METHOD OF FORMING AN INTEGRATED CIRCUIT WITH MM-WAVE ANTENNAS USING CONVENTIONAL IC PACKAGING

• US 20090272714A1
• Filed: 07/24/2009
• Published: 11/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NHEW R&D Pty Limited
• Original Assignee: NHEW R&D Pty Limited
• Inventors: Weste, Neil H.E.
• Granted Patent: US 8,087,155 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 216/13
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2223/6611 Wire connections
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2223/6677 for antenna, e.g. antenna included within housing of semiconductor device antennas per se H01Q
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/05554 being square
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/05599 Material
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/45099 Material
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/4809 Loop shape
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48091 Arched
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48247 connecting the wire to a bond pad of the item
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/49052 Different loop heights
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/49171 Fan-out arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/85 using a wire connector
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/48 Arrangements for conducting electric current to or from the solid state body in operation, e.g. leads, terminal arrangements ; Selection of materials therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/66 High-frequency adaptations
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/48 of an individual wire connector
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/49 of a plurality of wire connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/85 using a wire connector wire bonding in general B23K20/004
• 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 2924/01005 Boron [B]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01006 : Carbon [C]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01014 : Silicon [Si]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01027 : Cobalt [Co]
• 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 2924/14 : Integrated circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/181 : Encapsulation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/19107 : off-chip wires
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/30105 : Capacitance
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/30107 : Inductance
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/3011 : Impedance
• 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 21/0093 : Monolithic arrays
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 7/00 : Loop antennas with a substantially uniform current distribution around the loop and having a directional radiation pattern in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the loop
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/18 : Vertical disposition of the antenna
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49016 : Antenna or wave energy "plumbing" making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49146 : with encapsulating, e.g., potting, etc.
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49155 : Manufacturing circuit on or in base

Abstract

A method of forming the integrated circuit. The method includes, in an integrated circuit package, forming each bond to or from an integrated circuit pad that is intended to be an antenna connection to be elongated compared to other bonds, and arranged in an approximately perpendicular direction to the plane of the integrated circuit; encapsulating the top of the integrated circuit package with a dielectric material at a height greater than a desired antenna length; and milling the dielectric encapsulation down to a pre-selected and calibrated height, such that the elongated bond wire to/from the integrated circuit pad that is intended to be an antenna connection is severed, such that the approximately vertical bond wire to/from the integrated circuit pad that is intended to be an antenna connection forms a quarter wave monopole.

Claims

1. A method of forming an antenna for an integrated circuit comprising:

forming a bond to or from each integrated circuit pad that is intended to be an antenna connection, the bond formed to be elongated compared to other bonds, and arranged with the elongated dimension being in an approximately perpendicular direction to the plane of the integrated circuit;

encapsulating the top of the integrated circuit package with a dielectric material at a height greater than a desired antenna length; and

milling the dielectric encapsulation down to a pre-selected and calibrated distance in the direction perpendicular to the plane of the integrated circuit, such that the elongated bond wire to or from the integrated circuit pad that is intended to be an antenna connection is severed, such that the approximately perpendicular bond wire to or from the integrated circuit pad that is intended to be an antenna connection forms an antenna.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the antenna after milling is a quarter wave monopole.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the bond to or from the integrated circuit pad that is intended to be an antenna connection is arranged to form a loop in an approximately perpendicular direction to the plane of the integrated circuit.

4. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the integrated circuit is for mm-wave communication.

5. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the integrated circuit is for imaging with electromagnetic radiation in the terahertz range.

6. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein there is a plurality of pads intended for antenna connections, such that a plurality of quarter wave monopoles are formed, and wherein the plurality of antennas form an antenna array.

7. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the forming of the bond uses a bonder that includes a mechanism to cut a bond wire in mid-air, such that the forming bonds a respective wire to each integrated circuit pad placed approximately vertically and cut.

8. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising adjusting the length of the antenna by a laser etching process.

9. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising tuning out the some or all of the capacitance of the integrated circuit pads that each antenna is bonded to by appropriately sizing the antenna bond wire.

10. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising metallizing the top of the integrated circuit package in the vicinity of the bond wire forming the antenna.