Method and system for co-packaging gallium nitride electronics

• US 8,937,317 B2
• Filed: 12/28/2012
• Issued: 01/20/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Semiconductor Components Industries LLC (ON Semiconductor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Avogy Inc.
• Inventors: Disney, Donald R., Shah, Hemal N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Maldonado, Julio J
• Assistant Examiner(s): BACHNER, ROBERT G
• Application Number:
  US13/730,619
• Publication Number:
  US 20140183543A1
• Time in Patent Office: 753 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 257/76
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2021/6027 Mounting on semiconductor conductive members
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/50 Assembly of semiconductor devices using processes or apparatus not provided for in a single one of the subgroups H01L21/06 - H01L21/326, e.g. sealing of a cap to a base of a container
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/8252 the substrate being a semiconductor, using III-V technology H01L21/8258 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/04034 Bonding areas specifically adapted for strap connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/04042 Bonding areas specifically adapted for wire connectors, e.g. wirebond pads
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/05552 in top view
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/05556 in side view
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/0603 Bonding areas having different sizes, e.g. different heights or widths
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/2919 with a principal constituent of the material being a polymer, e.g. polyester, phenolic based polymer, epoxy
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/32245 the item being metallic
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/37147 Copper [Cu] as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/40247 Connecting the strap to a bond pad of the item
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/45014 Ribbon connectors, e.g. rectangular cross-section
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/45099 Material
• 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 2224/73221 Strap and wire connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/73263 Layer and strap connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/73265 Layer and wire connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/83801 Soldering or alloying
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/83805 : involving forming a eutectic alloy at the bonding interface
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/8384 : Sintering
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/83855 : Hardening the adhesive by curing, i.e. thermosetting
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/92246 : the second connecting process involving a strap connector
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/92247 : the second connecting process involving a wire connector
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/49513 : having bonding material between chip and die pad
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/49517 : Additional leads
• 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 24/05 : of an individual bonding area
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/37 : of an individual strap connector
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/40 : of an individual strap 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 24/84 : using a strap connector
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/85 : using a wire connector wire bonding in general B23K20/004
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/0605 : integrated circuits made of compound material, e.g. AIIIBV
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/0629 : in combination with diodes, or resistors, or capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/2003 : Nitride compounds
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/872 : Schottky diodes
• 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 2924/01322 : Eutectic Alloys, i.e. obtained by a liquid transforming into two solid phases
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0665 : Epoxy resin
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/1033 : Gallium nitride [GaN]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/12032 : Schottky diode
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/1305 : Bipolar Junction Transistor [BJT]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/13062 : Junction field-effect transistor [JFET]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/13091 : Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistor [MOSFET]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/206 : Length ranges

Abstract

An electronic package includes a leadframe, a plurality of pins, a gallium-nitride (GaN) transistor, and a GaN diode. The GaN transistor includes a drain region, a drift region, a source region, and a gate region; the drain region includes a GaN substrate and a drain contact, the drift region includes a first GaN epitaxial layer coupled to the GaN substrate, the source region includes a source contact and is separated from the GaN substrate by the drift region, and the gate region includes a second GaN epitaxial layer and a gate contact. The GaN diode includes an anode region and a cathode region, the cathode region including the GaN substrate and a cathode contact, and the anode region including a third GaN epitaxial layer coupled to the GaN substrate and an anode contact. The drain contact and the anode contact are electrically connected to the leadframe.

Claims

1. An electronic package comprising:

a leadframe;

a plurality of pins;

a gallium nitride (GaN) transistor comprising a drain region, a drift region, a source region, and a gate region, wherein;

the drain region comprises a GaN substrate and a drain contact;

the drift region comprises a first GaN epitaxial layer coupled to the GaN substrate;

the source region is separated from the GaN substrate by the drift region and comprises a source contact;

the gate region comprises a second GaN epitaxial layer coupled to the first GaN epitaxial layer and a gate contact;

a GaN diode comprising an anode region and a cathode region, wherein;

the cathode region comprises the GaN substrate and a cathode contact; and

the anode region comprises a third GaN epitaxial layer coupled to the GaN substrate and an anode contact;

wherein the drain contact and the anode contact are electrically connected to the leadframe.

2. The electronic package of claim 1 wherein:

the cathode contact is electrically connected to a first pin of the plurality of pins;

the source contact is electrically connected to a second pin in the plurality of pins; and

the gate contact is electrically connected to a third pin in the plurality of pins.

3. The electronic package of claim 2 wherein:

the electrical connections of the cathode contact, the source contact, and the gate contact comprises at least one of wire bonds, ribbon bonds, or copper clips.

4. The electronic package of claim 3 wherein the electrical connection of the cathode contact is connected to the first pin and an additional one or more pins of the plurality of pins.

5. The electronic package of claim 1 wherein the electrical connection between the drain contact and the leadframe comprises at least one of epoxy, eutectic, sintering, or solder.

6. The electronic package of claim 2 wherein the electrical connection between the anode contact and the leadframe comprises at least one of epoxy, eutectic, sintering, or solder.

7. The electronic package of claim 1 wherein the gallium nitride-based electronics package is electrically coupled and attached to a circuit board, wherein the leadframe is configured to conduct current from the drain region of the GaN transistor and the anode region of the GaN diode directly to the circuit board.

8. The electronic package of claim 1 further comprising one or more heat sinks attached to the leadframe.

9. The electronic package of claim 1 further comprising a solderable metal stack on the drain contact and a bondable metal stack on each of the source contact and gate contact.

10. The electronic package of claim 9 further comprising a second solderable metal stack on the anode contact and a second bondable metal stack on the cathode contact.

11. The electronic package of claim 1 wherein the leadframe comprises a bond pad, and further wherein the drain contact and the anode contact are electrically connected to the leadframe via the bond pad.