Packaging and mounting of spherical semiconductor devices

• US 6,326,647 B1
• Filed: 04/01/1999
• Issued: 12/04/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: STMicroelectronics Incorporated (STMicroelectronics NV)
• Original Assignee: STMicroelectronics Incorporated (STMicroelectronics NV)
• Inventors: Chiu, Anthony M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Williams, Alexander O.
• Application Number:
  US09/285,154
• Time in Patent Office: 978 Days
• Field of Search: 257/690, 257/678, 257/773, 257/724, 257/725, 257/691, 257/698, 257/294, 257/291, 257/723, 257/686, 257/730, 257/684, 257/728, 257/729, 257/99, 257/618, 257/737, 257/738, 257/668, 361/783, 361/736, 361/767, 439/68, 174/52.1
• US Class Current: 257/99
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14618 Containers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/0657 characterised by the shape of the body
• 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 2924/0002 Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/20 with a particular shape, e.g. curved or truncated substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 15/08 formed of solid dielectric material
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/3442 having edge contacts, e.g. leadless chip capacitors, chip carriers

Abstract

A spherical semiconductor device that includes at least one circuit element and at least one power pad connecting the circuit element to a supply voltage. The circuit element can communicate with at least one external device through at least one input/output interface. In a preferred embodiment, the at least one input/output interface includes an input pad, an output pad, an optical input interface, and an optical output interface. Another embodiment of the present invention provides a circuit device formed on a circuit board. The circuit device includes power mounting pads, ground mounting pads, external connectors coupled to the pads, and spherical semiconductor devices. Each of the spherical semiconductor devices includes at least one circuit element, at least one power pad connected to one of the power mounting pads, at least one ground pad connected to one of the ground mounting pads, and at least one input/output interface. The circuit element communicates with at least one external device through the input/output interface. In one preferred embodiment of the circuit device, the at least one input/output interface includes an input pad connected to an input mounting pads of the circuit device and an output pad connected to an output mounting pad of the circuit device.

Claims

1. A spherical semiconductor device comprising:

a sphere of a semiconductor material;

at least one circuit element formed on the sphere;

at least one power pad formed on the sphere, the power pad connecting the circuit element to a supply voltage; and

at least one bidirectional input/output interface formed on the sphere, the circuit element bidirectionally communicating with at least one external device through the bidirectional input/output interface,

wherein the at least one bidirectional input/output interface includes at least one light-emitting diode for transmitting an external optical output signal, and at least one phototransistor for receiving an external optical input signal, the phototransistor and light-emitting diode being formed on the sphere of semiconductor material.

2. The spherical semiconductor device as defined in claim 1, wherein the at least one input/output interface includes an input pad and an output pad.

3. The spherical semiconductor device as defined in claim 2, further comprising a ground pad connecting the circuit element to ground.

4. The spherical semiconductor device as defined in claim 3, wherein the power pad, the ground pad, the input pad, and the output pad are arranged on one side of the sphere to allow the sphere to be soldered to a substantially flat interconnection device.

5. The spherical semiconductor device as defined in claim 1, wherein the at least one input/output interface includes an input/output pad.

6. The spherical semiconductor device as defined in claim 1, wherein the at least one bidirectional input/output interface includes a plurality of optical input/output interface pairs, each of the optical input/output interface pairs including a phototransistor and a light-emitting diode formed on the sphere of semiconductor material.

7. The spherical semiconductor device as defined in claim 6, wherein the at least one input/output interface further includes an input pad and an output pad.

8. A spherical semiconductor device comprising:

a sphere of a semiconductor material;

at least one circuit element formed on the sphere;

at least one power pad formed on the sphere, the power pad connecting the circuit element to a supply voltage;

at least one input/output interface formed on the sphere, the circuit element communicating with at least one external device through the input/output interface; and

at least one tooling hole for receiving a gripping instrument so as to allow the gripping instrument to hold the sphere of semiconductor material, the tooling hole being a dimple in the sphere of semiconductor material.

9. The spherical semiconductor device as defined in claim 8, further comprising at least one orientation mark for indicating proper alignment of the device, the orientation mark being located within, on the periphery of, or adjacent to the tooling hole.

10. A circuit device formed on a printed circuit board, said circuit device comprising:

a plurality of power mounting pads connected to a supply voltage;

a plurality of ground mounting pads connected to ground;

a plurality of external connectors, the external connectors being coupled to the pads through lines; and

a plurality of spherical semiconductor devices, each of the spherical semiconductor devices including;

a sphere of a semiconductor material;

at least one circuit element formed on the sphere;

at least one power pad formed on the sphere, the power pad being connected to one of the power mounting pads;

at least one ground pad formed on the sphere, the ground pad being connected to one of the ground mounting pads; and

at least one bidirectional input/output interface formed on the sphere, the circuit element bidirectionally communicating with at least one external device through the bidirectional input/output interface,

wherein the at least one bidirectional input/output interface includes at least one light-emitting diode for transmitting an external optical output signal, and at least one phototransistor for receiving an external optical input signal, the phototransistor and light-emitting diode being formed on the sphere of semiconductor material.

11. The circuit device as defined in claim 10, further comprising:

a plurality of input mounting pads; and

a plurality of output mounting pads,

wherein the at least one input/output interface includes an input pad and an output pad, the input pad being connected to one of the input mounting pads and the output pad being connected to one of the output mounting pads.

12. The circuit device as defined in claim 10, wherein the at least one bidirectional input/output interface includes a plurality of optical input/output interface pairs, each of the optical input/output interface pairs including a phototransistor and a light-emitting diode formed on the sphere of semiconductor material.

13. The circuit device as defined in claim 12, further comprising:

a plurality of input mounting pads; and

a plurality of output mounting pads,

wherein the at least one input/output interface includes an input pad and an output pad, the input pad being connected to one of the input mounting pads and the output pad being connected to one of the output mounting pads.

14. The circuit device as defined in claim 10, wherein each of the spherical semiconductor devices further includes at least one tooling hole for receiving a gripping instrument so as to allow the gripping instrument to hold the device, the tooling hole being a dimple in the sphere of semiconductor material.

15. The circuit device as defined in claim 14, wherein each of the spherical semiconductor devices further includes at least one orientation mark for indicating proper alignment of the device, the orientation mark being located within, on the periphery of, or adjacent to the tooling hole.

16. An electronic system including a first circuit board, the first circuit board comprising:

a plurality of power mounting pads connected to a supply voltage;

a plurality of ground mounting pads connected to ground;

a plurality of external connectors, the external connectors being coupled to the pads through lines; and

a plurality of spherical semiconductor devices, each of the spherical semiconductor devices including;

a sphere of a semiconductor material;

at least one circuit element formed on the sphere;

at least one power pad formed on the sphere, the power pad being connected to one of the power mounting pads;

at least one ground pad formed on the sphere, the ground pad being connected to one of the ground mounting pads; and

at least one bidirectional input/output interface formed on the sphere, the circuit element bidirectionally communicating with at least one external device through the bidirectional input/output interface,

wherein the at least one bidirectional input/output interface includes at least one light-emitting diode for transmitting an external optical output signal, and at least one phototransistor for receiving an external optical input signal, the phototransistor and light-emitting diode being formed on the sphere of semiconductor material.

17. The electronic system as defined in claim 16, wherein the first circuit board further comprises:

a plurality of input mounting pads; and

a plurality of output mounting pads,

wherein the at least one input/output interface includes an input pad and an output pad, the input pad being connected to one of the input mounting pads and the output pad being connected to one of the output mounting pads.

18. The electronic system as defined in claim 17, wherein the at least one bidirectional input/output interface includes a plurality of optical input/output interface pairs, each of the optical input/output interface pairs including a phototransistor and a light-emitting diode formed on the sphere of semiconductor material.

19. The electronic system as defined in claim 16, wherein each of the spherical semiconductor devices further includes at least one tooling hole for receiving a gripping instrument so as to allow the gripping instrument to hold the device, the tooling hole being a dimple in the sphere of semiconductor material.

20. The electronic system as defined in claim 19, wherein each of the spherical semiconductor devices further includes at least one orientation mark for indicating proper alignment of the device, the orientation mark being located within, on the periphery of, or adjacent to the tooling hole.

21. The electronic system as defined in claim 16, further comprising a second circuit board, the second circuit board comprising:

a plurality of power mounting pads connected to a supply voltage;

a plurality of ground mounting pads connected to ground;

a plurality of external connectors, the external connectors being coupled to the pads through lines; and

a plurality of spherical semiconductor devices, each of the spherical semiconductor devices including;

a sphere of a semiconductor material;

at least one circuit element formed on the sphere;

at least one power pad formed on the sphere, the power pad being connected to one of the power mounting pads;

at least one ground pad formed on the sphere, the ground pad being connected to one of the ground mounting pads; and

at least one bidirectional input/output interface formed on the sphere, the circuit element bidirectionally communicating with at least one external device through the bidirectional input/output interface,

wherein the at least one bidirectional input/output interface includes at least one light-emitting diode for transmitting an external optical output signal, and at least one phototransistor for receiving an external optical input signal, the phototransistor and light-emitting diode being formed on the sphere of semiconductor material.

22. The electronic system as defined in claim 21, further comprising a motherboard having connection sockets, the first and second circuit boards being connected to the motherboard through the connection sockets.

23. The electronic system as defined in claim 22, wherein each of the first and second circuit boards further comprises:

a plurality of input mounting pads; and

a plurality of output mounting pads,

wherein the at least one input/output interface includes an input pad and an output pad, the input pad being connected to one of the input mounting pads and the output pad being connected to one of the output mounting pads.

24. The electronic system as defined in claim 22, wherein the at least one bidirectional input/output interface includes a plurality of optical input/output interface pairs, each of the optical input/output interface pairs including a phototransistor and a light-emitting diode formed on the sphere of semiconductor material.

25. The electronic system as defined in claim 24, wherein at least one of the spherical semiconductor devices of the first circuit board can communicate with at least one of the spherical semiconductor devices of the second circuit board through the optical input/output interface pairs.

26. The electronic system as defined in claim 25, wherein each of the first and second circuit boards further comprises:

a plurality of input mounting pads; and

a plurality of output mounting pads,

wherein the at least one input/output interface includes an input pad and an output pad, the input pad being connected to one of the input mounting pads and the output pad being connected to one of the output mounting pads.