SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE

• US 20100295140A1
• Filed: 05/20/2009
• Published: 11/25/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
• Original Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
• Inventors: Theuss, Horst, Petz, Martin, Elian, Klaus
• Granted Patent: US 8,362,579 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 257/421
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 25/00 Nanomagnetism, e.g. magnetoimpedance, anisotropic magnetoresistance, giant magnetoresistance or tunneling magnetoresistance
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/093 using multilayer structures, e.g. giant magnetoresistance sensors thin magnetic films H01F10/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48091 Arched
• 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: H10N 50/80 Constructional details

Abstract

A semiconductor device includes a housing defining a cavity, a magnetic sensor chip disposed in the cavity, and mold material covering the magnetic sensor chip and substantially filling the cavity. One of the housing or the mold material is ferromagnetic, and the other one of the housing or the mold material is non-ferromagnetic.

Claims

1. A semiconductor device comprising:

a housing defining a cavity;

a magnetic sensor chip disposed in the cavity; and

mold material covering the magnetic sensor chip and substantially filling the cavity;

wherein one of the housing and the mold material is ferromagnetic and an other of the housing and the mold material is non-ferromagnetic.

2. The semiconductor device of claim 1, wherein the housing is molded from a polymer system comprising permanent magnetic particles distributed in a polymer.

3. The semiconductor device of claim 2, wherein the permanent magnetic particles comprise one of soft magnetic particles and hard magnetic particles.

4. The semiconductor device of claim 1, wherein the mold material comprises permanent magnetic particles distributed in a polymer.

5. The semiconductor device of claim 4, wherein the permanent magnetic particles comprise one of soft magnetic particles and hard magnetic particles.

6. The semiconductor device of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises a cover and is enclosed on all sides.

7. The semiconductor device of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises multiple external contact elements in electrical communication with the magnetic sensor chip.

8. The semiconductor device of claim 7, wherein the magnetic sensor chip is connected with the external contact elements by one of wire bonds and solder balls.

9. The semiconductor device of claim 1, wherein the magnetic sensor chip comprises one of a Hall sensor, a magneto-resistor, a giant magneto-resistor, and an anisotropic magneto-resistor.

10. A semiconductor device comprising:

a housing defining a cavity;

a magnetic sensor chip disposed in the cavity;

mold material covering the magnetic sensor chip and substantially filling the cavity; and

a non-magnetic layer between the magnetic sensor chip and a base of the housing, the non-magnetic layer comprising a structure configured to shape magnetic field lines passing through the magnetic sensor chip;

wherein one of the housing and the mold material is magnetic and an other of the housing and the mold material is non-magnetic

11. The semiconductor device of claim 10, wherein the non-magnetic layer is integrally formed with the housing.

12. The semiconductor device of claim 10, wherein the structure of the non-magnetic layer defines a triangle in longitudinal cross-section and the magnetic sensor chip is coupled to a base of the triangle.

13. A semiconductor device comprising:

a molded carrier defining a cavity;

a magnetic sensor chip located in the cavity; and

magnetic material cast in the cavity and covering the magnetic sensor chip.

14. The semiconductor device of claim 13, wherein the magnetic material comprises one of soft magnetic particles and hard magnetic particles.

15. The semiconductor device of claim 13, wherein the magnetic material comprises a high coercivity ferromagnetic material and the molded carrier comprises a low coercivity ferromagnetic material.

16. The semiconductor device of claim 13, wherein the cavity of the molded carrier comprises a base, a protruding element extending from the base, and the magnetic sensor chip is attached to the protruding element.

17. The semiconductor device of claim 16, wherein the protruding element is molded integrally with the molded carrier.

18. The semiconductor device of claim 16, wherein the protruding element comprises a cone-shaped element with an apex of the cone-shaped element attached to the base of the cavity and the magnetic sensor chip is attached to a base of the cone-shaped element.

19. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, the method comprising:

providing a carrier including a cavity formed in the carrier;

placing a chip in the cavity; and

casting magnetic material in the cavity and over the chip.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the carrier comprises a plurality of external contact elements, and placing a chip in the cavity comprises electrically connecting the chip with the external contact elements.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein placing a chip in the cavity comprises attaching a chip to a protruding element formed within the cavity.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein casting magnetic material in the cavity and over the chip comprises casting a polymer system comprising soft magnetic particles distributed in a polymer into the cavity and over the chip.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein casting magnetic material in the cavity and over the chip comprises casting a polymer system comprising hard magnetic particles distributed in a polymer into the cavity and over the chip, the polymer system comprising a high coercivity ferromagnetic material and the carrier comprising a low coercivity ferromagnetic material.

24. The method of claim 19, wherein casting magnetic material in the cavity and over the chip comprises filling the cavity with a polymer system comprising one of soft and hard magnetic particles distributed in a polymer.

25. The method of claim 19, wherein the chip comprises a magnetic sensor chip comprising at least two magnetic sensor areas.