Container for protecting a semiconductor device and related method

Abstract

The present application relates to containers for protecting semiconductor devices and related methods. A container for supporting one or more semiconductor devices therein can include walls positioned to at least partially enclose the semiconductor devices. At least one of the walls can include a radiation shielding material. A support structure can be shaped, positioned, and configured to support the semiconductor devices within the walls.

Description

[0001] Priority application

[0002] This application claims the benefit of the filing date of U.S. Patent Application No. 17 / 248,344, filed January 21, 2021, entitled “Containers for Protecting Semiconductor Devices and Related Methods”. Technical Field

[0003] This disclosure generally relates to containers (e.g., housings) for semiconductor devices. More specifically, the disclosed embodiments relate to containers that can reduce the likelihood that at least some types of radiation (e.g., neutron radiation, proton radiation) could otherwise have detrimental effects in semiconductor devices, such as bit flips in memory devices and / or radiation-induced changes in the current-voltage characteristics of trench FET mains MOSFETs. Background Technology

[0004] Shielding materials are typically deployed to contain harmful radiation, such as neutron radiation, in the environment where a radiation source is located. For example, shielding material can be inserted between a nuclear fuel source and any person or sensitive equipment to reduce the likelihood of radiation emitted by the nuclear fuel source reaching that person or sensitive equipment. The shielding material can at least substantially contain radiation within the enclosed space defined by the shielding material. Summary of the Invention

[0005] A container for supporting one or more semiconductor devices therein may include walls positioned to at least partially surround the semiconductor devices. At least one of the walls may contain a radiation shielding material. The support structure may be shaped, positioned, and configured to support the semiconductor devices within the walls.

[0006] A method of protecting one or more semiconductor devices may involve supporting the semiconductor devices on a support structure. The semiconductor devices and the support structure may be placed within the walls of a container. At least one of the container walls may contain a radiation shielding material.

[0007] Methods of manufacturing a container for supporting one or more semiconductor devices may involve providing a support structure shaped, positioned, and configured to support the semiconductor devices. The walls of the container may be used to define recesses sized and shaped to accommodate at least a portion of the support structure and the semiconductor devices therein. The material of the one or more container walls may be selected to include a radiation-shielding material. Attached Figure Description

[0008] While this disclosure draws conclusions with reference to claims that precisely point out and clearly assert particular embodiments, various features and advantages of embodiments within the scope of this disclosure will be more readily apparent from the following description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. In the drawings:

[0009] Figure 1 A cross-sectional side view of a schematic diagram of a container for supporting one or more semiconductor devices therein;

[0010] Figure 2 A flowchart of a method for protecting one or more semiconductor devices using a container according to the present disclosure;

[0011] Figure 3 An exploded view of another embodiment of a container including a support structure for supporting semiconductor devices within the container;

[0012] Figure 4 An exploded view of another embodiment of a container including a support structure for supporting semiconductor devices within the container;

[0013] Figure 5 An exploded view of another embodiment of a container including a support structure for supporting semiconductor devices within the container;

[0014] Figure 6 A side perspective transparent view of another embodiment of a container used to protect one or more semiconductor devices therein;

[0015] Figure 7 A front view of another embodiment of a container for supporting one or more semiconductor devices therein; and

[0016] Figure 8 A flowchart of a method for manufacturing a container for supporting one or more semiconductor devices therein. Detailed Implementation

[0017] It has been established that certain types of radiation, such as neutron and proton radiation, can cause degradation in semiconductor devices. For example, certain semiconductor-based components of integrated circuits are more or less susceptible to neutron-induced performance degradation. These include component devices such as bipolar transistors, JFETs, MOSFETs, diodes, operational amplifiers, voltage comparators, TTL and EDL gates, and CMOS gates, and of course, integrated circuits containing combinations of such component devices.

[0018] Radiation damage mechanisms comprise two main types: displacement damage and ionization damage. The former occurs when incident radiation causes atoms in a semiconductor (e.g., silicon) to displace from their sites within the silicon lattice, thereby altering the electronic properties of the crystal. The latter occurs when charge carriers are released through the energy absorbed by electron ionization in an insulating layer, such as SiO2, and these charge carriers then diffuse or drift to other sites where they were trapped, leading to a concentration of charge and parasitic fields.

[0019] While it has been proposed to fabricate integrated circuits using a combination of component devices and component devices configured for radiation resistance, such methods limit the practicality of such circuits and increase complexity and cost. Other conventional methods of radiation shielding involve relatively thick, bulky, and heavy shielding materials such as concrete or lead, which are not feasible (if possible) for many applications where radiation-induced degradation is critical.

[0020] The disclosed embodiments generally relate to containers that can reduce the likelihood that at least some types of radiation could otherwise have a detrimental effect on a semiconductor device. For example, a container according to this disclosure may be positioned and may have sufficient radiation shielding properties to reduce (e.g., eliminate) the likelihood that radiation from outside the container will induce damage in a semiconductor device at least partially located within the container. More specifically, a container according to this disclosure may have one or more panels containing sufficient amounts of radiation-absorbing and / or reflective material to suppress radiation from outside the container (e.g., proton radiation and / or neutron radiation) from passing through the relevant panels to the interior of the container. As a particular non-limiting example, a container according to this disclosure may reduce (e.g., eliminate) radiation-induced bit flips and radiation-induced changes in the current-voltage characteristics of trench FET mains MOSFETs in memory devices.

[0021] In some embodiments, the container for supporting a semiconductor device according to this disclosure may be configured to at least partially enclose a storage container, shipping container, housing for an installed configuration, server rack, and building structure of the semiconductor device. The container may contain shielding material positioned to reduce or eliminate the possibility that radiation from the surrounding environment outside the container will enter the volume in which the semiconductor device is located. For example, the shielding material may be incorporated into one or more walls of a housing that at least partially encloses the semiconductor device during storage, shipping, and potentially during installation in a system. As another example, the shielding material may be incorporated into one or more walls of a server rack supporting the semiconductor device, or into one or more structural materials of a building for housing the semiconductor device. Providing shielding material at least partially around the semiconductor device can reduce the possibility that radiation (e.g., neutron radiation) may flip any bit in a memory device (e.g., dynamic random access memory (DRAM)) or induce changes in the current-voltage characteristics of a trench FET mains MOSFET. Such reductions in radiation-induced bit flips and / or other radiation-induced damage in semiconductor devices can reduce the error rate in operating semiconductor devices and reduce the need to retest and verify the functionality of semiconductor devices after shipment and after a period of storage.

[0022] As used herein, the terms “generally” and “about” with respect to a given parameter, property, or condition mean, and are included, the degree to which a given parameter, property, or condition satisfies variance (e.g., within acceptable manufacturing tolerances) as would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. For example, a parameter that is generally or about a specified value may be at least about 90% of the specified value, at least about 95% of the specified value, at least about 99% of the specified value, or even at least about 99.9% of the specified value.

[0023] As used herein, the term "semiconductor device" means and includes microelectronic devices formed using doped regions of semiconducting material. For example, semiconductor devices include processors, memory devices, and systems-on-a-chip, and can be provided in the form of a single-cut device region of a semiconductor wafer.

[0024] As used herein, the term "semiconductor wafer" means and includes a substrate containing a semiconducting material. For example, a semiconductor wafer may comprise a bulk wafer of undoped semiconductor material or a device wafer having discrete regions of doped semiconductor material forming apparatus regions spaced apart by dicing lines to form a grid.

[0025] As used herein, the term "semiconductor device package" means and includes a semiconductor device in the form of a single-cut device region of a semiconductor wafer, the semiconductor device having a protective material surrounding at least a portion of the semiconductor device and an interface structure for integration into a higher-level package. For example, a semiconductor device package includes an encapsulated semiconductor chip with input and output structures (e.g., pads, balls, bumps, pillars, posts, wire fingers) of conductive material, and can be supported on and electrically connected to a higher-level package (e.g., a printed circuit board (PCB), breadboard).

[0026] As used herein, the terms “memory” and “memory device” include microelectronic devices exhibiting, but not limited to, memory functionality, but do not include embodiments covering transient signals. For example, a system-on-a-chip (SoC) is covered within the meaning of “memory device.” By way of non-limiting examples, as described herein, unless otherwise specified, a memory device may generally comprise a packaged semiconductor device with a shielding material configuration.

[0027] The illustrations presented in this disclosure are not intended to be actual views of any particular container, semiconductor device, support structure, or component thereof, but are merely idealized representations for describing illustrative embodiments. Therefore, the drawings are not necessarily to scale.

[0028] Figure 1 This is a cross-sectional side view of a container 100 for supporting one or more semiconductor devices therein. For example, the container 100 may be configured as a box, crate, enclosure, housing, cover, rack, room, or building, sized, shaped, and further configured to at least partially support one or more semiconductor devices therein. The container 100 can be used to support one or more semiconductor devices during, for example, shipment, transport, temporary storage, long-term storage, or installation operations.

[0029] Container 100 may include, for example, walls 102 that are sized, shaped, and positioned to at least partially surround a semiconductor device within the container. Although Figure 1The container 100 shown is generally shaped as a rectangular prism, but it can take any shape suitable for a given application. For example, the container 100 can be another geometric prism shape, may have a combination of various intersecting geometric prisms, may include one or more cutouts, may include one or more inclined and / or curved surfaces, or may be an irregular custom shape (e.g., to accommodate a particular layout or space constraints). Wall 102 may define an internal volume 104 in which at least a portion of at least one semiconductor device can be received. In some embodiments, wall 102 may completely enclose the internal volume 104, at least when the container 100 is closed. In other embodiments, the internal volume 104 may be in fluid communication with the outside of the container 100 through one or more openings, apertures, or ports in wall 102, even when the container 100 is closed.

[0030] At least one of the walls 102 may contain a radiation-shielding material. For example, those walls 102 positioned between a relevant portion of any semiconductor device at least partially supported within the wall 102 and a radiation source may contain a radiation-shielding material. More specifically, those walls 102 intended for positioning above any semiconductor device, laterally adjacent to any semiconductor device, and optionally below any semiconductor device at least partially supported within the container 100 may contain or be formed of a radiation-shielding material. As a particular non-limiting example, each of the walls 102 may contain a radiation-shielding material, or each of the walls 102 other than those positioned and configured to face the base plate when the container 100 is placed on the base plate may contain a radiation-shielding material, and the walls 102 positioned to face the base plate may not have a radiation-shielding material.

[0031] The radiation shielding material of one or more walls 102 may be configured to reduce the likelihood that certain types of radiation will alter the state of the silicon lattice in any semiconductor device supported within container 100. For example, the radiation shielding material of one or more walls 102 may be configured to suppress one or more types of radiation (e.g., neutron radiation, proton radiation) from altering the state of the silicon lattice in any semiconductor device within wall 102 in a manner that would affect the operation, reliability, or lifetime of the semiconductor device. More specifically, the radiation shielding material of a given wall 102 may be configured to absorb, deflect, reflect, and / or otherwise mitigate one or more types of radiation (e.g., neutron radiation, proton radiation), thereby reducing the risk of radiation-induced damage (e.g., bit flips in memory devices, radiation-induced changes in the current-voltage characteristics of trench FET mains MOSFETs) in semiconductor devices within the walls 102 of container 100.

[0032] Radiation shielding materials may be or comprise, for example, low atomic number elements having a scattering cross section or elements having a trapping cross section. More specifically, radiation shielding materials may be or comprise hydrogen, carbon, oxygen, lead, bismuth, tungsten, boron, cadmium, and / or gadolinium. As a particular non-limiting example, radiation shielding materials may be or comprise at least one material selected from the group consisting of: polyethylene borate, boron carbide (e.g., B4C), and boron-aluminum alloys. In embodiments where container 100 is used for shipment, polyethylene borate may be particularly suitable, at least in part, due to its lower density than other radiation shielding materials, thereby producing a low-weight container 100 with suitable radiation shielding capabilities.

[0033] In some embodiments, one or more of the walls 102 may comprise a plurality of sheets 106 consisting of or containing a radiation-shielding material. For example, two or more sheets 106 may be arranged in layers to form at least a portion of at least one of the walls 102 of the container 100. More specifically, at least some or all of the walls 102 intended to provide radiation shielding capability to the container 100 may comprise two or more (e.g., 2, 3, 4, etc.) sheets 106 fastened together to form a respective wall 102. The placement of radiation-shielding material in the sheets 106 can be achieved through selective deployment with a desired level of radiation shielding by adding or removing layers of sheets 106 as the associated wall 102 is formed. In other embodiments, one or more of the walls 102 may comprise a single sheet 106 consisting of or containing a radiation-shielding material, and the degree of radiation shielding can be varied by modifying the thickness 110 of the sheet 106, which is measured in a direction parallel to the shortest distance between the inner volume 104 of the container 100 and the outer surface. Suitable sheets 106 containing or composed of radiation shielding material are available, for example, from MarShield Custom Radiation Shielding Products, 4140 Morris Avenue, Burlington, Ontario, Canada (Zip Code L7L 5L6) and Apex Industries, 12670 Hall Avenue, Igard, Oregon, USA (Zip Code 97223).

[0034] The radiation shielding provided by a given wall 102 of container 100 may be sufficient to suppress certain types of radiation outside container 100 from penetrating the relevant wall 102 and reaching the interior of container 100. For example, the amount of radiation shielding material in wall 102 may be between about 1% by weight and 20% by weight of wall 102, and the thickness of wall 102 (as measured in the shortest direction from the outside to the inside of container 100) may be between about 0.5 inches (1.27 cm) and about 12 inches (30.48 cm). More precisely, wall 102 may contain between about 1.5% by weight and about 15% by weight of radiation shielding elements, and the thickness of wall 102 may be between about 1 inch (2.54 cm) and about 6 inches (15.24 cm). As a specific non-limiting example, wall 102 may contain from about 2% by weight to about 10% by weight (e.g., about 5% by weight) boron (e.g., in the form of borate polyethylene), and the thickness of wall 102 may be between about 2 inches (5.08 cm) and about 5 inches (12.7 cm) (e.g., about 3 inches (7.62 cm)). Compared to a housing that can be used to contain radiation rather than prevent ambient radiation from entering container 100, container 100 according to this disclosure may contain a thinner wall 102. This relatively thinner thickness allows container 100 to be used in a wider range of situations, such as in shipment, short-term storage, medium- to long-term storage, and installed operational configurations.

[0035] The weight of container 100 may be relatively small, especially compared to enclosures that can be used to contain radiation. For example, container 100 may weigh about 100 pounds (45.3 kg) or less. More precisely, container 100 may weigh from about 1 pound (0.45 kg) to about 25 pounds (11.33 kg). As a particular non-limiting example, container 100 may weigh from about 2 pounds (0.90 kg) to about 15 pounds (6.80 kg) (e.g., about 5 pounds (2.26 kg), about 10 pounds (4.53 kg)). This relatively lighter weight also allows container 100 to be used in a wider variety of situations, such as in shipments, short-term storage, medium- to long-term storage, and installed operational configurations.

[0036] In some embodiments where wall 102 comprises adjacent sheets 106 consisting of or containing radiation-shielding material, walls 102 may be engaged with each other near apex 108 of container 100 using a stepped configuration. For example, the innermost sheet 106 may have a minimum longitudinal length 112, and the longitudinal length 112 of each consecutive sheet 106 may gradually increase as the distance to the outside decreases, thereby forming a stepped shape at the periphery of wall 102. The stepped peripheries of walls 102 that are perpendicular to each other may engage with each other to form associated apex 108. Adjacent walls 102 may be fastened to each other, and adjacent sheets 106 of a given wall 102 may be fastened to each other using mechanical connectors (e.g., nails, screws, bolts), adhesives (e.g., glue, epoxy), mechanical interference (e.g., snap-fit, friction fit) or other suitable connections. In some embodiments, sealing members (e.g., elastomeric sealing rings) may be positioned between adjacent walls 102 to form a seal between walls 102 or improve the quality of the seal between walls 102.

[0037] At least a portion of at least one of the walls 102 is displaceable to allow a user selective access to the interior of the container 100. For example, one of the walls 102 may be removed, rotated, or otherwise displaced relative to the other walls 102, allowing a user to access the internal volume 104 of the container 100, and subsequently closing the container 100 to at least partially restrict access to the internal volume 104 of the container 100. More specifically, one of the walls 102 (e.g., the top wall 102 when the container 100 is supported on a base plate) may form a cover that can be completely removed or hinged to an adjacent wall 102 to allow selective access to the internal volume 104 of the container 100. As another example, a portion of one of the walls 102 may be removed, rotated, or otherwise displaced relative to the remainder of said wall 102 and relative to the other walls 102, allowing a user to access the internal volume 104 of the container 100, and subsequently closing the container 100 to at least partially restrict access to the internal volume 104 of the container 100. More specifically, one or more of the walls 102 may include an opening 116 extending through a portion of the wall 102 and a plug 114 selectively blocking the opening 116. As a particular non-limiting example, one of the walls 102 may include a plug 114 configured as a door having the wall 102 and a hinge 118, allowing a user to selectively displace the plug 114 from within the opening 116 to access the internal volume 104 and to reposition the plug 114 back into the opening 116 to place the container 100 in a closed state. The wall 102, a portion of the wall 102, or the plug 114 may be secured in place relative to the rest of the container 100 (e.g., using a latch, snap-fit, pin, etc., and optionally including a sealing member to form a seal) to temporarily secure the container 100 in the closed state.

[0038] Container 100 can be sized, shaped, and configured to support one or more semiconductor devices, which are configured as semiconductor wafers, semiconductor device packages, or substrates in which one or more semiconductor device packages are supported. The size and shape of container 100, as well as the size and shape of the internal volume 104 of container 100 and any access openings, can be adapted for the desired application of container 100.

[0039] Figure 2 This is a flowchart of a method 200 for protecting one or more semiconductor devices using a container according to the present disclosure. Figure 3 An exploded view of another embodiment of the container 300, including a support structure 302 for supporting a semiconductor device 304 within the container 300. (Composite Reference) Figure 2 and Figure 3 Method 200 may involve supporting semiconductor devices 304 on a support structure 302, as indicated at action 202. The support structure 302 may be sized, shaped, positioned, and configured to support each corresponding semiconductor device 304 within the wall 102 of the container 300. For example, the support structure 302 may be a tray, rack, housing, foam unit divider, or a combination thereof, and may include slots 306, slits, recesses, gaps, shelves, compartments, other receptacles, or combinations thereof for receiving semiconductor devices 304. Figure 3 In a particular embodiment depicted, the support structure 302 may include a body 308 with foam unit dividers configured to have slots 306 that can be inserted into a semiconductor device 304, and the friction between the elastic foam material of the support structure 302 and the contact surface of the semiconductor device 304 may be used to hold the semiconductor device 304 in the slots 306. The support structure 302 may also include a cap 310 and a base plate 312 that are positionable above and below the main surface of the body 308 and above and below the slots 306 and the semiconductor device 304. The cap 310 and the base plate 312 provide additional protection and security for the semiconductor device 304, reducing the likelihood that the semiconductor device 304 will leave the slots 306 when the support structure 302 is in the container 300, and can be housed together with the body 308 in the internal volume 104 of the container 300.

[0040] Depending on the intended application of the container 300, the support structure 302 may be adapted to support semiconductor devices 304 with different form factors. For example, the support structure 302 may be sized, shaped, and configured to support semiconductor devices configured as semiconductor dies, semiconductor device packages, or modules including substrates on which one or more semiconductor device packages are supported. Figure 3In some embodiments, the slot 306 in the body 308 of the support structure 302 can be sized, shaped, and configured to house a semiconductor device 304 in the form of a substrate supporting one or more semiconductor device packages. More specifically, the slot 306 in the body 308 of the support structure 302 can be sized, shaped, and configured to house individual memory devices (e.g., dynamic random access memory (DRAM) devices, solid-state drives) conforming to standardized form factors in the slot 306 (e.g., dual in-line memory modules (DIMMs), 2.5-inch (6.35cm) drives, 3.5-inch (8.89cm) drives, M.2 modules).

[0041] Method 200 may also involve placing the semiconductor device 304 and the support structure 302 within the wall 102 of the container 300, as indicated at action 204. As previously combined Figure 1 As discussed, at least one of the walls 102 may contain a radiation-shielding material, and is also indicated at action 204. The container 300 may then be used to protect the semiconductor device 304 from at least some forms of radiation in a desired situation. For example, the container 300 may be used to suppress neutron and / or proton radiation from altering the state of the silicon lattice in the semiconductor device 304 using the radiation-shielding material of the wall 102. More precisely, the container 300 may be used to reduce the likelihood of damage induced by ambient radiation impacting the semiconductor device 304 (e.g., bit flipping in a memory device of a given semiconductor device 304 within the wall 102, which would alter the current-voltage characteristics of a trench FET mains MOSFET) using the radiation-shielding material.

[0042] As a summary, a container for supporting one or more semiconductor devices according to some embodiments may include walls positioned to at least partially surround the semiconductor devices. At least one of the walls may contain a radiation shielding material. The support structure may be shaped, positioned, and configured to support the semiconductor devices within the walls.

[0043] In other embodiments, the method of protecting one or more semiconductor devices may involve supporting the semiconductor devices on a support structure. The semiconductor devices and the support structure may be placed within the wall of a container. At least one of the container walls may contain a radiation-shielding material.

[0044] Figure 4 An exploded view of another embodiment of a container 400, which includes a support structure 402 for supporting a semiconductor device 404 within the container 400. Figure 4The support structure 402 may be configured as, for example, a tray 412 with a cap 406 (or housing), and may include a compartment 414 or other housing for receiving the semiconductor device 304. More specifically, the support structure 402 may include a tray 412 configured as a rigid or semi-rigid polymeric housing (e.g., a blister pack) with a compartment 414 that can be inserted into the semiconductor device 404, and gravity, mechanical interference with stacked trays 412, and / or the cap 406 may be used to hold the semiconductor device 404 within the compartment 414. The stackability of the cap 406 and the tray 412 provides additional protection and security for the semiconductor device 404, reducing the likelihood that the semiconductor device 404 will leave the compartment 414 while the support structure 402 is in the container 400, and can be stored in a stacked state within the internal volume 104 of the container 400.

[0045] Figure 4 The semiconductor device 404 may be configured, for example, to support a substrate 410 (e.g., a printed circuit board (PCB)) of one or more semiconductor device packages 408 thereon. More specifically, the compartments 414 in the tray 412 of the support structure 402 may be sized, shaped, and configured to accommodate individual memory devices (e.g., dynamic random access memory (DRAM) devices, solid-state drives) conforming to standardized form factors (e.g., dual in-line memory modules (DIMMs), 2.5-inch (6.35 cm) drives, 3.5-inch (8.89 cm) drives, M.2 modules) in the compartments 414.

[0046] The container 400 can be used to protect the semiconductor device 404 from at least some forms of radiation in desired situations (e.g., during shipment, short-term storage, and / or long-term storage). For example, the container 400 can be used to suppress neutron and / or proton radiation from altering the state of the silicon lattice in the semiconductor device 404 using the radiation-shielding material of the wall 102. More specifically, the container 400 can be used to reduce the likelihood that radiation from outside the container 400 will induce damage in the given semiconductor device 404 within the wall 102 (e.g., bit flipping in the memory device of the given semiconductor device 404, or altering the current-voltage characteristics of a trench FET mains MOSFET).

[0047] Figure 5 An exploded view of another embodiment of a container 500, which includes a support structure 502 for supporting a semiconductor device 504 within the container 500. Figure 5The support structure 502 may be configured as, for example, a rack 510 having a slit 508 or another receiver capable of receiving at least a portion of the semiconductor device 504. More specifically, the support structure 502 may include a rack 510 configured as a rigid or semi-rigid polymer frame having slits 508 in its sidewalls into which it can be inserted, and gravity, mechanical interference with the rack 510, and / or a cap formed by one of the walls 102 of the container 500 may be used to hold the semiconductor device 504 in the slits 508. In some embodiments, the container 500 may be configured as a standard mechanical interface (SMIF) cassette or a front-opening wafer cassette (FOUP) to load the semiconductor device 504 in a controlled environment (e.g., a cleanroom in a semiconductor manufacturing facility) and to maintain the semiconductor device 504 in the controlled environment to reduce the possibility of contamination.

[0048] Figure 5 The semiconductor device 504 may be configured as, for example, a device region of a semiconductor wafer 506. More specifically, the slit 508 in the frame 510 of the support structure 502 may be sized, shaped, and configured to accommodate the edge of an individual semiconductor wafer 506 having an integrated circuit, which is configured in or on the device region of the main surface of the respective semiconductor wafer 506 and between cleavages without such integrated circuits, a memory device (e.g., a dynamic random access memory (DRAM) device, a solid-state drive).

[0049] The container 500 can be used to protect the semiconductor device 504 from at least some forms of radiation in desired situations (e.g., during shipment, short-term storage, and / or long-term storage). For example, the container 500 can be used to suppress neutron and / or proton radiation from altering the state of the silicon lattice in the semiconductor device 504 using the radiation-shielding material of the wall 102. More specifically, the container 500 can be used to reduce the likelihood that radiation from outside the container 500 will damage a given semiconductor wafer 506 within the wall 102 (e.g., the bits of a memory device on the given semiconductor wafer 506 will flip, and the radiation will alter the current-voltage characteristics of a trench FET mains MOSFET).

[0050] Figure 6This is a side-view transparent view of another embodiment of a container 600 for protecting one or more semiconductor devices 606 therein. In some embodiments, the container 600 may be sized, shaped, and configured to protect the semiconductor devices 606 when they are in an installed state. For example, the container 600 may include ports 612, slots, or cutouts in one or more walls 102 of the container 600, such that a portion of each semiconductor device 606 partially located therein can extend from the internal volume 104 to the outside of the container 600. More specifically, the interface portion of each semiconductor device 606 partially located in the container 600 may engage with an associated socket 610 (e.g., a DIMM socket, a Peripheral Component Interconnect High Speed ​​(PCIE) socket, an M.2 slot), and the remainder of the substrate 608 of the semiconductor device 606 may be located within the container 600.

[0051] The container 600 may be configured, for example, as a enclosure positioned around a large portion of the semiconductor device 606 after it has been installed (e.g., a PC chassis). For instance, the container 600 may include two clamshell-like portions that are rotatable relative to each other about a hinge 602 and a latch (e.g., snap-fit, pin connection) to secure the clamshell-like portions to each other on the side opposite the hinge 602 when the container 600 is in the closed state.

[0052] To mount the semiconductor device 606 and the container 600, the semiconductor device 606 is first mounted into the relevant socket 610, thereby connecting the semiconductor device 606 to another system 614 (e.g., a motherboard, an expansion card). The container 600 is then mounted around the semiconductor device 606, wherein the connector portion of the semiconductor device 606 extends through a port 612 in the container 600 for communication with a higher-level package outside the container, and the remainder of the semiconductor device 606 is located within the internal volume 104 of the container 600.

[0053] The container 600 can be used to protect the semiconductor device 606 from at least some forms of radiation in desired situations (e.g., after installation and during operation). For example, the container 600 can be used to suppress neutron and / or proton radiation from altering the state of the silicon lattice in the semiconductor device 606 using the radiation-shielding material of the wall 102. More specifically, the container 600 can be used to reduce the likelihood that radiation from outside the container 600 will induce damage in the given semiconductor device 606 within the wall 102 (e.g., bit flipping in the memory device of the given semiconductor device 606, or the radiation inducing changes in the current-voltage characteristics of a trench FET mains MOSFET).

[0054] Figure 7This is a front view of another embodiment of a container 700 for supporting one or more semiconductor devices 706 therein. For example, the container 700 may be configured to support a group of semiconductor devices 706 in an installed state. More specifically, the container 700 may be configured as a housing for accommodating computing components (e.g., computer chassis, server rack 704), or a building 702 (e.g., warehouse, retail store, server site) for temporary or long-term storage of computing components. In such configurations, radiation shielding material of the wall 102 may be integrated into the surface of the housing (e.g., sidewalls, cover plates for server rack 704) or into the building materials of the building 702 (e.g., walls, floor, roof).

[0055] Semiconductor device 706 may be configured, for example, as a hot-pluggable component deployed in server rack 704. More specifically, semiconductor device 706 may be configured as a hot-pluggable memory device deployed in server rack 704.

[0056] Figure 8 A flowchart of a method 800 for manufacturing a container for supporting one or more semiconductor devices therein. Method 800 may involve, for example, providing a support structure shaped, positioned, and configured to support the semiconductor devices therein, as indicated at action 802. The walls of the container may be used to define recesses sized and shaped to receive the support structure and semiconductor devices therein, as shown at action 804. The material of at least one wall may be selected to include a radiation shielding material, as indicated at action 806.

[0057] In some embodiments, the radiation shielding material may be selected to reduce the likelihood that neutron radiation will alter the state of the silicon lattice in the semiconductor device. For example, the radiation shielding material may be selected to comprise at least one material selected from the group consisting of: polyethylene borate, boron carbide, and aluminum boron alloys, or previously combined... Figure 1 Any of the other materials described.

[0058] In some embodiments, utilizing a wall to define a groove may involve placing sheets of radiation shielding material layer by layer to form at least a portion of at least one of the walls, such as in combination. Figure 1 As described. In some embodiments, each of the walls may contain a radiation-shielding material. In other embodiments, at least one of the walls may not have a radiation-shielding material. For example, a wall positioned and configured to face the base plate when the container is placed on the base plate may not contain a radiation-shielding material.

[0059] In summary, a method of manufacturing a container for supporting one or more semiconductor devices may involve providing a support structure shaped, positioned, and configured to support the semiconductor devices. The walls of the container may be used to define recesses sized and shaped to accommodate the support structure and the semiconductor devices therein. The material of at least one wall may be selected to include a radiation shielding material.

[0060] Embodiments of the container according to this disclosure can reduce the likelihood that at least some types of radiation could have harmful effects on semiconductor devices, such as radiation-induced changes in bit flipping and / or current-voltage characteristics of trench FET mains MOSFETs in memory devices. Such containers are particularly suitable for situations where radiation may be encountered, such as during air transport, in aerospace applications (e.g., black boxes, control systems), at high altitudes, and in nuclear facilities. Such containers can also find applications where reliability is critical, such as in autonomous control systems that imply human safety (e.g., self-driving cars, autopilots in aircraft, autopilots in other aviation systems, defense systems) and voting systems. The radiation shielding container according to this disclosure also reduces the need to retest and verify the functionality of semiconductor devices after shipment and after a period of storage.

[0061] Additional non-limiting embodiments within the scope of this disclosure include:

[0062] Example 1: A container for supporting one or more semiconductor devices therein, comprising: walls positioned to at least partially surround the semiconductor devices, at least one of the walls including a radiation shielding material; and a support structure shaped, positioned, and configured to support the semiconductor devices within the walls.

[0063] Example 2: According to the container of Example 1, wherein the radiation shielding material is configured to reduce the possibility that neutron radiation from the surrounding environment outside the container will alter the state of the silicon lattice in the semiconductor device.

[0064] Example 3: The container according to Example 1 or Example 2, wherein the radiation shielding material comprises at least one material selected from the group consisting of: polyethylene borate, boron carbide, and aluminum boron alloy.

[0065] Example 4: A container according to any one of Examples 1 to 3, wherein the support structure is sized, shaped and configured to support a semiconductor device, the semiconductor device being configured as a semiconductor die, semiconductor wafer, semiconductor device package or a substrate on which one or more semiconductor device packages are supported.

[0066] Example 5: A container according to any one of Examples 1 to 4, wherein the at least one in the container wall comprises a sheet of radiation shielding material in a stacked layer form for forming at least a portion of the at least one in the wall.

[0067] Example 6: A container according to any one of Examples 1 to 5, wherein each of the container walls includes the radiation shielding material.

[0068] Example 7: A container according to any one of Examples 1 to 5, wherein at least one of the container walls that does not have the radiation shielding material is positioned and configured to face the base plate when the container is placed on the base plate.

[0069] Example 8: A container according to any one of Examples 1 to 7, further comprising at least one port in one or more of the walls of the container, wherein a connector portion of the semiconductor device extends through the at least one port when the remainder of the semiconductor device is located within the container, such that the semiconductor device can be connected to a higher level package.

[0070] Example 9: A container according to any one of Examples 1 to 8, wherein at least a portion of at least one of the container walls is displaceable to allow a user to selectively access the interior of the container.

[0071] Example 10: A container according to any one of Examples 1 to 9, wherein the support structure includes a tray, a frame, a shell, foam unit dividers or combinations thereof, and includes slots, slits, grooves, gaps, shelves, compartments or combinations thereof that are sized, shaped, positioned and configured to receive the semiconductor device.

[0072] Example 11: A method for protecting one or more semiconductor devices, comprising: supporting the semiconductor devices on a support structure; and placing the semiconductor devices and the support structure within the wall of a container, at least one of the container walls comprising a radiation shielding material.

[0073] Example 12: The method according to Example 11 further includes using the radiation shielding material to suppress neutron radiation from the surrounding environment outside the container from altering the state of the silicon lattice in the semiconductor device.

[0074] Example 13: The method according to Example 11 or Example 12, wherein the semiconductor device includes a memory, and the method further includes using the radiation shielding material to reduce the likelihood that bits of the memory will flip.

[0075] Example 14: The method according to any of Examples 11 to 13, wherein supporting the semiconductor device using the support structure includes supporting a semiconductor die, semiconductor wafer, semiconductor device package, or a substrate on which one or more semiconductor device packages are supported using the support structure.

[0076] Example 15: According to the method of Example 14, the support structure for supporting the semiconductor device includes a substrate on which one or more semiconductor device packages are supported, and wherein the one or more semiconductor device packages are configured as dynamic random access memory devices.

[0077] Example 16: A method of manufacturing a container for supporting one or more semiconductor devices therein, comprising: providing a support structure shaped, positioned, and configured to support the semiconductor devices; using the walls of the container to define recesses sized and shaped to receive at least a portion of the support structure and the semiconductor devices therein; and selecting materials for the one or more container walls to include radiation shielding materials.

[0078] Example 17: The method according to Example 16 further includes selecting the radiation shielding material to reduce the possibility that neutron radiation will impact the silicon lattice in the semiconductor device.

[0079] Example 18: The method according to Example 16 or Example 17 further includes selecting the radiation shielding material to include at least one material selected from the group consisting of: polyethylene borate, boron carbide, and aluminum boron alloy.

[0080] Example 19: The method according to any of Examples 16 to 18, wherein defining the groove using the wall comprises placing sheets of the radiation shielding material layer by layer in an overlapping manner to form at least a portion of the at least one of the walls.

[0081] Example 20: The method according to any one of the embodiments of claims 16 to 19, further comprising selecting the material of each of the container walls to include the radiation shielding material.

[0082] Example 21: The method according to any of Examples 16 to 19 further includes selecting one of the container walls as having no radiation shielding material, the one of the container walls being positioned and configured to face the base plate when the container is placed on the base plate.

[0083] While certain illustrative embodiments have been described with reference to the figures, those skilled in the art will recognize and understand that the scope of this disclosure is not limited to the embodiments explicitly shown and described herein. In fact, many additions, deletions, and modifications can be made to the embodiments described herein to produce embodiments within the scope of this disclosure, such as those particularly claimed, including legal equivalents. Furthermore, features from one disclosed embodiment may be combined with features from another disclosed embodiment while still remaining within the scope of this disclosure.

Claims

1. A container for supporting one or more semiconductor devices therein, comprising: A wall, positioned to at least partially surround a semiconductor device, wherein all but one of the walls comprises sheets of radiation shielding material in the form of stacked layers, wherein the sheets form a stepped shape at the periphery of at least one of the walls, the radiation shielding material being selected from the group consisting of polyethylene borate and aluminum boron alloy, the radiation shielding material comprising 1% to 20% by weight of all but one of the walls, wherein the remaining wall of the wall not having the radiation shielding material is positioned and configured to face the base plate when the container is placed on the base plate; A door on one of the walls other than the aforementioned wall, the door being supported by the wall by a hinge; and A support structure, which is shaped, positioned and configured to support the semiconductor device within the wall.

2. The container of claim 1, wherein the radiation shielding material is configured to reduce the likelihood that neutron radiation from the surrounding environment outside the container will alter the state of the silicon lattice in the semiconductor device.

3. The container of claim 1, wherein the support structure is sized, shaped and configured to support a semiconductor device, the semiconductor device being configured as a semiconductor die, semiconductor wafer, semiconductor device package or a substrate on which one or more semiconductor device packages are supported.

4. The container according to any one of claims 1, 2 or 3, further comprising at least one port in one or more of the walls of the container, wherein a connector portion of the semiconductor device extends through the at least one port when the remainder of the semiconductor device is located within the container, such that the semiconductor device can be connected to a higher level package.

5. The container according to any one of claims 1, 2 or 3, further comprising a latch or pin positioned and configured to selectively secure the door in a closed position, and a sealing member positioned and configured to seal the opening of the door when the door is in the closed position.

6. The container according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the support structure comprises a tray, a frame, a housing, a foam unit divider or a combination thereof, and includes slots, slits, recesses, gaps, shelves, compartments or combinations thereof that are sized, shaped, positioned and configured to receive the semiconductor device.

7. A method for protecting one or more semiconductor devices, comprising: Support the semiconductor device on the support structure; and The semiconductor device and the support structure are placed within the walls of a container, all of which, except for one wall, comprise sheets of radiation-shielding material in a stacked layered manner. These sheets form a stepped shape at the periphery of at least one of the walls. The radiation-shielding material is selected from the group consisting of polyethylene borate and aluminum boron alloys, and comprises 1% to 20% by weight of all of the walls, excluding the first wall. A door on one of the walls (excluding the first wall) is closed using a hinge, the hinge securing the door to the wall to enclose the semiconductor device within the container; as well as The container is placed on the base plate such that the remaining wall of the wall that does not have the radiation shielding material faces the base plate.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising using the radiation shielding material to suppress neutron radiation from the surrounding environment outside the container that alters the state of the silicon lattice in the semiconductor device.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the semiconductor device comprises a memory, and the method further comprises utilizing the radiation shielding material to reduce the likelihood that bits of the memory will flip.

10. The method according to any one of claims 7 to 9, wherein supporting the semiconductor device using the support structure includes supporting a semiconductor die, semiconductor wafer, semiconductor device package, or a substrate of one or more semiconductor device packages using the support structure.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein supporting the semiconductor device using the support structure includes supporting a substrate thereon on which one or more semiconductor device packages are supported, and wherein the one or more semiconductor device packages are configured as dynamic random access memory devices.

12. A method of manufacturing a container for supporting one or more semiconductor devices therein, comprising: Provides support structures that are shaped, positioned, and configured to support semiconductor devices; The material selected for use in all container walls except for one container wall includes radiation shielding material, the radiation shielding material being selected from the group consisting of polyethylene borate and aluminum boron alloy, the radiation shielding material comprising 1% to 20% by weight of all container walls except for the one container wall. The container wall is used to define a recess of a predetermined size and shape to accommodate at least a portion of the support structure and the semiconductor device therein, wherein defining the recess using the container wall includes placing sheets of radiation shielding material layer by layer in an overlapping manner to form at least a portion of the container wall, wherein the sheets form a stepped shape at the periphery of at least one container wall in the container wall. A door is hinged in one of the container walls, which is part of all the container walls except for one container wall. as well as The remaining container wall of the container that does not have the radiation shielding material is positioned so that it faces the base plate when the container is placed on the base plate.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising selecting the radiation shielding material to reduce the likelihood that neutron radiation will impact the silicon lattice in the semiconductor device.

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