Semiconductor module having an integrated waveguide for radar signals

• US 9,318,449 B2
• Filed: 01/18/2013
• Issued: 04/19/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Hasch, Juergen, Wostradowski, Uwe, Gaier, Stefan, Pancera, Elena, Potratz, Carsten
• Primary Examiner(s): YUSHIN, NIKOLAY K
• Application Number:
  US14/382,211
• Publication Number:
  US 20150048471A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,187 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/4803 Insulating or insulated parts, e.g. mountings, containers, diamond heatsinks H01L21/4846 takes precedence; printed circuit boards H05K1/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/4846 Leads on or in insulating or insulated substrates, e.g. metallisation H01L21/4821 takes precedence; metallisation of ceramics in general C04B41/51; printed circuits H05K3/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/565 Moulds
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2223/6627 Waveguides, e.g. microstrip line, strip line, coplanar line
• 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 2223/6683 for monolithic microwave integrated circuit [MMIC]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/293 Organic, e.g. plastic
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/528 Geometry or layout of the interconnection structure H01L27/0207 takes precedence; algorithms G06F30/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/66 High-frequency adaptations
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 25/16 the devices being of types provided for in two or more different main groups of groups H01L27/00 - H01L33/00, or in a single subclass of H10K, H10N, e.g. forming hybrid circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/144 Devices controlled by radiation
• 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 2924/0002 Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01P 3/121 integrated in a substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01P 5/107 Hollow-waveguide/strip-line transitions

Abstract

A semiconductor module, having an integrated circuit, a rewiring layer for externally connecting the integrated circuit, and at least one waveguide integrated into the semiconductor module for radar signals having a conductive pattern, which laterally surrounds the interior of the waveguides, the integrated circuit and the at least one waveguide being embedded, at least in regions, in a housing material of the semiconductor module; as well as a radar sensor, a motor vehicle radar system having such a semiconductor module, and a method for producing a semiconductor module.

Claims

1. A semiconductor module, comprising:

a housing layer;

an integrated circuit;

a rewiring layer for the external connection of the integrated circuit; and

at least one waveguide for radar signals and having a conductive pattern which laterally surrounds an interior of the waveguide;

wherein the integrated circuit and the at least one waveguide are embedded, at least in regions, in a housing material of the housing layer, wherein an open end of the conductive pattern of the at least one waveguide is situated on a surface of the semiconductor module, and wherein the open end is hollow and sized to accommodate an external waveguide.

2. The semiconductor module of claim 1, wherein the integrated circuit includes a monolithic integrated microwave circuit.

3. The semiconductor module of claim 1, further comprising:

a wafer unit; and

an interface layer;

wherein the wafer unit includes a semiconductor chip which forms the integrated circuit, and wherein the interface layer includes the rewiring layer, which connects the integrated circuit to external terminals of the interface layer.

4. The semiconductor module of claim 1, wherein an interior of the at least one waveguide is filled with the housing material of the semiconductor module.

5. The semiconductor module of claim 1, wherein the conductive pattern of the at least one waveguide has one or more electrically conductive walls, the one or more walls circumferentially surrounding the interior of the waveguide.

6. The semiconductor module of claim 1, wherein the conductive pattern of the at least one waveguide includes at least one planar, closed wall section.

7. The semiconductor module of claim 1, wherein the conductive pattern of the at least one waveguide includes at least one vertical wall section which is formed by a row of vertical conductor elements running in parallel to one another.

8. The semiconductor module of claim 1, wherein the semiconductor module has at least one coupling element, which couples a waveguide to the integrated circuit for transmitting radar signals.

9. The semiconductor module of claim 1, wherein the conductive pattern of the at least one waveguide is a conductor housing or a conductor cage.

10. A radar sensor, comprising:

a semiconductor module including a wafer unit and an interface layer;

wherein the wafer unit includes a semiconductor chip which forms the integrated circuit, and a housing layer, which is formed by a housing material of the semiconductor module and in which the semiconductor chip and the at least one waveguide are embedded, and wherein the interface layer includes a rewiring layer, which connects the integrated circuit to external terminals of the interface layer, wherein an open end of the conductive pattern of the at least one waveguide is situated on a surface of the semiconductor module, and wherein the open end is hollow and sized to accommodate an external waveguide.

11. A motor vehicle radar system, comprising:

a semiconductor module including a wafer unit and an interface layer;

wherein the wafer unit includes a semiconductor chip which forms the integrated circuit, and a housing layer, which is formed by a housing material of the semiconductor module and in which the semiconductor chip and at least one waveguide are embedded, and wherein the interface layer includes a rewiring layer, which connects the integrated circuit to external terminals of the interface layer, wherein an open end of the at least one waveguide is situated on a surface of the semiconductor module, and wherein the open end is hollow and sized to accommodate an external waveguide.

12. A method for producing a semiconductor module having at least one integrated waveguide for radar signals, the method comprising:

providing a semiconductor chip in the form of an integrated circuit; and

producing a housing layer of a housing of the semiconductor module that borders at least laterally on the semiconductor chip, at least one waveguide and the integrated circuit being embedded in a housing material of the housing layer which has a conductive pattern which laterally surrounds an interior of the waveguide, wherein an open end of the conductive pattern of the at least one waveguide is situated on a surface of the semiconductor module, and wherein the open end is hollow and sized to accommodate an external waveguide; and

producing a rewiring layer on at least one side of the housing layer.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the integrated circuit includes a monolithic integrated microwave circuit.