OPTICAL SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE WITH SEALING SPACER

• US 20080296572A1
• Filed: 07/02/2008
• Published: 12/04/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: STMicroelectronics SA (STMicroelectronics NV)
• Original Assignee: STMicroelectronics SA (STMicroelectronics NV)
• Inventors: PERILLAT, Patrick Daniel
• Application Number:
  US12/167,055
• Publication Number:
  US 20080296572A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 257/53
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/0401 Bonding areas specifically adapted for bump connectors, e.g. under bump metallisation [UBM]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/16 of an individual bump connector
• 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 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 2924/00014 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 31/0203 Containers; Encapsulations , e.g. encapsulation of photodiodesfor photovoltaic devices H01L31/048; for organic photosensitive devices H10K30/80
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/0232 Optical elements or arrangements associated with the device H01L31/0236 takes precedence; for photovoltaic cells H01L31/054; for photovoltaic modules H02S40/20

Abstract

An optical semiconductor device may include a semiconductor component having an optical sensor on a front face thereof, and a transparent plate having electrical connection lines on a rear face thereof and lying outside a free region of the rear face. The front face of the semiconductor component may be attached to the rear face of the transparent plate so that the optical sensor is adjacent the free region. The optical semiconductor device may also include electrical connectors electrically connecting the semiconductor component to the electrical connection lines, a sealing spacer extending only partway between the front face of the semiconductor component and the rear face of the transparent plate at the periphery of the optical sensor, and an encapsulating material for encapsulating the electrical connectors and a periphery of the semiconductor component on the rear face of the transparent plate. The sealing spacer may be structurally distinct from, abutting, and retaining the encapsulating material.

Claims

1. An optical semiconductor device comprising:

a semiconductor component including an optical sensor on a front face thereof;

a transparent plate including electrical connection lines on a rear face thereof and lying outside a free region of the rear face;

the front face of said semiconductor component being attached to the rear face of said transparent plate so that said optical sensor is adjacent the free region;

electrical connectors electrically connecting said semiconductor component to said electrical connection lines;

a sealing spacer extending only partway between the front face of said semiconductor component and the rear face of said transparent plate at the periphery of said optical sensor; and

an encapsulating material for encapsulating said electrical connectors and a periphery of said semiconductor component on the rear face of said transparent plate;

said sealing spacer being structurally distinct from, abutting, and retaining said encapsulating material.

2. The optical semiconductor device according to claim 1 further comprising an adhesive layer securing said sealing spacer to the front face of said semiconductor component.

3. The optical semiconductor device according to claim 2 wherein said encapsulating material extends into a gap between said sealing spacer and the rear face of said transparent plate.

4. The optical semiconductor device according to claim 1 further comprising an adhesive layer securing said sealing spacer to the rear face of said transparent plate.

5. The optical semiconductor device according to claim 4 wherein said encapsulating material extends into a gap between said sealing spacer and the front face of said semiconductor component.

6. The optical semiconductor device according to claim 1 wherein said sealing spacer has a thickness between 70% and 95% of a distance between the front face of said semiconductor component and the rear face of said transparent plate.

7. The optical semiconductor device according to claim 1 wherein said electrical connectors comprise electrical connection balls between the front face of said semiconductor component and the rear face of said transparent plate and placed at the periphery of said optical sensor.

8. The optical semiconductor device according to claim 1 wherein said transparent plate comprises a glass plate.

9. The optical semiconductor device according to claim 1 further comprising a printed circuit board;

wherein said transparent plate is mounted on said printed circuit board via electrical connectors connected to said electrical connection lines; and

wherein said printed circuit board comprises an opening in which said semiconductor component lies.

10. An optical semiconductor device comprising:

a semiconductor component including an optical sensor on a front face thereof;

a transparent plate including electrical connection lines on a rear face thereof and lying outside a free region of the rear face;

the front face of said semiconductor component being attached to the rear face of said transparent plate so that said optical sensor is adjacent the free region;

electrical connection balls electrically connecting said semiconductor component to said electrical connection lines and being between the front face of said semiconductor component and the rear face of said transparent plate at the periphery of said optical sensor;

a sealing spacer extending only partway between the front face of said semiconductor component and the rear face of said transparent plate at the periphery of said optical sensor; and

an encapsulating material for encapsulating said electrical connectors and a periphery of said semiconductor component on the rear face of said transparent plate;

said sealing spacer being structurally distinct from, abutting, and retaining said encapsulating material and having a thickness between 70% and 95% of a distance between the front face of said semiconductor component and the rear face of said transparent plate.

11. The optical semiconductor device according to claim 10 further comprising an adhesive layer securing said sealing spacer to the front face of said semiconductor component.

12. The optical semiconductor device according to claim 11 wherein said encapsulating material extends into a gap between said sealing spacer and the rear face of said transparent plate.

13. The optical semiconductor device according to claim 10 further comprising an adhesive layer securing said sealing spacer to the rear face of said transparent plate.

14. The optical semiconductor device according to claim 13 wherein said encapsulating material extends into a gap between said sealing spacer and the front face of said semiconductor component.

15. A method of making an optical semiconductor device comprising:

providing a semiconductor component including an optical sensor on a front face thereof, and a transparent plate including electrical connection lines on a rear face thereof and lying outside a free region of the rear face;

mounting the front face of the semiconductor component to the rear face of the transparent plate so that the optical sensor is adjacent the free region;

electrically connecting the semiconductor component to the electrical connection lines with electrical connectors;

providing a sealing spacer extending only partway between the front face of the semiconductor component and the rear face of the transparent plate at the periphery of the optical sensor; and

encapsulating the electrical connectors and a periphery of the semiconductor component with an encapsulating material on the rear face of the transparent plate, the sealing spacer being structurally distinct from, abutting, and retaining the encapsulating material.

16. The method according to claim 15 further comprising securing the sealing spacer to the front face of the semiconductor component with an adhesive layer.

17. The method according to claim 16 wherein the encapsulating material extends into a gap between the sealing spacer and the rear face of the transparent plate.

18. The method according to claim 15 further comprising securing the sealing spacer to the rear face of the transparent plate with an adhesive layer.

19. The method according to claim 18 wherein the encapsulating material extends into a gap between the sealing spacer and the front face of the semiconductor component.

20. The method according to claim 15 wherein the sealing spacer has a thickness between 70% and 95% of a distance between the front face of the semiconductor component and the rear face of the transparent plate.

21. The method according to claim 15 wherein the electrical connectors comprise electrical connection balls between the front face of the semiconductor component and the rear face of the transparent plate and placed at the periphery of the optical sensor.