Epoxy polymer filled with aluminum nitride-containing polymer and semiconductor devices encapsulated with a thermosetting resin containing aluminum nitride particles

• US 5,589,714 A
• Filed: 03/24/1995
• Issued: 12/31/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: The Dow Chemical Company (Dow, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: The Dow Chemical Company (Dow, Inc.)
• Inventors: Howard, Kevin E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Crane, Sara W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hardy, David B.
• Application Number:
  US08/410,264
• Time in Patent Office: 648 Days
• Field of Search: 257/787, 257/788, 257/789, 257/795, 257/639, 257/649, 257/703, 257/708
• US Class Current: 257/788
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 21/0728 After-treatment, e.g. grinding, purification
• CPC Class Codes: C01P 2004/86 Thin layer coatings, i.e. the coating thickness being less than 0.1 time the particle radius
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 41/4584 Coating or impregnating of particulate or fibrous ceramic material C04B20/10, C04B35/628 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 41/81 Coating or impregnation
• CPC Class Codes: C08K 9/02 Ingredients treated with inorganic substances
• CPC Class Codes: C08K 9/06 with silicon-containing compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C09C 1/40 Compounds of aluminium C09C1/0009, C09C1/0015, C09C1/0078, C09C1/32 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C09C 3/006 Combinations of treatments provided for in groups C09C3/04 - C09C3/12
• 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

Semiconductor devices are encapsulated in a thermosetting resin filled with aluminum nitride particles. The aluminum nitride particles have an outer layer of Al--O--N, into which is incorporated amorphous Si--O, which renders them hydrolytically stable. The aluminum nitride particles impart very high thermal conductivity to the cured resin. In addition, the cured resin has a CTE similar to that of the encapsulated semiconductor device, and has excellent dielectric properties.

Claims

1. An encapsulated semiconductor device, comprising:

(a) a semiconductor device, which is encapsulated in

(b) a cured thermosetting resin filled with from about 1 to about 90 weight %, based on the combined weight of the resin and aluminum nitride particles, of aluminum nitride particles which have an outer layer of Al--O--N into which amorphous Si--O is incorporated, and which additionally have a layer of Si--O or Si--O--Al on the surface of said Al--O--N layer; and

(c) a plurality of conductive leads which are in electrical connection with said semiconductor device and which extend through the cured thermosetting resin.

2. The encapsulated semiconductor device of claim 1, wherein said cured thermosetting resin is filled with from about 40 to about 85 weight % of said aluminum nitride particles, based on the combined weight of the epoxy resin and the aluminum nitride particles.

3. The encapsulated semiconductor device of claim 2 which has a thermal conductivity of at least about 2.5 W/mK.

4. The encapsulated semiconductor device of claim 2 wherein said thermosetting resin is an epoxy resin.

5. The encapsulated semiconductor device of claim 4 wherein said conductive leads are in the form of a lead frame, and said leads are wire bonded to said semiconductor device.

6. The encapsulated semiconductor device of claim 5 wherein said wire bonds are encapsulated in said cured thermosetting resin.

7. The encapsulated semiconductor device of claim 6 wherein said AlN particles additionally have a layer of Si--O--Al on the surface of said Al--O--N layer.

8. An epoxy polymer filled with an aluminum nitride-containing powder, wherein the powder comprises AlN particles which have an outer layer of Al--O--N in which amorphous Si--O is incorporated, and which additionally have a layer of Si--O or Si--O--Al on the surface of said Al--O--N layer.

9. The filled epoxy polymer of claim 8 which is filled with from about 40 to about 85 weight % of said aluminum nitride particles, based on the combined weight of the epoxy resin and the aluminum nitride particles.

10. The filled epoxy polymer of claim 8 wherein said AlN particles additionally have a layer of Si--O--Al on the surface of said Al--O--N layer.