Semiconductor device comprising light-emitting element and light-receiving element, and manufacturing method therefor

Abstract

A semiconductor device includes a substrate for transmitting light, a wiring layer provided on the substrate, a semiconductor chip formed on the wiring layer, a columnar electrode, a sealant, and an external connection terminal electrically connected to the semiconductor chip via the wiring layer and protruding electrode. The device includes a cut surface formed by dicing and constituted by only the substrate and the sealant. Since the cut surface has a single-layer structure as a result of forming the sealant in a single step, moisture cannot infiltrate through the sealant, hence a device resistant to corrosion and operational defects is provided.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates principally to a semiconductor device and a packaging method thereof, and more particularly to a semiconductor device comprising a light-receiving element which operates in response to light and a light-emitting element which emits light, for example a semiconductor device including an image sensor such as a CCD or CMOS, a light-emitting diode, a photoelectric conversion element, and so on, and a packaging method thereof. [0003] 2. Description of the Related Art [0004] Conventionally, when packaging a semiconductor device comprising a light-receiving element and light-emitting element manufactured in wafer form, the wafer on which the light-receiving elements and / or light-emitting elements are formed is cut into individual semiconductor chips 4410 by means of dicing, as shown in FIG. 44. The individual semiconductor chip 4410 is then mounted on a ceramic header 4420, whereupon an electr...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0014] According to the present invention, there is no need to mount the semiconductor device on a ceramic header, as is performed conventionally, and hence the final, packaged form of the semiconductor device can be reduced in size.

[0015] Also according to the present invention, the side portion of the columnar electrode is coated in resin, and hence short circuiting of the wiring patterns due to external shocks and the like can be prevented. Furthermore, disconnection of the wiring patterns caused when the device contacts the wiring patterns during handling of the semiconductor device package can also be prevented.

[0016] Also according to the present invention, the cut surface formed by dicing is constituted by only two layers, i.e. a single sealant and a transparent substrate, having no boundary lines between resin layers, and hence problems such as breakage of the resin during a heating process such as reflow processing can be reduced. Furthermore, moisture or the like is prevented from infiltrating through the boundary lines of the resin layers, and hence the long-term reliability of the wiring and the semiconductor chip can be improved.

[0017] According to the manufacturing method of the present invention, the manufacture of a semiconductor device comprising a light-receiving element or a light-emitting element can be realized at the wafer level, and hence the size and cost of the manufactured device can be reduced. Moreover, a manufacturing method in which layers are formed in succession on the transparent substrate is employed, and hence there is no need to adhere the transparent substrate and semiconductor wafer together. As a result, alignment errors are eliminated, enabling an improvement in productivity.

Problems solved by technology

Moreover, space must be provided above the semiconductor chip for the wire bonding and lid, thereby increasing the thickness of the packaged semiconductor device, and hence it is difficult to achieve a reduction in size.

Packaging methods using a ceramic header are also problematic in that costs are higher than in packaging methods using resin.

Moreover, during handling of the individual packages, the electrode pattern may become disconnected when the electrode pattern contacts a semiconductor holder used for lifting the semiconductor device.

Also with the manufacturing method of the patent document-1, the wafer comprising the light-receiving element and the translucent substrate comprising the lens are formed separately and then adhered together, leading to alignment errors which result in a decrease in productivity.

In the patent document-2, the side face of the semiconductor device is constituted by a sealant using a plurality of resin layers, and hence cracks or the like may appear at the boundary line parts of these resin layers during a heating process such as reflow processing, possibly causing the semiconductor device to break.

Further problems such as corrosion of the wiring layers formed in the semiconductor device due to moisture infiltrating through the boundary lines of the resin layers, and abnormalities in the characteristics of the semiconductor element due to the incoming moisture, may lead to a breakdown in the functions of the semiconductor element, resulting in a reduction in the long-term reliability of the device.

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