Semiconductor module comprising components for microwave engineering in plastic casing and method for the production thereof

• US 20070026567A1
• Filed: 06/01/2006
• Published: 02/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tahoe Research Limited (f/k/a Learndale Limited) (Vector Capital Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
• Inventors: Beer, Gottfried, Simbuerger, Werner, Pressel, Klaus, Kienmayer, Christoph
• Granted Patent: US 7,692,588 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 438/106
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/36 relating to the receiver frond end
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/032 Constructional details for solid-state radar subsystems
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/568 Temporary substrate used as encapsulation process aid H01L21/4832 and H01L21/566 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/6835 using temporarily an auxiliary support
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2223/6627 Waveguides, e.g. microstrip line, strip line, coplanar line
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2223/6677 for antenna, e.g. antenna included within housing of semiconductor device
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/04042 Bonding areas specifically adapted for wire connectors, e.g. wirebond pads
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/04105 Bonding areas formed on an encapsulation of the semiconductor or solid-state body, e.g. bonding areas on chip-scale packages
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/12105 Bump connectors formed on an encapsulation of the semiconductor or solid-state body, e.g. bumps on chip-scale packages
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/16225 the item being non-metallic, e.g. insulating substrate with or without metallisation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/2402 Laminated, e.g. MCM-L type
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/24137 the bodies being arranged next to each other, e.g. on a common substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/24226 the HDI interconnect connecting to the same level of the item at which the semiconductor or solid-state body is mounted, e.g. the item being planar
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/45015 being circular
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/45099 Material
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48091 Arched
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/73253 Bump and layer connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/73267 Layer and HDI connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/552 Protection against radiation, e.g. light or electromagnetic waves
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/66 High-frequency adaptations
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/19 : Manufacturing methods of high density interconnect preforms
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/24 : of an individual high density interconnect connector
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/48 : of an individual wire connector
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/82 : by forming build-up interconnects at chip-level, e.g. for high density interconnects [HDI] interconnection structure between a plurality of semiconductor chips H01L23/5389
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/96 : the devices being encapsulated in a common layer, e.g. neo-wafer or pseudo-wafer, said common layer being separable into individual assemblies after connecting
• 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 2924/00014 : 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 2924/01005 : Boron [B]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01006 : Carbon [C]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01018 : Argon [Ar]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01033 : Arsenic [As]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01082 : Lead [Pb]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/014 : Solder alloys
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/07802 : not being an ohmic electrical conductor
• 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 2924/1903 : including wave guides
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/19105 : in a side-by-side arrangement on a common die mounting substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/19107 : off-chip wires
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/207 : Diameter ranges
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/3025 : Electromagnetic shielding
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2283 : mounted in or on the surface of a semiconductor substrate as a chip-type antenna or integrated with other components into an IC package
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/44 : using equipment having another main function to serve additionally as an antenna , e.g. means for giving an antenna an aesthetic aspectH01Q1/27 - H01Q1/34 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 19/00 : Combinations of primary active antenna elements and units with secondary devices, e.g. with quasi-optical devices, for giving the antenna a desired directional characteristic combination of horns with slotted waveguide array H01Q13/0233
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/0087 : Apparatus or processes specially adapted for manufacturing antenna arrays manufacturing waveguides H01P11/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 23/00 : Antennas with active circuits or circuit elements integrated within them or attached to them
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/0407 : Substantially flat resonant element parallel to ground plane, e.g. patch antenna dipole H01Q9/285; monopole H01Q9/40
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/0457 : electromagnetically coupled to the feed line

Abstract

A semiconductor module (1) has components (6) for microwave engineering in a plastic casing (7). The semiconductor module (1) has a principal surface (8) with an upper side (9) of a plastic package molding compound (10) and at least one active upper side (11) of a semiconductor chip (12). Disposed on the principal surface (8) is a multilayered conductor track structure (13) which alternately comprises structured metal layers (14, 15) and structured insulation layers (16, 17), where at least one of the insulation layers (16, 17) and/or the plastic package molding compound (10) has at least one microwave insulation region.

Claims

1. A semiconductor module comprising components for microwave engineering in a plastic casing, wherein said semiconductor module comprises a principal surface comprising an upper side of a plastic package molding compound and at least one active upper side of a semiconductor chip, and wherein disposed on said principal surface is a multilayered conductor track structure which alternately comprises structured insulation layers and structured metal layers, wherein at least one of said insulation layers and/or said plastic package molding compound comprises at least one microwave insulation region.

2. A semiconductor module according to claim 1, wherein said microwave insulation region comprises a relative dielectric constant Å

_r between 1≦

Å

_r≦

3.5, preferably between 1≦

Å

_r≦

2.5.

3. A semiconductor module according to claim 1, wherein said microwave insulation region comprises a patch antenna structure with radiation plate.

4. A semiconductor module according to claim 1, wherein said microwave insulation region comprises a strip antenna structure with radiation plate.

5. A semiconductor module according to claim 1, wherein said microwave insulation region comprises a slotted antenna structures with radiation plate.

6. A semiconductor module according to claim 2, wherein said microwave insulation region comprises an antenna coupling region in said insulation layer and/or said plastic package molding compound.

7. A semiconductor module according to claim 6, wherein said microwave insulation region comprises a coupling cavity as an antenna coupling region in said insulation layer and/or said plastic package molding compound.

8. A semiconductor module according to claim 6, wherein said antenna coupling region is covered by the radiation plate and has an aperture or a coupling slot for coupling-in the microwave energy opposite to said radiation plate.

9. A semiconductor module according to claim 8, wherein said aperture is formed by a slotted electrode whose slot is intersected by a spaced stripline for a polarized antenna coupling of a polarized patch antenna structure.

10. A semiconductor module according to claim 8, wherein said aperture is formed by a double-slotted electrode whose coupling slots are arranged orthogonally to one another and are each intersected by spaced striplines for a dual-polarized antenna coupling of a dual-polarized patch antenna structure.

11. A semiconductor module according to claim 3, wherein said semiconductor module comprises a dielectric lens which is disposed above said radiation plate.

12. A semiconductor module according to claim 8, wherein the spacing between aperture and radiation plate corresponds to the thickness of said insulation layer in said microwave insulation region.

13. A semiconductor module according to claim 8, wherein the spacing between aperture and radiation plate corresponds to the thickness of a plastic casing and is disposed as a coupling cavity in said plastic package molding compound and is matched to at least one coupling frequency of the antenna structure.

14. A semiconductor module according to claim 8, wherein a dielectric lens is disposed above said radiation plate.

15. A semiconductor module according to claim 3, wherein said radiation plate is arranged on a base surface of a dielectric lens, wherein the spacing between aperture and radiation plate is matched to the coupling frequency of the antenna structure by a different shaping of said base surface of said dielectric lens.

16. A semiconductor module according to claim 1, wherein said semiconductor chip embedded in said plastic package molding compound comprises a voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) for extremely high frequencies, which is disposed adjacent to said microwave insulation region with antenna structure.

17. A semiconductor module according to claim 1, wherein a digital signal processor (DSP) semiconductor chip and/or further active and/or passive components are embedded in said plastic package molding compound.

18. A semiconductor module according to claim 1, wherein said semiconductor module comprises an antenna array in said microwave insulation region, wherein antenna structures are arranged in a square, wherein respectively one antenna structure is arranged in a corner of the square.

19. A semiconductor module according to claim 1, wherein said semiconductor module comprises an antenna array in said microwave insulation region, where antenna structures are arranged so that they are differently distributed.

20. A semiconductor module according to claim 1, wherein said semiconductor module comprises an antenna array in said microwave insulation region, where antenna structures are arranged in an edge zone of the semiconductor module in a line.

21. A semiconductor module according to claim 1, wherein said antenna structures of an antenna array are coupled to signals by means of matched waveguides embodied as coplanar striplines or parallel striplines and which split signals to said antenna structures of an antenna array.

22. A semiconductor module according to claim 1, wherein said semiconductor module comprises components for detecting running time differences and/or for measuring phase angles and/or for evaluating time-critical signals and comprises an output interface for transmission of the detected, measured and/or evaluated signals to a superordinate printed circuit board.

23. A semiconductor module according to claim 1, wherein said semiconductor module comprises surface-mountable solder balls which are partly provided as external contacts on a superordinate circuit board and partly as mechanical supports and/or spacers of the semiconductor module.

29. A distance detection radar for vehicles, wherein the distance detection radar comprises a semiconductor module according to claim 1.

30. A navigation equipment with satellite-assisted global position detection, wherein the navigation equipment comprises a semiconductor module according to claim 1.

31. A transponder, wherein the transponder comprises a semiconductor module according to claim 1.

32. A vehicle, wherein the vehicle comprises a semiconductor module according to claim 1.

24. A semiconductor module with heat sink, wherein said semiconductor module comprises components for microwave engineering in a plastic casing, and wherein the semiconductor module has a principal surface comprising an upper side of a plastic package molding compound and at least one active upper side of a semiconductor chip, and wherein disposed on said principal surface is a multilayered conductor track structure which is in operative connection with said components for microwave engineering, and wherein a heat sink is disposed on the rear side of said plastic casing.

25. A semiconductor module according to claim 24, wherein said heat sink comprises cooling fins between which the semiconductor module is disposed.

26. A semiconductor module according to claim 24, wherein said heat sink is a screening case and said semiconductor module is disposed on an inner side of said screening case.

27. A semiconductor module according to claim 24, wherein said cooling fins of said heat sink comprise solder balls and form a plane with said external contacts of said semiconductor module in which said external contacts and said solder balls of said heat sink are surface-mountable.

28. A semiconductor module according to claim 24, wherein said heat sink and a patch antenna structure are disposed on the rear side of said semiconductor module.

33. A method for fabricating a semiconductor module with components for microwave engineering in a plastic casing, wherein the method comprises the following process steps:

fabricating components of a semiconductor module comprising at least one semiconductor chip for extremely high frequencies with electrodes on an active upper side and/or comprising passive components with electrodes on a connecting plane;

fabricating at least one sacrificial material structure for a microwave insulation region of said semiconductor module;

applying said semiconductor chip and said passive components with their electrodes and the sacrificial material structure to an upper side of a subcarrier;

optimal insertion of contact vias;

embedding or laminating-in said components in a plastic package molding compound;

removing the subcarrier so as to expose a principal surface from plastic package molding compound, electrodes, and an upper side of said sacrificial material structure so as to form a composite board;

applying a multilayered conductor track structure to said principal surface or to said upper side of said composite board by selective application of structured insulation layers and structured metal layers alternately to said upper side of said composite board;

removing said sacrificial material structure from said rear side of said composite board; and

configuring the cavity thereby produced to form a microwave insulation region.

34. A method according to claim 33, wherein for configuring said cavity thereby produced to form a microwave insulation region, said cavity is filled with a dielectric whose relative dielectric constant Å

_r is between 1≦

Å

_r≦

2.5.

35. A method according to claim 33, wherein for configuring said cavity thereby produced to form a microwave insulation region, said cavity is filled with a dielectric liquid whose relative dielectric constant Å

_r is between 1≦

Å

_r≦

2.5.

36. A method according to claim 33, wherein said cavity thereby produced is used as a microwave insulation region of a patch antenna structure with radiation plate.

37. A method according to claim 33, wherein said cavity thereby produced is used as a microwave insulation region of a strip antenna structure with radiation plate.

38. A method according to claim 33, wherein said cavity thereby produced is used as a microwave insulation region of a slotted antenna structure with radiation plate.

39. A method according to claim 33, wherein said cavity thereby produced is configured to form an antenna coupling region in the plastic package molding compound.

40. A method according to claim 33, wherein said cavity thereby produced is configured to form a coupling cavity for extremely high frequencies in the plastic package molding compound.

41. A method according to claim 33, wherein said cavity thereby produced is covered by a radiation plate and an aperture or coupling slot for coupling in the microwave energy is disposed opposite to said radiation plate.

42. A method according to claim 33, wherein said cavity is closed by a radiation plate so that the height of said cavity corresponds to the thickness of the composite board.

43. A method according to claim 33, wherein said sacrificial material structure is formed from a polyamide.

44. A method according to claim 33, wherein said sacrificial material structure made of a polyamide is dissolved out from said plastic package molding compound by means of solvents to form a cavity resonance structure.

45. A method according to claim 33, wherein before removing said sacrificial material structure, said plastic package molding compound is at least partly removed from the rear side of the sacrificial material structure by means of laser ablation.

46. A method according to claim 33, wherein said composite board or a laminate of semiconductor chips and plastic package molding compound is thinned to such an extent from the rear side that the thickness is matched to the different coupling frequencies of an antenna structure.

47. A method according to claim 33, wherein said rear side of said semiconductor module is provided with a metal layer and/or a metal structure which is preferably electrically connected via contact vias to metal layers of the multilayered conductor track structure on the upper side of the semiconductor module and/or is applied to a heat sink.

48. A method for fabricating a semiconductor module with components for microwave engineering in a plastic casing, wherein the method comprises the following process steps:

fabricating components of a semiconductor module comprising at least one semiconductor chip for extremely high frequencies with electrodes on an active upper side and/or comprising passive components with electrodes on a connecting plane;

optimal insertion of contact vias;

applying said semiconductor chip and said passive components with their electrodes to an upper side of a subcarrier;

embedding or laminating-in said components in a plastic package molding compound;

removing said subcarrier so as to expose a principal surface from plastic package molding compound and electrodes of said semiconductor chip and/or said passive components so as to form a composite board;

applying a multilayered conductor track structure to said principal surface as the upper side of said composite board by selective application of structured insulation layers and structured metal layers alternately to said upper side of said composite board, where at least one insulation layer made of a dielectric material for microwave components is applied; and

structuring an upper metal layer with a radiation plate of a patch antenna.

49. A method according to claim 48, wherein a slotted electrode is disposed opposite to said radiation plate, forming an aperture whose coupling slot is intersected by a spaced stripline for a polarized antenna coupling of a polarized patch antenna structure.

50. A method according to claim 48, wherein a dielectric lens is disposed above said radiation plate.

51. A method according to claim 48, wherein said radiation plate is arranged on a base surface of a dielectric lens, and where the spacing between aperture and radiation plate is matched to the coupling frequency of the antenna coupling region by different shaping of said base surface of said dielectric lens.

52. A method according to claim 48, wherein embedded in said plastic package molding compound is a voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) semiconductor chip for extremely high frequencies, which is disposed adjacent to said microwave insulation region with antenna structure.

53. A method according to claim 48, wherein a digital signal processor (DSP) semiconductor chip for microwave components is embedded in said plastic package molding compound, which is disposed adjacent to said microwave insulation region with antenna structured.

54. A method according to claim 48, wherein an antenna array in said microwave insulation region is disposed in said plastic package molding compound, and wherein antenna structures are arranged in a square, and respectively one antenna structure is arranged in a corner of the square.

55. A method according to claim 48, wherein disposed in said plastic package molding compound of said semiconductor module is an antenna array in said microwave insulation region with a plurality of antenna structures provided so that they are differently distributed.

56. A method according to claim 48, wherein disposed in said plastic package molding compound of said semiconductor module is an antenna array in said microwave insulation region, and wherein antenna structures are arranged in an edge zone of the semiconductor module in a line.

57. A method according to claim 48, wherein said antenna structures of an antenna array are provided with signals by means of matched waveguides with signal splitting, wherein said waveguides are embodied as coplanar or parallel striplines.

58. A method according to claim 48, wherein said semiconductor module detects running time differences and/or phase shifts and evaluates time-critical signals, and the evaluated data are passed on to a superordinate printed circuit board by means of an output interface.

59. A method according to claim 48, wherein surface-mountable solder balls which are partly provided as external contacts on a superordinate circuit board and partly as mechanical supports and/or spacers, are soldered on to said semiconductor module.

60. A method according to claim 48, wherein a heat sink is applied to the rear side of said semiconductor module, whose cooling fins extend over the edge sides of said semiconductor module and solder balls are applied to said cooling fins thereof.

61. A method according to claim 48, wherein cooling fins are bonded to a superordinate circuit board using a thermally conducting adhesive.

62. A method according to claim 48, wherein said semiconductor module is mounted on an inner side of a screening case.

63. A method according to claim 48, wherein said cooling fins of said heat sink comprise solder balls and form a plane with said external contacts of said semiconductor module in which said external contacts and said solder balls of said heat sink are surface-mountable.

64. A method according to claim 48, wherein said heat sink and a patch antenna structure are disposed on the rear side of said semiconductor module.

65. A method according to claim 48, wherein the upper side of said subcarrier is laminated with an adhesive film before applying components of said semiconductor module.

66. A method according to claim 48, wherein during fabrication of said multilayered conductor track structure passive thin-film elements are disposed between said insulation layers before and/or during application of said metal layers.

67. A method according to claim 48, wherein an injection molding method or a compression molding method or a dispensing method is used for embedding said component in a plastic package molding compound.

68. A method according to claim 48, wherein a plastic laminate is laminated onto the subcarrier loaded with component to laminate said components into a plastic package molding compound.