Isolation rings for packages and the method of forming the same

• US 9,548,245 B2
• Filed: 05/29/2015
• Issued: 01/17/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited
• Inventors: Chang, Chih-Horng, Kuo, Tin-Hao, Tsai, Tsung-Fu, Ku, Min-Feng
• Primary Examiner(s): Ahmadi, Mohsen
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ramallo, Gustavo
• Application Number:
  US14/724,954
• Publication Number:
  US 20150262882A1
• Time in Patent Office: 599 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/304 Mechanical treatment, e.g. grinding, polishing, cutting H01L21/30625 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/56 Encapsulations, e.g. encapsulation layers, coatings
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/561 Batch processing
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/565 Moulds
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/78 with subsequent division of the substrate into plural individual devices cutting to change the surface-physical characteristics or shape of semiconductor bodies H01L21/304
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/82 to produce devices, e.g. integrated circuits, each consisting of a plurality of components
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/16225 the item being non-metallic, e.g. insulating substrate with or without metallisation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/293 Organic, e.g. plastic
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/3121 a substrate forming part of the encapsulation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/3135 Double encapsulation or coating and encapsulation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/49822 Multilayer substrates multilayer metallisation on monolayer substrate H01L23/498
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/49827 Via connections through the substrates, e.g. pins going through the substrate, coaxial cables H01L23/49822, H01L23/49833, H01L23/4985, H01L23/49861 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/49838 Geometry or layout
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/564 Details not otherwise provided for, e.g. protection against moisture getters H01L23/26
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/97 the devices being connected to a common substrate, e.g. interposer, said common substrate being separable into individual assemblies after connecting
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 25/0657 Stacked arrangements of devices
• 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 2924/12042 LASER
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/181 Encapsulation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/1815 Shape

Abstract

A device includes a first package component, and a second package component underlying, and bonded to, the first package component. A molding material is disposed under the first package component and molded to the first and the second package components, wherein the molding material and the first package component form an interface. An isolation region includes a first edge, wherein the first edge of the isolation region contacts a first edge of the first package component and a first edge of the molding material. The isolation has a bottom lower than the interface.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

bonding a first package component with a second package component;

encapsulating the second package component in a molding material;

forming a trench in the first package component, with the molding material exposed to the trench, wherein the forming the trench comprises;

performing a first grooving to form a wide portion of the trench, wherein the wide portion extends from a surface of the first package component into the molding material; and

performing a second grooving to form a first narrow portion extending from a bottom of the wide portion into the molding material, wherein the first narrow portion is narrower than the wide portion;

filling an isolation material into the trench to form an isolation region; and

sawing through the isolation region and the molding material to form a package.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the trench extends into the molding material, and in the package, the isolation region forms a ring encircling the second package component and a portion of the first package component.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first package component comprises a package substrate that is comprised in a package substrate strip, and the method further comprises:

bonding a plurality of second package components onto a plurality of package substrates in the package substrate strip;

forming a plurality of trenches in the package substrate strip, wherein the plurality of trenches forms a grid, and the isolation material is filled into the plurality of trenches to form a plurality of isolation regions; and

sawing the package substrate strip and the isolation material as a plurality of packages.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the filling the isolation material comprises:

dispensing the isolation material that is in a liquid form into the trench; and

curing the isolation material.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein during the sawing, the isolation region comprises remaining portions on opposite sides of a kerf generated by the sawing.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising, before the forming the trench, filling an underfill into a gap between the first package component and the second package component.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the forming the trench further comprises performing a third grooving to form a second narrow portion extending from the bottom of the wide portion into the molding material, wherein the second narrow portion is narrower than the wide portion, wherein when the isolation region is sawed through, a kerf of the sawing is spaced apart, and is between, the first and the second narrow portions of the trench.

8. A method comprising:

bonding a plurality of dies onto a plurality of package substrates, wherein the plurality of package substrates is in a package substrate strip;

encapsulating the plurality of dies with a molding compound;

cutting the package substrate strip to form a plurality of trenches, wherein one of the plurality of trenches is formed by;

forming a first trench extending into the molding compound; and

forming a second trench extending from a bottom of the first trench into the molding compound, wherein the second trench is narrower than the first trench;

filling the plurality of trenches with an isolation material; and

sawing the isolation material to separate the package substrate strip and the plurality of dies into a plurality of packages.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the plurality of trenches penetrates through the package substrate strip, and the isolation material extends into the molding compound.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the isolation material extends to an intermediate level between a first surface and a second surface of the molding compound, and wherein the first surface forms an interface with the package substrate strip.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein in the sawing the isolation material, a middle portion of the isolation material in one of the plurality of trenches is sawed-through to form a kerf, and wherein the isolation material further comprises additional portions in the one of the plurality of trenches, and wherein the additional portions are on opposite sides of the kerf.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the cutting is performed using a blade.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the cutting is performed using a laser beam.

14. The method of claim 8 further comprising, before the forming the plurality of trenches, filling an underfill into gaps between the plurality of dies and the package substrate strip.

15. The method of claim 8, wherein the forming the one of the plurality of trenches further comprises forming a third trench extending from the bottom of the first trench into the molding compound, wherein the third trench is narrower than the first trench, wherein during the sawing, portions of the molding compound filling the second trench and the third trench are spaced apart from a kerf of the sawing.

16. A method comprising:

encapsulating a die with a molding compound, wherein the die is bonded to a first surface of a package substrate;

grooving the package substrate from a second surface of the package substrate, with the first surface and the second surface being opposite to each other, wherein trenches formed by the grooving encircle a center portion of the package substrate, and wherein the trenches penetrate through the package substrate to extend into the molding compound, and the trenches comprise portions level with the die, and the trenches further extend deeper into the molding compound beyond the die; and

filling the trenches with an isolation material.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising sawing the isolation material and the molding compound, wherein remaining portions of the isolation material left by the sawing encircles a central part of the package substrate.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein after the sawing, remaining portions of the isolation material forms a ring, and wherein outer edges of the ring are aligned to respective edges of the package substrate.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the isolation material has a density higher than a density of the molding compound.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the grooving comprises:

performing a first grooving to form a wide portion for one of the trenches, wherein the wide portion extends from a surface of the package substrate into the molding compound; and

performing a second grooving to form a narrow portion extending from a bottom of the wide portion into the molding compound, wherein the narrow portion is narrower than the wide portion.