Shielded antenna in a semiconductor package

• US 6,770,955 B1
• Filed: 12/15/2001
• Issued: 08/03/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Skyworks Solutions Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Skyworks Solutions Incorporated
• Inventors: Megahed, Mohamed A., Vittorini, Larry D., Walley, John S., Coccioli, Roberto, Trinh, Trang N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Eddie
• Assistant Examiner(s): Parekh, Nitin
• Application Number:
  US10/020,105
• Time in Patent Office: 962 Days
• Field of Search: 257/659, 257/660, 257/774, 257/784, 257/728, 257/780, 257/738, 257/787, 343/700.MS, 343/846
• US Class Current: 257/659
• 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 2223/6688 Mixed frequency adaptations, i.e. for operation at different frequencies
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/05599 Material
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/32225 the item being non-metallic, e.g. insulating substrate with or without metallisation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/45015 being circular
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/45099 Material
• 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 2224/85424 Aluminium (Al) as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/85444 Gold (Au) as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/8547 Zirconium (Zr) as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/3128 the substrate having spherical bumps for external connection
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/49816 Spherical bumps on the substrate for external connection, e.g. ball grid arrays [BGA]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/552 Protection against radiation, e.g. light or electromagnetic waves
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/66 High-frequency adaptations
• 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 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 2924/00014 : 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 2924/01078 : Platinum [Pt]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01079 : Gold [Au]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/15153 : the die mounting substrate comprising a recess for hosting the device
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/15165 : Monolayer substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/1517 : Multilayer substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/15174 : in different layers of the multilayer substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/15311 : being a ball array, e.g. BGA
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/1532 : the connection portion being formed on the die mounting surface of the substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/181 : Encapsulation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/207 : Diameter ranges
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/3025 : Electromagnetic shielding
• 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 1/38 : formed by a conductive layer on an insulating support patch antennas H01Q9/0407; microstrip dipole antennas H01Q9/065; microstrip slot antennas H01Q13/106; transmission line microstrip antennas H01Q13/206; manufacturing reflecting surfaces using insulating material for supporting the reflecting surface H01Q15/142
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0218 : by printed shielding conductors, ground planes or power plane H05K1/0236 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0243 : Printed circuits associated with mounted high frequency components
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/112 : directly combined with via connections
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10734 : Ball grid array [BGA]; Bump grid array
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/3436 : having an array of bottom contacts, e.g. pad grid array or ball grid array components

Abstract

One exemplary embodiment is a structure comprising a laminate substrate having a top surface for receiving a semiconductor die. The exemplary structure further comprises an antenna element situated on a bottom surface of the laminate substrate, where the antenna element is suitable for connection to the semiconductor die. According to this exemplary embodiment, the structure further comprises a laminate substrate reference pad in the laminate substrate, where the laminate substrate reference pad is situated over the antenna element. The exemplary structure further comprises at least one laminate substrate reference via situated at a side of the antenna element. The at least one laminate substrate reference via can be electrically connected to the laminate substrate reference pad. The at least one laminate substrate reference via can be electrically coupled to a printed circuit board reference via in a printed circuit board.

Claims

1. A structure comprising:

a laminate substrate having a top surface for receiving a semiconductor die;

an antenna situated on a bottom surface of said laminate substrate, said antenna being suitable for connection to said semiconductor die;

a laminate substrate reference pad in said laminate substrate, said laminate substrate reference pad situated over said antenna;

at least one laminate substrate reference via situated at a side of said antenna, said at least one laminate substrate reference via beings electrically connected to said laminate substrate reference pad, said at least one laminate substrate reference via being electrically connected to a printed circuit board reference pad in a printed circuit board.

2. The structure of claim 1 wherein said laminate substrate reference pad is a laminate substrate ground pad.

3. The structure of claim 1 wherein said at least one laminate substrate reference via is a laminate substrate ground via.

4. The structure of claim 1 wherein said at least one laminate substrate reference via is electrically connected to a printed circuit board reference via in said printed circuit board.

5. The structure of claim 4 wherein said printed circuit board reference via is connected to said printed circuit board reference pad.

6. The structure of claim 1 wherein said laminate substrate comprises an organic material.

7. The structure of claim 1 wherein said laminate substrate comprises a ceramic material.

8. The structure of claim 1 wherein a shape of said antenna is selected from the group consisting of a square shape, a rectangular shape, a slot line pattern, a meander line pattern, and a patch pattern.

9. The structure of claim 1 wherein said at least one laminate substrate reference via is electrically connected to a laminate substrate ball pad on said bottom surface of said laminate substrate.

10. A structure comprising:

a laminate substrate having a top surface for receiving a semiconductor die;

an antenna situated on a bottom surface of said laminate substrate, said antenna being suitable for connection to said semiconductor die;

a laminate substrate reference pad in said laminate substrate, said laminate substrate reference pad situated over said antenna;

a plurality of laminate substrate reference vias, each of said plurality of laminate substrate reference vias situated at a side of said antenna, said each of said plurality of laminate substrate reference vias being electrically connected to said laminate substrate reference pad, said each of said plurality of laminate substrate reference vias being electrically connected to a printed circuit board reference pad in a printed circuit board.

11. The structure of claim 10 wherein said laminate substrate reference pad is a laminate substrate ground pad.

12. The structure of claim 10 wherein said each of said plurality of laminate substrate reference vias is a laminate substrate ground via.

13. The structure of claim 10 wherein said each of said plurality of laminate substrate reference vias is electrically connected to a respective one of a plurality of printed circuit board reference vias in said printed circuit board.

14. The structure of claim 13 wherein each of said plurality of printed circuit board reference vias is electrically connected to said printed circuit board reference pad.

15. The structure of claim 10 wherein said laminate substrate comprises an organic material.

16. The structure of claim 10 wherein said laminate substrate comprises a ceramic material.

17. The structure of claim 10 wherein a shape of said antenna is selected from the group consisting of a square shape, a rectangular shape, a slot line pattern, a meander line pattern, and a patch pattern.

18. The structure of claim 10 wherein said each of said laminate substrate reference vias is electrically connected to a respective one of a plurality of laminate substrate ball pads on said bottom surface of said laminate substrate.