High voltage photo-switch package module having encapsulation with profiled metallized concavities

• US 9,025,919 B2
• Filed: 10/22/2012
• Issued: 05/05/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lawrence Livermore National Security LLC (Government of the United States of America)
• Original Assignee: Lawrence Livermore National Security LLC (Government of the United States of America)
• Inventors: Sullivan, James S., Sanders, David M., Hawkins, Steven A., Sampayan, Stephen A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Uyen Chau N
• Assistant Examiner(s): Smith, Chad
• Application Number:
  US13/657,746
• Publication Number:
  US 20130056842A1
• Time in Patent Office: 925 Days
• Field of Search: 250/208.4, 250/214.SW, 385/40
• US Class Current: 385/40
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/0102 Constructional details, not otherwise provided for in this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/015 based on semiconductor elements having potential barriers, e.g. having a PN or PIN junction G02F1/03 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2201/02 fibre
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2201/50 Protective arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2202/10 semiconductor
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/0203 Containers; Encapsulations , e.g. encapsulation of photodiodesfor photovoltaic devices H01L31/048; for organic photosensitive devices H10K30/80
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/78 using opto-electronic devices, i.e. light-emitting and photoelectric devices electrically- or optically-coupled

Abstract

A photo-conductive switch package module having a photo-conductive substrate or wafer with opposing electrode-interface surfaces metalized with first metallic layers formed thereon, and encapsulated with a dielectric encapsulation material such as for example epoxy. The first metallic layers are exposed through the encapsulation via encapsulation concavities which have a known contour profile, such as a Rogowski edge profile. Second metallic layers are then formed to line the concavities and come in contact with the first metal layer, to form profiled and metalized encapsulation concavities which mitigate enhancement points at the edges of electrodes matingly seated in the concavities. One or more optical waveguides may also be bonded to the substrate for coupling light into the photo-conductive wafer, with the encapsulation also encapsulating the waveguides.

Claims

1. A photo-conductive switch package module comprising:

a photo-conductive substrate having opposing electrode-interface surfaces;

first metal layers formed on said electrode-interface surfaces;

a dielectric encapsulation surrounding the photo-conductive substrate and having concavities on opposite sides of the encapsulation, wherein the concavities are bounded in part by the first metal layers; and

second metal layers lining the concavities and in contact with the first metal layers.

2. The photo-conductive switch package module of claim 1,

wherein the concavities have a substantially curvilinear profile.

3. The photo-conductive switch package module of claim 1,

wherein the concavities have a profile selected from the group consisting of Rogowski, Bruce, Harrison, Chang, and Ernst profiles.

4. A method of fabricating a photo-conductive switch package module comprising:

providing a photo-conductive substrate having opposing electrode-interface surfaces;

forming first metal layers on said electrode-interface surfaces;

encapsulating the photo-conductive substrate with a dielectric encapsulation having concavities on opposite sides thereof which expose the first metal layers from within the concavities; and

forming second metal layers to line the concavities and come in contact with the first metal layers.

5. The method of claim 4,

further comprising annealing the first metal layers formed on the said electrode-interface surfaces.

6. The method of claim 4,

wherein the step of encapsulating includes mold-forming the dielectric encapsulation and the concavities.