ENCAPSULATION METHOD AND APPARATUS

• US 20080254575A1
• Filed: 04/10/2007
• Published: 10/16/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
• Inventors: Brunnbauer, Markus, Escher-Poeppel, Irmgard, Fuergut, Edward
• Granted Patent: US 7,915,089 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 438/127
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/561 Batch processing
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/568 Temporary substrate used as encapsulation process aid H01L21/4832 and H01L21/566 take precedence
• 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 24/19 Manufacturing methods of high density interconnect preforms
• 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 2924/01006 Carbon [C]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0103 Zinc [Zn]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01068 Erbium [Er]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01082 Lead [Pb]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/14 Integrated circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/181 Encapsulation

Abstract

A method and apparatus for encapsulating items such as electronic devices. A mold material is dispensed onto the electronic device and the device is situated between first and second molds. One mold is moved towards the other so as to vary the size of a cavity defined by the first and second molds. A vacuum is applied to the cavity and the vacuum is varied in response to the size of the cavity. The vacuum can be varied in response to a predetermined vacuum profile. For example, in certain embodiments the vacuum is varied in response to the position of the first mold relative to the second mold, wherein the vacuum is increased as the cavity height is reduced.

Claims

1. A method for encapsulating an electronic device, comprising:

dispensing a mold material onto the electronic device;

situating the electronic device between first and second molds;

moving the first mold towards the second mold so as to vary the size of a cavity defined by the first and second molds;

applying a vacuum to the cavity; and

varying the vacuum in response to the size of the cavity.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the vacuum is varied in response to a predetermined vacuum profile.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein varying the vacuum in response to the size of the cavity includes varying the vacuum in response to the position of the first mold relative to the second mold.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein varying the vacuum in response to the size of the cavity includes varying the vacuum in response to a predetermined time period.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the predetermined time period includes an amount of time the first mold has been moving towards the second mold.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising applying a release film to at least one of the first or second molds.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising heating the mold material.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the mold material is heated before moving the first mold towards the second mold.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein heating the mold material includes heating at least one of the first or second molds.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising curing the mold material.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein moving the first mold towards the second mold compresses the mold material.

12. The method of claim 1, further clamping the first mold to the second mold.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising venting the cavity in response to the cavity size.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein venting the cavity includes adjusting a valve in response to the cavity size.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising moving the first mold away from the second mold to release the electronic device.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising sealing an outer form portion of the first mold against the second mold, and wherein moving the first mold towards the second mold comprises moving an inner form portion of the first mold towards the second mold.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic device includes a plurality of semiconductor devices, and wherein the method further comprises attaching the semiconductor devices to a carrier.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the semiconductor devices are attached to the carrier using adhesive tape.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising singulating a semiconductor wafer into the plurality of semiconductor devices, and situating the singulated semiconductor devices in a spaced-apart arrangement.

20. An apparatus for encapsulating an electronic device, comprising:

a cavity defined between first and second molds for receiving the electronic device, the first mold being movable relative to the second mold so as to selectively vary the size of the cavity;

a pump in communication with the cavity to create a vacuum in the cavity; and

a controller connected to the pump and programmed to vary the vacuum applied to the cavity in response to the size of the cavity.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the controller varies the vacuum in response to a predetermined vacuum profile.

22. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein varying the vacuum in response to the size of the cavity includes varying the vacuum in response to the position of the first mold relative to the second mold.

23. The apparatus of claim 20, further comprising a heater situated to heat the cavity.

24. The apparatus of claim 20, further comprising a valve in communication with the cavity to selectively vent the cavity.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the controller is connected to the valve, and wherein the controller is programmed to operate the valve to vary the vacuum applied to the cavity in response to the size of the cavity.

26. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the controller is programmed to vary the speed of the pump to vary the vacuum applied to the cavity in response to the size of the cavity.

27. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the first mold includes:

an outer form portion;

an inner form portion that is movable relative to the outer form portion; and

a seal member situated between the inner and outer form portions.

28. An apparatus for encapsulating an electronic device, comprising:

a cavity defined between first and second molds for receiving the electronic device, the first mold being movable relative to the second mold so as to selectively vary the size of the cavity;

a pump in communication with the cavity to create a vacuum in the cavity;

a valve in communication with the cavity and operable to selectively vent the cavity; and

a controller connected to the valve and programmed to operate the valve to vary the vacuum applied to the cavity in response to the size of the cavity.

29. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the controller varies the vacuum in response to a predetermined vacuum profile.

30. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein varying the vacuum in response to the size of the cavity includes varying the vacuum in response to the position of the first mold relative to the second mold.

31. The apparatus of claim 28, further comprising a heater situated to heat the cavity.

32. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the controller is connected to the pump, and wherein the controller is programmed to vary the speed of the pump to vary the vacuum applied to the cavity in response to the size of the cavity.

33. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the first mold includes:

an outer form portion;

an inner form portion that is movable relative to the outer form portion; and

a seal member situated between the inner and outer form portions.

34. An apparatus for encapsulating an electronic device, comprising:

a cavity defined between first and second molds for receiving the electronic device, the first mold being movable relative to the second mold so as to selectively vary the size of the cavity; and

means for dispersing a molding material over the electronic device.

35. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein the means for dispersing includes means for creating a variable vacuum in the cavity.

36. The apparatus of claim 34, further comprising means for heating the cavity.

37. The apparatus of claim 34, further comprising means for selectively venting the cavity.