Sensor module with integrated discrete components mounted on a window

• US 6,630,661 B1
• Filed: 12/12/2001
• Issued: 10/07/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Amkor Technology Singapore Holding Pte., Ltd. (Amkor Technology Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Amkor Technology Incorporated
• Inventors: Hoffman, Paul Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Allen, Stephone
• Assistant Examiner(s): Spears, Eric
• Application Number:
  US10/012,378
• Time in Patent Office: 664 Days
• Field of Search: 250/208.1, 250/216, 250/239, 348/373, 438/66, 438/116, 438/118, 257/433, 257/434, 257/432, 257/680, 257/629
• US Class Current: 250/239
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/32225 the item being non-metallic, e.g. insulating substrate with or without metallisation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48091 Arched
• 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 27/14618 Containers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14636 Interconnect structures
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14683 Processes or apparatus peculiar to the manufacture or treatment of these devices or parts thereof not peculiar thereto H01L21/00
• 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 2924/00014 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 31/0203 Containers; Encapsulations , e.g. encapsulation of photodiodesfor photovoltaic devices H01L31/048; for organic photosensitive devices H10K30/80

Abstract

An optical module includes a window having an interior, e.g., first, surface. The interior surface includes a central region and a peripheral region. A first electronic component is coupled to the peripheral region. The optical module further includes a substrate and an image sensor coupled to the substrate. The window is coupled to the substrate such that the image sensor is aligned with the central region of the window.

Claims

1. A structure comprising:

a window comprising a first surface, said first surface comprising a central region and a peripheral region, wherein said central region is unobstructed; and

a first electronic component coupled to said peripheral region.

2. The structure of claim 1 further comprising a component trace coupled to said first surface of said window, a terminal of said first electronic component being coupled to said component trace.

3. The structure of the claim 2 wherein said terminal is coupled to an inner end of said component trace.

4. The structure of claim 3 wherein an outer end of said component trace comprises an input/output (I/O) pad.

5. The structure of claim 4 further comprising a window pad coupled to said outer end of said component trace, said window pad forming said input/output pad.

6. The structure of claim 4 wherein said peripheral region comprises a window mounting region, said outer end of said component trace being coupled to said window mounting region.

7. The structure of claim 6 wherein said peripheral region further comprises an electronic component mounting region, said inner end of said component trace being coupled to said electronic component mounting region.

8. The structure of claim 7 wherein said component trace extends from said electronic component mounting region to said window mounting region.

9. The structure of claim 2 wherein said terminal is coupled to said inner end of said component trace by a bond wire.

10. The structure of claim 2 wherein said terminal is coupled to said inner end of said component trace by a flip chip bump.

11. The structure of claim 2 wherein said terminal is coupled to said inner end of said component trace by a solder joint.

12. The structure of claim 1 wherein said electronic component is selected from the group consisting of a passive component, an active discrete component, and an active component.

13. A structure comprising:

a window comprising a first surface, said first surface comprising a central region and a peripheral region;

a first electronic component coupled to said peripheral region;

a substrate, said window being coupled to said substrate; and

an image sensor coupled to said substrate, said image sensor being aligned with said central region.

14. The structure of claim 13 wherein said central region is unobstructed.

15. The structure of claim 13 wherein said image sensor comprises an active area, said active area being a receiver, a transmitter, or a transceiver of electromagnetic radiation.

16. The structure of claim 15 wherein said window is transparent to said electromagnetic radiation.

17. The structure of claim 13 wherein said electronic component comprises a terminal coupled to a bond pad of said image sensor.

18. A method comprising:

forming a component trace on a peripheral region of a first surface of a window;

mounting an electronic component to said peripheral region, wherein a terminal of said electronic component is coupled to said component trace.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein said peripheral region comprises an electronic component mounting region and a window mounting region, said electronic component being mounted to said electronic component mounting region, an outer end of said component trace forming an input/output pad on said window mounting region.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising:

coupling said window mounting region of said window to a substrate; and

coupling said outer end of said component trace to a substrate pad on said substrate.