Semiconductor package with RFIC and antenna

Abstract

The invention relates to a semiconductor package with an RFIC and an antenna. The present disclosure relates to a semiconductor package (100; 200), comprising a substrate (110); a radio frequency integrated circuit (120) attached to the substrate (110); optionally at least one semiconductor die (220) attached to the substrate (110) and coupled to the RFIC (120) via one or more signal lines (150); a molding composite material (130) encapsulating the RFIC (120) and, optionally, the semiconductor die (220); and an antenna (140) formed on the molded composite material (130) and coupled to the RFIC (140).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure generally relates to methods and apparatus for communicating between one or more chips and other devices, such as chip-to-motherboard (C2M), chip-to-chip (C2C), package-to-package (P2P), and package-to-motherboard (P2M) communications. Background Art

[0002] Three-dimensional (3D) chiplets have become a mainstream multi-vendor interoperable system architecture for the future. Chiplets are a concept in semiconductor design and manufacturing, that is, a single integrated circuit (IC) is built using multiple smaller semiconductor "chiplets" instead of a single monolithic die. Thus, a chiplet can be regarded as a miniature IC containing a well-defined subset of functions. It can be designed to be combined in a single package with other chiplets on an interposer. The advent of Universal Chiplet Interconnect Express (UCIe) can further promote the implementation of chiplet-based architectures. UCIe is an open specification for die-to-die interconnects and serial buses between chiplets.

[0003] Even though 3D chips offer many benefits, such as lower cost, higher scalability, faster delivery time, etc., they also bring some trade-offs, including more demand for testing and more I / O (input / output) routing and thermal constraints. It is expected that more pins will be reserved for testing and debugging, which will make crowded I / O routing worse, further deteriorate the signal integrity of high-speed I / O, and include more switching noise in the power delivery network.

[0004] In addition to the sideband signal occupation in the 3D chiplet, some test and / or control signals that may be broadcast in nature must be routed to their destination in a point-to-point routing manner. This cumbersome routing scheme may further crowd out the already congested chiplet routing.

[0005] Without increasing the substrate die area, adding more through-silicon vias (TSVs) on the substrate die, and expanding the package area, the signal integrity and power integrity of the 3D heterogeneous die system should be expected to make the already congested routing / routing situation even worse. Unfortunately, the substrate die cannot grow indefinitely without reaching a singularity imposed by the size of the reticle, but in practice the substrate die size can grow to a certain point. Summary of the invention

[0006] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a semiconductor package is provided, comprising: a substrate; a radio frequency integrated circuit RFIC attached to the substrate; at least one semiconductor die attached to the substrate and coupled to the RFIC via one or more signal lines; a molding compound that encapsulates the RFIC and the semiconductor die; and an antenna formed on the molding compound and coupled to the RFIC.

[0007] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a wireless communication system is provided, comprising: a substrate; a first semiconductor package mounted on the substrate, wherein the first semiconductor package comprises: a first RFIC, a first molding compound material encapsulating the first RFIC, and a first antenna formed on a surface of the first molding compound material and coupled to the first RFIC; a second semiconductor package mounted on the substrate, wherein the second semiconductor package comprises: a second RFIC, a second molding compound material encapsulating the second RFIC, and a second antenna formed on a surface of the second molding compound material and coupled to the second RFIC, wherein the first semiconductor package and the second semiconductor package are configured to use the first RFIC together with the first antenna and the second RFIC together with the second antenna to perform wireless communication with each other.

[0008] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a wireless communication method is provided, comprising: providing an RFIC die on a packaging substrate; providing at least one additional semiconductor die on the packaging substrate; coupling the at least one additional semiconductor die to the RFIC die via one or more signal lines in the packaging substrate; packaging the RFIC die and the at least one additional semiconductor die using a molding compound; forming an antenna in or on the molding compound; and coupling the antenna to the RFIC die. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009] Some examples of apparatus and / or methods will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0010] Figure 1 A semiconductor package according to the present disclosure is shown, the semiconductor package including a RIFC and an antenna;

[0011] Figure 2 A semiconductor package according to the present disclosure is shown, the semiconductor package including a RIFC, another IC, and an antenna;

[0012] Figure 3 A block diagram of an RFIC in a semiconductor package is shown;

[0013] Figure 4 shows a top view of an antenna integrated in or on a semiconductor package;

[0014] Figure 5 shows a rear view of an antenna integrated in or on a semiconductor package;

[0015] Figure 6 An antenna on a ground plane is shown;

[0016] Figure 7 A top view of the ground plane is shown;

[0017] Fig. 8A An alternative implementation of the antenna is shown;

[0018] Figure 8B The implementation of a first separate antenna is shown;

[0019] Figure 8C illustrates the relationship between the reflection coefficient of the first individual antenna and the frequency;

[0020] Fig.8D The implementation of the second separate antenna is shown;

[0021] Fig. 8E illustrates the reflection coefficient of the second separate antenna versus frequency;

[0022] Figure 8F The implementation of the combined antenna is shown;

[0023] Figure 8G The relationship between the reflection coefficient and frequency of the combined antenna is shown in the figure;

[0024] Fig.9A An example of wireless chip-to-chip communication according to the present disclosure is shown;

[0025] Fig. 9B An example of wireless package-to-package communication according to the present disclosure is shown; and

[0026] Fig. 9C An example of wireless motherboard-to-package communication according to the present disclosure is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0027] Some examples are now described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, other possible examples are not limited to the features of these embodiments described in detail. Other examples may include modifications to these features, as well as the equivalents and substitutions of these features. In addition, the terms used herein to describe certain examples should not limit other possible examples.

[0028] Throughout the description of the drawings, the same or similar reference numerals refer to the same or similar elements and / or features, which may be the same or implemented in a modified form while providing the same or similar functions. The thickness of the lines, layers and / or regions in the drawings may also be exaggerated for clarity.

[0029] When two elements A and B are combined using "or", this should be understood to disclose all possible combinations, i.e., only A, only B and A and B, unless otherwise explicitly defined in individual cases. As an alternative wording for the same combination, "at least one of A and B" or "A and / or B" can be used. This applies equally to combinations of more than two elements.

[0030] If singular forms such as "a", "an" and "the" are used, and there is no explicit or implicit limitation that only a single element is mandatory, other examples may also use several elements to achieve the same function. If a function is described below as being implemented using multiple elements, other examples may use a single element or a single processing entity to achieve the same function. It is also understood that the terms "comprises" and / or "comprising" when used describe the presence of specified features, integers, steps, operations, processes, elements, components and / or groups thereof, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, processes, elements, components and / or groups thereof.

[0031] For millimeter wave communications, array antenna design is emphasized to extend the communication range. Element antenna size miniaturization has been neglected because the element antenna size for millimeter waves is already small enough. However, when antennas are integrated in semiconductor packages and chips for short-range wireless I / O (WIO) applications, antenna size and form factor parameters may become important.

[0032] Alternatively, various compact antenna structures developed for sub-7 GHz applications (e.g., 5G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS) can also be scaled to the mmWave frequency range to support WIO. However, these antenna structures may not be easily integrated into packages and chips. In addition, their operating bandwidth (<2 GHz) is often limited due to spectrum availability below 11 GHz compared to mmWave spectrum >30 GHz. Ultra-wideband antennas can be considered, but their structures may also not be easily integrated into packages and chips due to their form factor parameters (3D structure or relatively large footprint).

[0033] The present disclosure proposes a WIO concept for semiconductor packages and chips.

[0034] According to a first aspect, the present disclosure provides a semiconductor package. The semiconductor package includes a substrate. The semiconductor package includes a radio frequency integrated circuit (RFIC) attached or mounted to the substrate. Optionally, the semiconductor package also includes at least one other IC attached or mounted to the substrate and coupled to the RFIC via one or more signal lines. The semiconductor package includes a molding composite material (or mold) that encapsulates the RFIC and optionally at least one other IC. The semiconductor package includes an antenna formed in or on the molding composite material and coupled to the RFIC.

[0035] For example, the optional at least one additional IC and / or RFIC in the semiconductor package may be a core particle, respectively. That is, the optional at least one IC and / or RFIC may be formed as a separate core particle (monolithic die) rather than being formed on a common monolithic die. The RFIC and antenna integrated in the semiconductor package may be used as a wireless communication interface for wireless communication between the optional at least one additional IC inside or inside the semiconductor package and other components outside or external to the semiconductor package. Wireless communication may include chip-to-motherboard (C2M), chip-to-chip (C2C), package-to-package (P2P), and package-to-motherboard (P2M) wireless communications.

[0036] In some example implementations, the optional at least one additional IC is configured to send and / or receive one or more baseband test and / or debug signals to and / or from the RFIC. For example, the test and / or debug signals may be predefined signals, such as predefined test signal patterns (test vectors). Thus, the RFIC may be configured to wirelessly send and / or receive test and / or debug signals to and / or from the optional additional IC via an antenna.

[0037] In some example implementations, the RFIC includes a baseband interface configured to receive one or more baseband test and / or debug signals from an optional additional IC (or from somewhere else, such as a PCB) via one or more signal lines; a modulator configured to modulate an RF carrier signal based on one or more baseband test and / or debug signals to obtain a modulated RF signal; and a transmit interface configured to feed the modulated RF signal to an antenna. Similarly, the RFIC may include a receive interface configured to receive a modulated RF signal from an antenna; a demodulator configured to demodulate the RF carrier signal to obtain one or more baseband test and / or debug signals; and a baseband interface configured to transmit one or more baseband test and / or debug signals to an optional additional IC (or somewhere else, such as a PCB) via one or more signal lines.

[0038] In some example implementations, the antenna is coupled to the RFIC via one or more redistribution layers (RDL) of a semiconductor package. An RDL is a component in the package of an IC or chip. It can be used to implement connections between fine pitch bonding pads on the chip and large pitch input / output (I / O) connections on the substrate.

[0039] In some example implementations, an optional additional IC (eg, chip) is also coupled to the RFIC (eg, RF chip) via one or more RDLs of the semiconductor package.

[0040] In some example implementations, the mold compound extends laterally beyond the RFIC, and the antenna is formed in or on the mold compound, laterally adjacent to the RFIC. In this way, good radiation characteristics of the antenna can be achieved.

[0041] In some example implementations, the antenna is formed at the edge of the molded composite material. In this way, good radiation characteristics of the antenna can be achieved.

[0042] In some example implementations, the semiconductor package further includes a (conductive) ground plane formed in the molding compound as a counterpoise for the antenna. The ground plane may improve the radiation pattern, gain and / or efficiency of the antenna.

[0043] In some example implementations, the ground plane is formed in at least a first metal layer in the molded composite material, and the antenna is formed in at least a second metal layer above or below the ground plane. A skilled person having the benefit of this disclosure will appreciate that the ground plane and the antenna may be formed in more than one metal layer, respectively.

[0044] In some example implementations, the antenna is coupled to the ground plane via at least one short-circuit via. For example, the antenna can be coupled to the ground plane via exactly one (single) short-circuit via. Short-circuit vias can be used to enhance the performance of the antenna in terms of bandwidth, efficiency, and radiation pattern. Adding a short-circuit via can also modify the electrical length of the antenna, thereby modifying its impedance. This can not only help to reduce the physical size of the antenna, but also achieve better impedance matching between the antenna and the RFIC, thereby minimizing signal reflections and improving overall system efficiency. By strategically placing one or more short-circuit vias, the impedance of the antenna can be modified to achieve a wider bandwidth, making it suitable for a wider frequency range. The short-circuit via can also be used as a tuning element to adjust the resonant frequency of the antenna. This is particularly useful in fine-tuning the antenna to achieve optimal performance at a specific frequency.

[0045] In some example implementations, the antenna is coupled to the RFIC through a feed via extending to or through a ground plane. For example, the design of the feed via and the associated transmission line on the RDL can be used for impedance matching between the RFIC and the antenna.

[0046] In some example implementations, the antenna includes a floating via that extends from a metal layer implementing the antenna to another metal layer of a ground plane. A floating via refers to a via that is connected to the antenna at one end but not connected to a fixed voltage reference or ground at the other end. For example, a floating via can be used for antenna tuning.

[0047] In some example implementations, the antenna includes a first radiating element (e.g., a first metal trace) for a first frequency band and at least a second radiating element (e.g., a second metal trace) for a second frequency band. The antenna may be coupled to the RFIC and the ground plane via the first radiating element. The second radiating element may be coupled directly or indirectly to the first radiating element. The sizes of the first and second radiating elements may be adjusted for the desired frequency band.

[0048] In some example implementations, the first radiating element includes an inverted-F antenna (IFA) structure, and the second radiating element includes an L-shaped structure. In this way, the antenna can be implemented with a compact size, an efficient radiation pattern, and relatively easy to integrate into modern electronic devices.

[0049] In some example implementations, the first radiating element extends linearly along a first direction (eg, an x-direction).The second radiating element extends linearly parallel to the first radiating element (eg, the x-direction).

[0050] In some example implementations, the second radiating element is attached (e.g., integrally integrated) to the first radiating element at a first end of the first radiating element and extends linearly beyond an opposite second end of the first radiating element. In other words, the second radiating element can be longer than the first radiating element so as to radiate in a lower frequency band.

[0051] In some example implementations, the second radiating element includes a first portion extending along a first direction (e.g., an x-direction) and a second portion extending toward the first radiating element along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction (e.g., a y-direction). The second portion may be used to support (capacitive) coupling of the first and second radiating elements.

[0052] In some example implementations, a gap extends between the second end of the first radiating element and the second portion of the second radiating element (eg, in the x-direction).

[0053] In some example implementations, the ground plane includes a cutout portion below the antenna. For example, the cutout portion may be located below a gap between the second end of the first radiating element and the second portion of the second radiating element. The cutout portion may further improve the radiation of the antenna.

[0054] In some example implementations, the antenna is configured as a millimeter wave (mm-wave) antenna. Millimeter wave refers to a range of electromagnetic frequencies within the microwave spectrum. Specifically, millimeter wave frequencies fall within the range of 30 gigahertz (GHz) to 300 GHz.

[0055] According to another aspect, the present disclosure proposes a wireless communication system. The wireless communication system includes a substrate, which may be, for example, a printed circuit board (PCB) or a mainboard. The wireless communication system includes a first semiconductor package mounted on the substrate. The first semiconductor package includes a first RFIC, a first molding compound material that encapsulates the first RFIC, and a first antenna formed on the surface of the first molding compound material and coupled to the first RFIC. The wireless communication system includes a second semiconductor package mounted on the substrate. The second semiconductor package includes a second RFIC, a second molding compound material that encapsulates the second RFIC, and a second antenna formed on the surface of the second molding compound material and coupled to the second RFIC. The first and second semiconductor packages are configured to use the first RFIC together with the first antenna and the second RFIC together with the second antenna to wirelessly communicate with each other.

[0056] In some example implementations, the first and second semiconductor packages are configured to wirelessly exchange test and / or debug signals using the first RFIC in conjunction with the first antenna and the second RFIC in conjunction with the second antenna.

[0057] In some example implementations, the first and second semiconductor packages are arranged on the substrate such that the first and second antennas are in communicative proximity to each other. For example, the first and second antennas may face each other.

[0058] An example implementation can implement novel wireless I / O (WIO) technology by extending the substrate (molding compound + redistribution layer), creating an overhang structure, and placing a millimeter wave antenna in the overhang substrate. After integration with the RFIC die, it becomes an overhang InWIOM (Integrated WIO Module) architecture.

[0059] Figure 1 An example of a semiconductor package 100 according to a basic implementation is shown. Hereinafter, the semiconductor package 100 will also be referred to as an integrated wireless I / O module (InWIOM).

[0060] Semiconductor package (InWIOM) 100 includes a substrate 110, such as an interposer or PCB. In addition, a redistribution layer (RDL) and / or its dielectric portion may form substrate 110. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art who benefit from the present disclosure that substrate 110 may also include various other substrate materials. For example, substrate 110 may include a ceramic substrate. Ceramic substrates can be used in high-performance applications due to their excellent thermal conductivity, mechanical stability, and electrical properties. Alumina (Al2O3) and aluminum nitride (AlN) may be commonly used ceramic materials. Additionally or alternatively, substrate 110 may include an organic substrate. Organic substrates, also referred to as organic printed circuit boards (PCBs), may be used because they are cost-effective and easy to manufacture. They may be made of materials such as epoxy resin (FR-4) reinforced with glass fiber or more advanced materials such as BT (bismaleimide triazine). Organic substrates may provide good electrical insulation, but have lower thermal conductivity than ceramics. Additionally or alternatively, substrate 110 may include a metal substrate. Metal-based substrates, also known as metal-core printed circuit boards (MCPCBs), may include a metal layer as a core to achieve enhanced thermal performance. These substrates can be used in applications that require both efficient heat dissipation and electrical insulation. Aluminum and copper can be used as options for metal cores due to their good thermal conductivity. Additionally or alternatively, substrate 110 may include a silicon substrate. Silicon wafers can also be used as substrates for certain types of semiconductor packages, especially for microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) devices. Silicon can provide a coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) that is well matched to silicon ICs, which can reduce the risk of thermal stress-related problems. Additionally or alternatively, substrate 110 may include a glass substrate. Glass substrates can provide excellent electrical insulation and thermal stability. They can be used in certain special applications, such as display driver ICs and imaging sensors. Additionally or alternatively, substrate 110 may include a flexible substrate. Flexible substrates can be used in applications that require bendability and lightweight design. These substrates may often be made of flexible polymer materials and are used in devices such as flexible displays, wearable electronic devices, and flexible circuits.

[0061] Semiconductor package (InWIOM) 100 also includes a radio frequency integrated circuit (RFIC) 120 attached or mounted to substrate 110 (e.g., RDL and / or its dielectric portion). RFIC 120 can be a monolithically integrated die. RFIC 120 can be wire-bonded to substrate 110 using corresponding leads or pads. RFIC 120 can be configured to operate within a radio frequency (RF) range, for example, from a few megahertz (MHz) to several gigahertz (GHz). Examples of carrier frequencies are 42GHz and / or 63GHz. RFIC 120 can be a dedicated semiconductor chip or core grain. RFIC 120 can be configured to process, send, receive and manipulate RF signals. RFIC 120 can be configured to perform various functions, such as amplification, modulation, demodulation, filtering, mixing, frequency synthesis and signal conditioning. These functions are required for tasks such as wireless data transmission (Tx), signal reception (Rx) and conversion of RF signals to baseband or intermediate frequency for further processing. For example, RFIC 120 may have a 1000 x 1000 μm 2 size.

[0062] The semiconductor package (InWIOM) 100 also includes a molding compound (mold) 130 that encapsulates the RFIC 120 on top of a substrate (e.g., a redistribution layer (RDL) 110). The molding compound 130 is configured to create a housing or sleeve that surrounds and protects the RFIC 120 and the other internal electrical connections (e.g., RDL) of the semiconductor package 100. For example, the molding compound 130 may have a thickness (in the z direction) of 100-300 μm. The molding compound 130 may include an epoxy resin. Epoxy-based molding compounds may have excellent electrical insulation properties, good adhesion to various substrates, and ease of processing. Additionally or alternatively, the molding compound 130 may also include bismaleimidetriazine (BT) resin. BT resins can be used in high-performance semiconductor packages due to their high temperature stability, low hygroscopicity, and good mechanical properties. They are particularly suitable for applications requiring reliability under harsh operating conditions. Additionally or alternatively, the molded composite material 130 may include silicone resin. Silicone-based molded composite materials may have high temperature resistance, flexibility, and excellent moisture resistance. They can be used in applications where thermal performance and reliability are critical, such as automotive electronic devices. Additionally or alternatively, the molded composite material 130 may include a polyimide resin. Polyimide molded composite materials may provide high temperature resistance, excellent mechanical properties, and good chemical resistance. They may be suitable for applications that require robust performance in extreme environments. Additionally or alternatively, the molded composite material 130 may include a thermoplastic resin. Some molded composite materials may be based on thermoplastic materials, such as liquid crystal polymers (LCP) or polyphenylenesulfide (PPS). These materials may provide good dimensional stability, chemical resistance, and ease of processing. Additionally or alternatively, the molded composite material 130 may include a ceramic-filled composite material. Some molded composite materials contain ceramic fillers to enhance thermal conductivity. This is particularly useful in applications where heat dissipation is critical, such as power devices. Additionally or alternatively, the mold compound 130 may include an underfill material. The underfill material may be used to fill the gap between the RFIC 120 and the substrate 110 to improve mechanical bonding and reduce stress.

[0063] The semiconductor package (InWIOM) 100 also includes an antenna structure 140 formed in or on the molded composite material 130 and coupled to the RFIC 120. Metal layers may be included in the molded composite material 130. These metal layers may be used for various purposes, such as providing electromagnetic shielding, enhancing thermal performance, or serving as interconnects (e.g., redistribution layers) of integrated components within the package 100. The antenna 140 may be integrated into or on the molded composite material 130. Metal traces or layers may be used to implement the radiating elements and feeding structures of the antenna 140 within the semiconductor package 100. The antenna 140 may be coupled to the RFIC 120 via one or more redistribution layers (RDL) 150 of the semiconductor package 100. The antenna 140 may be configured for wireless millimeter wave communications. Millimeter waves refer to the electromagnetic frequency range within the microwave spectrum. Specifically, millimeter wave frequencies fall within the range of 30 gigahertz (GHz) to 300 GHz. For example, the antenna 140 and its dimensions may be designed for carrier frequencies of 42 GHz and / or 63 GHz. For example, the antenna structure 140 may have a size of 1000-5000 μm x 400-300 μm x 100-300 μm. 3 size.

[0064] The RFIC 120 and antenna 140 integrated into the semiconductor package (InWIOM) 100 can be configured to send and / or receive one or more baseband test and / or debug signals to / from the semiconductor package 100. The baseband test and / or debug signal may include a predefined test and / or debug signal, such as a predefined test mode. In semiconductor manufacturing and design, various test and debug signals can be used to evaluate the function, performance and reliability of an integrated circuit (IC). These signals are required during different stages of the IC development process, including wafer testing, package testing and system-level testing. Examples of test and debug signals for testing ICs are scan chains and boundary scans (JTAG). Scan chains can be used for structural testing of digital circuits. They can allow test patterns to be serially moved into the IC and responses to be serially moved out. The Joint Test Action Group (JTAG) standard, also known as IEEE 1149.1, defines a standardized interface for testing and debugging digital ICs. JTAG implements boundary scans, which can test the connection of the input and output pins of the IC. Another example of test and debug signals for testing ICs is built-in self-test (Built-In Self-Test, BIST). BIST circuits are integrated into ICs to perform self-tests. BIST may include logic, memory, and other test structures that help verify the functionality of the IC. BIST can reduce the need for external test equipment and simplify the testing process. Many ICs or core grains have built-in test modes that implement specific functions to facilitate testing. These modes can be accessed via control pins or configuration registers and may include features such as loopback testing or specific signal generation. Some ICs may have dedicated debug ports that allow developers to connect to the chip to debug and monitor internal signals in real time. The debug port can provide access to internal buses, registers, and other important debug information.

[0065] Conventionally, baseband test and / or debug signals are routed to and from the semiconductor package 100 and its IC via signal lines or traces. The present disclosure proposes the RFIC 120 and antenna 140 within the semiconductor package (InWIOM) 100 as a wireless interface for test and / or debug signals (also referred to as sideband signals). A skilled person having the benefit of the present disclosure will appreciate that other signals (e.g., signals carrying non-predetermined useful information) may also be exchanged via the RFIC 120 and antenna 140. The RFIC 120 and antenna 140 may be used for wireless chip (chip) to chip (chip) communication, wireless package to package communication, and / or wireless communication for testing and debugging.

[0066] like Figure 1As shown, the mold composite 130 can extend laterally beyond the RFIC 120 (in the x-direction). The antenna 140 can be formed in or on the mold composite 130 that is laterally adjacent to the RFIC 120. In the illustrated example, the antenna 140 is formed in or on the mold composite 130 to the left of the RFIC 120. For example, the antenna 140 can be implemented as a 3D or 2D (planar) antenna in or on the mold composite 130. In the illustrated example, the antenna 140 is implemented as an antenna structure in a metal layer on the upper surface of the mold composite 130. A skilled person having the benefit of the present disclosure will appreciate that the lower surface of the mold composite 130 or a metal layer within the mold composite 130 would also be a viable option.

[0067] Antenna 140 may be coupled to RFIC 120 via feed vias 160 extending from antenna 140 to redistribution layer 150, which in turn is coupled to one or more RF I / O pins (RF interface) of RFIC 120. Antenna 140 may also include floating vias 170 extending from antenna 140 or its radiating element away from antenna 140 toward substrate 110. Floating vias 170 are disconnected or isolated elements that may affect the performance of integrated antenna 140.

[0068] Figure 1 The semiconductor package (InWIOM) 100 shown in the figure can realize wireless I / O (WIO) technology by extending the substrate 110 (molding compound 130 + redistribution layer 150), creating an overhang structure and placing the millimeter wave antenna 140 in the overhang substrate. After integration with the RFIC bare core 120, it becomes an overhang type InWIOM (integrated WIO module) architecture. The overhang type InWIOM 100 can be used to improve link performance through a clear line of sight wireless link, reduce the number of pins reserved for sidebands and some control signals, avoid routing congestion, realize multi-station transmission and broadcast capabilities, and reduce die and packaging costs by slowing down the growth of die and package area. The overhang type InWIOM architecture can support various WIO application scenarios, including wireless chip to motherboard (C2M), chip to chip (C2C), package to package (P2P) and package to motherboard (P2M) communications.

[0069] exist Figure 2In the example implementation of the semiconductor package 200 shown, the semiconductor package 200 includes the InWIOM 100 and also includes a separate semiconductor chip (core) 220 mounted on the substrate 110 near the RFIC 120 (on the right) and encapsulated by the molding compound 130. The RFIC 120 and the semiconductor chip (core) 220 can be different monolithic integrated semiconductor dies. The semiconductor chip (core) 220 can be configured to send and / or receive one or more predetermined baseband test and / or debug signals to / from the RFIC 120 during the test and / or debug mode. To this end, the semiconductor chip (core) 220 can be coupled to the RFIC 120 via one or more redistribution layers 150 of the semiconductor package 200. That is, the baseband test and / or debug signals can be exchanged between the semiconductor chip (core) 220 and the RFIC 120 via the redistribution layer 150 routed within the semiconductor package 200.

[0070] The semiconductor package 200 may be wire-bonded to a separate base substrate 210 using corresponding leads or pads 240. The base substrate 210 below the semiconductor package 200 may be a base die, a printed circuit board (PCB), etc. The substrate 110 and the base substrate 210 below may only partially overlap in the horizontal direction (x direction). Figure 2 As shown, an overhanging portion 230 (eg, a portion to the left of RFIC 120 ) of semiconductor package 200 including antenna 140 may extend horizontally beyond base substrate 210 , thereby allowing line-of-sight radiation in multiple directions (eg, downward and sideways).

[0071] In InWIOM 100, RFIC 120 and compact mm-wave edge antenna (CMMWEA) 140 can be integrated through fan-out wafer level packaging (FOWLP) technology commonly implemented in 3D heterogeneous IC integration. In the integration, RFIC 120 can be placed on a wafer carrier first, and then a molding compound 130 can be applied to further fix RFIC 120 on the wafer carrier 110. Then, the wafer carrier can be removed, and the raised pads 240 of RFIC 120 can be exposed, and the redistribution layer deposition can begin. In order to take full advantage of FOWLP, CMMWEA 140 can have a simple two-layer stack, so that it can be manufactured using molding compound 130 as an antenna substrate, and the dielectric constant (DK) and thickness of the antenna substrate can be adjusted to achieve the desired antenna performance. Then, the CMMWEA 140 and the RFIC 120 may be interconnected through a redistribution layer (RDL) 150 .

[0072] In order to take advantage of wireless I / O, the present disclosure proposes an integrated wireless I / O module (InWIOM) 100, which can be packaged with at least one additional semiconductor chip (chip) 220 (main die) using a wafer-level redistribution layer (RDL) so that the InWIOM 100 shares some "must-retain" low-speed configuration signal buses, such as serial peripheral interface (SPI) pins (usually 4 pins), and has Figure 2 , and forms an overhanging line-of-sight wireless link.

[0073] In terms of the data rate provided by the InWIOM 100, many sideband signals (e.g., test and debug signals) can be serialized and wirelessly communicated through the overhanging InWIOM 100, rather than through the package pins / pads 240, thereby significantly reducing the number of pins reserved for the sideband signals. The reduction in the number of sideband signal pins can directly translate into savings in substrate die 210 and package area (and thus cost). In terms of operating the InWIOM, they only require limited pins that pass through the package 100 and the substrate die 210. In addition, these pins are not necessarily dedicated pins. They can be shared between the InWIOM 100 and the main die 220. For example, the main I / O pins required to configure the InWIOM 100 using protocols such as SPI (Serial Peripheral Interface) or I2C (Inter-Integrated Circuit) / I3C (Improved Inter-Integrated Circuit) may only be routed between the InWIOM 100 and the main die 220, and not directly connected to the I / O pins on the package 100. Therefore, the package pins specifically reserved for InWIOM can be kept to zero, or a very limited number (e.g., 2 to 4) to support the module's independent out-of-package SPI / I2C / I3C configuration if shared with the remaining sideband channels of the main die 220. This obviously brings more substrate die and package space savings, because the overall package size is not only determined by the number of bumps, but also fixed by the BGA pitch, which is currently set to 650μm, while the die-to-package C4 / C2 bump pitch is 100μm.

[0074] like Figure 3As shown in the block diagram of , the InWIOM 100 or RFIC 120 may include a baseband interface 310 configured to receive one or more baseband test and / or debug signals from a semiconductor chip (chip) 220 via one or more signal lines (RDL). The baseband interface 310 to the semiconductor chip (chip) 220 may be a wired interface using one or more signal lines (RDL) between the RFIC 120 and the chip (chip) 220 or other device (e.g., PCB). In addition, the RFIC 120 may include a modulator circuit 320 configured to modulate an RF carrier signal 322 based on one or more baseband test and / or debug signals 324 to obtain a modulated RF signal 326 carrying the test and / or debug signal. The RF carrier signal 322 may be synthesized in a frequency synthesizer 360 of the RFIC 120. The RFIC 120 may also include a Tx interface 330 configured to feed the modulated RF signal 326 to the antenna 140. The Tx interface 330 to the antenna 140 may be a wired interface between the RFIC 120 and the antenna 140 using one or more signal lines (RDL). Here, the Tx interface 330 includes a Tx / Rx switch so that the Tx interface 330 may also function as an Rx interface 330. Thus, the RFIC 140 also includes an Rx interface 330 configured to receive a modulated RF signal 332 from the antenna 140. The Rx interface 330 to the antenna 140 may be a wired interface between the RFIC 120 and the antenna 140 using one or more signal lines (RDL). The demodulator 340 of the RFIC 120 is configured to demodulate the received RF carrier signal 332 to obtain one or more receive baseband test and / or debug signals 342. The baseband interface 350 of the RFIC 120 is configured to send one or more receive baseband test and / or debug signals to the semiconductor chip (chip) 220 or other devices (e.g., PCB) via one or more signal lines (RDL). The corresponding interface to the chip (chip) 220 can be a wired interface between the RFIC 120 and the chip (chip) 220 using one or more signal lines (RDL).

[0075] Figure 3 A block diagram illustrating components in an integrated wireless I / O module (InWIOM) 100 including an RFIC 120 and an antenna 140 is presented. On the transmitter (Tx) side, the InWIOM module 100 or RFIC 120 may receive a signal from one or more semiconductor chips (chiplets) 220 in the form of CLK1, CLK2, ..., CLK n The RFIC 120 then synchronizes these sideband signals to a unified baseband clock rate CLK via an asynchronous interface 312 with data flow control. BBThen, CLK BB The parallel and relatively low-speed Tx data streams 314 (eg, m data streams) (eg, 0.5 GHz) may be serialized into a symbol rate of CLK Sym The serialized baseband Tx data 324 is further converted to the analog domain and modulated to the RF carrier frequency F in the Tx analog front end 320. rf (e.g., 20 GHz), is then amplified by a power amplifier and fed to the antenna 140 for transmission.

[0076] On the receiver (Rx) side, the Rx analog front end 340 amplifies the received signal 332 from the antenna 140 and converts the signal from the RF carrier frequency F rf Down-convert to baseband, digitize the signals and demodulate them to the CLK Sym Then, at block 345, these symbols are deserialized to be in CLK BB The Rx baseband data stream 346 (e.g., m data streams) is processed while mapping symbols to information bits. In block 348, the Rx data stream 346 is finally repacked and remapped into n sideband signals, but at the Rx output 350 at CLK SB The unified clock rate is then sent to one or more semiconductor chips (chiplets) 220. The transceiver (TRX) can operate in time division duplex mode through the T / R switch 330 while sharing the module's single antenna 140. All of the above clocks within the InWIOM module can be generated by the integrated frequency synthesizer 360 inside the module 100.

[0077] The high data throughput properties of InWIOM can significantly integrate sideband signals. In an example, using a 4GHz symbol rate CLKSym, and 64QAM modulation, InWIOM can support a data rate of 24Gbps for serialized sideband signals. If it is assumed that each sideband signal runs at 300Mbps, then the example InWIOM module can integrate a total of 80 channels. The higher the speed that this InWIOM module can support, the more sideband channels can be integrated, however this may be at the expense of higher power consumption and complexity of the module 100 itself.

[0078] Now go to Figure 4 , a top view of an example of an integrated antenna 140 is shown.

[0079] Figure 4 The antenna 140 may be implemented in a metal layer on a layer of mold compound 130. For example, the layer of mold compound 130 may include an insulator such as SiO2. Figure 4As can be seen from the enlarged view of , the antenna 140 may include two radiating elements 140-A, 140-B. The radiating element 140-A is configured for a first frequency band, and the radiating element 140-B is configured for a second (higher) frequency band. The length of each of the radiating elements 140-A, 140-B may be in the range of λ / 4 of the wavelength of the respective carrier. The two radiating elements 140-A, 140-B essentially combine the two antennas into one. In the illustrated example, the radiating elements 140-A, 140-B are integrally connected (attached to each other) at one end 402 of the antenna 140. From this end 402, the two radiating elements 140-A, 140-B extend substantially linearly and parallel in the x-direction, separated by a first coupling gap 404 in the y-direction. For example, the width of the coupling gap 404 in the y-direction may be in the range of 25 μm to 100 μm. The radiating element 140-A extends longer in the x-direction, beyond the opposite end 406 of the radiating element 140-B. Ends 402 and 406 are opposite ends in the x-direction. Radiating element 140-A includes a first portion 408 extending in the x-direction and a second portion 410 extending in the y-direction toward radiating element 140-B. A second gap 412 extends along the x-direction between the opposite end 406 of radiating element 140-B and the second portion 410 of radiating element 140-A. The width of second gap 412 may be less than or equal to one quarter (1 / 4) of the length of radiating element 140-A.

[0080] The antenna 140 is implemented on a first (e.g., upper) surface of the layer of mold compound 130, and the ground plane may be implemented in a metal layer on an opposite second (e.g., lower) surface of the layer of mold compound 130 as a counterpoise for the antenna 140. Figure 5 An example of a ground plane 510 implemented on the rear surface of the layer of mold compound 130 can be seen in FIG.

[0081] from Figure 5 As can be seen in FIG. 1 , the ground plane 510 may have a substantially rectangular shape. The ground plane may also include a feed terminal 512 for the antenna 140. The ground plane 510 may have a cutout portion 514 (without metal in the cutout portion) in the area below the antenna 140. The cutout portion 514 may allow return current at its edge, thereby improving the radiation characteristics of the antenna 140.

[0082] The antenna 140 and the ground plane 510 are shown together in Figure 6. It can be seen that the cutout portion 514 of the ground plane 510 is located below the right side portion of the antenna 140. Specifically, the cutout portion 514 is located below the second gap 412 between the floating ends of the radiating elements 140-A, 140-B and the opposite end 406 of the radiating element 140-B and the second portion 410 of the radiating element 140-A. The antenna 140 can be placed at the lower edge of the ground plane 510 in the y direction. In addition, the cutout portion 514 extends from the lower edge of the ground plane into the ground plane 510 in the y direction.

[0083] The antenna 140 is coupled to the ground plane 510 by at least one shorting via 602 extending from the integrally formed end 402 of the antenna 140 through the layer of mold compound 130 to the ground plane 510. The antenna 140 is also coupled to the RFIC 120 by a feed via 160 extending from the radiating element 140-B through the layer of mold compound 130 to the ground plane 510 or through the ground plane 510 to a feed terminal 512. The antenna 140 may also include a floating (loaded) via 170 extending from the end 406 of the radiating element 140-B through the layer of mold compound 130 to the cutout portion 514 below.

[0084] exist Figure 7 A top view of the antenna 140 and the ground plane 510 is illustrated in FIG. 8 , and another perspective view is provided in FIG. 8 .

[0085] from Figure 7As can be seen in the example of, for example, the width of the ground plane 510 in the x-direction can be 30 mm. For example, the height of the ground plane 510 in the y-direction can also be 30 mm. The cutout portion 514 can be formed at the lower right corner of the ground plane 510. In the illustrated example, for example, the width of the cutout portion 514 in the x-direction can be between 10 and 14 mm. Similarly, for example, the height of the cutout portion 514 in the y-direction can be between 10 and 14 mm. A technician who has the benefit of this disclosure will understand that these dimensions are design parameters and depend on the desired frequency band. The antenna 140 is placed at the lower edge of the ground plane 510 and extends above the cutout portion 514 from approximately the middle of the ground plane 510 in the x-direction. A technician who has the benefit of this disclosure will understand that it is not necessary to position the antenna 140 in the position shown in the figure. It can also be placed at another edge of the ground plane 510. Thus, the short-circuit via 602 at the integrally formed end 402 of the two radiating elements 140-A, 140-B can be placed in the middle of the ground plane 510 in the x-direction and at the lower edge in the y-direction. The feed via 160 can be placed between the short-circuit via 602 and the left edge of the cutout portion 514 in the x-direction. The floating (loading) via 170 at the end 406 of the radiating element 140-B can be placed between the left and right edges of the cutout portion 514 in the x-direction. Similarly, the floating (loading) via can also be placed at the end of the radiating element 140-A.

[0086] Antenna 140 and integrally connected radiating elements 140 -A, 140 -B combine two separate IFA / PIFA antennas that operate in different transmission bands, respectively.

[0087] Figure 8B A first antenna 840-A is shown coupled to a ground plane 810 below the radiating element 104-A via a short-circuit via 802-A. A feed via 860-A couples the first antenna 840-A to a feed terminal. The first antenna 840-A may be designed for a transmit center frequency f1. Thus, the length of the radiating element 104-A may be approximately λ1 / 4, where λ1 is the wavelength at f1. Figure 8C The reflection coefficient (Γ) of the antenna 840 -A is schematically illustrated. The minimum value of the reflection coefficient is at the center frequency f1 of the transmission band BW1 .

[0088] Fig.8DA second antenna 840-B is shown coupled to the ground plane 810 below the radiating element 104-B via a short-circuit via 802-B. A feed via 860-B couples the second antenna 840-B to a feed terminal. The second antenna 840-B may be designed for a transmit center frequency f2 (>f1). Thus, the length of the radiating element 104-B may be approximately λ2 / 4, where λ2 is the wavelength at f2. Fig. 8E The reflection coefficient (Γ) of the antenna 840-B is schematically illustrated. The minimum value of the reflection coefficient is at the center frequency f2 of the transmission band BW2.

[0089] Antennas 840-A, 840-B may correspond to the so-called gamma matching architecture used in IFA (inverted-F antenna) and PIFA (planar inverted-F antenna) designs. Gamma matching is a technique for feeding and impedance matching these types of antennas to a transmission line or RF circuit. Gamma matching consists of corresponding short-circuit vias 802-A, 802-B placed near each radiating element 104-A, 104-B of each antenna. Its direction is usually perpendicular to each radiating element 104-A, 104-B, forming a "T" or "Γ" shape, which is why it is called gamma matching. The purpose of gamma matching is to adjust the impedance of the antenna to match the characteristic impedance of the transmission line or RF circuit to which it is connected. Gamma matching provides a means of adjusting the impedance seen at the feed point of the antenna. By adjusting the length and position of the short-circuit via, the impedance of the antenna can be fine-tuned to match the desired value (usually 50 ohms for many RF systems).

[0090] Figure 8F Schematically shows ( Figure 6 ) antenna 140, which combines the first antenna 840-A and the second antenna 840-B into a combined (and integrally formed) antenna structure. Antenna 140 is coupled to the underlying ground plane 510 via a single shared short-circuit via 602. Antenna 140 is fed via a single shared feed via 160. The first radiating element 104-A of antenna 140 can be designed for a transmit center frequency f1. Thus, the length of radiating element 104-A can be approximately λ1 / 4. The second radiating element 104-B of antenna 140 can be designed for a transmit center frequency f2. Thus, the length of radiating element 104-B can be approximately λ2 / 4. Figure 8G The reflection coefficient (Γ) of the combined antenna 140 is schematically illustrated. The reflection coefficient has two adjacent minima at frequencies f1 and f2, resulting in a widening of the transmission band BW (eg, the center frequency is (f1+f2) / 2), where BW≥BW1+BW2.

[0091] To simplify design and manufacturing, the present disclosure proposes a compact folded edge antenna (CFEA) 140 on a 2-layer stack as an exemplary antenna for the InWIOM 100. On the top metal layer, two L-shapes can be interconnected by direct connection at the end 402 and indirect connections such as coupling gaps 404, 412. One of the L-shapes (radiating element 140-B) can have the form of a planar inverted-F antenna (PIFA), while the other L-shape (radiating element 140-A) is connected to the short-circuit via 602 of the PIFA. The length of each L-shape (radiating element) in the x-direction determines the resonance of the individual L-shape, while the coupling between the L-shapes (radiating elements) determines how close the individual resonances can be located in the frequency range, thereby forming multiple narrowbands or a single continuous ultra-wideband.

[0092] On the bottom metal layer, a coplanar waveguide (CPW) may be designed for feeding the antenna 140. The ground plane 510 on the bottom layer may have a cutout 514. The ground cutout 514 on the bottom ground plane 510 may reduce the coupling between the two L-shaped structures (radiating elements 140-A, 140-B) and the ground, allowing them to radiate and change the resonant frequency of the entire antenna.

[0093] In addition, the CFEA 140 supporting mmWave operation has a vertical structure that is reminiscent of a planar inverted-F antenna (PIFA), but Figure 6 As shown in FIG8 , it is distinguished from the floating via 170 in the end 406 of the L-shaped structure (radiating element 140-B). The role of the floating via 170 is to make the antenna 140 more compact. In addition, the conventional PIFA does not have an additional L-shape (radiating element 140-A) on the same layer to provide coupling to create multiple narrowbands or a single continuous ultra-wideband.

[0094] The proposed 2-layer compact millimeter wave UWB folded edge antenna 140 may occupy only a small substrate area. The additional L-shaped structure (radiating element 140-A) is connected to the short-circuit via 602 of the PIFA structure (radiating element 140-B). The coupling between the L-shaped structure (radiating element 140-A) and the PIFA structure (radiating element 140-B) can achieve UWB operation. The antenna feed can be routed through the redistribution layer (RDL) and connected to the RFIC 120. Unlike traditional UWB antennas with multiple short-circuit structures, the proposed antenna may have a single short-circuit via 602. In addition, the feed via 160 is only connected to the PIFA structure (radiating element 140-B), not to the L-shaped structure (radiating element 140-A). There is also a floating via 170 at the end of the PIFA (radiating element 140-B) to make the antenna 140 more compact. The proposed compact millimeter wave antenna 140 can be easily implemented in a redistribution layer (RDL) 150 and a mold compound 130 and integrated with an RFIC die 120, which forms an InWIOM 100 (Integrated Wireless I / O Module).

[0095] A prototype of the CFEA 140 supporting operation in the unlicensed 60 GHz mmWave band was designed on a 2-layer stackup with a 36.4 mil (0.0364 in) thick Megtron6 ​​substrate (a high performance and high frequency PCB substrate material) with lateral dimensions of 1.5 mm x 7 mm (≈0.3λ x 1.4λ at 60 GHz). To demonstrate the link performance achieved by the CFEA 140, a 5 mm face-to-face link was modeled in the High-Frequency Structure Simulator (HFSS). The link supports two transmission bands with a return loss above -10 dB. One band is around 42 GHz, while the other is around 63 GHz.

[0096] The link-level analysis results are summarized in Table 1.

[0097]

[0098] Table 1

[0099] Based on the relationship between the modulation depth of Quadrature Amplitude Modulation (QAM) and its required Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR), this 5mm face-to-face (F2F) link can support 4GHz transmission bandwidth at least 256-QAM, so when it operates at a center frequency of 42GHz, it can support 32Gbps. At around 63GHz, when the post-FF EQ ES / No = 26.82dB, this link should be able to support 64-QAM at a 5GHz transmission bandwidth, thus supporting a 30Gbps data rate.

[0100] like Fig.9A As shown in, using the example InWIOM supporting 40Gbps, a chip-to-chip wireless communication system is proposed. In this example wireless communication system, two separate chips 200-A, 200-B or even multiple separate chips can directly communicate with each other in the form of broadcast or multi-station transmission through their respective InWIOM modules 100-A and 100-B packaged together. Chip 200-A includes an InWIOM module 100-A packaged and docked with multiple core particles 220. Chip 200-B includes an InWIOM module 100-B packaged and docked with multiple core particles 220. Chip 200-A and chip 200-B are mounted on respective substrate tube cores 210-A and 210-B. The substrate tube core 210-A and 210-B are mounted on a common substrate 910, which can be a packaging substrate, for example. Individual chips 200-A and 200-B can be accommodated in a common package or a separate package.

[0101] exist Fig. 9BA package-to-package wireless communication network paradigm is proposed in which individual InWIOM modules 100-A, 100-B are placed on separate packages 200-A, 200-B through die-to-package attachment. Package 200-A includes an InWIOM module 100-A that is packaged and docked with a chip including multiple core particles (die 1, die 2). The core particles (die 1, die 2) are mounted on a substrate die. The substrate die and the InWIOM module 100-A are both mounted on a common packaging substrate. Package 200-B includes an InWIOM module 100-B that is packaged and docked with a chip including multiple core particles (die 3, die 4). The core particles (die 3, die 4) are mounted on a common substrate die. The substrate die and the InWIOM module 100-B are both mounted on a common packaging substrate. Individual packages 200-A, 200-B can be mounted to a common motherboard 910'. The wireless link implemented by the In-WIOM modules 100-A, 100-B does not go through package routing and motherboard routing, but simply consumes less package area because the link may only involve InWIOM, and the die to package bump pitch is 100μm, while if the signal must go through the package BGA, the BAG pitch is 650μm.

[0102] like Fig. 9C As shown in, using InWIOM, a wireless communication system for testing and debugging is also designed. In this system, two separate InWIOM modules 100-A and 100-B are involved. InWIOM module 100-B is co-packaged with multiple core particles (die 1, die 2), while InWIOM module 100-A is placed and wire-bonded to the mainboard 910'. In the case where the signal is only used for debugging, the wireless link can exclude the sideband signal from imposing penalties on both the substrate die and the packaging area. The reason is obvious, because many sideband signals passing through the substrate die and the package are reduced.

[0103] from Figure 9A-9C As can be seen in the figure, the InWIOM modules 100-A and 100B are placed close to each other to provide a good communication link. In the illustrated example, the InWIOM modules 100-A and 100-B face each other. More specifically, the antennas 140 of the InWIOM modules 100-A and 100-B can face each other.

[0104] Some examples of the present disclosure propose an integrated wireless I / O module 100 having a multi-band compact folded edge antenna 140 for sideband signal and control signal isolation and transmission in a 3D heterogeneous core particle system. Some examples of the present disclosure propose an overhanging integrated wireless I / O module (InWIOM) that integrates an RFIC bare core with a millimeter wave compact folded edge antenna on a simple 2-layer stack using a fan-out wafer-level package (FOWPL). Using FOWPL, the InWIOM can be further co-packaged with the heterogeneous core particles to provide sideband / control signal isolation and wireless communication between core particles, chip to motherboard, and package to package. The overhanging InWIOM architecture can improve link performance by achieving a clear line-of-sight wireless link, and can reduce the number of pins reserved for sidebands and some control signals, thereby reducing routing congestion between the top and substrate die, substrate die and package, and package and motherboard. In addition, greater data throughput can be achieved through frequency multiplexing / duplexing and multi-band transmission. Multi-station transmission and broadcast capabilities can be achieved. The examples disclosed herein can slow down the growth of die and package area, thus reducing die and package costs. The proposed 2-layer compact mmWave folded edge antenna is a cost-effective solution. It can also be easily implemented in RDL and mold compound, and can be easily integrated with RFIC bare die.

[0105] In the following, some examples of the proposed technique are given:

[0106] An example (e.g., Example 1) relates to a semiconductor package comprising a substrate; an RFIC (die) attached to the substrate; optionally at least one semiconductor die attached to the substrate and coupled to the RFIC via one or more signal lines; a molding compound that encapsulates the RFIC (die) and the optional semiconductor die; and an antenna formed on the molding compound and coupled to the RFIC (die).

[0107] Another example (e.g., Example 2) relates to the previous example (e.g., Example 1) or any other example, wherein the optional at least one semiconductor die in the semiconductor package is configured to send and / or receive one or more baseband test and / or debug signals to / from the RFIC.

[0108] Another example (eg, Example 3) relates to the previous example (eg, Example 1 or 2) or any other example, wherein the antenna is coupled to the RFIC via one or more redistribution layers of the semiconductor package.

[0109] Another example (eg, Example 4) relates to the previous example (eg, Examples 1-3) or any other example, wherein the optional semiconductor die is coupled to the RFIC via one or more redistribution layers of the semiconductor package.

[0110] Another example (e.g., Example 5) relates to the previous examples (e.g., Examples 1 to 4) or any other example, wherein the molding compound extends laterally beyond the RFIC and the antenna is formed in or on the molding compound and laterally adjacent to the RFIC.

[0111] Another example (eg, Example 6) relates to the previous examples (eg, Examples 1 to 5) or any other example, the antenna is formed at an edge of the molded composite material.

[0112] Another example (eg, Example 7) relates to the previous examples (eg, Examples 1 to 6) or any other example, wherein the semiconductor package further includes a ground plane formed in the molding compound as a counterpoise for the antenna.

[0113] Another example (e.g., Example 8) relates to the previous example (e.g., Example 7) or any other example, wherein the ground plane is formed in at least a first metal layer in the molded composite material and the antenna is formed in at least a second metal layer above or below the first metal layer.

[0114] Another example (eg, Example 9) relates to the previous example (eg, Example 7 or 8) or any other example, wherein the antenna is coupled to the ground plane by at least one short-circuit via.

[0115] Another example (eg, Example 10) relates to the previous examples (eg, Examples 7 to 9) or any other example, wherein the antenna is coupled to the RFIC via a feed via extending from or through the ground plane.

[0116] Another example (eg, Example 11) relates to the previous examples (eg, Examples 7 to 10) or any other example, wherein the antenna includes a floating via extending from the antenna or the second metal layer toward the ground plane or the first metal layer.

[0117] Another example (e.g., Example 12) relates to the previous example (e.g., Examples 1 to 11) or any other example, wherein the antenna includes a first radiating element for a first frequency band and at least a second radiating element for a second frequency band, wherein the antenna is coupled to the RFIC and the ground plane via the first radiating element, and the second radiating element is coupled to the first radiating element.

[0118] Another example (eg, Example 13) relates to the previous example (eg, Example 12) or any other example, wherein the first radiating element comprises an inverted-F antenna (IFA) structure and the second radiating element comprises an L-shaped structure.

[0119] Another example (eg, Example 14) relates to the previous examples (eg, Examples 12 to 13) or any other example, wherein the first radiating element extends linearly in a first direction and the second radiating element extends linearly parallel to the first radiating element.

[0120] Another example (e.g., Example 15) relates to the previous examples (e.g., Examples 12 to 14) or any other examples, wherein the second radiating element is attached to the first radiating element at a first end of the first radiating element and extends linearly beyond an opposite second end of the first radiating element.

[0121] Another example (e.g., Example 16) relates to a previous example (e.g., Example 14 or 15) or any other example, wherein the second radiating element includes a first portion extending in the first direction and a second portion extending toward the first radiating element in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.

[0122] Another example (eg, Example 17) relates to the previous example (eg, Example 16) or any other example, wherein a gap extends between the second end of the first radiating element and the second portion of the second radiating element.

[0123] Another example (eg, Example 18) relates to the previous examples (eg, Examples 7 to 17) or any other example, wherein the ground plane includes a cutout portion below the antenna.

[0124] Another example (eg, Example 19) relates to the previous examples (eg, Examples 1 to 18) or any other example, wherein the RFIC is configured to send and / or receive test and / or debug signals for the semiconductor package via the antenna.

[0125] Another example (e.g., Example 20) relates to the previous example (e.g., Examples 1 to 19) or any other example, wherein the RFIC includes: a baseband interface configured to receive one or more baseband test and / or debug signals via one or more signal lines; a modulator configured to modulate an RF carrier signal based on the one or more baseband test and / or debug signals to obtain a modulated RF signal; and a transmit interface configured to feed the modulated RF signal to the antenna.

[0126] Another example (e.g., Example 21) relates to the previous examples (e.g., Examples 1 to 20) or any other examples, wherein the RFIC includes: a receiving interface configured to receive a modulated RF signal from the antenna; a demodulator configured to demodulate the RF carrier signal to obtain one or more baseband test and / or debug signals; and a baseband interface configured to send the one or more baseband test and / or debug signals via one or more signal lines.

[0127] Another example (e.g., Example 22) relates to the previous examples (e.g., Examples 1 to 21) or any other examples, wherein the antenna is configured as a millimeter wave antenna.

[0128] An example (e.g., Example 23) relates to a wireless communication system, which includes: a substrate; a first semiconductor package mounted on the substrate, wherein the first semiconductor package includes a first RFIC; a first molding compound that encapsulates the first RFIC; and a first antenna, which is formed on a surface of the first molding compound and coupled to the first RFIC. The wireless communication system also includes: a second semiconductor package mounted on the substrate, wherein the second semiconductor package includes a second RFIC; a second molding compound that encapsulates the second RFIC; and a second antenna, which is formed on a surface of the second molding compound and coupled to the second RFIC. The first semiconductor package and the second semiconductor package are configured to wirelessly communicate with each other using the first RFIC together with the first antenna and the second RFIC together with the second antenna.

[0129] Another example (e.g., Example 24) relates to a previous example (e.g., Example 23) or any other example, wherein the first semiconductor package and the second semiconductor package are configured to wirelessly exchange test and / or debug signals using the first RFIC in conjunction with the first antenna and the second RFIC in conjunction with the second antenna.

[0130] Another example (e.g., Example 25) relates to the previous example (e.g., Example 23 or 24) or any other example, wherein the first semiconductor package and the second semiconductor package are arranged on the substrate such that the first antenna and the second antenna face each other.

[0131] An example (e.g., Example 26) relates to a wireless communication method. The wireless communication method includes providing an RFIC die on a packaging substrate, optionally providing at least one additional semiconductor die on the packaging substrate, coupling the optional at least one additional semiconductor die to the RFIC die via one or more signal lines in the packaging substrate, packaging the RFIC die and the optional at least one additional semiconductor die using a molding compound, forming an antenna in or on the molding compound, and coupling the antenna to the RFIC die.

[0132] Another example (e.g., Example 27) relates to the previous example (e.g., Example 26) or any other example, and also includes sending and / or receiving test and / or debug signals for the semiconductor package or the at least one additional semiconductor die via the RFIC die and the antenna.

[0133] The aspects and features described herein in connection with a specific one of the previous examples may also be combined with one or more other examples to replace the same or similar features of the other examples or to additionally introduce features into the other examples.

[0134] It is also understood that the disclosure of several steps, processes, operations or functions disclosed in the specification or claims should not be interpreted as implying that these operations must comply with the described order, unless explicitly stated in individual cases or necessary for technical reasons. Therefore, the previous description does not limit the performance of several steps or functions to a certain order. In addition, in other examples, a single step, function, process or operation may include and / or be decomposed into several sub-steps, sub-functions, sub-processes or sub-operations.

[0135] If aspects have been described in connection with a device or system, these aspects should also be understood as descriptions of the corresponding methods. For example, blocks, devices, or functional aspects of the device or system may correspond to features of the corresponding methods, such as method steps. Therefore, aspects described in connection with a method should also be understood as descriptions of corresponding blocks, corresponding elements, attributes, or functional features of the corresponding device or corresponding system.

[0136] The attached claims are hereby incorporated into the detailed description, where each claim may stand alone as a separate example. It should also be noted that although in the claims, a dependent claim refers to a specific combination with one or more other claims, other examples may also include a combination of the dependent claim with the subject matter of any other dependent or independent claim. Such combinations are explicitly proposed here, unless it is stated in an individual case that a specific combination is not intended. In addition, features of a claim should also be included for any other independent claim, even if the claim is not directly defined as dependent on the other independent claim.

Claims

1. A semiconductor package, comprising: substrate; a radio frequency integrated circuit RFIC attached to the substrate; at least one semiconductor die attached to the substrate and coupled to the RFIC via one or more signal lines; a molding compound encapsulating the RFIC and the semiconductor die; as well as An antenna is formed on the mold compound and coupled to the RFIC.

2. The semiconductor package according to claim 1, wherein: The at least one semiconductor die is configured to send and / or receive one or more baseband test and / or debug signals to / from the RFIC.

3. The semiconductor package according to claim 1, wherein: The antenna and / or the semiconductor die are coupled to the RFIC via one or more redistribution layers of the semiconductor package.

4. The semiconductor package according to claim 1, wherein: The mold compound extends laterally beyond the RFIC, and the antenna is formed on the mold compound laterally adjacent to the RFIC.

5. The semiconductor package according to claim 1, further comprising: A ground plane is formed in the molded composite material and serves as a counterpoise for the antenna.

6. The semiconductor package according to claim 5, wherein: The antenna is coupled to the ground plane through at least one short-circuit via, or the antenna is coupled to the RFIC through a feed via extending from or through the ground plane.

7. The semiconductor package according to claim 5, wherein: The antenna includes a floating via extending from the antenna toward the ground plane.

8. The semiconductor package according to claim 1, wherein: The antenna includes a first radiating element for a first frequency band and at least a second radiating element for a second frequency band, wherein the antenna is coupled to the RFIC and a ground plane via the first radiating element and the second radiating element is coupled to the first radiating element.

9. The semiconductor package according to claim 8, wherein: The first radiating element includes an inverted-F antenna (IFA) structure, and the second radiating element includes an L-shaped structure.

10. The semiconductor package according to claim 8, wherein: The first radiating element extends linearly in a first direction, and the second radiating element extends linearly in parallel with the first radiating element.

11. The semiconductor package according to claim 8, wherein: The second radiating element is attached to the first radiating element at a first end of the first radiating element and extends linearly beyond an opposing second end of the first radiating element.

12. The semiconductor package according to claim 10, wherein: The second radiation element includes a first portion extending in the first direction and a second portion extending toward the first radiation element in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.

13. The semiconductor package according to claim 12, wherein: A gap extends between the second end of the first radiating element and the second portion of the second radiating element.

14. The semiconductor package according to claim 5, wherein: The ground plane includes a cutout portion below the antenna.

15. The semiconductor package according to claim 1, wherein: The RFIC is configured to send and / or receive test and / or debug signals for the semiconductor package via the antenna.

16. The semiconductor package according to claim 1, wherein: The RFIC includes: a baseband interface configured to receive one or more baseband test and / or debug signals via one or more signal lines; a modulator configured to modulate an RF carrier signal based on the one or more baseband test and / or debug signals to obtain a modulated RF signal; and a transmitting interface configured to feed the modulated RF signal to the antenna; a receiving interface configured to receive a modulated RF signal from the antenna; a demodulator configured to demodulate the RF carrier signal to obtain one or more baseband test and / or debug signals; and A baseband interface is configured to send the one or more baseband test and / or debug signals via one or more signal lines.

17. A wireless communication system, comprising: substrate; a first semiconductor package mounted on the substrate, wherein the first semiconductor package comprises: First RFIC; a first molding compound encapsulating the first RFIC; and a first antenna formed on a surface of the first molded composite and coupled to the first RFIC; a second semiconductor package mounted on the substrate, wherein the second semiconductor package comprises: Second RFIC; a second molding compound encapsulating the second RFIC; and a second antenna formed on a surface of the second mold compound and coupled to the second RFIC, The first semiconductor package and the second semiconductor package are configured to wirelessly communicate with each other using the first RFIC together with the first antenna and the second RFIC together with the second antenna.

18. The wireless communication system according to claim 17, wherein: The first semiconductor package and the second semiconductor package are configured to wirelessly exchange test and / or debug signals using the first RFIC in conjunction with the first antenna and the second RFIC in conjunction with the second antenna.

19. The wireless communication system according to claim 17, wherein: The first semiconductor package and the second semiconductor package are arranged on the substrate such that the first antenna and the second antenna face each other.

20. A wireless communication method, comprising: providing an RFIC die on a package substrate; providing at least one additional semiconductor die on the packaging substrate; coupling the at least one additional semiconductor die to the RFIC die via one or more signal lines in the package substrate; encapsulating the RFIC die and the at least one additional semiconductor die using a mold compound; forming an antenna in or on the molded composite; and The antenna is coupled to the RFIC die.

Images