Electronic device having a plastic housing and components of a height-structured metallic leadframe and methods for the production of the electronic device

• US 7,031,170 B2
• Filed: 09/30/2002
• Issued: 04/18/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
• Original Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
• Inventors: Daeche, Frank, Petter, Franz
• Primary Examiner(s): Vigushin, John B.
• Application Number:
  US10/261,860
• Publication Number:
  US 20030076666A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,296 Days
• Field of Search: 361/813, 257/666, 257/676, 298/54, 298/55, 298/56
• US Class Current: 361/813
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/4821 Flat leads, e.g. lead frames with or without insulating supports
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/568 Temporary substrate used as encapsulation process aid H01L21/4832 and H01L21/566 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/32245 the item being metallic
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/45015 being circular
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/45144 Gold (Au) as principal constituent
• 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 2224/48465 the other connecting portion not on the bonding area being a wedge bond, i.e. ball-to-wedge, regular stitch
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48624 Aluminium (Al) as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/49175 Parallel arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/73265 Layer and wire connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/85001 involving a temporary auxiliary member not forming part of the bonding apparatus, e.g. removable or sacrificial coating, film or substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/85424 Aluminium (Al) as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/3107 the device being completely enclosed
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/49548 Cross section geometry H01L23/49562 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/49562 for devices being provided for in H01L29/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/49575 Assemblies of semiconductor devices on lead frames
• 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 24/49 of a plurality of wire connectors
• 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 2924/01004 : Beryllium [Be]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01013 : Aluminum [Al]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01019 : Potassium [K]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01028 : Nickel [Ni]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01029 : Copper [Cu]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0105 : Tin [Sn]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01068 : Erbium [Er]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01079 : Gold [Au]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/12044 : OLED
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/181 : Encapsulation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/19041 : being a capacitor
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/19105 : in a side-by-side arrangement on a common die mounting substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/20751 : larger or equal to 10 microns less than 20 microns
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/20752 : larger or equal to 20 microns less than 30 microns
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/20753 : larger or equal to 30 microns less than 40 microns
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49121 : Beam lead frame or beam lead device
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49146 : with encapsulating, e.g., potting, etc.
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49156 : with selective destruction of conductive paths
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49169 : Assembling electrical component directly to terminal or elongated conductor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49171 : with encapsulating
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49172 : by molding of insulating material

Abstract

An electronic device has a plastic housing. The plastic housing has components of a height-structured metallic leadframe. The components are in a matrix form and contain contact islands and chip islands on the underside of the plastic housing. Furthermore, the electronic device has a first line structure containing height-structured interconnects on the underside of the plastic housing and a second line structure containing bonding connections which are disposed within the plastic housing.

Claims

1. An electronic device, comprising:

a plastic housing having an underside;

components derived from a height-structured metallic leadframe, said components including contact islands and chip islands disposed in a matrix form on said underside of said plastic housing; and

two line structures having a first line structure with height-structured interconnects disposed on said underside of said plastic housing, said height-structured interconnects being further components of said height-structured metallic leadframe, said height-structured interconnects forming an interconnect network between said chip islands and said contact islands, said two line structures containing a second line structure having bonding connections disposed within said plastic housing.

2. The electronic device according to claim 1, further comprising a structured insulation layer disposed at said underside of said plastic housing on exterior areas of said height-structured interconnects and partly on exterior areas of said contact islands and of said chip islands.

3. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein at least some of said bonding connections form line bridges disposed above said height-structured interconnects in said plastic housing.

4. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein said height-structured interconnects have a line network between said chip islands and said contact islands.

5. The electronic device according to claim 3, further comprising passive and active electronic radiofrequency circuit elements disposed on said chip islands, and said height-structured interconnects electrically connect said radiofrequency circuit elements to one another via said contact islands on said underside of said plastic housing.

6. The electronic device according to claim 5, wherein said radiofrequency circuit elements are selected from the group consisting of a PIN diode, a radiofrequency resistor, a radiofrequency transistor, a radiofrequency capacitor and a radiofrequency coil.

7. The electronic device according to claim 6, wherein said PIN diode has a cathode electrically conductively connected to one of said chip islands and further connected through said height-structured line to an adjacent one of said contact islands and an anode connected through one of said bonding connections to a further adjacent one of said contact islands.

8. The radiofrequency device according to claim 6, further comprising bonding wires, and said radiofreguency transistor has a collector electrically conductively connected to one of said chip islands, an emitter and a base, said emitter and said base connected through said bonding wires to adjacent one of said contact islands, and said one of said chip islands and said adjacent ones of said contact islands being connected via said height-structured interconnects to at least one of further ones of said contact islands and said chip islands containing other ones of said radiofrequency circuit elements.

9. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein said chip islands, said contact islands and said height-structured interconnects have an identical material thickness.

10. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein said chip islands, said contact islands and said height-structured interconnects are formed of a material selected from the group consisting of copper and a copper alloy.

11. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein each of said chip islands has a top side and a solderable coating disposed at said top side.

12. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein said chip islands each have a top side and a silver solder coating disposed at said top side.

13. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein said contact islands each have a top side and a bondable coating disposed at said top side.

14. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein said contact islands each have a top side and a bondable coating disposed at said top side, said bondable coating formed of a material selected from the group consisting of gold, silver, aluminum and alloys of thereof.

15. A leadframe for constructing an electronic device, the leadframe comprising:

height-structured components including contact islands and chip islands disposed in a matrix form and a first line structure with height-structured interconnects;

a metallic carrier material; and

an etching stop layer disposed between said height-structured components and said metallic carrier material.

16. The leadframe according to claim 15, wherein said etching stop layer contains nickel or a nickel alloy.

17. The leadframe according to claim 15, wherein said height-structured components are disposed in a matrix format and define a plurality of device positions.

18. The leadframe according to claim 15, wherein said height-structured components include chip islands, contact islands and height-structured interconnects, said height-structured interconnects having a line network disposed between said chip islands and said contact islands.

19. A panel, comprising:

a common plastic molding compound having an underside; and

a plurality of electronic devices disposed in said common plastic molding compound, each of said electronic devices including;

electronic circuit elements;

bonding connections; and

components derived from a height-structured metallic leadframe, said components including contact islands and chip islands disposed in a matrix form and height-structured interconnects, said chip islands carrying said electronic circuit elements and each of said contact islands connected to at least one of said chip islands and to one another partly through said height-structured interconnects on said underside of said plastic molding compound and partly through said bonding connections disposed within said plastic molding compound, said plastic molding compound and said components of said height-structured leadframe forming a compact composite board with said electronic devices disposed therein.

20. A method for producing a leadframe, which comprises the steeps of:

providing a metallic carrier material selected from the group consisting of a metal plate and a metal strip;

applying a mask on a top side of the metallic carrier material, the mask containing a matrix of uncovered areas exposing the metallic carrier material for forming contact islands, chip islands and interconnects in a plurality of device positions;

applying an etching stop layer to the uncovered areas of the metallic carrier material;

applying a height-structured layer to the etching stop layer in the uncovered areas of the metallic carrier material, the height-structured layer having a formation of height-structured components forming the contact islands, the chip islands and the interconnects; and

removing the mask.

21. The method according to claim 20, which comprises using a photolithographic process for applying the mask.

22. The method according to claim 20, which comprises using a printing process for applying the mask.

23. The method according to claim 20, which comprises applying the etching stop layer by one of a sputtering process and a vapor deposition process.

24. The method according to claim 20, which comprises using a chemical vapor deposition process for applying the etching stop layer.

25. The method according to claim 20, which comprises using an electrodeposition process for applying the etching stop layer.

26. The method according to claim 20, which comprises using an electrodeposition process for applying the height-structured layer to the etching stop layer in the uncovered areas of the carrier material.

27. The method according to claim 20, which comprises using chemical solvents for removing the mask.

28. The method according to claim 20, which comprises using a plasma incineration process for removing the mask.

29. The method according to claim 20, which comprises using a sputtering process for applying a bondable coating to the contact islands.

30. The method according to claim 20, which comprises applying a conductive adhesive by use of adhesive films.

31. The method according to claim 22, which comprises selecting the printing process from the group consisting of a screen printing process and a stencil printing process.

32. The method according to claim 20, which comprises using an injection-molding process for encapsulating the etching stop layer and the height-structured layer in a plastic molding compound.

33. The method according to claim 20, which comprises forming a structured insulating layer covering an underside of at least the interconnects by applying a soldering resist using a printing process.

34. The method according to claim 20, which comprises forming a structured insulating layer covering an underside of at least the interconnects by applying a photoresist using photolithographic process.

35. A method for producing a panel, which comprises the steps of:

providing a metallic carrier material for forming a height-structured leadframe, the metallic carrier material selected from the group consisting of a metal plate and a metal strip;

applying a mask on a top side of the metallic carrier material, the mask having a matrix of uncovered areas exposing the metallic carrier material for forming contact islands, chip islands and height-structured interconnects in a plurality of device positions, each of the contact islands being connected to at least one of the chip islands and to one another partly through the height-structured interconnects;

applying an etching stop layer to the uncovered areas of the metallic carrier material;

applying a height-structured layer to the etching stop layer in the uncovered areas of the metallic carrier material resulting in a formation of height-structured components on the leadframe, the height-structured components including the contact islands, the chip islands and the interconnects;

removing the mask;

applying a bondable coating to the contact islands;

applying one of a solderable coating and a conductive adhesive to the chip islands;

applying circuit elements to the chip islands;

producing bonding connections and line bridges one of between electrodes of the circuit elements and one of the contact islands and between the contact islands; and

embedding the height-structured components, the circuit elements and the bonding connections in a plastic molding compound for forming a one-sided packaging.

36. The method according to claim 35, which comprises using a photolithographic process for applying the mask.

37. The method according to claim 35, which comprises using a printing process selected from the group consisting of a screen printing process and a stencil printing, process for applying the mask.

38. The method according to claim 35, which comprises applying the etching stop layer by one of a sputtering process and a vapor deposition process.

39. The method according to claim 35, which comprises applying the etching stop layer by a chemical vapor deposition process.

40. The method according to claim 35, which comprises applying the etching stop layer by an electrodeposition process.

41. The method according to claim 35, which comprises applying the height-structured layer to the etching stop layer in the uncovered areas of the carrier material by an electrodeposition process.

42. The method according to claim 35, which comprises using chemical solvents for removing the mask.

43. The method according to claim 35, which comprises using a plasma incineration process for removing the mask.

44. The method according to claim 35, which comprises using a sputtering process for applying the bondable coating to the contact islands.

45. The method according to claim 35, which comprises using adhesive films for applying the conductive adhesive.

46. The method according to claim 35, which comprises producing the bonding connections by a process selected from the group consisting of a thermocompression process, a thermosonic process and an ultrasonic bonding process.

47. The method according to claim 35, which, comprises using an injection-molding process for producing the plastic molding compound.

48. The method according to claim 35, which comprises forming a structured insulating layer covering an underside of at least the interconnects by applying a soldering resist using a printing process.

49. The method according to claim 35, which comprises forming a structured insulating layer covering an underside of at least the interconnects by applying a photoresist using photolithographic process.

50. A method for producing an electronic device, which comprises the steps of:

providing a metallic carrier material for forming a height-structured leadframe, the metallic carrier material selected from the group consisting of a metal plate and a metal strip;

applying a mask on a top side of the metallic carrier material, the mask containing a matrix of uncovered areas exposing the metallic carrier material for forming contact islands, chip islands and height-structured interconnects in a plurality of device positions, the height-structured interconnects forming an interconnect network between the chip islands and the contact islands;

applying an etching stop layer to the uncovered areas of the metallic carrier material;

applying a height-structured layer to the etching stop layer in the uncovered areas of the metallic carrier material resulting in a formation of height-structured components of the height-structured leadframe, the height-structured components including the contact islands, the chip islands and the interconnects;

removing the mask;

applying a bondable coating to the contact islands;

applying one of a solderable coating and a conductive adhesive to the chip islands;

applying circuit elements to the chip islands;

producing bonding connections and line bridges between one of electrodes of the circuit elements and the contact islands and between the contact islands;

embedding the height-structured components, the circuit elements and the bonding connections in a plastic molding compound resulting in a one-sided packaging;

removing part of the height-structured leadframe at least as far as the etching stop layer;

applying a structured insulating layer on an underside of the height-structured leadframe for covering undersides at least of the interconnects; and

separating the height-structured leadframe with the plastic molding compound into individual electronic devices.

51. The method according to claim 50, which comprises using a photolithographic process for applying the mask.

52. The method according to claim 50, which comprises using a printing process selected from the group consisting of a screen printing process and a stencil printing process for applying the mask.

53. The method according to claim 50, which comprises applying the etching stop layer by one of a sputtering process and a vapor deposition process.

54. The method according to claim 50, which comprises applying the etching stop layer by a chemical vapor deposition process.

55. The method according to claim 50, which comprises applying the etching stop layer by an electrodeposition process.

56. The method according to claim 50, which comprises applying the height-structured layer to the etching stop layer in the uncovered areas of the carrier material using an electrodeposition process.

57. The method according to claim 50, which comprises using chemical solvents for removing the mask.

58. The method according to claim 50, which comprises using a plasma incineration process for removing the mask.

59. The method according to claim 50, which comprises using a sputtering process for applying the bondable coating to the contact islands.

60. The method according to claim 50, which comprises using adhesive films for applying the conductive adhesive.

61. The method according to claim 50, which comprises producing the bonding connections by a process selected from the group consisting of a thermocompression process, a thermosonic process and an ultrasonic bonding process.

62. The method according to claim 50, which comprises using an injection-molding process for encapsulating the metallic carrier material, the etching stop layer, and the height-structured layer in the plastic molding compound.

63. The method according to claim 50, which comprises forming the structured insulating layer covering the underside of at least the interconnects by applying a soldering resist using a printing process.

64. The method according to claim 50, which comprises forming the structured insulating layer covering the underside of at least the interconnects by applying a photoresist using photolithographic process.