Three-dimensional (3D) package and method for 3D package

Abstract

A three-dimensional (3D) package includes one or more frames, a circuit component, and an encapsulation material for encapsulating at least a portion of the one or more frames and the circuit component. The one or more frames each include one or more support portions and an electrically conductive connection portion extending from the one or more support portions and defining a component mounting space therebetween. The circuit components are each mounted in one component mounting space and electrically attached to a corresponding one or more of the first conductive connection portion and the second conductive connection portion.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates generally to semiconductor and power electronics manufacturing. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to three-dimensional (3D) packaging for power electronics. Background Art

[0002] Semiconductor packages are widely used to protect integrated circuit (IC) chips and provide electrical interfaces to external circuit systems. As the demand for smaller device size and higher power density increases, packages for power modules are designed to be more compact as circuit density increases. In 3D semiconductor packages for power devices, stacked dies and associated passive components typically generate a lot of heat and cause thermal hot spots due to the high-power devices within the package. Using 3D or stacked substrate packages, one or more dies may be covered by other dies and therefore not exposed to the surface, thereby preventing these dies from directly docking with a heat sink for heat dissipation.

[0003] Therefore, designing semiconductor packages with sufficient heat dissipation characteristics to remove the heat dissipated in each power device has become a challenge in the art. In addition, 3D semiconductor packaging also leads to wiring challenges and difficulties in providing effective connections between devices arranged vertically in the package. Therefore, there is a need to simplify wiring complexity for 3D semiconductor packaging. Summary of the invention

[0004] Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a 3D package. The 3D package includes one or more frames, a circuit assembly, and an encapsulation material for encapsulating at least a portion of the one or more frames and the circuit assembly. The one or more frames each include one or more support portions and a conductive connection portion, the conductive connection portion extending from one or more support portions and defining a component mounting space therebetween. The circuit assembly is each mounted in one of the component mounting spaces and electrically attached to the corresponding one or more conductive connections in the conductive connection portion.

[0005] An embodiment of the present disclosure provides a frame structure for stacking circuit components. The frame structure includes: two supporting parts, which extend substantially along a first direction; a first conductive connection part, which extends substantially along a second direction from one of the two supporting parts; and a second conductive connection part, which extends substantially along the second direction from the other of the two supporting parts. The first conductive connection part and the second conductive connection part define an installation space therebetween for installing the circuit component. In the first connection part pair extending from the first ends of the two supporting parts, in response to a sacrificial treatment of removing a first connector part protruding from the frame structure at a first side, a corresponding first conductive connection part in the first conductive connection part and a corresponding second conductive connection part in the second conductive connection part are formed. The first conductive connection part and the second conductive connection part are configured to be electrically attached to corresponding conductive pads of the circuit component.

[0006] The embodiment of the present disclosure provides a method for 3D packaging. The method includes: installing a circuit component in a component installation space defined by a first frame and a second frame aligned with the first frame, the first frame including one or more first supporting parts and a first conductive connection extending from one or more first supporting parts and defining the first installation space, the second frame including one or more second supporting parts and a second conductive connection extending from one or more second supporting parts and defining the second installation space, the first installation space is aligned with the second installation space to form the component installation space; and applying overmolding to obtain a molded package encapsulating the circuit component, the first frame and the second frame.

[0007] Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a three-dimensional (3D) package. The 3D package includes a frame and a circuit component aligned with each other. Any frame in the frame includes two supporting portions extending substantially along a first direction and a conductive connection portion defining a mounting space, and the corresponding mounting spaces of the frame are aligned with each other to define a component mounting space. The circuit components are each mounted in one of the component mounting spaces and are each electrically attached to a corresponding conductive connection portion extending along a second direction substantially perpendicular to the conductive terminals of the 3D package.

[0008] An embodiment of the present disclosure provides a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing an instruction set that can be executed by one or more processors of a device to cause the device to perform a method for designing a frame structure for stacking circuit components. The method includes: providing two supporting portions extending substantially along a first direction; providing a first conductive connection portion extending substantially along a second direction from one of the two supporting portions; providing a second conductive connection portion extending substantially along the second direction from the other of the two supporting portions, the first conductive connection portion and the second conductive connection portion defining a mounting space therebetween for mounting the circuit component; and providing a first connector portion protruding from the frame structure at a first side, wherein the first connector portion is associated with a corresponding first conductive connection portion of a first conductive connection portion and a corresponding second conductive connection portion of a first connection portion pair extending from the first ends of the two supporting portions, and is to be removed in a sacrificial process. The first conductive connection portion and the second conductive connection portion are configured to be electrically attached to corresponding conductive pads of the circuit component.

[0009] Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a frame structure for stacking circuit assemblies. The frame structure includes: one or more first portions configured to provide one or more electrical terminals for transmitting power for a power circuit formed by the circuit assembly through a first path; and one or more second portions configured to provide one or more heat dissipation surfaces to transfer heat from the circuit assembly through a second path different from the first path.

[0010] Additional features and advantages of the disclosed embodiments will be described in part in the following description, and in part will become apparent from the description, or can be learned by practicing the embodiments. The features and advantages of the disclosed embodiments can be realized and obtained by the elements and combinations set forth in the claims. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011] Embodiments and various aspects of the present disclosure are shown in the following detailed description and accompanying drawings. Note that, in accordance with industry standard practice, various features are not necessarily drawn to scale. In fact, the size of various features may be arbitrarily increased or reduced for clarity of discussion.

[0012] Figure 1A and Figure 1B are respective top and bottom views of an exemplary semiconductor package according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0013] Figure 2A and Figure 2B are respective top and bottom views of an exemplary power circuit component to be molded in a semiconductor package 100 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0014] Figure 3A and Figure 3B are two perspective views showing a plurality of power circuit components stacked in a semiconductor package according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0015] Figure 3C is a diagram showing the attachment to some embodiments according to the present disclosure Figure 3A and Figure 3B A perspective view of a heat sink in a frame of a semiconductor package.

[0016] Figure 4 is a flow chart of a method for three-dimensional (3D) packaging according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0017] Figure 5A is a diagram illustrating an exemplary frame structure for stacking power circuit assemblies according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0018] Figure 5B is a diagram illustrating another exemplary frame structure for stacking power circuit assemblies according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0019] Figure 6 and Figure 7 is a diagram showing power circuit components housed and vertically stacked in a frame structure according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0020] Figure 8 and Fig. 9 According to some embodiments of the present disclosure Figure 5A The frame structure shown in FIG. 1 is a top view and a bottom view respectively after the grinding process.

[0021] Fig.10 is a diagram showing some embodiments of the present disclosure having a configuration in Figure 5A FIG. 5 is a diagram of exemplary components of additional frame structures between the frame structures shown in FIG.

[0022] Fig.11 is a diagram showing exemplary components according to some embodiments of the present disclosure, showing a Fig.10 A scaled-up example of .

[0023] Fig. 12A and Fig. 12B are respective top and bottom views of another exemplary power circuit assembly according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0024] Fig.13 is a diagram showing a stacking method according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. Fig. 12A and Fig. 12B FIG. 1 is a diagram of an exemplary frame structure of multiple power circuit components.

[0025] Fig.14 is a diagram showing power circuit components housed and stacked in a frame structure according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0026] Fig.15A and Fig. 15B are respective top and bottom views of an exemplary semiconductor package according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0027] The following disclosure provides many different exemplary embodiments or examples for implementing the different features of the provided subject matter. Specific simplified examples of components and arrangements are described below to illustrate the present disclosure. Of course, these are only examples and are not intended to be limiting. In addition, the present disclosure may repeat reference numerals and / or letters in various examples. This repetition is for the purpose of simplicity and clarity and does not itself specify the relationship between the various embodiments and / or configurations discussed.

[0028] The terms used in this specification generally have their ordinary meaning in the art and in the specific context in which each term is used. The use of examples in this specification (including examples of any term discussed herein) is illustrative only and in no way limits the scope and meaning of the present disclosure or any exemplified term. Likewise, the present disclosure is not limited to the various embodiments given in this specification.

[0029] Although the terms "first", "second", etc. may be used herein to describe various elements, these elements should not be limited by these terms. These terms are used to distinguish one element from another element. For example, without departing from the scope of the embodiments, a first element may be referred to as a second element, and similarly, a second element may be referred to as a first element. As used herein, the term "and / or" includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0030] Additionally, for ease of description, spatially relative terms such as "below," "beneath," "below," "above," and "above," etc. may be used herein to describe the relationship of one element or feature to another element or feature as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Spatially relative terms are intended to encompass different orientations of the device in use or operation in addition to the orientation depicted in the accompanying drawings. The device may be otherwise oriented (rotated 90 degrees or at other orientations) and the spatially relative descriptors used herein may be interpreted similarly accordingly.

[0031] In this document, the term “coupled” may also be referred to as “electrically coupled”, and the term “connected” may be referred to as “electrically connected.” “Coupled” and “connected” may also be used to indicate that two or more elements cooperate or interact with each other.

[0032] Various embodiments of the present disclosure will be described for the embodiments in a specific context, i.e., charge pump circuits. As used in the present disclosure, the term "charge pump" refers to a switched capacitor network configured to convert an input voltage into an output voltage. Examples of such charge pumps include cascade multiplier switched capacitor networks, Dickson switched capacitor networks, ladder switched capacitor networks, series-parallel switched capacitor networks, Fibonacci switched capacitor networks, and voltage doubler switched capacitor networks, all of which can be configured as multiphase networks or single-phase networks. However, the concepts in the present disclosure can also be applied to other types of power IC devices using 2.5D / 3D packaging technology.

[0033] In the context of the present disclosure, a power conversion circuit that converts a higher input voltage power supply into a lower output voltage level is generally referred to as a step-down converter or a buck converter because the converter "steps down" the input voltage. A power conversion circuit that converts a lower input voltage power supply into a higher output voltage level is generally referred to as a step-up converter or a boost converter because the converter "boosts" the input voltage. In addition, some power converters (generally referred to as "buck-boost converters") can be configured to convert an input voltage power supply into an output voltage with a wide range, wherein the output voltage can be higher or lower than the input voltage. In various embodiments, the power converter can be bidirectional and can be a step-up converter or a step-down converter depending on how the power supply is connected to the converter. In some embodiments, an AC-DC power converter can be constructed according to a DC-DC power converter by, for example, the following operations: first, the AC input voltage is rectified to a DC voltage, and then the DC voltage is applied to the DC-DC power converter.

[0034] Integrated circuits (ICs) and semiconductor packages according to the present disclosure may be used alone or in combination with other components, circuits, devices, and packages. For example, the package may be combined with other components, such as on a printed circuit board, to form a power module, a power converter device, a power supply system, or a portion of an end product such as a cellular phone, a laptop computer, or an electronic tablet, or to form a higher-level module or system that can be used in a wide variety of products, such as an energy management system for computing devices, industrial devices, medical devices, large-scale data centers, vehicle electrical systems in automotive applications, and the like.

[0035] Figure 1A and Figure 1B 1 are respective top and bottom views of an exemplary semiconductor package 100 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. The semiconductor package 100 can be a three-dimensional (3D) package having a molded body 110 that, among other things, encapsulates a plurality of power circuit components. For example, the power circuit components can be a vertically stacked package power supply (PSiP) that implements a power conversion circuit such as a charge pump circuit. Based on a charge pump switch capacitor architecture that performs power conversion, the semiconductor package 100 can be used in a variety of power supply applications. In some embodiments, the molding material forming the molded body 110 is thermally conductive, which can facilitate heat transfer and avoid damage or performance degradation due to heat accumulation in the semiconductor package 100.

[0036] like Figure 1A and Figure 1B As shown, the semiconductor package 100 may provide a plurality of top-side terminals 120 at the top surface of the semiconductor package 100 and a plurality of bottom-side terminals 130 at the bottom surface of the semiconductor package 100. Figure 1A and Figure 1B In the semiconductor package 100 of FIG. 1 , four top terminals 120 are arranged in an exemplary alignment and six bottom terminals 130 are arranged in an exemplary alignment. In other words, the number of top terminals 120 may be different from the number of bottom terminals 130. Figure 1B As shown, in some embodiments, the bottom terminal 130 may include terminals with different sizes. In some embodiments, the top terminal 120 is configured to provide heat dissipation function to components and devices within the semiconductor package 100. The bottom terminal 130 is configured to provide an input terminal, an output terminal and / or a ground terminal to a power circuit.

[0037] Figure 2A and Figure 2B 2 are respective top and bottom views of an exemplary power circuit assembly 200 to be molded in a semiconductor package 100 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. Figure 2AAs shown, in some embodiments, the power circuit assembly 200 includes a substrate 210, wherein one or more passive components 220 are mounted on a first side (e.g., top side) of the substrate 210. In the embedded die in substrate design, the semiconductor die is embedded in the substrate 210 and attached to the lead frame to minimize the size and maximize the heat transfer efficiency. In some embodiments, a power circuit assembly 200 can deliver an output power of up to about 100W, but the disclosure is not limited thereto. In some embodiments, the height of the substrate 210 can vary from about 1.0mm to about 2.0mm, but the disclosure is not limited thereto. In some embodiments, the power circuit assembly 200 can be a full power converter. In some other embodiments, the power circuit assembly 200 can include one or more field effect transistors (FETs). In some other embodiments, the power circuit assembly 200 can be one or more parts of a power converter.

[0038] Passive components 220 may include inductors, capacitors, and / or resistors for use in charge pump circuits or other types of power conversion circuits. Figure 2B As shown, in some embodiments, the conductive pads 232, 234, 236, 238, 242, and 244 are mounted on a second side (e.g., bottom side) opposite to the first side. Each of the conductive pads 232, 234, 236, 238, 242, and 244 can be electrically coupled to one or more corresponding passive components 220 mounted on the first side via conductive features such as through holes or conductive lines located on or within the substrate 210.

[0039] Thus, conductive pads 232, 234, 236, 238, 242, and 244 may be configured to provide electrical connection paths to other power circuit components in the same package. Figure 2B In the illustrated embodiment, conductive pads 232, 234, 236, 238, 242, and 244 include conductive pads of different sizes in an example alignment, but the disclosure is not limited thereto. In various embodiments, based on layout design considerations, power circuit assembly 200 can accommodate any number of conductive pads formed or mounted on the bottom side.

[0040] Figure 3A and Figure 3B 2 are two perspective views showing a plurality of power circuit components 200a, 200b, and 200c stacked in a semiconductor package 100 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. Figure 3A and Figure 3B The molding material encapsulating the power circuit components 200a, 200b, and 200c is not shown.

[0041] like Figure 3A As shown, semiconductor package 100 includes frames 300a and 300b for vertically stacking power circuit components 200a, 200b and 200c in semiconductor package 100. In some embodiments, frames 300a and 300b can have the same shape and features and align with each other. In other embodiments, frames 300a and 300b can have complementary shapes and features aligned with each other. In different embodiments, frames 300a and 300b can be extruded parts, machined parts (e.g., computer numerical control (CNC) machined parts), 3D printed parts, or parts manufactured using any other suitable process selected according to, for example, the size and / or structure of the parts.

[0042] In some embodiments, the frames 300a and 300b are thermally and electrically conductive. For example, the frames 300a and 300b may be extruded structures such as copper extrusions that provide structural rigidity and thermal conductivity to the stacked power circuit components at a low cost. In addition, the copper frame also provides the desired conductivity to minimize power loss. In some other embodiments, for example, if a more sophisticated interconnection design for the frames 300a and 300b is desired, the frames 300a and 300b may also be CNC machined parts or 3D printed parts formed by 3D printing using powdered copper. In addition, in some embodiments, 3D printing technology may be applied in the verification process for verifying the extrusion concept or design being developed without additional tooling costs.

[0043] The frame 300a includes: support portions 310a, 330a extending in a first direction (e.g., substantially vertical); conductive connection portions 322a, 324a, 326a, 328a extending from the support portion 310 in a second direction (e.g., substantially horizontal); conductive connection portions 342a, 344a, 346a, 348a extending from the support portion 330a in a second direction (e.g., substantially horizontal); and a conductive connection portion 350a between the conductive connection portions 322a and 342a. Therefore, the conductive connection portions 322a to 328a and 342a to 348a in the frame 300a define a first installation space therebetween for accommodating and installing the power circuit components 200a, 200b, and 200c. In particular, in Figure 3A , the conductive connection parts 322a to 328a and the conductive connection parts 342a to 348a extend substantially horizontally toward each other in pairs from the two supporting parts 310a and 330a. Adjacent pairs of the conductive connection parts 322a to 328a and 342a to 348a define a first mounting space therebetween.

[0044] In some embodiments, conductive connections 322a, 324a, 326a and 328a are used for different purposes, and corresponding conductive connections 342a, 344a, 346a and 348a on the other side can provide similar functions of conductive connections 322a, 324a, 326a and 328a, respectively. For example, conductive connections 322a and 342a are configured to be connected to a printed circuit board (PCB) substrate. Both the top and bottom of conductive connections 322a and 342a require solderable materials. On the other hand, for conductive connections 324a, 326a and conductive connections 344a and 346a, only one side (e.g., the top side) requires solderable materials. Conductive connections 328a and 348a do not require solderable materials. In some embodiments, conductive connections 328a and 348a can provide thermally conductive electrical insulators for attaching heat sinks. In various embodiments, the frames 300a and 300b may have different numbers of support portions extending along the first direction.

[0045] Similarly, if Figure 3B As shown in , the frame 300b aligned with the frame 300a further includes: support portions 310b, 330b extending substantially vertically; conductive connection portions 322b, 324b, 326b, 328b extending substantially horizontally from the support portion 310b; and conductive connection portions 342b, 344b, 346b, 348b extending substantially horizontally from the support portion 330b; and a conductive connection portion 350b between the conductive connection portions 322b and 342b. The conductive connection portions 322b to 328b and 342b to 348b in the frame 300b define a second installation space therebetween for accommodating and installing the power circuit components 200a, 200b, and 200c, wherein adjacent pairs of the conductive connection portions 322b to 328b and 342b to 348b define a second installation space therebetween. Therefore, each mounting space in the first mounting spaces is aligned with a corresponding mounting space in the second mounting spaces to define a component mounting space for one power circuit component.

[0046] It will be appreciated that the number of conductive connections, the number of component mounting spaces, and / or the number of power circuit components in a single semiconductor package 100 may be modified as required. For example, the semiconductor package 100 may be vertically scalable, wherein two, three, four, or more power circuit components are vertically mounted. Figure 3A The embodiments described are examples and are not meant to limit the present disclosure.

[0047] exist Figure 3A and Figure 3BIn some embodiments, the power circuit components 200a, 200b and 200c are each mounted in one of the component mounting spaces and electrically attached (e.g., welded) to the corresponding one or more conductive connections of the conductive connection portions 322a to 328a, 342a to 348a of the frame 300a and the corresponding one or more conductive connections of the conductive connection portions 322b to 328b, 342b to 348b of the frame 300b. In some embodiments, the power circuit component 200a in the bottom layer can be configured to communicate with the power circuit components 200b and 200c in the stack via AC coupling. Therefore, the frames 300a and 300b provide electrical connections between the devices in the stacked power circuit components 200a to 200c, and thus facilitate vertical connections in the semiconductor package 100. In some embodiments, frames 300a and 300b are copper frames, where the thickness of the copper used for each intermediate interconnect (eg, approximately 300 um to 1 mm) can be sized to a desired thickness to optimize thermal performance without risk of warping.

[0048] As shown in the drawings, the power circuit assembly 200a in the bottom layer is electrically attached to the conductive connection portions 322a, 342a and 350a of the frame 300a via the conductive pads 232, 234 and 242, respectively, and is electrically attached to the conductive connection portions 322b, 342b and 350b of the frame 300b via the conductive pads 236, 238 and 244, respectively. Similarly, the power circuit assemblies 200b and 200c in the middle layer and the top layer are electrically attached to the conductive connection portions 324a, 344a and the conductive connection portions 326a, 346a of the frame 300a, respectively, and are electrically attached to the conductive connection portions 324b, 344b and the conductive connection portions 326b, 346b of the frame 300b, respectively, via corresponding conductive pads. With this arrangement, each of the power circuit assemblies 200a, 200b, and 200c can be positioned into two frames 300a and 300b (eg, extruded frames) using interconnections between conductive pads and the underlying copper leadframe.

[0049] In some applications, after the power circuit components 200a to 200c are electrically attached to the frames 300a and 300b, a molding process is performed to provide a molding material for encapsulating the frame 300a, at least a portion of the frame 300b, and the power circuit components 200a to 200c to obtain a molded product after a post-molding process (e.g., a grinding process). Figure 1A and Figure 1B A semiconductor package 100 for power conversion applications is shown in FIG.

[0050] For example, after the grinding process, the top connection pair (e.g., conductive connection 328a and 348a) of the frame 300a and the top connection pair (e.g., conductive connection 328b and 348b) of the frame 300b are exposed from the molding material to form the conductive top side terminal 120 on the top side of the semiconductor package 100. Similarly, after the grinding process, the bottom connection pair (e.g., conductive connection 322a and 342a) of the frame 300a and the bottom connection pair (e.g., conductive connection 322b and 342b) of the frame 300b are exposed from the molding material to form the conductive bottom side terminal 130 on the bottom side of the semiconductor package 100. In addition, the conductive connection 350a and the conductive connection 350b are also exposed from the molding material to form the conductive terminal 130.

[0051] As previously discussed, the top-side terminals can provide heat dissipation for components and devices within the semiconductor package 100. By using heat-conducting frames 300a and 300b (e.g., copper frames) and heat-conducting molding materials, the heat dissipated within the power circuit components 200a to 200c can be effectively removed. In some embodiments, the frame 300a, the frame 300b, or both may include one or more heat sinks arranged in an array and extending from the top portion of the frame 300a or the frame 300b to further promote heat dissipation. For example, the heat sinks can be elongated, substantially flat members that are arranged substantially parallel to each other and configured to increase the heat transfer area.

[0052] Figure 3C 300a and 300b according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. Figure 3C In the embodiment of the present invention, the semiconductor package 100 further includes an electrical insulator layer 360 and a heat sink 370 above the frames 300a and 300b. Figure 3C As shown, electrical insulator layer 360 is attached to the top connection pair of frame 300a, such as conductive connection 328a and 348a. Similarly, electrical insulator layer 360 is also attached to the top connection pair of frame 300b. Electrically insulating and thermally conductive electrical insulator layer 360 can conduct heat away from frame 300a and 300b. For example, electrical insulator layer 360 can be formed of thermally conductive ceramic or resin or other materials with the same or similar electrical and thermal properties.

[0053] The heat sink 370 is disposed on top of and attached to the electrical insulator layer 360. For example, the heat sink 370 may include a conductive metal sheet such as aluminum or copper for conducting heat away from the electrical insulator layer 360. In some embodiments, different types of heat transfer devices such as heat strips, heat pipes, heat spreaders, etc. may also be used in the thermal management system to facilitate heat transfer and remove heat generated in the semiconductor package 100.

[0054] Figure 4 is a flow chart of a method 400 for three-dimensional (3D) packaging according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. It should be understood that Figure 4 Additional operations may be performed before, during, and / or after the method 400 depicted in the drawings, and some other processes may only be briefly described herein. The method 400 may be performed to manufacture a 3D package for a charge pump device with increased power density, for example, Figure 1A and Figure 1B The semiconductor package 100 shown in FIG. 4 is a semiconductor package 100 , but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. The method 400 includes operations 410 , 420 , 430 , and 440 .

[0055] In operation 410, at least two frames are formed for accommodating and stacking power circuit components. In some embodiments, at least one of the frames can be formed by an extrusion process or a CNC machining process. In some other embodiments, at least one of the frames can be formed by 3D printing. The frames can be thermally and electrically conductive.

[0056] Figure 5A is a diagram showing exemplary frame structures 500a and 500b for stacked power circuit assemblies according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. Compared to the frames 300a and 300b in the final product after overmolding and top / bottom side grinding processes, Figure 5A The frame structures 500a and 500b in FIG. 5 include sacrificial connector portions, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. In some other embodiments, frame structures without sacrificial elements may also be used for stacking power circuit components.

[0057] In the frame structure 500a, the conductive connecting portions 322a, 324a, 326a and 328a extending substantially horizontally from one supporting portion 310a and the conductive connecting portions 342a, 344a, 346a and 348a extending substantially horizontally from another supporting portion 330a form a connecting portion pair, thereby defining a mounting space therebetween for mounting a power circuit component. In particular, in some embodiments, the conductive connecting portions 322a, 324a, 326a and 328a and the corresponding conductive connecting portions among the conductive connecting portions 342a, 344a, 346a and 348a are horizontally aligned and extend toward each other in pairs.

[0058] Conductive connection 350a is disposed between conductive connection 322a and conductive connection 342a of the bottom connection pair. Note that in some other embodiments, frame structure 500a may include two or more conductive connections 350a between conductive connections 322a and 342a. Figure 5A The frame structure 500a in FIG. 5 is an example and is not meant to limit the present disclosure. The conductive connections 322a to 328a, 342a to 348a, and 350 are configured for soldering to corresponding conductive pads of a power circuit component.

[0059] The frame structure 500a also includes sacrificial connector portions 510a and 520a. In particular, the sacrificial connector portion 510a protrudes from the frame structure 500a at a first side (e.g., top side) to connect the corresponding conductive connection portion 328a and the corresponding conductive connection portion 348a of the top connection portion pair extending from the top ends of the two support portions 310a and 330a.

[0060] The sacrificial connector portion 520a protrudes from the frame structure 500a at a second side (e.g., bottom side) opposite to the first side to connect the corresponding conductive connection portion 322a and the corresponding conductive connection portion 342a of the bottom connection portion pair extending from the bottom ends of the two support portions 310a and 330a. In addition, the conductive connection portion 350a is also connected to the sacrificial connector portion 520a. In some embodiments, the features of the frame structure 500b may be the same or similar to the features of the frame structure 500a, and therefore, for the sake of brevity, they are not repeated herein.

[0061] Figure 5B is a diagram illustrating another exemplary frame structure 500c for stacking power circuit components according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. As mentioned above, the frame 300a, the frame 300b, or both in the final product may include one or more heat sinks for heat dissipation. The frames 300a and 300b with heat sinks may be formed by applying the frame structure 500c, wherein the heat sinks 530c are arranged substantially parallel to each other and extend vertically from the top portion of the frame structure 500c (e.g., the conductive connections 328c and 348c) to increase the heat transfer area. Note that the number, length, thickness, and / or shape of the heat sinks 530c or the distance between two adjacent heat sinks 530c may be modified according to actual needs, and Figure 5BThe examples shown in FIG. 5 are not meant to limit the present disclosure. Other features of the frame structure 500c (including the conductive connection portions 322c, 324c, 326c and 328c extending substantially horizontally from one support portion 310c, the conductive connection portions 342c, 344c, 346c and 348c extending substantially horizontally from another support portion 330c, and the sacrificial connector portions 510c and 520c) are similar to those of FIG. Figure 5A The features of the frame structures 500a and 500b discussed in are the same or similar, and therefore, for the sake of brevity, they are not repeated herein.

[0062] Refer again Figure 4 Next, in operation 420, the power circuit assembly is installed in the assembly installation space defined by the first frame and the second frame aligned with the first frame. For example, in step 420, the power circuit assembly can be welded to the first frame and the second frame. Figure 6 and Figure 7 The details of operation 420 are discussed in relation to Figure 6 and Figure 7 is a diagram showing power circuit assemblies 200 a , 200 b , and 200 c housed and vertically stacked in frame structures 500 a and 500 b according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0063] like Figure 6 As shown, each of the power circuit assemblies 200a, 200b, and 200c can be inserted into a corresponding assembly mounting space, wherein the mounting space of the frame structure 500a is aligned with the mounting space of the frame structure 500b. Figure 6 The assembly shown in FIG. 1 is passed through an air flow soldering line to attach the power circuit assemblies 200a, 200b, and 200c to two frame structures 500a and 500b by soldering the power circuit assemblies 200a, 200b, and 200c to the frame structures 500a and 500b.

[0064] Figure 7 FIG. 2 shows a front view of power circuit components 200a, 200b, and 200c in a component installation space. Figure 7 As shown in the front view of FIG. 5 , the conductive pads 232, 234, and 242 of each of the power circuit assemblies 200a, 200b, and 200c can be electrically attached to corresponding one or more conductive connections of the frame structure 500a. Similarly, although Figure 7500a, 500b and 500c can be installed in the component installation space defined by the frame structure 500a and the frame structure 500b aligned with the frame structure 500a.

[0065] Refer again Figure 4 Next, in operation 430, overmolding is applied to obtain a molded package encapsulating the power circuit components 200a, 200b, and 200c and the frame structures 500a and 500b. For example, transfer molding with a thermally conductive material may be applied to fill the cavities within the frame structures 500a and 500b. In various embodiments, other molding processes may also be applied to obtain a molded package.

[0066] Next, in operation 440, the upper and lower portions of the molded package are removed to expose the first conductive terminals on the top side of the molded package and the second conductive terminals on the bottom side of the molded package. In particular, in operation 440, a grinding process may be applied to finish the top and bottom surfaces of the molded package. As discussed above, frame structures with or without sacrificial elements may be used to stack power circuit components and molded to obtain a molded package. In some embodiments, for a molded package including a frame structure with a sacrificial element, when finishing the molded package to expose the terminals on the top and bottom sides, one or more sacrificial connector portions (e.g., Figure 5A The sacrificial connector portions 510a and 520a) in the molded package are also removed by the grinding process of grinding the molded package.

[0067] Figure 8 and Fig. 9 are respective top and bottom views of frame structures 500a and 500b after grinding according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. Figure 8 and Fig. 9 The molded body of the molded package is not shown. Figure 8 and Fig. 9 As shown in FIG, after the grinding process, the top connection pair of frame structure 500a (e.g., conductive connection 328a and 348a) and the top connection pair of frame structure 500b (e.g., conductive connection 328b and 348b) are exposed from the molding material to form four conductive terminals (e.g., conductive terminals 328a and 348a) on the top side of the 3D package. Figure 1ASimilarly, the bottom connection pair (e.g., conductive connections 322a and 342a) of the frame structure 500a and the conductive connection 350a therebetween, and the bottom connection pair (e.g., conductive connections 322b and 342b) of the frame structure 500b and the conductive connection 350b therebetween are also exposed from the molding material to form six conductive terminals (e.g., conductive connections 322a and 342a) on the bottom side of the 3D package. Figure 1B The bottom side terminal 130 in the circuit assembly). That is, in the present embodiment, the frame structures 500a and 500b may each include one or more first parts (e.g., conductive connection parts 322a, 342a and conductive connection parts 322b and 342b) on one side, and one or more second parts (e.g., conductive connection parts 328a and 348a and conductive connection parts 328b and 348b) on the other side. The first part is configured to provide one or more electrical terminals for transmitting power for a power circuit formed by the circuit assembly through a first path, and the second part connected to the first part is configured to provide one or more heat dissipation surfaces to transfer heat from the circuit assembly through a second path different from the first path. As discussed above, in some embodiments, the circuit assembly may be a full power converter. In some other embodiments, the circuit assembly may include one or more field effect transistors (FETs). In some other embodiments, the circuit assembly may be one or more parts of a power converter. In some embodiments, the first portion includes a pair of bottom connections of the frame structures 500a and 500b, and the second portion includes a pair of top connections of the frame structures 500a and 500b. In some other embodiments, at least one of the first portions and at least one of the second portions may be the same part.

[0068] By performing operations 410 to 440 discussed above, it is possible to obtain Figure 1A and Figure 1B . As previously discussed, the final semiconductor package 100 includes a vertically stacked PSiP module with improved thermal management characteristics and simplified electrical connections. Therefore, the semiconductor package 100 is suitable for various power conversion applications, such as a power converter IC with a stacked charge pump circuit.

[0069] As shown in the above embodiments, semiconductor package 100 provides additional interconnection to the PSiP module in the bottom layer (e.g., via conductive connections 350a and 350b). In some other embodiments, one or more additional frames may be provided in association with the two frames shown in the above embodiments to provide additional interconnection to the PSiP modules in the bottom layer, the middle layer, and the top layer.

[0070] Fig.10is a diagram showing some embodiments of the present disclosure having a configuration in Figure 5A FIG. 1000 is a diagram of an exemplary assembly 1000 of an additional frame structure 1010 between the frame structures 500a and 500b shown in FIG. In some embodiments, the frame structure 1010 can have a profile that is the same as or similar to the frame structures 500a and 500b. In other words, the frame structure 1010 disposed between the frame structures 500a and 500b in the longitudinal direction can also include one or more supporting portions extending substantially vertically and a conductive connecting portion extending substantially horizontally from the one or more supporting portions and defining a mounting space therebetween. Note that in some other embodiments, the frame structure 1010 can also be disposed outside the frame structures 500a and 500b in the longitudinal direction, and Fig.10 The embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings are merely examples and are not meant to limit the present disclosure.

[0071] like Fig.10 As shown, the mounting space of the frame structure 1010 is aligned with the corresponding mounting space in the mounting space of the frame structures 500a and 500b as part of the component mounting space. Therefore, the power circuit assembly will be installed in the component mounting space defined by the frame structures 500a, 500b and 1010. For example, each power circuit assembly is also electrically attached to a corresponding conductive connection portion in the conductive connection portion of the frame structure 1010. Therefore, one additional frame structure 1010 provides three additional interconnections for the PSiP module installed on the bottom layer, and two additional interconnections for each of the PSiP modules installed on the middle layer or the top layer.

[0072] In various embodiments, the semiconductor package 100 may further include one or more frame structures 1010 disposed between the frame structures 500a and 500b to provide more interconnections to electrically connect two or more circuit components in different PSiP modules. In some embodiments, the length of the frame structure 1010 along the longitudinal direction may be different from the length of the frame structure 500a or 500b. Fig.10 As shown in FIG. 1 , although the frame structures 500 a , 500 b and the frame structure 1010 have the same profile, the frame structure 1010 may be thinner than the frame structures 500 a and 500 b . Therefore, the semiconductor package 100 may provide additional interconnections without sacrificing the overall size.

[0073] Fig.11 is a diagram illustrating an exemplary assembly 1100 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure, showing an example of an exemplary assembly 1100 based on Fig.10 A scaled-up example of Fig.10Compared with the assembly 1000 of FIG. 1 , the assembly 1100 further includes frame structures 500d, 500e and an additional frame structure 1110 arranged between the frame structures 500d and 500e. The frame structures 500d, 500e and the additional frame structure 1110 together provide additional component installation space for more power circuit components. The features of the frame structures 500d, 500e and the additional frame structure 1110 are similar to those of FIG. Fig.10 The features of the frame structures 500a, 500b and the additional frame structure 1010 discussed in are the same or similar, and therefore, for the sake of brevity, they are not repeated herein.

[0074] exist Fig.11 In an embodiment, the number of power circuit components in the final package can be doubled by doubling the number of extrusion frames in the assembly 1100. Alternatively, by lateral replication Fig.10 The assembly 1000 shown in the figure can easily scale up the number of PSiP modules accommodated in a single package based on the actual needs of various power applications. For example, assuming that each PSiP module can provide a power output of about 100W with sufficient heat dissipation, a total output of about 600W can be achieved in the final molded package manufactured based on the assembly 1100. In some embodiments, the final molded package can be a package having a length (L) of about 16mm, a width (W) of about 12mm, and a height (H) of about 7mm, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. It should be understood that in different embodiments, the size of the package, the size of a single power circuit component, the number of power circuit components and / or frames in the package, the number of stacked layers in the package, the arrangement of conductive pads, the profile of the frame, etc. can be designed or modified according to actual needs. The embodiments disclosed in the present disclosure are simplified examples and are not meant to limit the present disclosure.

[0075] For example, alternative designs may be used to implement the power circuit components and frame. Fig. 12A and Fig. 12B 1 are respective top and bottom views of another exemplary power circuit assembly 1200 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. Figure 2A and Figure 2B In the power circuit assembly 200 , in some embodiments, the power circuit assembly 1200 further includes a substrate 210 , wherein one or more passive components 220 are mounted on a first side (eg, a top side) of the substrate 210 .

[0076] and Figure 2A and Figure 2B Compared to power circuit assembly 200 in FIG. 1 , power circuit assembly 1200 provides an alternative layout of connections on a PSiP module. Fig. 12BAs shown, in the power circuit assembly 1200, four conductive pads 1232, 1234, 1236, 1238 are mounted on a second side (e.g., bottom side) opposite to the first side. The conductive pads 1232 to 1238 can be electrically coupled to one or more corresponding passive components 220 mounted on the first side via conductive features such as through holes or wires located on or within the substrate 210. Figure 2B Compared to conductive pads 232 to 244 in FIG. 1 , conductive pads 1232 to 1238 are arranged differently and aligned in the same row.

[0077] Fig.13 is a diagram showing a stacking method according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. Fig. 12A and Fig. 12B FIG. 1 is a diagram of exemplary frame structures 1300a, 1300b, 1300c, and 1300d of multiple power circuit components 1200. In some embodiments, the frame structures 1300a, 1300b, 1300c, and 1300d may be copper extrusions or 3D printed parts. Figure 5A Compared to the frame structures 500a and 500b in FIG. 1 , the frame structures 1300a, 1300b, 1300c and 1300d eliminate the sacrificial connector portion. In each of the frame structures 1300a, 1300b, 1300c and 1300d, the conductive connection portions 1332, 1334, 1336 and 1338 are located between the support portions 1310 and 1320, thereby defining a mounting space therebetween for mounting a power circuit component. Fig.13 In the embodiment, the support portions 1310, 1320 and the conductive connection portions 1332, 1334, 1336 and 1338 extend along a first direction (eg, a horizontal direction) and a second direction (eg, a vertical direction) substantially perpendicular to the first direction, respectively, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0078] Fig.14 1 is a diagram showing power circuit components 1200a, 1200b, and 1200c housed and stacked in frame structures 1300a to 1300d according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. Fig.14 As shown, each of the power circuit assemblies 1200a, 1200b, and 1200c can be inserted into a corresponding assembly installation space in which the installation spaces of the frame structures 1300a to 1300d are aligned. Fig.14 The assembly shown in FIG. 1 is flow soldered through a production line to attach power circuit assemblies 1200 a, 1200 b, and 1200 c to four frame structures 1300 a to 1300 d. Fig.14In an embodiment, power circuit assemblies 1200a, 1200b, and 1200c (eg, PSiP modules) may be vertically inserted into a plurality of frame structures 1300a to 1300d.

[0079] For each of the power circuit assemblies 1200a, 1200b, and 1200c, four conductive pads 1232, 1234, 1236, and 1238 are individually coupled and electrically attached to the four frame structures 1300a to 1300d, respectively. For example, the conductive pad 1232 of the power circuit assembly 1200a is electrically attached to the conductive connection portion 1338 of the frame structure 1300a, while the corresponding conductive pads 1232 of the power circuit assemblies 1200b and 1200c are electrically attached to the conductive connection portions 1336 and 1334 of the frame structure 1300a, respectively. Similarly, the conductive pads 1234, 1236, and 1238 of the power circuit assemblies 1200a to 1200c are electrically attached to the conductive connection portions of the frame structures 1300b, 1300c, and 1300d, respectively. Thus, the power circuit assemblies 1200a, 1200b, and 1200c may be mounted within an assembly mounting space defined by the frame structures 1300a-1300d, wherein the frame structures 1300a-1300d are configured to provide connections for signaling between the power circuit assemblies 1200a, 1200b, and 1200c, for example, via extrusions. FIG. 12A to FIG. 14 In the embodiment of the present invention, each frame is connected to a common pad in the plurality of power circuit components 1200a, 1200b and 1200c (e.g., via one of the conductive pads 1232, 1234, 1236 and 1238) to achieve parallel connection. Therefore, a sacrificial connector portion that is removed during the grinding process to separate the plurality of terminals is not required in the frame structures 1300a to 1300d.

[0080] Fig.15A and Fig. 15B are respective top and bottom views of an exemplary semiconductor package 1500 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure, which semiconductor package 1500 may be used when a molding process and a grinding process are applied to a semiconductor package 1500. Fig.14 The components shown in are obtained later. Fig.15A and Fig. 15B As shown, the semiconductor package 1500 having the molded body 1510 may provide a plurality of top-side terminals 1522, 1524, 1526, and 1528 at the top surface of the semiconductor package 1500, and a plurality of bottom-side terminals 1532, 1534, 1536, and 1538 at the bottom surface of the semiconductor package 1500. Fig.15A and Fig. 15B, the number of top-side terminals 1522, 1524, 1526, and 1528 is the same as the number of bottom-side terminals 1532, 1534, 1536, and 1538. For example, the top-side terminals 1522, 1524, 1526, and 1528 may be exposed parts of the support portions 1310 of the four frame structures 1300a to 1300d on one side of the 3D package after the grinding process, and the bottom-side terminals 1532, 1534, 1536, and 1538 may be exposed parts of the support portions 1320 of the four frame structures 1300a to 1300d on the opposite side of the 3D package after the grinding process. Fig.14 and FIG. 15A to FIG. 15B As shown, because the power circuit components 1200a, 1200b and 1200c are vertically inserted into the frame structures 1300a to 1300d to form the semiconductor package 1500, the conductive pads 1232, 1234, 1236 and 1238 are electrically attached to corresponding conductive connection portions that extend vertically and are substantially perpendicular to the conductive terminals of the 3D package (e.g., top side terminals 1522, 1524, 1526 and 1528 and bottom side terminals 1532, 1534, 1536 and 1538).

[0081] Similar to Figure 1A and Figure 1B In the semiconductor package 100 in FIG. 1 , the top terminals 1522, 1524, 1526, and 1528 can provide heat dissipation functions for components and devices within the semiconductor package 1500, wherein the thermally conductive frame structures 1300a to 1300d (e.g., copper frames) and the thermally conductive molding material promote heat dissipation in the semiconductor package 1500. In some embodiments, the semiconductor package 1500 can provide one or more elongated heat sinks extending from the top terminals 1522, 1524, 1526, and 1528 to further increase the heat transfer area. The bottom terminals 1532, 1534, 1536, and 1538 can be configured to provide input terminals, output terminals, and / or ground terminals for terminals of a power circuit.

[0082] In summary, the frame structure and method for 3D packaging disclosed in the present disclosure can be applied to manufacture 3D packages with improved heat dissipation characteristics and simplified wiring in the package. In addition, by adding layers in each frame structure, the 3D package can be vertically scalable, or by increasing the number of frame structures included in a single package, the 3D package can be longitudinally scalable. The frame structure using copper extrusions is cost-effective and has various mechanical and performance characteristics, such as high structural rigidity and high thermal conductivity and high electrical conductivity.

[0083] In the foregoing description, embodiments have been described with reference to many specific details that may vary with implementation. Certain adjustments and modifications may be made to the described embodiments. It is also intended that the order of steps shown in the accompanying drawings is for illustrative purposes only and is not intended to be limited to any particular order of steps. Therefore, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the steps may be performed in a different order while implementing the same method.

[0084] Various example embodiments herein are described in the general context of method steps or processes, which may be implemented in one aspect by a computer program product embodied in a transient or non-transitory computer-readable medium. For example, a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium may store a set of instructions executable by one or more processors of a device to cause the device to perform a method for designing a frame structure for stacking circuit assemblies. Computer-readable media may include removable storage devices and non-removable storage devices, including but not limited to read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), compact disk (CD), digital versatile disk (DVD), etc.

[0085] It should be understood that, for the sake of clarity, certain features of this specification described in the context of separate embodiments may also be provided in combination in a single embodiment. Conversely, for the sake of brevity, various features of this specification described in the context of a single embodiment may also be provided individually or in any suitable sub-combination, or as appropriate in any other described embodiment of this specification. Certain features described in the context of various embodiments are not considered essential features of those embodiments, unless the embodiment does not function without those elements.

[0086] The following terms may be used to further describe the embodiments:

[0087] 1. A three-dimensional (3D) package, comprising:

[0088] one or more frames, each comprising one or more support portions and a plurality of conductive connecting portions, the plurality of conductive connecting portions extending from the one or more support portions and defining a component mounting space therebetween;

[0089] a plurality of circuit components each mounted in one of the component mounting spaces and electrically attached to a corresponding one or more of the conductive connecting portions; and

[0090] An encapsulation material is used to encapsulate at least a portion of the one or more frames and a plurality of circuit components.

[0091] 2. A 3D package according to claim 1, wherein each of the circuit components includes a substrate, one or more passive components mounted on a first side of the substrate, and a plurality of conductive pads mounted on a second side opposite to the first side and electrically coupled to the one or more passive components.

[0092] 3. The 3D package of clause 2, wherein each of the circuit components is electrically attached to a corresponding one or more of the conductive connections via a conductive pad of the circuit component.

[0093] 4. The 3D package of clause 1, wherein the one or more frames comprises:

[0094] a first frame including one or more first supporting portions and a plurality of first conductive connecting portions extending from the one or more first supporting portions and defining a first mounting space therebetween; and

[0095] a second frame aligned with the first frame, comprising one or more second support portions and a plurality of second conductive connecting portions, the plurality of second conductive connecting portions extending from the one or more second support portions and defining second mounting spaces therebetween, each of the first mounting spaces being aligned with a corresponding one of the second mounting spaces to define a component mounting space;

[0096] The first frame includes two first supporting parts extending substantially along the first direction, and a plurality of first conductive connecting parts extend in pairs from the two first supporting parts toward each other substantially along the second direction, and adjacent pairs of the first conductive connecting parts define a first installation space therebetween.

[0097] 5. A 3D package according to claim 4, wherein a pair of first conductive connections among the plurality of first conductive connections is a first top connection pair, and a pair of second conductive connections among the plurality of second conductive connections is a second top connection pair, and the first top connection pair and the second top connection pair are exposed from the encapsulation material to form a plurality of first conductive terminals on the first side of the 3D package.

[0098] 6. A 3D package according to claim 5, wherein a pair of first conductive connections among the plurality of first conductive connections is a first bottom connection pair, and a pair of second conductive connections among the plurality of second conductive connections is a second bottom connection pair, and the first bottom connection pair and the second bottom connection pair are exposed from the encapsulation material to form a plurality of second conductive terminals on a second side of the 3D package opposite to the first side.

[0099] 7. The 3D package of clause 6, wherein the number of first conductive terminals is different from the number of second conductive terminals.

[0100] 8. The 3D package of clause 1, wherein the one or more frames are thermally and electrically conductive.

[0101] 9. The 3D package of clause 1, wherein the encapsulation material is thermally conductive.

[0102] 10. The 3D package of clause 1, wherein the one or more frames comprises:

[0103] a first frame including one or more first supporting portions and a plurality of first conductive connecting portions, the plurality of first conductive connecting portions extending from the one or more first supporting portions and defining a first mounting space therebetween;

[0104] a second frame aligned with the first frame, comprising one or more second support portions and a plurality of second conductive connecting portions, the plurality of second conductive connecting portions extending from the one or more second support portions and defining second mounting spaces therebetween, each of the first mounting spaces being aligned with a corresponding one of the second mounting spaces to define a component mounting space; and

[0105] a third frame including one or more third supporting portions and a plurality of third conductive connecting portions, the plurality of third conductive connecting portions extending from the one or more third supporting portions and defining a third mounting space therebetween, the third mounting space being aligned with corresponding ones of the first mounting space and the second mounting space as a portion of the component mounting space;

[0106] Wherein, each circuit component is electrically attached to corresponding one or more first conductive connection portions of the first conductive connection portions, corresponding one or more second conductive connection portions of the second conductive connection portions, and corresponding one or more third conductive connection portions of the third conductive connection portions.

[0107] 11. The 3D package of clause 10, wherein the third frame is disposed between the first frame and the second frame in a longitudinal direction, a length of the third frame in the longitudinal direction being different from a length of the first frame or the second frame.

[0108] 12. The 3D package of clause 1, wherein at least one of the one or more frames comprises one or more cooling fins extending from a top portion of the one or more frames.

[0109] 13. The 3D package of clause 1, wherein at least one of the one or more frames is an extrusion or a CNC machined part.

[0110] 14. The 3D package of clause 1, wherein at least one of the one or more frames is a copper extrusion.

[0111] 15. The 3D package of clause 1, wherein at least one of the one or more frames is a 3D printed copper frame.

[0112] 16. A frame structure for stacking a plurality of circuit components, comprising:

[0113] two support portions extending substantially along a first direction;

[0114] a plurality of first conductive connection portions extending from one of the two support portions substantially along the second direction; and

[0115] A plurality of second conductive connection portions extending from the other of the two support portions substantially along a second direction, the first conductive connection portions and the second conductive connection portions defining a mounting space therebetween for mounting a plurality of circuit components;

[0116] wherein, in the pair of first connection portions extending from the first ends of the two support portions, a corresponding first conductive connection portion and a corresponding second conductive connection portion are formed in response to a sacrificial process of removing a first connector portion protruding from the frame structure at a first side,

[0117] The first conductive connection portion and the second conductive connection portion are configured to be electrically attached to corresponding conductive pads of a plurality of circuit components.

[0118] 17. A frame structure according to clause 16, wherein, in a pair of second connection parts extending from the second ends of the two supporting parts, a corresponding first conductive connection part and a corresponding second conductive connection part are formed in response to a sacrificial treatment of removing a second connector part protruding from the frame structure at a second side opposite to the first side.

[0119] 18. The frame structure according to clause 17, further comprising:

[0120] One or more third conductive connections are disposed between the first conductive connection and the second conductive connection of the second connection pair.

[0121] 19. The frame structure of clause 16, wherein corresponding ones of the first and second conductive connections are horizontally aligned and extend toward each other in pairs.

[0122] 20. The frame structure of clause 16, wherein the frame structure is thermally and electrically conductive.

[0123] 21. The frame structure according to clause 16, further comprising:

[0124] One or more cooling fins extend from a top portion of the frame structure.

[0125] 22. The frame structure of clause 16, wherein the frame structure is an extrusion or a CNC machined part.

[0126] 23. The frame structure of clause 16, wherein the frame structure is a copper extrusion.

[0127] 24. The frame structure of clause 16, wherein the frame structure is a 3D printed copper frame.

[0128] 25. A method for three-dimensional (3D) packaging, comprising:

[0129] mounting a plurality of circuit components in a component mounting space defined by a first frame and a second frame aligned with the first frame, the first frame comprising one or more first supporting portions and a plurality of first conductive connecting portions extending from the one or more first supporting portions and defining the first mounting space, the second frame comprising one or more second supporting portions and a plurality of second conductive connecting portions extending from the one or more second supporting portions and defining the second mounting space, the first mounting space being aligned with the second mounting space to form the component mounting space; and

[0130] Overmolding is applied to obtain a molded package encapsulating the circuit assembly, the first frame, and the second frame.

[0131] 26. The method of clause 25, wherein installing the plurality of circuit components comprises:

[0132] The conductive pads of each of the circuit assemblies are electrically attached to the corresponding one or more first conductive connections and the corresponding one or more second conductive connections, respectively.

[0133] 27. The method according to clause 25, wherein a third frame is disposed between the first frame and the second frame, the third frame comprises one or more third supporting portions and a plurality of third conductive connecting portions, the plurality of third conductive connecting portions extending from the one or more third supporting portions and defining a third mounting space therebetween, the third mounting space being aligned with corresponding first mounting spaces and second mounting spaces in the first mounting spaces and the second mounting spaces as part of the component mounting space, the mounting of the plurality of circuit components further comprising:

[0134] A plurality of circuit components are mounted in a component mounting space defined by the first frame, the second frame, and the third frame.

[0135] 28. The method of clause 27, wherein installing the plurality of circuit components further comprises:

[0136] The one or more conductive pads of each of the circuit assemblies are electrically attached to the corresponding one or more third conductive connections, respectively.

[0137] 29. The method according to clause 25, further comprising:

[0138] Removing an upper portion and a lower portion of the molded package to expose a plurality of first conductive terminals on a first side of the molded package and a plurality of second conductive terminals on a second side of the molded package, removing the upper portion and the lower portion of the molded package comprising:

[0139] The molded package is ground to remove one or more sacrificial connector portions protruding from the first frame or the second frame.

[0140] 30. The method of clause 25, wherein applying the overmolding comprises:

[0141] Transfer molding is applied, wherein a thermally conductive material fills the cavities within the first frame and the second frame.

[0142] 31. The method according to clause 25, further comprising:

[0143] At least one of the first frame or the second frame is formed by an extrusion process or a CNC machining process.

[0144] 32. The method according to clause 25, further comprising:

[0145] At least one of the first frame or the second frame is formed by 3D printing.

[0146] 33. A three-dimensional (3D) package comprising:

[0147] a plurality of frames aligned with each other, any of the frames comprising two support portions extending substantially in a first direction and a plurality of conductive connection portions defining a plurality of mounting spaces, the corresponding mounting spaces of the frames aligned with each other to define a component mounting space; and

[0148] A plurality of circuit components are each mounted in one of the component mounting spaces and each electrically attached to a corresponding conductive connection portion extending along a second direction substantially perpendicular to the conductive terminals of the 3D package.

[0149] 34. The 3D package of clause 33, further comprising:

[0150] The encapsulation material is used to encapsulate at least a portion of the plurality of frames and the plurality of circuit components.

[0151] 35. The 3D package of clause 34, wherein the two supports include a first support and a second support, and the first support of the frame is exposed from the encapsulation material to form a plurality of first conductive terminals at the first side of the 3D package.

[0152] 36. The 3D package of clause 35, wherein the second support portion of the frame is exposed from the encapsulation material to form a plurality of second conductive terminals at a second side of the 3D package opposite the first side.

[0153] 37. The 3D package of clause 36, wherein the number of first conductive terminals is the same as the number of second conductive terminals.

[0154] 38. The 3D package of clause 34, wherein the encapsulation material is thermally conductive.

[0155] 39. A 3D package as described in claim 33, wherein each of the circuit components includes a substrate, one or more passive components mounted on a first side of the substrate, and a plurality of conductive pads mounted on a second side opposite to the first side and electrically coupled to the one or more passive components.

[0156] 40. The 3D package of clause 39, wherein each of the circuit components is electrically attached to a corresponding conductive connection of the frame via a conductive pad of the circuit component.

[0157] 41. The 3D package of clause 33, wherein the frame is thermally and electrically conductive.

[0158] 42. The 3D package of clause 33, wherein the plurality of frames are extruded or machined parts.

[0159] 43. The 3D package of clause 33, wherein the plurality of frames are copper extrusions or machined parts.

[0160] 44. The 3D package of clause 33, wherein the plurality of frames are 3D printed copper frames.

[0161] 45. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a set of instructions executable by one or more processors of a device to cause the device to perform a method for designing a frame structure for stacking a plurality of circuit assemblies, the method comprising:

[0162] providing two support portions extending substantially in a first direction;

[0163] providing a plurality of first conductive connection portions extending substantially along a second direction from one of the two support portions;

[0164] providing a second conductive connection portion extending substantially in a second direction from the other of the two support portions, the first conductive connection portion and the second conductive connection portion defining a mounting space therebetween for mounting a plurality of circuit components; and

[0165] providing a first connector portion protruding from the frame structure at a first side, wherein the first connector portion is associated with a corresponding one of the first conductive connection portions and a corresponding one of the second conductive connection portions of a first pair of connection portions extending from the first ends of the two support portions and is to be removed during the sacrificial process;

[0166] The first conductive connection portion and the second conductive connection portion are configured to be electrically attached to corresponding conductive pads of a plurality of circuit components.

[0167] 46. ​​The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of clause 45, wherein the method further comprises:

[0168] A second connector portion is provided protruding from the frame structure at a second side opposite to the first side, wherein the second connector portion is associated with a corresponding one of the first conductive connection portions and a corresponding one of the second connection portion pairs extending from the second ends of the two support portions and is to be removed in a sacrificial process.

[0169] 47. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of clause 46, wherein the method further comprises:

[0170] One or more third electrically conductive connections are provided and arranged between the first electrically conductive connection and the second electrically conductive connection of the second pair of connections.

[0171] 48. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of clause 45, wherein the method further comprises:

[0172] Corresponding first and second conductive connection portions of the first and second conductive connection portions extending toward each other in pairs are horizontally aligned.

[0173] 49. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of clause 45, wherein the method further comprises:

[0174] One or more cooling fins are provided extending from a top portion of the frame structure.

[0175] 50. A frame structure for stacking a plurality of circuit components, comprising:

[0176] one or more first portions configured to provide one or more electrical terminals for transmitting power through a first path for a power circuit formed by a plurality of circuit components; and

[0177] One or more second portions are configured to provide one or more heat dissipation surfaces to transfer heat from the plurality of circuit components through a second path different from the first path.

[0178] 51. The frame structure according to clause 50, further comprising:

[0179] One or more support portions extending substantially vertically and connecting the one or more first portions and the one or more second portions extending substantially horizontally from the one or more support portions.

[0180] 52. A frame structure according to clause 50, wherein the one or more first portions comprise a pair of bottom connecting portions of the frame structure and the one or more second portions comprise a pair of top connecting portions of the frame structure.

[0181] 53. The frame structure of clause 50, wherein the one or more electrical terminals for transmitting power for the power circuit include one or more of an input terminal, an output terminal, and a ground terminal of the power circuit.

[0182] 54. A frame structure according to clause 50, wherein the frame structure is thermally and electrically conductive.

[0183] 55. The frame structure according to clause 50, further comprising:

[0184] One or more cooling fins extend from the one or more second portions.

[0185] 56. The frame structure of clause 50, wherein the frame structure is an extrusion or a CNC machined part.

[0186] 57. The frame structure of clause 50, wherein the frame structure is a copper extrusion.

[0187] 58. The frame structure of clause 50, wherein the frame structure is a 3D printed copper frame.

[0188] 59. A frame structure according to clause 50, wherein at least one of the one or more first portions and at least one of the one or more second portions are the same part.

[0189] The foregoing summarizes the features of several embodiments so that those skilled in the art can better understand the various aspects of the present disclosure. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that they can easily use the present disclosure as a basis for designing or modifying other processes and structures to achieve the same purpose and / or achieve the same advantages of the embodiments described herein. Those skilled in the art will also appreciate that such equivalent constructions do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure, and that they can make various changes, substitutions and modifications herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. A three-dimensional (3D) package, comprising: one or more frames, each comprising one or more support portions and a plurality of conductive connecting portions extending from the one or more support portions and defining a component mounting space therebetween; a plurality of circuit components each mounted in one of the component mounting spaces and electrically attached to a corresponding one or more of the conductive connecting portions; as well as An encapsulation material is used to encapsulate at least a portion of the one or more frames and the plurality of circuit components.

2. The 3D package according to claim 1, wherein: Each of the circuit assemblies includes a substrate, one or more passive components mounted on a first side of the substrate, and a plurality of conductive pads mounted on a second side opposite the first side and electrically coupled to the one or more passive components.

3. The 3D package according to claim 2, wherein: Each of the circuit components is electrically attached to a corresponding one or more of the conductive connections via a conductive pad of the circuit component.

4. The 3D package according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein: The one or more frames include: a first frame including one or more first supporting portions and a plurality of first conductive connecting portions extending from the one or more first supporting portions and defining a first mounting space therebetween; and a second frame aligned with the first frame, comprising one or more second supporting portions and a plurality of second conductive connecting portions, the plurality of second conductive connecting portions extending from the one or more second supporting portions and defining second mounting spaces therebetween, each first mounting space in the first mounting spaces being aligned with a corresponding one of the second mounting spaces in the second mounting spaces to define a component mounting space; The first frame includes two first supporting portions extending substantially along a first direction, and the plurality of first conductive connecting portions extend from the two first supporting portions in pairs toward each other substantially along a second direction, and adjacent pairs of the first conductive connecting portions define the first installation space therebetween.

5. The 3D package according to claim 4, wherein: A pair of first conductive connections among the plurality of first conductive connections is a first top connection pair, and a pair of second conductive connections among the plurality of second conductive connections is a second top connection pair, wherein the first top connection pair and the second top connection pair are exposed from the encapsulation material to form a plurality of first conductive terminals on the first side of the 3D package.

6. The 3D package according to claim 5, wherein: A pair of first conductive connections among the plurality of first conductive connections is a first bottom connection pair, and a pair of second conductive connections among the plurality of second conductive connections is a second bottom connection pair, wherein the first bottom connection pair and the second bottom connection pair are exposed from the encapsulation material to form a plurality of second conductive terminals on a second side of the 3D package opposite to the first side.

7. The 3D package according to claim 6, wherein: The number of the first conductive terminals is different from the number of the second conductive terminals.

8. The 3D package according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein: The one or more frames are thermally and electrically conductive.

9. The 3D package according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein: The encapsulation material is thermally conductive.

10. The 3D package according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein: The one or more frames include: a first frame including one or more first supporting portions and a plurality of first conductive connecting portions extending from the one or more first supporting portions and defining a first mounting space therebetween; a second frame aligned with the first frame, comprising one or more second supporting portions and a plurality of second conductive connecting portions extending from the one or more second supporting portions and defining second mounting spaces therebetween, each first mounting space in the first mounting spaces being aligned with a corresponding one of the second mounting spaces in the second mounting spaces to define a component mounting space; and a third frame including one or more third supporting portions and a plurality of third conductive connecting portions, the plurality of third conductive connecting portions extending from the one or more third supporting portions and defining a third mounting space therebetween, the third mounting space being aligned with corresponding first mounting spaces and second mounting spaces of the first mounting space and the second mounting space as a portion of the component mounting space; Wherein, each circuit component is electrically attached to corresponding one or more first conductive connections among the first conductive connections, corresponding one or more second conductive connections among the second conductive connections, and corresponding one or more third conductive connections among the third conductive connections.

11. The 3D package according to claim 10, wherein: The third frame is disposed between the first frame and the second frame in a longitudinal direction, and a length of the third frame in the longitudinal direction is different from a length of the first frame or the second frame.

12. The 3D package according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein: At least one of the one or more frames includes one or more cooling fins extending from a top portion of the one or more frames.

13. The 3D package according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein: At least one of the one or more frames is an extrusion or a CNC machined part.

14. The 3D package according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein: At least one of the one or more frames is a copper extrusion.

15. The 3D package according to any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein: At least one of the one or more frames is a 3D printed copper frame.

16. A frame structure for stacking a plurality of circuit components, comprising: two support portions extending substantially along a first direction; a plurality of first conductive connecting portions extending from one of the two supporting portions substantially along a second direction; as well as a plurality of second conductive connection portions extending from the other of the two support portions substantially along the second direction, the first conductive connection portions and the second conductive connection portions defining a mounting space therebetween for mounting the plurality of circuit components; wherein, in the pair of first connection portions extending from the first ends of the two support portions, a corresponding first conductive connection portion and a corresponding second conductive connection portion are formed in response to a sacrificial process of removing a first connector portion protruding from the frame structure at a first side, Wherein, the first conductive connection portion and the second conductive connection portion are configured to be electrically attached to corresponding conductive pads of the plurality of circuit components.

17. The frame structure according to claim 16, wherein: In the pair of second connection parts extending from the second ends of the two support parts, a corresponding first conductive connection part and a corresponding second conductive connection part are formed in response to a sacrificial process of removing a second connector part protruding from the frame structure at a second side opposite to the first side.

18. The frame structure according to claim 17, further comprising: One or more third conductive connections are disposed between the first conductive connection and the second conductive connection of the second connection pair.

19. A frame structure according to any one of claims 16 to 18, wherein: The corresponding first conductive connection portions and the corresponding second conductive connection portions of the first conductive connection portions and the second conductive connection portions are horizontally aligned and extend toward each other in pairs.

20. A frame structure according to any one of claims 16 to 19, wherein: The frame structure is thermally and electrically conductive.

21. The frame structure according to any one of claims 16 to 20, further comprising: One or more cooling fins extend from a top portion of the frame structure.

22. A frame structure according to any one of claims 16 to 21, wherein: The frame structure is either an extrusion or a CNC machined part.

23. A frame structure according to any one of claims 16 to 22, wherein: The frame structure is a copper extrusion.

24. A frame structure according to any one of claims 16 to 23, wherein: The frame structure is a 3D printed copper frame.

25. A method for three-dimensional (3D) packaging, comprising: Mounting a plurality of circuit components in a component mounting space defined by a first frame and a second frame aligned with the first frame, the first frame comprising one or more first supporting portions and a plurality of first conductive connecting portions extending from the one or more first supporting portions and defining a first mounting space, the second frame comprising one or more second supporting portions and a plurality of second conductive connecting portions extending from the one or more second supporting portions and defining a second mounting space, the first mounting space being aligned with the second mounting space to form the component mounting space; as well as Overmolding is applied to obtain a molded package encapsulating the circuit assembly, the first frame, and the second frame.

26. The method according to claim 25, wherein: Installing the plurality of circuit components comprises: The conductive pads of each of the circuit assemblies are electrically attached to the corresponding one or more first conductive connections and the corresponding one or more second conductive connections, respectively.

27. The method according to claim 25 or 26, wherein: A third frame is disposed between the first frame and the second frame, the third frame includes one or more third supporting portions and a plurality of third conductive connecting portions, the plurality of third conductive connecting portions extend from the one or more third supporting portions and define a third mounting space therebetween, the third mounting space is aligned with a corresponding first mounting space and a corresponding second mounting space in the first mounting space and the second mounting space as part of the component mounting space, and the mounting of the plurality of circuit components further includes: The plurality of circuit components are mounted in the component mounting space defined by the first frame, the second frame, and the third frame.

28. The method according to claim 27, wherein: Installing the plurality of circuit components further comprises: The one or more conductive pads of each of the circuit components are electrically attached to the corresponding one or more third conductive connections, respectively.

29. The method according to any one of claims 25 to 28, further comprising: Removing an upper portion and a lower portion of the molded package to expose a plurality of first conductive terminals on a first side of the molded package and a plurality of second conductive terminals on a second side of the molded package, removing the upper portion and the lower portion of the molded package comprising: The molded package is ground to remove one or more sacrificial connector portions protruding from the first frame or the second frame.

30. The method according to any one of claims 25 to 29, wherein: Applying the overmolding includes: Transfer molding is applied, wherein a thermally conductive material fills the cavities within the first frame and the second frame.

31. The method according to any one of claims 25 to 30, further comprising: At least one of the first frame or the second frame is formed by an extrusion process or a CNC machining process.

32. The method according to any one of claims 25 to 31, further comprising: At least one of the first frame or the second frame is formed by 3D printing.

33. A three-dimensional (3D) package comprising: a plurality of frames aligned with each other, any frame of the frames comprising two support portions extending substantially in a first direction and a plurality of conductive connection portions defining a plurality of mounting spaces, corresponding mounting spaces of the frames aligned with each other to define a component mounting space; as well as A plurality of circuit components are each mounted in one of the component mounting spaces and each electrically attached to a corresponding conductive connection portion extending along a second direction substantially perpendicular to the conductive terminals of the 3D package.

34. The 3D package of claim 33, further comprising: An encapsulation material is used to encapsulate at least a portion of the plurality of frames and the plurality of circuit components.

35. The 3D package of claim 34, wherein: The two supporting portions include a first supporting portion and a second supporting portion, and the first supporting portion of the frame is exposed from the encapsulation material to form a plurality of first conductive terminals on a first side of the 3D package.

36. The 3D package of claim 35, wherein: A second support portion of the frame is exposed from the encapsulation material to form a plurality of second conductive terminals at a second side of the 3D package opposite to the first side.

37. The 3D package of claim 36, wherein: The number of the first conductive terminals is the same as the number of the second conductive terminals.

38. The 3D package according to any one of claims 34 to 37, wherein: The encapsulation material is thermally conductive.

39. The 3D package according to any one of claims 33 to 38, wherein: Each of the circuit assemblies includes a substrate, one or more passive components mounted on a first side of the substrate, and a plurality of conductive pads mounted on a second side opposite the first side and electrically coupled to the one or more passive components.

40. The 3D package of claim 39, wherein: Each of the circuit assemblies is electrically attached to a corresponding conductive connection portion of the frame via the conductive pad of the circuit assembly.

41. The 3D package according to any one of claims 33 to 40, wherein: The frame is thermally and electrically conductive.

42. The 3D package according to any one of claims 33 to 41, wherein The plurality of frames are extruded or machined parts.

43. The 3D package according to any one of claims 33 to 42, wherein: The plurality of frames are copper extrusions or machined parts.

44. The 3D package according to any one of claims 33 to 41, wherein The multiple frames are 3D printed copper frames.

45. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a set of instructions executable by one or more processors of a device to cause the device to perform a method for designing a frame structure for stacking a plurality of circuit components, the method comprising: providing two support portions extending substantially in a first direction; providing a plurality of first conductive connection portions extending substantially along a second direction from one of the two support portions; providing a plurality of second conductive connection portions extending from the other of the two support portions substantially along the second direction, the first conductive connection portions and the second conductive connection portions defining a mounting space therebetween for mounting the plurality of circuit components; and providing a first connector portion protruding from the frame structure at a first side, wherein the first connector portion is associated with a corresponding one of the first conductive connection portions and a corresponding one of the second conductive connection portions of a first pair of connection portions extending from the first ends of the two support portions and is to be removed during a sacrificial process; Wherein, the first conductive connection portion and the second conductive connection portion are configured to be electrically attached to corresponding conductive pads of the plurality of circuit components.

46. ​​The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 45, wherein: The method further comprises: A second connector portion is provided protruding from the frame structure at a second side opposite to the first side, wherein the second connector portion is associated with a corresponding first conductive connection portion and a corresponding second conductive connection portion of a second connection portion pair extending from the second ends of the two support portions, and is to be removed in the sacrificial process.

47. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 46, wherein: The method further comprises: One or more third conductive connections are provided, arranged between the first conductive connection and the second conductive connection of the second pair of connections.

48. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of any one of claims 45 to 47, wherein: The method further comprises: The corresponding first conductive connection portions and the corresponding second conductive connection portions of the first conductive connection portions and the second conductive connection portions extending toward each other in pairs are horizontally aligned.

49. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of any one of claims 45 to 48, wherein: The method further comprises: One or more cooling fins are provided extending from a top portion of the frame structure.

50. A frame structure for stacking a plurality of circuit components, comprising: one or more first portions configured to provide one or more electrical terminals for transmitting power for a power circuit formed by the plurality of circuit components through a first path; as well as One or more second portions are configured to provide one or more heat dissipation surfaces to transfer heat from the plurality of circuit components through a second path different from the first path.

51. The frame structure according to claim 50, further comprising: One or more support portions extending substantially vertically and connecting the one or more first portions and the one or more second portions extending substantially horizontally from the one or more support portions.

52. A frame structure according to claim 50 or 51, wherein: The one or more first portions comprise a pair of bottom connecting portions of the frame structure, and the one or more second portions comprise a pair of top connecting portions of the frame structure.

53. A frame structure according to any one of claims 50 to 52, wherein: The one or more electrical terminals for transmitting power for the power supply circuit include one or more of an input terminal, an output terminal, and a ground terminal of the power supply circuit.

54. A frame structure according to any one of claims 50 to 53, wherein: The frame structure is thermally and electrically conductive.

55. The frame structure according to any one of claims 50 to 54, further comprising: One or more cooling fins extend from the one or more second portions.

56. A frame structure according to any one of claims 50 to 55, wherein: The frame structure is either an extrusion or a CNC machined part.

57. A frame structure according to any one of claims 50 to 56, wherein: The frame structure is a copper extrusion.

58. A frame structure according to any one of claims 50 to 55, wherein: The frame structure is a 3D printed copper frame.

59. A frame structure according to any one of claims 50 to 58, wherein: At least one first portion of the one or more first portions and at least one second portion of the one or more second portions are the same portion.

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