Sensor Package and Method of Manufacturing Thereof

• US 20120038352A1
• Filed: 08/16/2010
• Published: 02/16/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/16/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
• Original Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
• Inventors: Elian, Klaus, Theuss, Horst, Ruhl, Guenther
• Granted Patent: US 9,121,885 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 324/239
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/72 by investigating magnetic variables
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/072 Constructional adaptation of the sensor to specific applications
• 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 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 2924/181 Encapsulation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/1815 Shape
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49002 Electrical device making

Abstract

A sensor package and a method for manufacturing a sensor package are disclosed. An embodiment comprises a sensor and a conductive line, wherein the sensor is arranged proximate to the conductive line. The sensor and the conductive line are isolated and at least partially encapsulated. A soft magnet is arranged in, on and/or around the encapsulation, wherein the soft magnet comprises a composition of an insulating material and a material having soft magnetic properties.

Claims

1. A sensor package comprising:

a conductive line;

a sensor, wherein the sensor is arranged proximate to the conductive line;

an encapsulation electrically isolating and at least partially encapsulating the conductive line and the sensor; and

a soft magnet arranged in, on and/or around the encapsulation, wherein the soft magnet comprises a composition of an insulating material and a material having soft magnetic properties.

2. The sensor package according to claim 1, wherein the soft magnet comprises soft magnetic particles embedded in a polymer.

3. The sensor package according to claim 1, wherein the polymer is a thermoset or a thermoplastic material.

4. The sensor package according to claim 1, wherein the sensor is a magnetic sensor.

5. The sensor package according to claim 4, wherein the magnetic sensor is a Hall sensor, an AMR sensor, or a GMR sensor.

6. The sensor package according to claim 1, wherein the conductive line comprises a U shaped conductive line, an O shaped conductive line, an almost O shaped conductive line, an almost elliptic shaped conductive line, or a straight conductive line.

7. The sensor package according to claim 1, wherein the soft magnet is arranged over an active area of the sensor.

8. A method for manufacturing a sensor package, the method comprising:

electrically isolating a conductive line and a sensor by at least partially encapsulating the conductive line and the sensor; and

forming a soft magnet in, on and/or around the first encapsulation, wherein the soft magnet comprises a composition of an insulating material and a material having soft magnetic properties.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the encapsulation is formed by injecting a polymer into a first mold and wherein the soft magnet is formed by injecting a soft magnetic composite material into a second mold.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the insulating material comprises a polymer.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the material having soft magnetic properties comprises nickel (Ni), iron (Fe), iron-nickel (FeNi), iron-silicon (FeSi), iron-silicon-boron (FeSiB) or iron-cobalt (FeCo) particles or other soft magnetic fillers.

12. The method according to claim 8, wherein forming the soft magnet comprises forming the soft magnet over an active area of the sensor.

13. The method according to claim 8, wherein forming the soft magnet comprises forming the soft magnet over an upper surface and a lower surface of the encapsulation.

14. The method according to claim 8, wherein forming the soft magnet comprises forming the soft magnet embedded in the encapsulation.

15. The method according to claim 8, wherein forming the soft magnet comprises forming a rectangle-shaped soft magnet or a triangle-shaped soft magnet.

16. The method according to claim 8, wherein the conductive line is a U shaped conductive line, an O shaped conductive line, an almost O shaped conductive line, an almost elliptic shaped conductive line, or a straight conductive line.

17. The method according to claim 8, wherein the sensor is a magnetic sensor.

18. A system for measuring a current, the system comprising:

a load;

a current sensor package comprising a conductive line and a sensor wherein the conductive line is electrically connected to the load; and

a controller electrically connected to the sensor and the load,

wherein the current sensor package measures the current and wherein the current sensor package includes a soft magnet comprising a composition of an insulating material and a material having soft magnetic properties.

19. The system according to claim 18, wherein the material having soft magnetic properties comprises nickel (Ni), iron (Fe), iron-nickel (FeNi), iron-silicon (FeSi), iron-silicon-boron (FeSiB), iron-cobalt (FeCo) particles or combinations thereof.

20. The system according to claim 18, wherein the load comprises a chargeable or non-chargeable battery, a power generator or a power supply for a building.