Semiconductor Device for an Ultra Wideband Standard for Ultra-High-Frequency Communication, and Method for Producing the Same

• US 20070200748A1
• Filed: 02/15/2007
• Published: 08/30/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
• Original Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
• Inventors: Hoegerl, Juergen, Killer, Thomas
• Granted Patent: US 7,945,231 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 342/85
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2223/6677 for antenna, e.g. antenna included within housing of semiconductor device
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/05568 the whole external layer protruding from the surface
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/05573 Single external layer
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/05599 Material
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/16225 the item being non-metallic, e.g. insulating substrate with or without metallisation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/32225 the item being non-metallic, e.g. insulating substrate with or without metallisation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/32245 the item being metallic
• 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 2224/48227 connecting the wire to a bond pad of the item
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48228 the bond pad being disposed in a recess of the surface of the item
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48463 the connecting portion on the bonding area of the semiconductor or solid-state body being a ball bond
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/73253 Bump and layer connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/73265 Layer and wire connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/3128 the substrate having spherical bumps for external connection
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/49811 Additional leads joined to the metallisation on the insulating substrate, e.g. pins, bumps, wires, flat leads H01L23/49827 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/49822 Multilayer substrates multilayer metallisation on monolayer substrate H01L23/498
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/552 Protection against radiation, e.g. light or electromagnetic waves
• 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 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 2924/00012 : 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 2924/01068 : Erbium [Er]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/07802 : not being an ohmic electrical conductor
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/15153 : the die mounting substrate comprising a recess for hosting the device
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/1517 : Multilayer substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/15311 : being a ball array, e.g. BGA
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/1532 : the connection portion being formed on the die mounting surface of the substrate
• 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 2924/19041 : being a capacitor
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/19107 : off-chip wires
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/207 : Diameter ranges
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/30107 : Inductance
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/3025 : Electromagnetic shielding
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/0025 : Modular arrays
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/0087 : Apparatus or processes specially adapted for manufacturing antenna arrays manufacturing waveguides H01P11/00

Abstract

A semiconductor device for an ultra-wideband standard for ultra-high-frequency communication includes an ultra-wideband semiconductor chip and a multilayer circuit substrate with at least one lower metal layer and one upper metal layer, in which an ultra-wideband circuit with passive devices is arranged. The lower metal layer has external contact pads on which external contacts are arranged, via which the semiconductor device can be surface-mounted on a circuit board. In addition, the semiconductor device has an antenna which is operatively coupled to the ultra-wideband semiconductor chip via the circuit on the circuit substrate and is arranged above the semiconductor chip and the circuit substrate.

Claims

1. An ultra-wideband semiconductor device for an ultra-wideband standard for ultra-high-frequency communication, comprising:

an ultra-wideband semiconductor chip;

an ultra-wideband circuit with passive devices;

a multilayer circuit substrate with at least a lower metal layer and an upper metal layer, in which the ultra-wideband circuit is arranged, and wherein the lower metal layer comprises external contact pads on which external contacts are arranged, enabling the semiconductor device to be surface-mounted on a circuit board;

an antenna operatively coupled to the semiconductor chip via the ultra-wideband circuit and arranged above the semiconductor chip and the circuit substrate; and

a shield for the ultra-wideband circuit.

2. The ultra-wideband semiconductor device as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the circuit substrate comprises an opening in which the semiconductor chip is arranged face-down such that a rear face of the semiconductor chip forms a coplanar surface with an upper face of the circuit substrate;

the antenna is arranged on the coplanar surface; and

an active upper face of the semiconductor chip faces a lower face of the circuit substrate and is operatively coupled via connecting elements to the circuit substrate and to the antenna.

3. The ultra-wideband semiconductor device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the connecting elements comprise bonding wires arranged between contact pads on the active upper face of the semiconductor chip and contact connecting pads on the lower metal layer of the circuit substrate.

4. The ultra-wideband semiconductor device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the connecting elements are embedded in an encapsulation compound on the lower face of the circuit substrate, leaving the external contact pads free.

5. The ultra-wideband semiconductor device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the antenna is electrically connected via at least one through contact through the circuit substrate to the lower metal layer.

6. The ultra-wideband semiconductor device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the shield comprises the upper metal layer, which is structured as a shielding layer between the ultra-wideband circuit and the antenna.

7. The ultra-wideband semiconductor device as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the semiconductor chip is arranged face-up, with a rear face of the semiconductor chip being arranged on the upper metal layer of the circuit substrate;

the semiconductor chip is surrounded by the shield; and

the antenna is arranged above the shield.

8. The ultra-wideband semiconductor device as claimed in claim 7, wherein:

the semiconductor chip and the shield are embedded in an encapsulation compound; and

the antenna is arranged on an upper face of the encapsulation compound and is electrically connected via at least one electrically conductive through contact pin to a contact connecting pad on the upper metal layer of the circuit substrate.

9. The ultra-wideband semiconductor device as claimed in claim 7, wherein an active upper face of the semiconductor chip comprises contact pads which are electrically connected via connecting elements to contact connecting pads on an upper face of the circuit substrate.

10. The ultra-wideband semiconductor device as claimed in claim 9, wherein the connecting elements comprise bonding wires.

11. The ultra-wideband semiconductor device as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

an active upper face of the semiconductor chip points face-down in the direction of the upper metal layer and comprises flip-chip contacts as connecting elements for contact connecting pads on the upper metal layer of the circuit substrate;

the semiconductor chip is surrounded by the shield; and

the antenna is arranged above the shield.

12. The ultra-wideband semiconductor device as claimed in claim 11, wherein:

the semiconductor chip and the shield are embedded in an encapsulation compound; and

the antenna is arranged on an upper face of the encapsulation compound, and is electrically connected via at least one electrically conductive through connecting pin to a contact connecting pad on the upper metal layer of the circuit substrate.

13. The ultra-wideband semiconductor device as claimed in claim 11, wherein the shield is electrically connected to a contact connecting pad on the upper metal layer, and is secured to a rear face of the semiconductor chip.

14. The ultra-wideband semiconductor device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the semiconductor chip is arranged face-up, with a rear face of the semiconductor chip being arranged on the upper metal layer of the circuit substrate,

the semiconductor device further comprising a spacer arranged on an upper face of the semiconductor chip, the antenna being secured to the spacer.

15. The ultra-wideband semiconductor device as claimed in claim 14, wherein the semiconductor chip, the spacer, and the antenna are embedded in an encapsulation compound on an upper face of the circuit substrate.

16. The ultra-wideband semiconductor device as claimed in claim 14, wherein the antenna is electrically connected via at least one bonding wire connection to a contact connecting pad on the upper metal layer.

17. The ultra-wideband semiconductor device as claimed in claim 14, wherein an active upper face of the semiconductor chip comprises contact pads which are electrically connected via bonding wires to contact connecting pads on the upper metal layer.

18. The ultra-wideband semiconductor device as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

an active upper face of the semiconductor chip faces the upper metal layer face-down and comprises flip-chip contacts as connecting elements that are secured to contact connecting pads on the upper metal layer; and

the antenna is secured to a rear face of the semiconductor chip.

19. The ultra-wideband semiconductor device as claimed in claim 18, wherein the antenna is electrically connected via at least one bonding wire connection to a contact connecting pad on the upper metal layer.

20. The ultra-wideband semiconductor device as claimed in claim 18, wherein an insulating adhesive layer is arranged between the antenna and the rear face of the semiconductor chip.

21. The ultra-wideband semiconductor device as claimed in claim 18, wherein the semiconductor chip and the antenna are embedded in an encapsulation compound on an upper face of the circuit substrate.

22. The ultra-wideband semiconductor device as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the semiconductor chip is arranged face-up, with a rear face of the semiconductor chip being arranged on the upper metal layer of the circuit substrate;

the semiconductor chip is surrounded by the shield; and

the antenna is secured to the shield.

23. The ultra-wideband semiconductor device as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

an active upper face of the semiconductor chip faces face-down in the direction of the upper metal layer and comprises flip-chip contacts as connecting elements for contact connecting pads on the upper metal layer of the circuit substrate;

the semiconductor chip is surrounded by the shield; and

the antenna is secured to the shield.

24. The ultra-wideband semiconductor device as claimed in claim 22, wherein an insulating adhesive layer is arranged between the antenna and the shield.

25. The ultra-wideband semiconductor device as claimed in claim 22, wherein the antenna is electrically connected via at least one bonding wire connection to a contact connecting pad on the upper metal layer.

26. The ultra-wideband semiconductor device as claimed in claim 22, wherein the semiconductor chip, the shield, and the antenna are embedded in an encapsulation compound on an upper face of the circuit substrate.

27. The ultra-wideband semiconductor device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the metal layers of the circuit substrate comprise at least one of the following passive devices:

capacitors, resistors, inductors, balancing elements (baluns), matching elements, and filters.

28. The ultra-wideband semiconductor device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the external contacts comprise solder balls arranged in a ball grid array (BGA).

29. A method for producing an ultra-wideband semiconductor device, the method comprising:

producing a circuit substrate with at least with at least a lower metal layer and an upper metal layer;

connecting an ultra-wideband semiconductor chip to the circuit substrate via connecting elements;

embedding the connecting elements and at least part of the semiconductor chip in an encapsulation compound;

fitting an antenna above the semiconductor chip; and

connecting the antenna to a contact connecting pad on the upper or lower metal layer of the circuit substrate via a connecting element.

30. The method as claimed in claim 29, wherein the circuit substrate is formed with alternating plastic or ceramic layers and structured metal layers, the circuit substrate being formed to include through contacts and passive devices.

31. The method as claimed in claim 29, wherein the circuit substrate is formed with an opening for holding the semiconductor chip.

32. The method as claimed in claim 29, wherein the circuit substrate is formed to include a surface for securing a rear face of the semiconductor chip to the upper metal layer and to include a plurality of contact connecting pads for connecting the circuit substrate to at least one of the antenna and contact pads on an the upper face of the semiconductor chip.

33. The method as claimed in claim 29, wherein the circuit substrate is formed to include a plurality of contact connecting pads on the upper metal layer, whose size and arrangement are matched to the size and arrangement of flip-chip contacts on the semiconductor chip.

34. The method as claimed in claim 29, wherein flip-chip contacts or bonding wires are used as the connecting elements between contact pads on the semiconductor chip and contact connecting pads on the circuit substrate.

35. The method as claimed in claim 29, wherein, a connecting pin, a through contact, or a bonding wire is used as the connecting element between the antenna and a contact connecting pad on the upper metal layer of the circuit substrate.

36. The method as claimed in claim 29, wherein, after embedding the semiconductor chip in the encapsulation compound and prior to fitting the antenna above the semiconductor chip, the method further comprises sheathing the semiconductor chip with a shield which at least partially covers the circuit substrate.

37. The method as claimed in claim 36, wherein, after fitting the shield, the method further comprises applying a further encapsulation compound with a connecting pin or a through contact to the circuit substrate such that the shield is sheathed or embedded.