Integrated circuit packaging for implantable medical devices

• US 9,496,241 B2
• Filed: 08/29/2014
• Issued: 11/15/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Heames, Kenneth, Askarinya, Mohsen, Boone, Mark R, Fenner, Andreas A, Wang, Lejun
• Primary Examiner(s): Chen, Xiaoliang
• Application Number:
  US14/473,156
• Publication Number:
  US 20140368266A1
• Time in Patent Office: 809 Days
• Field of Search: 361/764, 361/270, 361/707, 361/723, 361/728, 361/748, 361/765, 361/782, 361/785, 361/793, 336/83, 336/181, 336/200, 336/229, 336/232, 333/25, 333/131, 333/177, 363/17, 363/19, 363/59, 363/131, 363/144, 323/250, 438/138, 257/446, 718/661
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3758 Packaging of the components within the casing
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3968 Constructional arrangements, e.g. casings A61N1/375 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 2027/2819 Planar transformers with printed windings, e.g. surrounded by two cores and to be mounted on printed circuit
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 27/2804 Printed windings
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/647 Resistive arrangements H01L23/66, H01L23/62 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 25/00 Assemblies consisting of a plurality of individual semiconductor or other solid state devices ; Multistep manufacturing processes thereofdevices consisting of a plurality of solid state components formed in or on a common substrate H01L27/00; photovoltaic modules or arrays of photovoltaic cells H01L31/042 ; panels or arrays of photo electrochemical cells H01G9/2068
• 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 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

Abstract

A hybrid integrated circuit in a wafer level package for an implantable medical device includes one or more passive component windings formed, at least in part, along one or more routing layers of the package. The windings may be primary and secondary windings of a transformer, wherein all or part of a magnetic core thereof is embedded in a component layer of the wafer level package. If the core includes a part bonded to a surface of the package, that part of the core may be E-shaped with legs extending into the routing layers, and, in some cases, through the routing layers. Routing layers may be formed on both sides of the component layer to accommodate the transformer windings, in some instances.

Claims

1. A hybrid integrated circuit formed in a wafer level package for an implantable medical device, the wafer level package comprising a polymer component layer overlaid by a plurality of routing layers, and the integrated circuit comprising:

a plurality of active devices and passive components embedded in the component layer;

another passive component including a winding, at least a portion of the winding being formed along one or more of the plurality of routing layers; and

a plurality of conductive runners extending along the plurality of routing layers, each runner being electrically coupled to a corresponding one or more of the embedded devices and components;

wherein at least one of the conductive runners is electrically coupled to the other passive component and is located on a common routing layer with the winding, wherein;

the other passive component comprises a transformer such that the winding is a primary winding of the transformer and the transformer further comprises one or more secondary windings, the one or more secondary windings being formed along one or more of the plurality of routing layers;

the wafer level package further comprises a planar magnetic core of the transformer, the planar magnetic core comprising a first part and a second part;

the first part of the planar magnetic core is embedded in the component layer; and

the second part of the core is bonded to a surface of the wafer level package, the surface overlaying the plurality of routing layers, such that the routing layers are sandwiched between the component layer and the second part of the core.

2. The circuit of claim 1, wherein:

the primary winding of the transformer is formed in a planar spiral configuration on at least two layers of the plurality of routing layers; and

each of the one or more secondary windings is formed in the spiral configuration on either of the same at least two layers of the plurality of routing layers, or different layers of the plurality of routing layers from the at least two layers.

3. The circuit of claim 1, wherein the primary winding and the one or more secondary windings of the transformer are formed in a planar helical configuration with turns spanning multiple layers of the plurality of routing layers.

4. The circuit of claim 1, wherein the second part of the magnetic core of the transformer includes three legs spaced apart from one another and extending from the surface and into the plurality of routing layers.

5. The circuit of claim 4, wherein a gap between the three legs of the second part of the magnetic core and the first part of the magnetic core is approximately equal to a thickness of one of the plurality of routing layers.

6. The circuit of claim 4, wherein:

the plurality of routing layers comprises a first plurality and the wafer level package further comprises a second plurality of routing layers overlaying the component layer on a side thereof that is opposite that which is overlaid by the first plurality of routing layers;

the primary and secondary windings of the transformer are further formed along the second plurality of routing layers;

the planar magnetic core of the transformer further comprises a third part;

the first part of the core is divided into three columns spaced apart from one another within the component layer and aligned with the three legs of the second part of the core;

the third part of the core is bonded to an opposite surface of the wafer level package, the opposite surface overlaying the second plurality of routing layers, such that the second plurality of routing layers are sandwiched between the component layer and the third part of the core; and

the third part of the core includes legs spaced apart from one another, extending through the second plurality of routing layers, and aligned with the three columns of the first part of the core.

7. The circuit of claim 1, wherein the second part of the magnetic core of the transformer includes three legs spaced apart from one another and extending from the surface, through the plurality of routing layers, and into close proximity with the first part of the magnetic core.

8. The circuit of claim 1, wherein:

the plurality of routing layers comprises a first routing layer overlaying a first side of the component layer and a second routing layer overlaying a second side of the routing layer;

the other passive component comprises a transformer such that the winding is a primary winding of the transformer and the transformer further comprises one or more secondary windings;

the wafer level package further comprises a toroid-shaped planar magnetic core embedded in the component layer;

the primary winding and each of the one or more secondary windings comprise inner and outer portions extending through a thickness of the component layer, inside and outside, respectively, a perimeter of the magnetic core and approximately parallel with a central axis of the core; and

the primary winding and each of the one or more secondary windings comprise top and bottom portions extending along the first and second routing layers, respectively, each of the top and bottom portions connecting an inner portion to a corresponding outer portion.

9. The circuit of claim 8, wherein one or both of the inner portions and the outer portions of the primary winding and the one or more secondary windings are formed by isolated conductive vias extending through the component layer.

10. The circuit of claim 8, wherein the inner portions of the primary winding and the one or more secondary windings are pre-formed together in an insulated array that is press-fit inside the perimeter of the magnetic core.