Packages for image sensitive electronic devices

• US 20050116355A1
• Filed: 12/02/2004
• Published: 06/02/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Chad A. Cobbley, Todd O. Bolken
• Original Assignee: Chad A. Cobbley, Todd O. Bolken
• Inventors: Cobbley, Chad A., Bolken, Todd O.
• Application Number:
  US11/002,945
• Publication Number:
  US 20050116355A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 257/780
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 80/00 Products made by additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/05599 Material
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/32145 the bodies being stacked
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/32225 the item being non-metallic, e.g. insulating substrate with or without metallisation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/45099 Material
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48091 Arched
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48145 the bodies being stacked
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48227 connecting the wire to a bond pad of the item
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/484 Connecting portions
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/73265 Layer and wire connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/85399 Material
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/8592 Applying permanent coating, e.g. protective coating
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/92 Specific sequence of method steps
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/92247 the second connecting process involving a wire connector
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2225/06506 Wire or wire-like electrical connections between devices
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2225/06555 Geometry of the stack, e.g. form of the devices, geometry to facilitate stacking
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/293 Organic, e.g. plastic
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/3128 the substrate having spherical bumps for external connection
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/48 of an individual wire connector
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/73 Means for bonding being of different types provided for in two or more of groups H01L24/10, H01L24/18, H01L24/26, H01L24/34, H01L24/42, H01L24/50, H01L24/63, H01L24/71
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 25/0657 : Stacked arrangements of devices
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14603 : Special geometry or disposition of pixel-elements, address-lines or gate-electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14618 : Containers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14625 : Optical elements or arrangements associated with the device
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14683 : Processes or apparatus peculiar to the manufacture or treatment of these devices or parts thereof not peculiar thereto H01L21/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 : Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00011 : Not relevant to the scope of the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group
• 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 2924/00014 : the subject-matter covered by the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group, being disclosed without further technical details
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01013 : Aluminum [Al]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01014 : Silicon [Si]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/014 : Solder alloys
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/15174 : in different layers of the multilayer substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/15311 : being a ball array, e.g. BGA
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/16152 : Cap comprising a cavity for hosting the device, e.g. U-shaped cap
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/181 : Encapsulation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/1815 : Shape
• 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: Y10S 257/924 : with passive device, e.g. capacitor, or battery, as integral part of housing or housing element, e.g. cap

Abstract

The invention provides methods for packaging for electronic devices that are light or other radiation-sensitive, such as image sensors including CCD or CMOS chips. In one embodiment of the invention, an image sensor package is assembled by surrounding a chip with a barrier of transfer mold compound and covering the chip with a transparent lid. In another embodiment of the invention, the perimeter area of a chip, including interconnections such as wire bonds and bond pads, is encapsulated with a liquid dispensed epoxy, and a transparent lid is attached. In yet another embodiment of the invention, chip encapsulation is accomplished with a unitary shell of entirely transparent material. In yet another embodiment of the invention, a substrate-mounted chip and a transparent lid are loaded into a transfer mold that holds them in optimal alignment. The transfer mold is then filled with molding compound to encapsulate the chip and interconnections, and to retain the transparent lid.

Claims

1. An electronic device package comprising:

a carrier substrate having at least one conductive trace thereon, the at least one conductive trace having a first end and a second end;

an electronic device sensitive to light or other radiation attached to a surface of the carrier substrate;

at least one electrical interconnection between the electronic device and the first end of the at least one conductive trace;

a barrier attached to the surface of the carrier substrate and forming a wall surrounding a central exposed area that contains the electronic device and the at least one electrical interconnection, wherein the barrier comprises a material that is directly adhered to the surface of the carrier substrate; and

a transparent lid covering at least a portion of the electronic device and the at least one electrical interconnection, the transparent lid having substantially the same area and configuration as the central exposed area.

2. The electronic device package according to claim 1, further comprising:

a ledge at an inner perimeter of the wall and supporting the transparent lid.

3. The electronic device package according to claim 1, further comprising:

an activated adhesive material attaching the transparent lid to the wall.

4. The electronic device package according to claim 1, wherein the transparent lid comprises a transparent shell of a clear compound that fills the central exposed area and contacts and encapsulates the electronic device and the at least one electrical interconnection.

5. The electronic device package according to claim 4 wherein a surface of the transparent shell is shaped as a lens.

6. The electronic device package according to claim 1, wherein the electronic device comprises an image sensor.

7. The electronic device package according to claim 1, wherein the electronic device comprises a solid-state device comprising at least one of a charge coupled device, a complementary metal-oxide semiconductor and an erasable programmable read-only memory.

8. The electronic device package according to claim 7, wherein the electronic device comprises a plurality of semiconductor devices.

9. The electronic device package according to claim 1, wherein the carrier substrate is made of a material comprising at least one of plastic, FR-4 and BT.

10. The electronic device package according to claim 9, further comprising:

at least one discrete conductive element attached to the second end of the at least one conductive trace of the carrier substrate.

11. The electronic device package comprising:

a carrier substrate having at least one conductive trace thereon, the at least one conductive trace having a first end and a second end;

an electronic device sensitive to light or other radiation attached to a surface of the carrier substrate;

at least one electrical interconnection between a bond pad on the electronic device and the first end of the at least one conductive trace; and

a shell formed entirely of a transparent material attached to the surface of the carrier substrate, the shell enclosing the first end of the at least one conductive trace, the at least one electrical interconnection and the electronic device.

12. The electronic device package according to claim 11, wherein the shell comprises a clear compound adhered to the carrier substrate that contacts and encapsulates the first end of the at least one conductive trace, the at least one electrical interconnection and the electronic device.

13. The electronic device package according to claim 12, wherein a surface of the shell is shaped as a lens.

14. The electronic device package according to claim 12, wherein the clear compound is a material selected from a group consisting of epoxy, polystyrene and silicon.

15. The electronic device package according to claim 12, wherein the electronic device comprises an image sensor.

16. The electronic device package according to claim 12, wherein the electronic device comprises a solid-state device selected from a group consisting of a charge coupled device, a complementary metal-oxide semiconductor and an erasable programmable read-only memory.

17. The electronic device package according to claim 16, wherein the electronic device further comprises a chip stack.

18. The electronic device package according to claim 12, wherein the carrier substrate is made of a material selected from a group consisting of plastic, FR-4 and BT.

19. The electronic device package according to claim 18, further comprising:

at least one discrete conductive element attached to the second end of the at least one conductive trace of the carrier substrate.

20. The electronic device package according to claim 18, wherein the shell comprises a preformed shell adhesively attached to the carrier substrate and having a cavity enclosing the first end of the at least one conductive trace, the at least one electrical interconnection and the electronic device.

21. An electronic device package comprising:

a carrier substrate having at least one conductive trace thereon, the at least one conductive trace having a first end and a second end;

an electronic device sensitive to light or other radiation attached to a surface of the carrier substrate;

at least one electrical interconnection between a bond pad on the electronic device and the first end of the at least one conductive trace;

a transparent lid covering a surface of the electronic device, the transparent lid having edges; and

a layer of molding compound adhered to the carrier substrate, the molding compound contacting and encapsulating the at least one electrical interconnection, a perimeter of the electronic device and the edges of the transparent lid.

22. The electronic device package according to claim 21, wherein the electronic device comprises an image sensor.

23. The electronic device package according to claim 21, wherein the electronic device comprises a solid-state device selected from a group consisting of a charge coupled device, a complementary metal-oxide semiconductor and an erasable programmable read-only memory.

24. The electronic device package according to claim 23, wherein the electronic device further comprises a chip stack.

25. The electronic device package according to claim 21, wherein the carrier substrate is made of a material selected from a group consisting of plastic, FR-4 and BT.

26. The electronic device package according to claim 25, further comprising:

at least one solder ball attached to the second end of the at least one conductive trace of the carrier substrate.