SEMICONDUCTOR PACKAGE HAVING INTEGRATED ANTENNA PAD

• US 20140333505A1
• Filed: 07/29/2014
• Published: 11/13/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Cypress Semiconductor Corporation (Infineon Technologies AG)
• Original Assignee: Cypress Semiconductor Corporation (Infineon Technologies AG)
• Inventors: Beard, Paul
• Application Number:
  US14/445,494
• Publication Number:
  US 20140333505A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 343/904
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/56 Encapsulations, e.g. encapsulation layers, coatings
• 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 2224/2919 with a principal constituent of the material being a polymer, e.g. polyester, phenolic based polymer, epoxy
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/32225 the item being non-metallic, e.g. insulating substrate with or without metallisation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/45144 Gold (Au) as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48227 connecting the wire to a bond pad of the item
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/73265 Layer and wire connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/3128 the substrate having spherical bumps for external connection
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/66 High-frequency adaptations
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/29 of an individual layer connector
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/32 of an individual layer connector
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/45 of an individual wire connector
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/48 of an individual wire connector
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/73 Means for bonding being of different types provided for in two or more of groups H01L24/10, H01L24/18, H01L24/26, H01L24/34, H01L24/42, H01L24/50, H01L24/63, H01L24/71
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/81 using a bump connector
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 25/0655 the devices being arranged next to each other
• 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 2924/01013 Aluminum [Al]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01014 Silicon [Si]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01028 : Nickel [Ni]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/14 : Integrated circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/1421 : RF devices
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/15311 : being a ball array, e.g. BGA
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/15787 : Ceramics, e.g. crystalline carbides, nitrides or oxides
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/181 : Encapsulation
• 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 1/242 : specially adapted for hand-held use
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/52 : Means for reducing coupling between antennas; Means for reducing coupling between an antenna and another structure absorbing means H01Q17/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/065 : Microstrip dipole antennas patch antenna H01Q9/0407
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/26 : with folded element or elements, the folded parts being spaced apart a small fraction of operating wavelength resonant loop antennas H01Q7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/285 : Planar dipole H01Q9/065 takes precedence; patch antenna H01Q9/0407
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0243 : Printed circuits associated with mounted high frequency components
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/3436 : having an array of bottom contacts, e.g. pad grid array or ball grid array components

Abstract

An apparatus for a semiconductor-package includes a semiconductor device having a radio frequency (RF) input or output, an antenna pad, and a package structured to house the semiconductor device and the antenna pad. The antenna pad may be coupled to the radio frequency (RF) input or output, and the antenna pad is structured to reduce the inductance of the package. The antenna pad may include a pad disposed above the semiconductor device, a pad disposed to a side of the semiconductor device, or an antenna chip. An antenna may be coupled to the antenna pad. The antenna may include a trace antenna, a staggered antenna, or a helical antenna.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

a substrate;

an integrated circuit (IC) comprising a radio frequency (RF) circuit mounted on the substrate;

a compound encapsulating the IC;

a plurality of external contacts at least partially uncovered by the compound coupled to the IC;

an antenna pad located on the substrate coupled to the RF circuit; and

an antenna situated on the substrate coupled to the antenna pad.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the external contact comprises one of a pin or a ball.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the pad is part of the IC

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the RF circuit is configured to communicate using one of the 802.11 or Bluetooth standards.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the antenna is configured to operate at a frequency higher than the 2.4 GHz ISM band.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the antenna comprises electrically conductive material disposed on the substrate.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the antenna is partly formed in the IC.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the antenna is at least partly unencapsulated by the compound.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the compound is located between the antenna and the substrate.

10. A method comprising:

mounting an integrated circuit (IC) comprising an RF circuit on a substrate;

encapsulating the IC with a compound;

coupling a plurality of external contacts to the IC, wherein the external contacts are at least partially uncovered by the compound;

coupling an antenna pad located on the substrate to the RF circuit; and

placing an antenna on the substrate and coupling the antenna to the antenna pad.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein coupling the plurality of external contacts to the IC comprises coupling the IC to one of a pin or a ball.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein coupling the antenna pad to the RF circuit comprises incorporating the pad as part of the IC.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising configuring the device to communicate using one of the 802.11 or Bluetooth standards.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising configuring the device to operate at a frequency higher than the 2.4 GHz ISM band.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the placing of the antenna on the substrate comprises forming the antenna by depositing electrically conductive material on the substrate.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein encapsulating the IC with the compound comprises at least partly encapsulating the antenna.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein the placing of the antenna on the substrate comprises mounting the antenna on the compound.

18. A system comprising:

a circuit board;

a device mounted on the circuit board, the device comprising a substrate;

an integrated circuit (IC) comprising an RF circuit mounted on the substrate;

a compound encapsulating the IC;

a plurality of external contacts at least partially uncovered by the compound coupled to the IC;

an antenna pad located on the substrate coupled to the RF circuit; and

an antenna situated on the substrate coupled to the antenna pad.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the system comprises a mobile phone handset.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the system comprises a personal computer.