from at least one adjacent lead of said first set so as to form one or more vertically-extensive turns, each such turn including at least one lead of said first set and at least one lead of said second set.

21. An assembly as claimed in claim 20 further comprising a substrate disposed below said leads of said first set, said leads of said second set being attached to said substrate.

22. An assembly as claimed in claim 21 wherein said substrate includes one or more electrically conductive pads, at least some of said leads of said second set being electrically connected to said pads.

23. An assembly as claimed in claim 22 wherein at least one lead of said second set includes a first and second lead portions separate from one another extending from opposite sides of said window to one of said pads, such first and second lead portions being connected to one another by said one of said pads.

24. An assembly as claimed in claim 20 further comprising traces on said dielectric element, said traces interconnecting said leads with one another in said series.

25. An assembly as claimed in claim 20 further comprising an encapsulant at least partially surrounding said leads.

26. An assembly as claimed in claim 25 wherein said encapsulant includes a ferromagnetic material.

27. An assembly as claimed in claim 21 wherein said substrate includes a chip.

28. An assembly as claimed in claim 27 wherein said chip incorporates at least one passive component selected from the group consisting of resistors and capacitors.

29. A component for making electronic assemblies including inductors, said component comprising:

(a) a dielectric element having a first window therein extending at least partially through the dielectric element, said first window having a lengthwise direction;

(b) first and second sets of leads, said leads extending at least partially across said first window substantially in a horizontal plane, said leads of said first and second sets being interspersed with one another along the lengthwise direction of the window, said leads of said second set being displaceable in a vertical direction relative to said dielectric element and said leads of said first set; and

(c) conductors interconnecting said leads of said first and second sets in series with one another.

30. A component as claimed in claim 29 wherein at least some of said leads of said second set include frangible sections.

31. A component as claimed in claim 29 wherein at least some of said leads of said second set include first and second lead portions, each said first portion having an anchor end affixed to said dielectric element at a first side of said window and a displaceable end remote from such first side, each said second portion having an anchor end affixed to said dielectric element at a second side of said window and a displaceable end remote from such second side.

32. A component as claimed in claim 29 wherein at least some of said leads of said second set are curved in said horizontal plane.

33. A component as claimed in claim 29 wherein at least some of said leads of said second set have first and second ends mounted to the dielectric element on first and second sides thereof so that said first and second ends define a twist axis, and have displaceable sections offset in a horizontal direction from said twist axis.

34. A component as claimed in claim 29 wherein said dielectric element has terminals thereon adapted for surface mounting to a circuit board.

35. A method of making an electronic assembly incorporating an inductor comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a component including a dielectric element with one or more conductors extending thereon and;

(b) modifying said conductors so as to leave a structure of interconnected conductors having a selected inductance, said modifying step including the step of breaking one or more of said conductors.

36. A method as claimed in claim 35 wherein said conductors include a pair of main conductors each having a proximal end and a distal end, and a plurality of cross-conductors extending between said lengthwise conductors, and said breaking step includes breaking at least one of the main conductors.

37. A method as claimed in claim 36 wherein said breaking step includes breaking at least one cross-conductor.

38. A method of making an electronic assembly incorporating an inductor comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a substrate having one or more conductive pads thereon and a component including a dielectric element overlying said substrate, said dielectric element having one or more windows extending through the dielectric element, said component also including one or more conductors extending on said dielectric element, at least some of said conductors extending at least partially across said one or more windows; and

(b) modifying said conductors so as to leave a structure of interconnected conductors having a selected inductance, said modifying step including the step of bonding at least one selected pair of said conductors to a common pad on the substrate in at least one of said windows so as to make a connection between the conductors of such pair.

39. A method as claimed in claim 38 wherein said conductors include first and second main conductors each having a proximal end and a distal end and wherein said bonding step is performed so as to make a conductive path between said first and second main conductors at a selected location between said proximal and distal ends of said main conductors.

40. A method as claimed in claim 39 wherein said conductors include a plurality of first cross-conductor sections connected to the first main conductor, and a plurality of second cross-connector sections connected to the second main conductor, said modifying step including the step of bonding selected first and second cross-conductor sections to a common pad.

41. A microelectronic assembly including:

(a) a substrate having one or more pads thereon;

(b) a dielectric element overlying the substrate and having one or more windows aligned with said one or more pads;

(c) a plurality of conductors on said dielectric element, said conductors including a first pair of said conductors connected to a first one of said pads in a first one of said windows and interconnected to one another through said first one of said pads, said conductors cooperatively defining an inductor including said first pair of said conductors.

42. An assembly as claimed in claim 41 wherein said conductors include first and second main conductors each having proximal and distal ends, said first pair of conductors and said first one of said pads providing a conductive path between said main conductors at a first location between the proximal and distal ends of the main conductors.

43. An assembly as claimed in claim 42 wherein said conductive path between said first pair of conductors and said first pad constitutes the only direct conductive path between said first and second main conductors.

44. An assembly as claimed in claim 42 wherein said conductors include a plurality of first cross-conductor sections connected to the first main conductor, and a plurality of second cross-connector sections connected to the second main conductor, and wherein said first pair of conductors includes one of said first cross-conductor sections and one of said second cross-connector sections, at least some of said cross-connector sections not being connected in a direct conductive path between said first and second main conductors.

45. An assembly as claimed in claim 41 wherein said conductors include trace portions on said dielectric element and lead portions formed integrally with said trace portions, said first pair of conductors including two of said lead portions bonded to said first one of said pads.

46. An assembly as claimed in claim 41 wherein said substrate includes a chip.

47. An assembly as claimed in claim 46 wherein said chip incorporates at least one passive component selected from the group consisting of resistors and capacitors.

48. A component as claimed in claim 46 wherein said dielectric element has terminals thereon adapted for surface mounting to a circuit board.

49. A microelectronic assembly comprising:

(a) a substrate having a top surface;

(b) a component including a dielectric element having a generally planar first part overlying said top surface and extending generally parallel to such surface, said dielectric element also having a second part which is not parallel to said top surface, said component further including an inductor defined at least in part by one or more traces disposed on said second part of said dielectric element.

50. An assembly as claimed in claim 49 wherein said component includes one or more traces on said first part formed integrally with said traces on said second part.

51. An assembly as claimed in claim 49 wherein said first and second parts of said dielectric element are formed integrally with one another.

52. An assembly as claimed in claim 49 wherein said substrate includes one or more electrically conductive elements, said electrically conductive elements extending predominantly in planes parallel to said top surface.

53. An assembly as claimed in claim 52 wherein said electrically conductive elements of said substrate include one or more electrically conductive, generally planar elements extending parallel to said top surface.

54. An assembly as claimed in claim 49 wherein said substrate is a semiconductor chip.

55. An assembly as claimed in claim 54 wherein said chip has edges extending in a downward direction from said top surface and said second part of said dielectric element projects downwardly from said first part, beyond said top surface of said chip.

56. An assembly as claimed in claim 49 wherein said second part of said dielectric element is substantially perpendicular to said first part.

57. An assembly as claimed in claim 49 wherein said second part of said dielectric element is oblique to said first part.

58. An assembly as claimed in claim 49 wherein at least a portion of said second part of said dielectric element projects downwardly from said first part of said dielectric element to said top surface.

59. An assembly as claimed in claim 58 wherein said second part of said dielectric element is mechanically attached to said substrate.

60. An assembly as claimed in claim 59 wherein said component includes a metallic feature on said second part of said dielectric element and said substrate has a metallic pad on said top surface, said metallic feature being bonded to said pad.

61. An assembly as claimed in claim 60 wherein said inductor is electrically connected to said substrate through said metallic feature and said pad.

62. An assembly as claimed in claim 49 further comprising an encapsulant in contact with said second part of said dielectric element and in contact with at least one of said first part of said dielectric element and said substrate, said encapsulant maintaining said second part of said dielectric element in position relative to said first part of said dielectric element.

63. An assembly as claimed in claim 49 wherein said at one or more traces on said second part of said dielectric element define a loop or spiral.

64. An assembly as claimed in claim 49 wherein said inductor has a magnetic field vector which is not normal to said top surface of said substrate.

65. A method of making a microelectronic assembly comprising the steps of:

(a) positioning a component including a dielectric element having first and second parts and an inductor including one or more traces on said second part over a substrate so that the first part of the dielectric element extends substantially parallel to a top surface of the substrate; and

(b) bending the second part of the dielectric element relative to the first part so that the second part of the dielectric element is not parallel to the top surface of the substrate.

66. A method as claimed in claim 65 wherein said bending step is performed after said positioning step.

67. A method as claimed in claim 65 further comprising the step of mechanically fastening the second part of the dielectric element to the substrate.

68. A method as claimed in claim 67 wherein said mechanically fastening step includes bonding a metallic feature on said second part of said dielectric element to a metallic pad on the substrate.

69. A method as claimed in claim 68 further comprising the step of bonding leads on the first part of said dielectric element to contact pads on the substrate using the same bonding process as used in said step of bonding said metallic feature to said metallic pad.

70. A method as claimed in claim 69 wherein said bonding steps are performed using thermocompression bonding, thermosonic bonding or ultrasonic bonding.

71. A method as claimed in claim 65 further comprising the step of applying an encapsulant so that said encapsulant holds said second part of said dielectric element in position.