Semiconductor chip assembly with ceramic/metal substrate

• US 8,324,653 B1
• Filed: 08/01/2010
• Issued: 12/04/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bridge Semiconductor Corporation
• Original Assignee: Bridge Semiconductor Corporation
• Inventors: Lin, Charles W. C., Wang, Chia-Chung
• Primary Examiner(s): Rodela, Eduardo A
• Application Number:
  US12/848,176
• Time in Patent Office: 856 Days
• Field of Search: 257/79, 257/81, 257/99, 257/100, 257/706, 257/712, 257/717, 257/720, 257/796, 257/E33.075
• US Class Current: 257/99
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/05599 Material
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/29144 Gold [Au] as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/32225 the item being non-metallic, e.g. insulating substrate with or without metallisation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/32245 the item being metallic
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/45144 Gold (Au) as principal constituent
• 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 2224/83 using a layer connector
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/85 using a wire connector
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/142 Metallic substrates having insulating layers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/3121 a substrate forming part of the encapsulation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/36 Selection of materials, or shaping, to facilitate cooling or heating, e.g. heatsinks H01L23/28, H01L23/40, H01L23/42, H01L23/44, H01L23/46 take precedence; heating H01L23/345
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/498 Leads, i.e. metallisations or lead-frames on insulating substrates, e.g. chip carriers shape of the substrate H01L23/13
• 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 24/83 using a layer connector
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/85 using a wire connector wire bonding in general B23K20/004
• 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 2924/01013 : Aluminum [Al]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01014 : Silicon [Si]
• 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 2924/01322 : Eutectic Alloys, i.e. obtained by a liquid transforming into two solid phases
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/09701 : Low temperature co-fired ceramic [LTCC]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/12041 : LED
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/181 : Encapsulation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/3025 : Electromagnetic shielding
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/351 : Thermal stress

Abstract

A semiconductor chip assembly includes a semiconductor device, a heat spreader, a conductive trace and an insulative material. The heat spreader includes a base and a ceramic block. The conductive trace provides signal routing between a pad and a terminal. The insulative material extends between the base and the terminal. The ceramic block is embedded in the base. The semiconductor device overlaps the ceramic block, is electrically connected to the conductive trace and is thermally connected to the heat spreader.

Claims

1. A semiconductor chip assembly, comprising:

a semiconductor device;

an insulative material;

a heat spreader that includes a base and a ceramic block, wherein the base is metal and the ceramic block contacts and is embedded in the base in a cavity that extends into the base and faces in an upward direction; and

a conductive trace that includes a pad and a terminal;

wherein the semiconductor device overlaps the ceramic block, is electrically connected to the pad and thereby electrically connected to the terminal, and is thermally connected to the ceramic block and thereby thermally connected to the base;

wherein the insulative material is sandwiched between the base and the terminal;

wherein the conductive trace is located outside the cavity; and

wherein base and the terminal have the same thickness and are coplanar with one another.

2. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the semiconductor device is an LED chip.

3. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the semiconductor device is a semiconductor chip, is electrically connected to the pad using a wire bond and is thermally connected to the ceramic block using a die attach.

4. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the semiconductor device is electrically isolated from the base by the ceramic block.

5. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the ceramic block is located within and fills the cavity.

6. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the ceramic block is coplanar with the base and the terminal at a lateral surface that faces in the upward direction.

7. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the ceramic block is embedded in the base alone and is spaced from the conductive trace and the insulative material.

8. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the ceramic block is embedded in the base and the terminal and contacts the base, the terminal and the insulative material.

9. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the base, the terminal and the insulative material extend to peripheral edges of the assembly.

10. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the base is copper or aluminum and the ceramic block is alumina, silicon carbide or aluminum nitride.

11. A semiconductor chip assembly, comprising:

a semiconductor device;

an insulative material;

a heat spreader that includes a base, a cap and a ceramic block, wherein the base and the cap are metal, the ceramic block contacts and is embedded in the base in a cavity that extends into the base and faces in an upward direction, the ceramic block is located within and fills the cavity and is coplanar with the base at a lateral surface that faces in the upward direction and the cap contacts and overlaps the ceramic block; and

a conductive trace that includes a pad and a terminal;

wherein the semiconductor device overlaps the cap and the ceramic block, is electrically connected to the pad and thereby electrically connected to the terminal, is electrically isolated from the base by the ceramic block, and is thermally connected to the cap and thereby thermally connected to the ceramic block and thereby thermally connected to the base;

wherein the insulative material contacts and is sandwiched between the base and the terminal;

wherein the conductive trace is located outside the cavity; and

wherein base and the terminal have the same thickness and are coplanar with one another.

12. The assembly of claim 11, wherein the semiconductor device is a semiconductor chip, is electrically connected to the pad using a wire bond and is thermally connected to the cap block using a die attach.

13. The assembly of claim 11, wherein the ceramic block is embedded in the base alone and is spaced from the conductive trace and the insulative material.

14. The assembly of claim 11, wherein the base, the terminal and the insulative material extend to peripheral edges of the assembly.

15. The assembly of claim 11, wherein the base is copper or aluminum and the ceramic block is alumina, silicon carbide or aluminum nitride.

16. A semiconductor chip assembly, comprising:

a semiconductor device;

an insulative material;

a heat spreader that includes a base and a first ceramic block, wherein the base is metal and the first ceramic block contacts and is embedded in the base in a first cavity that extends into the base alone and faces in an upward direction;

a second ceramic block; and

a conductive trace that includes a pad and a terminal;

wherein the semiconductor device overlaps the first ceramic block, is electrically connected to the pad and thereby electrically connected to the terminal, and is thermally connected to the first ceramic block and thereby thermally connected to the base;

wherein the insulative material contacts and is sandwiched between the base and the terminal;

wherein the first ceramic block is spaced from the insulative material;

wherein the second ceramic block contacts and is embedded in the base and the terminal in a second cavity that extends into the base and the terminal and faces in the upward direction and contacts the insulative material;

wherein the conductive trace is located outside the first cavity and contacts and overlaps the second ceramic block over the base, the terminal and the insulative material; and

wherein base and the terminal have the same thickness and are coplanar with one another and the ceramic blocks have the same thickness and are coplanar with one another.

17. The assembly of claim 16, wherein the semiconductor device is a semiconductor chip, is electrically connected to the pad using a wire bond and is thermally connected to the first ceramic block using a die attach.

18. The assembly of claim 16, wherein the semiconductor device is electrically isolated from the base by the first ceramic block and the conductive trace is electrically isolated from the base by the insulative material and the second ceramic block.

19. The assembly of claim 16, wherein the base, the terminal and the ceramic blocks are coplanar with one another at a lateral surface that faces in the upward direction.

20. The assembly of claim 16, wherein the base is copper and the ceramic blocks are alumina.