Interposers with circuit modules encapsulated by moldable material in a cavity, and methods of fabrication
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A circuit assembly comprising a plurality of levels “
- Li”
where Li varies from L0 through Ln, i being an integer varying from 0 to n, wherein n is an integer greater than one, the circuit assembly comprising a substrate whose top side comprises a cavity comprising a bottom wall;
wherein the level L0 comprises;
the bottom wall;
a plurality of through-holes each of which passes through the bottom wall;
a plurality of conductors (“
L0 conductors”
) in respective through-holes;
wherein at least part of level L1 overlies at least part of level L0, and wherein level L1 comprises one or more circuit modules each of which has one or more contact pads each of which is electrically connected to one or more L0 conductors;
wherein for each level Li other than L0 and L1;
at least part of level Li overlies at least part of level Li-1;
each level Li comprises one or more circuit modules each of which has one or more contact pads each of which is electrically connected to one or more L0 conductors by one or more first electrically conductive paths lying in the cavity, each first electrically conductive path passing through each level L1 through Li-1;
wherein at least one first electrically conductive path passes through more than one of the levels L1 through Ln-1.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Stacked dies (110) are encapsulated in an interposer'"'"'s cavity (304) by multiple encapsulant layers (524) formed of moldable material. Conductive paths (520, 623) connect the dies to the cavity'"'"'s bottom all (304B) and, through TSVs passing through the bottom wall, to a conductor below the interposer. The conductive paths can be formed in segments each of which is formed in a through-hole (514) in a respective encapsulant layer. Each segment can be formed by electroplating onto a lower segment; the electroplating current can be provided from below the interposer through the TSVs and earlier formed segments. Other features are also provided.
137 Citations
30 Claims
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1. A circuit assembly comprising a plurality of levels “
- Li”
where Li varies from L0 through Ln, i being an integer varying from 0 to n, wherein n is an integer greater than one, the circuit assembly comprising a substrate whose top side comprises a cavity comprising a bottom wall;wherein the level L0 comprises; the bottom wall; a plurality of through-holes each of which passes through the bottom wall; a plurality of conductors (“
L0 conductors”
) in respective through-holes;wherein at least part of level L1 overlies at least part of level L0, and wherein level L1 comprises one or more circuit modules each of which has one or more contact pads each of which is electrically connected to one or more L0 conductors; wherein for each level Li other than L0 and L1; at least part of level Li overlies at least part of level Li-1; each level Li comprises one or more circuit modules each of which has one or more contact pads each of which is electrically connected to one or more L0 conductors by one or more first electrically conductive paths lying in the cavity, each first electrically conductive path passing through each level L1 through Li-1; wherein at least one first electrically conductive path passes through more than one of the levels L1 through Ln-1. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 22, 23, 24, 25)
- Li”
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2. A circuit assembly comprising a plurality of levels “
- Li”
where Li varies from L0 through Ln, i being an integer varying from 0 to n, wherein n is an integer greater than one, the circuit assembly comprising a substrate whose top side comprises a cavity comprising a bottom wall;wherein the level L0 comprises; the bottom wall; a plurality of through-holes each of which passes through the bottom wall; a plurality of conductors (“
L0 conductors”
) in respective through-holes;wherein for each level Li other than L0 and L1; at least part of level Li overlies at least part of level Li-1; each level Li comprises one or more circuit modules each of which has one or more contact pads each of which is electrically connected to one or more L0 conductors by one or more first electrically conductive paths lying in the cavity; wherein the substrate comprises; a first substrate comprising the bottom wall; and a second substrate comprising sidewalls of the cavity, the second substrate being attached to the first substrate; wherein an interface region of the first and second substrates is not uniform with respect to at least one of;
chemical composition, density, elasticity modulus, conductivity, dielectric constant, ultrasound propagation speed for one or more wavelengths, light propagation speed for one or more wavelengths not exceeding an infrared wavelength.
- Li”
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8. A circuit assembly comprising a plurality of levels “
- Li”
where Li varies from L0 through Ln, i being an integer varying from 0 to n, wherein n is an integer greater than one, the circuit assembly comprising a substrate whose top side comprises a cavity comprising a bottom wall;wherein the level L0 comprises; the bottom wall; a plurality of through-holes each of which passes through the bottom wall; a plurality of conductors (“
L0 conductors”
) in respective through-holes;wherein for each level Li other than L0 and L1; at least part of level Li overlies at least part of level Li-1; each level Li comprises one or more circuit modules each of which has one or more contact pads each of which is electrically connected to one or more L0 conductors by one or more first electrically conductive paths lying in the cavity; wherein the assembly further comprises; a plurality of first encapsulant layers made of a moldable material, wherein each level L1 through Ln-1 comprises at least one first encapsulant layer laterally encapsulating the one or more circuit modules at that level; and one or more second electrically conductive paths in the cavity, wherein each second electrically conductive path does not have electrical functionality but is for enhancing heat removal from the circuit assembly to the ambient, wherein each second electrically conductive path extends from an L0 conductor through one or more levels other than L0.
- Li”
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11. A manufacturing method comprising:
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obtaining a structure comprising; a substrate whose top side comprises a cavity comprising a bottom wall, the substrate comprising a plurality of through-holes (“
L0 through-holes”
) each of which passes through the bottom wall;a plurality of conductors (“
L0 conductors”
) each of which passes through a respective L0 through-hole;a conductive layer underlying the bottom wall and electrically connected to each L0 conductor; attaching one or more circuit modules (“
L1 circuit modules”
) to a bottom of the cavity to electrically connect one or more contact pads of each L1 circuit module to one or more L0 conductors;forming an encapsulant layer (“
L1 encapsulant layer”
) of a moldable material to laterally encapsulate the one or more L1 circuit modules;forming one or more through-holes (“
L1 through-holes”
) in the L1 encapsulant layer, each L1 through-hole exposing a feature provided by, or electrically connected to, at least one L0 conductor; andelectroplating conductive material into the L1 through-holes onto the features exposed by the L1 through-holes, to form one or more L1 conductors, each L1 conductor passing through a respective L1 through-hole, wherein the electroplating comprises providing an electroplating current flowing through the features, the L0 conductors, the conductive layer, and a terminal of an electric power source coupled to the conductive layer. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 26)
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15. A circuit assembly comprising:
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a substrate whose top side comprises a cavity comprising a bottom wall; a plurality of through-holes each of which passes through the bottom wall; a plurality of conductors in respective through-holes; a plurality of circuit modules in the cavity, each circuit module having one or more contact pads; a plurality of first encapsulant layers overlying one another in the cavity, wherein each first encapsulant layer is made of a moldable material and laterally encapsulates one or more of the circuit modules; a plurality of first electrically conductive paths each of which lies in the cavity and passes through one or more first encapsulant layers to connect at least one contact pad of at least one circuit module to at least one of said conductors, at least one of the first electrically conductive paths passing through more than one of the first encapsulant layers. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 21, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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16. A circuit assembly comprising:
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a substrate whose top side comprises a cavity comprising a bottom wall; a plurality of through-holes each of which passes through the bottom wall; a plurality of conductors in respective through-holes; a plurality of circuit modules in the cavity, each circuit module having one or more contact pads; a plurality of first encapsulant layers overlying one another in the cavity, wherein each first encapsulant layer is made of a moldable material and laterally encapsulates one or more of the circuit modules; a plurality of first electrically conductive paths each of which lies in the cavity and passes through one or more first encapsulant layers to connect at least one contact pad of at least one circuit module to at least one of said conductors; wherein the substrate comprises; a first substrate comprising the bottom wall; and a second substrate comprising sidewalls of the cavity, the second substrate being attached to the first substrate; wherein an interface region of the first and second substrates is not uniform with respect to at least one of;
chemical composition, density, elasticity modulus, conductivity, dielectric constant, ultrasound propagation speed for one or more wavelengths, light propagation speed for one or more wavelengths not exceeding an infrared wavelength.
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20. A circuit assembly comprising:
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a substrate whose top side comprises a cavity comprising a bottom wall; a plurality of through-holes each of which passes through the bottom wall; a plurality of conductors in respective through-holes; a plurality of circuit modules in the cavity, each circuit module having one or more contact pads; a plurality of first encapsulant layers overlying one another in the cavity, wherein each first encapsulant layer is made of a moldable material and laterally encapsulates one or more of the circuit modules; a plurality of first electrically conductive paths each of which lies in the cavity and passes through one or more first encapsulant layers to connect at least one contact pad of at least one circuit module to at least one of said conductors; one or more second electrically conductive paths in the cavity, wherein each second electrically conductive path does not have electrical functionality but is for enhancing heat removal from the circuit assembly to the ambient, wherein each second electrically conductive path begins at a conductor in the through-hole and extends through one or more of the encapsulant layers.
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Specification