Package carrier with large backside region

Abstract

A carrier (102) for carrying an electronic component (108) of a package (100), where the carrier (102) comprises a front side (106) provided with a horizontal component-side region (104) and a back side (114) opposite the front side (106) and provided with a horizontal back-side region (112), where the horizontal back-side region (112) has a dimension (S) greater than a dimension (L) of the horizontal component-side region (104).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Various embodiments generally relate to a carrier, a package, an electronic device, and a method of manufacturing a carrier. Background Art

[0002] A package may be represented as an encapsulated electronic component with electrical connections extending out of the encapsulation material. For example, the package may be connected to peripheral electronic devices, such as mounted on a printed circuit board and / or connected to a heat sink, and may be connected to a larger system via a connector.

[0003] Power density is a key driver for the industry and enables new applications (e.g. aerospace). Related to this are performance, size and reliability. Different packaging solutions are diverse and must meet the needs of the specific application.

[0004] In particular, packages with power semiconductor chips may generate considerable amounts of heat during operation. This may limit reliability and performance. Efficiently removing heat from the package can be achieved by heat sinks or the like. At the same time, the package is required to have good electrical properties. Summary of the invention

[0005] A package having efficient heat dissipation and / or high electrical performance may be desired.

[0006] According to an exemplary embodiment, a carrier for carrying electronic components of a package is provided, wherein the carrier comprises a front side provided with a horizontal component side area and a back side opposite to the front side and provided with a horizontal back side area, wherein a size of the horizontal back side area is larger than a size of the horizontal component side area.

[0007] According to an exemplary embodiment, there is provided a package including a carrier having the above-mentioned features, an electronic component mounted on at least a portion of a horizontal component side region of the carrier, and an encapsulating material encapsulating at least a portion of the electronic component and at least a portion of the carrier.

[0008] According to another exemplary embodiment, an electronic device is provided, wherein the electronic device includes a package having the above-mentioned features, and a mounting structure mounted on, below, or above the horizontal backside area.

[0009] According to yet another exemplary embodiment, a method for manufacturing a carrier for carrying an electronic component of a package is provided, wherein the method comprises: providing the carrier with a front side having a horizontal component side region; providing the carrier with a back side opposite to the front side and having a horizontal back side region; and forming a size of the horizontal back side region to be larger than a size of the horizontal component side region.

[0010] According to an exemplary embodiment, a carrier and a corresponding package equipped with such a carrier are provided, the carrier having a horizontal component side area on the front side and a horizontal backside area on the opposite back side. At least one electronic component can be mounted on the horizontal component side area of ​​the carrier. The electronic component can be partially or completely encapsulated, and the carrier can be partially or completely encapsulated by an encapsulation material. The encapsulation method can be implemented in a way that at least a portion of the horizontal backside area is exposed relative to the encapsulation material, so that the horizontal backside area is ready for removing heat from the encapsulated electronic component and / or for providing an electrical connection function. However, even when the entire carrier is encapsulated by the encapsulation material, the horizontal backside area can also be used for heat dissipation. Advantageously, the size or amount of the horizontal backside area is larger than the size or amount of the horizontal component side area. This can ensure that the heat generated by the at least one electronic component during the operation of the package is efficiently removed via the enlarged horizontal backside area. Advantageously, the large horizontal backside area can not only increase the amount of heat removed, but also diffuse the heat from the encapsulated electronic component toward the outside of the package within a certain angle range. This in turn can ensure proper performance and high thermal reliability of the package. Additionally or alternatively, a larger back side of the carrier can provide the additional advantage of conducting higher currents or voltages. Further advantageously, a mounting structure (e.g., a heat sink or printed circuit board) can be assembled directly or indirectly at the enlarged horizontal back side area to further facilitate removing heat from the interior of the package and / or for conducting current.

[0011] Description of Further Exemplary Embodiments

[0012] In the following, further exemplary embodiments of a carrier, a package, an electronic device and a method will be explained.

[0013] In the context of the present application, the term "package" may particularly denote an electronic component that may include one or more electronic components mounted on one or more carriers, the at least one carrier comprising or consisting of a single component, a plurality of components joined via an encapsulation material or other package components, or a subassembly of the carrier. The components of the package may be at least partially encapsulated by the encapsulation material.

[0014] In the context of the present application, the term "carrier" (e.g., chip carrier) may particularly refer to a support structure that serves as a mechanical support for one or more electronic components to be mounted thereon. In other words, the carrier may implement a mechanical support function. Additionally or alternatively, the carrier may also implement an electrical connection function. For this purpose, at least a portion of the carrier may be conductive. The carrier may include or consist of a single component, a plurality of components bonded via encapsulation materials or other package components, or a subassembly of a carrier section. The carrier may also help remove heat from the electronic components outside the package and help diffuse heat from the electronic components outside the package to promote heat dissipation. For example, a metal carrier comprising or consisting of copper and / or aluminum may have a high thermal conductivity and may therefore be excellent in terms of heat dissipation capability. A sufficiently high thermal capacity of the carrier may also be advantageous. For example, the carrier may be a die pad (e.g., a die pad of a lead frame structure) or may be a clip.

[0015] In the context of the present application, the term "electronic component" may particularly include semiconductor chips (particularly power semiconductor chips), active electronic devices (such as transistors), passive electronic devices (such as capacitors or inductors or ohmic resistors), sensors (such as microphones, light sensors or gas sensors), actuators (such as loudspeakers) and micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS). In particular, the electronic component may be a semiconductor chip having at least one integrated circuit element (such as a diode or a transistor) in its surface portion. The electronic component may be a bare die or may have been packaged or encapsulated. The semiconductor chip implemented according to the exemplary embodiment may be formed in particular with silicon technology, gallium nitride technology, silicon carbide technology, gallium oxide technology, etc. Particularly preferred may be one or more power semiconductor chips, chips made of wide bandgap semiconductors, etc.

[0016] In the context of the present application, the term "encapsulation material" may particularly denote an electrically insulating and preferably thermally conductive material that surrounds at least a portion of the electronic component and at least a portion of the carrier and optionally a portion of one or more leads. For example, the encapsulation material may be a molding compound and may be manufactured, for example, by transfer molding or compression molding. Other encapsulation methods that may be implemented according to exemplary embodiments are printing, casting, ball-top formation, etc. The encapsulation material may also be of gel type, which may be used for encapsulation by potting.

[0017] In the context of the present application, the term "horizontal component side area" may particularly denote a surface portion of the carrier that is oriented transversely or even perpendicularly to the stacking direction of the carrier and the electronic component. When the package is assembled with the mounting structure below the package, the horizontal component side area may form the top main surface of a bare die pad type carrier. When the package is assembled with the mounting structure below the package, the horizontal component side area may form the bottom main surface of a clip type carrier. Preferably, the horizontal component side area may be flat or planar. For example, the horizontal component side area may not be provided with a surface profile. Therefore, the horizontal component side area may be a planar area. For example, the entire horizontal component side area may be a continuous area at a common vertical level. The horizontal component side area may include a central component mounting area, on which at least one electronic component is mounted or can be mounted. In order to avoid any misunderstanding, a carrier such as a die pad of a lead frame having some patterns or structures in the die attachment area, such as grooves, recesses, reservoirs, spacers for accommodating solder or glue or other adhesive materials, should also be covered by the carrier concept in this patent application. Therefore, in some cases, the horizontal component side area may also have one or more grooves, recesses, reservoirs, spaces, patterns and / or structures, etc. In addition, the horizontal component side area may include a lateral portion (such as an annular portion) that may be kept without electronic components. For example, the width of such a lateral portion may be in the range of 100μm to 1mm. For example, the main surface of the electronic component mounted on the horizontal component side area may have a surface area in the range of 10% to 80% of the entire surface area of ​​the horizontal component side area, for example depending on the requirements of the specific application. The horizontal component side area may form an entire (e.g. upper) main surface of the carrier.

[0018] In the context of the present application, the term "horizontal backside region" may particularly denote an area of ​​the carrier that is away from the horizontal component side region. In an embodiment, the horizontal backside region may be exposed outside the encapsulation material, i.e., may not be covered by the encapsulation material. In view of the fact that the horizontal backside region is exposed to the outside, the horizontal backside region can guide the heat and / or current generated by the encapsulated electronic components out of the interior of the package and toward the environment of the package. Optionally, the heat dissipation function may be supported by a mounting structure such as a radiator, which may be attached to the horizontal backside region, preferably but not necessarily having a thermally conductive and electrically insulating layer between the mounting structure and the horizontal backside region. In other embodiments, the horizontal backside region may be encapsulated in the encapsulation material. In particular, the horizontal backside region may be flat or planar. For example, the horizontal backside region may not be provided with a surface profile. The horizontal backside region may form the entire lower main surface of the carrier or the central part of the carrier. In some embodiments, during the molding process, some encapsulation material may cover a small portion of the back surface of the carrier, for example, so-called molding flash. The horizontal backside region may refer to an area of ​​the back surface of the carrier that is not covered by the molding flash. For example, the horizontal backside region is a planar region or a stepped region.

[0019] In the context of the present application, the term "dimension of the horizontal backside area" may particularly denote the amount of horizontally oriented carrier surface area defined by the horizontal backside area exposed relative to the encapsulation material and covered by the encapsulation material. For example, the dimension of the horizontal backside area may be given in square centimeters. For example, the horizontal backside area may be a polygonal (e.g. rectangular) or rounded (e.g. circular) surface area.

[0020] In the context of the present application, the term "size of the horizontal component side area" may particularly denote the amount of carrier surface area defined by the horizontal component side area. For example, the size of the horizontal component side area may be given in square centimeters. For example, the horizontal component side area may be a polygonal (e.g. rectangular) or rounded (e.g. circular) surface area.

[0021] In the context of the present application, the term "main surface" of a body may particularly denote a body surface that is one of the largest body surfaces. For example, a body (e.g. a carrier or a part of a carrier) may be plate-shaped or substantially plate-shaped and may have two opposite main surfaces therein, which are separated in the thickness direction by body material and connected to each other by circumferential side walls or edges. For example, one main surface of the carrier body may be at least partially exposed. Additionally or alternatively, one main surface of the carrier body (e.g. another main surface) may be connected to one or more chips. For example, a front side surface and a back side surface of the carrier may form two opposite main surfaces of the carrier.

[0022] In one embodiment, the mounting structure comprises a heat sink or a mounting base (e.g. a printed circuit board (PCB) or an insulated metal substrate (IMS) or a direct copper bonding (DCB) substrate or an active metal brazing (AMB) substrate). As an alternative to a printed circuit board, another laminated carrier may also be implemented. In the context of the present application, the term "heat sink" may particularly denote a high thermal conductor that can be thermally coupled to the package and in particular to the carrier of the package for removing heat generated by the electronic components during operation of the package. For example, the heat sink may be made of a material having a thermal conductivity of at least 10 W / mK, in particular at least 50 W / mK, even up to 400 W / mK or even higher. For example, the heat sink may be made of an electrically conductive material such as copper and / or aluminum, but may also include a ceramic material. The heat sink may be thermally coupled directly or indirectly to the partially exposed carrier, for example via a thermally conductive and electrically insulating layer such as a thermal interface material (TIM) and / or a gap filler. For example, the thermally conductive and electrically insulating layer may have a thermal conductivity in the range of 3W / mK to 20W / mK or even higher. For example, the heat sink may include a heat conductor (e.g., a metal plate) having a plurality of cooling fins extending from the heat conductor. Additionally or alternatively, liquid and / or gas cooling may also be achieved by a heat sink. The thermal coupling of the package with the heat sink may ensure efficient cooling. In the context of the present application, the term "printed circuit board" may particularly refer to a flat body (e.g., a sheet or plate) formed by a plurality of interconnected laminated layers (i.e., electrically insulating layers and conductive layers), the interconnected laminated layers may be laminated or interconnected by lamination. Lamination may refer to the use of an elevated temperature to connect laminated layers, optionally accompanied by additional mechanical pressure applied to the stacked laminated layers. In the context of the present application, the term "insulated metal substrate" may particularly refer to a printed circuit board constructed on a metal plate (e.g., made of aluminum), on which an electrically insulating layer such as a prepreg is applied.

[0023] In a preferred embodiment, when the mounting structure is implemented as a heat sink, the heat sink can be mechanically and thermally coupled to the horizontal backside region via a thermally conductive and electrically insulating layer (e.g., a gap filler or thermal interface material) between the mounting structure and the horizontal backside region. Although such a thermally conductive and electrically insulating layer can ensure electrical isolation of the metal horizontal backside region, its thermal conductivity may be significantly lower than the thermal conductivity of the heat sink and the carrier. Therefore, the increase in the exposed heat dissipation area of ​​the horizontal backside region achieved by the exemplary embodiment may have the greatest advantage when a thermally conductive and electrically insulating layer is implemented between the heat sink and the partially exposed carrier. In addition, when the carrier is fully encapsulated by the encapsulating material or is mounted on an insert exposed outside the encapsulating material, a heat sink can be attached to the encapsulating material or the insert for additionally facilitating heat dissipation.

[0024] In an alternative embodiment, when the mounting structure is implemented as a PCB or IMS, such mounting structure can be connected to the (e.g. exposed) horizontal backside region, for example, by soldering, sintering, by a conductive glue or another conductive connection medium. The PCB or IMS can facilitate heat dissipation without the need for a thermally conductive and electrically insulating layer between the PCB or IMS and the horizontal backside region, and can also have an electrical coupling function for the encapsulated electronic components of the package.

[0025] In one embodiment, the vertical thickness of the carrier may be in the range of 200 μm to 2 mm. The greater the thickness of the carrier (e.g., die pad), the greater the gain in heat dissipated. Descriptively, at a certain sidewall tilt angle, the thicker the carrier, the greater the increased area on the back side. This narrowing of the carrier may increase the amount of metal, which may further increase the thermal capacity of the carrier. The corresponding carrier may also handle short events.

[0026] In one embodiment, the size of the exposed heat sink area of ​​the horizontal backside region may be larger than the size of the horizontal component side region (see, for example, Figure 1 ). This can achieve excellent heat dissipation performance. For example, in such an embodiment, the bottom main surface of the carrier may not be provided with an anti-spill profile.

[0027] In another embodiment, the size of the exposed heat sink area of ​​the horizontal backside region may be the same as the size of the horizontal component side region (see, for example, Figure 3 ). For example, in such an embodiment, the outermost portion of the bottom main surface of the carrier may be provided with an anti-overflow profile. At the same time, very good heat dissipation performance may be obtained.

[0028] In one embodiment, at least a portion of the sidewalls of the carrier are narrowed from the back side toward the front side in the thickness direction. In short, the sidewalls of the carrier can be partially or completely tilted instead of being completely vertical. In particular, a die pad type carrier (or a clip type carrier) can be provided with angled sidewalls. For example, this shape can be manufactured by angled stamping. The narrowed sidewalls of the carrier can advantageously increase the horizontal backside area compared to the horizontal component side area. In addition, the inclined lead frame die pad sidewalls or the inclined clip sidewalls can also promote the heat diffusion inside the carrier. For example, heat can be diffused at an angle of approximately ±45°. This heat diffusion can be promoted by the narrowed sidewalls of the carrier connecting the horizontal component side area with the horizontal backside area.

[0029] In one embodiment, the at least partially narrowed side wall of the carrier has a straight shape (see for example Figure 1 ). The straight shape can be formed by a particularly simple manufacturing process, for example by stamping.

[0030] In one embodiment, the narrowing angle of the side wall of the carrier relative to the vertical direction is at least 5°. Additionally or alternatively, the narrowing angle of the side wall of the carrier relative to the vertical direction does not exceed 45°. Preferably, the narrowing angle may be in the range of 5° to 30°, in particular in the range of 10° to 25°. The mentioned narrowing angle may allow providing a significantly large increase in the horizontal back side area compared to the horizontal component side area without overly complicating the manufacturing process and without the risk of significant manufacturing artifacts such as burrs.

[0031] In one embodiment, the first portion of the side wall narrows in the thickness direction, while the connected second portion of the side wall extends vertically along the thickness direction. Figure 8 An edge or corner may be formed between the first portion and the second portion. The vertical second portion may have the advantage that the vertical second portion may efficiently suppress undesirable manufacturing artifacts, such as burrs and / or particles generated by wear due to machining of the sidewall.

[0032] In one embodiment, at least a portion of the sidewalls of the carrier have a stepped profile that narrows from the back side toward the front side. Figure 7 When the sidewall of the carrier has a stepped profile, there may be a single step, or a plurality of steps may be formed in a stepped manner. These steps may contribute to the mechanical anchoring of the carrier in the encapsulation material. At the same time, the steps may widen the space from the front side to the back side, thereby increasing the horizontal back side area compared to the horizontal component side area.

[0033] In one embodiment, the carrier is formed as at least a part of a lead frame structure, in particular as a die pad. More generally, the carrier may include or consist of a patterned metal plate (e.g. made of copper and / or aluminum). In the context of the present application, the term "lead frame" may particularly denote a sheet metal structure that may be bent, stamped and / or patterned to form a lead frame body as a mounting section for mounting a chip and a connection lead for electrically connecting the package to an electronic environment. In one embodiment, the lead frame may be a metal plate (in particular made of copper) that may be patterned, for example, by stamping. Forming the chip carrier as a lead frame is cost-effective and a highly mechanically and electrically advantageous configuration in which a low ohmic connection of the chip may be combined with the solid support capability of the lead frame. In addition, the lead frame may contribute to the thermal conductivity of the package, and due to the high thermal conductivity of the metal (in particular copper) material of the lead frame, the lead frame may remove the heat generated during the operation of the chip.

[0034] In one embodiment, the carrier further comprises at least one lead segment separated from the die pad (see Figure 6 ). In particular, an array of lead segments may be provided, which together with the die pad may form a lead frame structure.

[0035] In another embodiment, the carrier is formed as a clip. A "clip" may particularly denote a connecting element, which comprises a conductive material such as copper and is a one-piece body. The clip may be connected to a main surface (preferably to an upper main surface) of an electronic component such as a semiconductor die. For example, an electronic component configured as a semiconductor die may be clamped between a die pad on the bottom side and a clip on the top side.

[0036] In one embodiment, the difference between the diameter (e.g., maximum diameter) of the horizontal backside region and the diameter (e.g., maximum diameter) of the horizontal component side region is at least 0.5 mm. Additionally or alternatively, the difference between the diameter (e.g., maximum diameter) of the horizontal backside region and the diameter (e.g., maximum diameter) of the horizontal component side region does not exceed 5 mm. The exact dimensions may depend on the specific application. As mentioned above, the horizontal backside region may be larger than the horizontal component side region.

[0037] In one embodiment, the difference between the horizontal backside area and the horizontal component side area divided by the horizontal backside area is at least 3%. Additionally or alternatively, the difference between the horizontal backside area and the horizontal component side area divided by the horizontal backside area may not exceed 30%. For example, the ratio may be in the range of 5% to 15%. As a rough estimate, the amount of heat that can be removed is proportional to the area increased by the horizontal backside area. In the above example, the amount of heat that can be removed can increase by about 5% to 15%. As mentioned above, the horizontal backside area can be larger than the horizontal component side area.

[0038] In one embodiment, the carrier has a step at the back side, thereby forming a retracted lateral section around the protruding central area. For example, the back side of the carrier has a step between the exposed central main heat sink area and the retracted lateral encapsulated section around the exposed main heat sink area. Such an embodiment is for example Figure 3 . Descriptively speaking, such a step can define or limit the location of molding flash. In such an embodiment, the exposed main heat dissipation area of ​​the horizontal back side area can be the central area of ​​the back side of the carrier. The retracted lateral sections can laterally surround the central area and can be retracted or shifted toward the front side relative to the central area. Although the main heat dissipation area can be exposed relative to the encapsulation material, the lateral sections can be covered by the material of the encapsulation material. By the mentioned steps that laterally surround the exposed heat dissipation area of ​​the carrier at the back side of the carrier, an anti-flash profile can be created, which can suppress or even prevent undesirable molding flash phenomena.

[0039] In one embodiment, the side walls of the carrier are provided with outwardly directed spikes. Figure 3 Advantageously, such a spike may be used as a molded interlocking feature. Descriptively, such a molded interlocking feature may be used as a mechanical anchor between the carrier and the encapsulating material. For example, such a spike may be formed by embossing.

[0040] In particular, the mentioned molded interlocking features and / or anti-flashing profiles as well as measures for controlling stamping-induced burrs etc. may be refinements associated with fine tuning of the carrier geometry. These measures may not have a significant impact on the regional changes of the carrier. In particular, these refinement techniques may be performed by embossing.

[0041] In one embodiment, the carrier includes a die pad on which electronic components are arranged, and a lead section electrically coupled to the die pad and / or the electronic components (which may be separated from the die pad). Therefore, the package may include one or more leads electrically coupled to the electronic components. In the context of the present application, the term "lead" may particularly refer to a conductive (e.g., strip-shaped) element (which may be planar or curved) that may be used to contact the electronic components with the outside of the package. For example, the leads may be partially encapsulated and partially exposed relative to the encapsulation material. In particular, the leads may extend out of one or more side walls of the encapsulation material.

[0042] In one embodiment, the horizontal back region is partially (see, for example, Figure 3 ) or completely (see, for example, Figure 1 ) is exposed outside the encapsulation material. Such an exposed area can be used to promote heat dissipation and / or for electrical conduction.

[0043] In one embodiment, the horizontal backside region is completely encapsulated in the encapsulation material (see, for example, Fig. 9 ). Heat can then be removed via the horizontal backside region and the thin layer of encapsulation material below the horizontal backside region.

[0044] In one embodiment, the package includes an insert (see, for example, Fig.10 ). For example, such an insert may be a ceramic sheet covered with a metal sheet (which may be continuous or patterned) on its two opposing major surfaces. Such an insert may help remove heat from the electronic component toward the environment via the carrier and the insert.

[0045] In one embodiment, the horizontal backside region is configured to remove heat generated by the electronic components during operation of the package (see, for example, Figure 1 or Figure 3 ). In particular, when the carrier is exposed relative to the encapsulation material, such heat dissipation can be very efficient. Thus, the enlarged backside area can have a thermal function and can allow an increased amount of heat to be removed.

[0046] In one embodiment, the horizontal backside area is configured to electrically couple the electronic component to the exterior of the package (e.g., when the package is mounted on a PCB and the exposed carrier is electrically coupled to pads on the surface of the PCB). Thus, the enlarged backside area can be electrically functional and can allow for handling of increased amounts of current or voltage.

[0047] In one embodiment, the size of the area of ​​the horizontal backside region exposed outside the encapsulation material is the same as the size of the horizontal component side region (see Figure 3 ) or greater than the size of the horizontal member side area (see Figure 1 ). In the first mentioned case, the anti-mold flash retraction area can be located within the encapsulation material. In the second mentioned case, the back side can be completely exposed outside the encapsulation material.

[0048] In one embodiment, the package comprises only a single electronic component. Alternatively, the package comprises a plurality of electronic components mounted on at least a portion of the horizontal component side area. For example, these electronic components can be arranged side by side on the horizontal component side area. The different electronic components can be of the same type or of different types. The different electronic components can have the same size or of different sizes. For example, the different electronic components can be semiconductor chips, in particular power semiconductor chips. For example, a mixture of at least one IGBT type electronic component and at least one silicon carbide type electronic component can be provided.

[0049] In one embodiment, the electronic device comprises a thermally conductive and electrically insulating layer between the mounting structure (when formed as a heat sink) and the horizontal backside region preferably at least partially exposed outside the encapsulation material. In one embodiment, the electrically insulating material is arranged at the interface between the heat sink type mounting structure and the package body. In other words, the electrically insulating material can electrically decouple the carrier relative to the heat sink. Preferably, the electrically insulating material also has thermal conductivity (in particular a thermal conductivity of at least 2 W / mK) for efficiently facilitating heat dissipation from the electronic component towards the heat sink. In one embodiment, the electrically insulating material covering the conductive material of the carrier and thereby spacing the conductive material relative to the heat sink can have a thickness in the range of 100 μm to 2 mm, in particular in the range of 100 μm to 1 mm, more particularly in the range of 100 μm to 600 μm. This can ensure appropriate mutual isolation while still ensuring appropriate thermal coupling with the heat sink.

[0050] In one embodiment, the horizontal backside region is sized to be larger than the horizontal component side region by processing the sidewalls of the carrier using embossing and / or stamping. These processing techniques can allow one or more sidewall features to be precisely defined in a quick and simple manner. Other manufacturing methods may also be performed.

[0051] In one embodiment, the carrier comprises a lead frame. However, the carrier may also be a direct copper bonding (DCB) substrate or a direct aluminum bonding (DAB) substrate. However, the carrier may also be configured as an active metal brazing (AMB) substrate, or an insulated metal substrate (IMS).

[0052] In one embodiment, the package is configured as a power package. A power package may be a package including at least one power chip as an encapsulated electronic component. Therefore, the package may be configured as a power module, such as a molded power module such as a semiconductor power package. For example, an exemplary embodiment of the package may be an intelligent power module (IPM: Intelligent Power Module). Intelligent IPMs are also possible (including microcontrollers). The package may also provide connection features such as WiFi, Bluetooth, etc. Another exemplary embodiment of the package is a dual inline package (DIP: Dual Inline Package). In addition, according to exemplary embodiments, an SMD (surface mount device) package, a package with top side cooling, a package with bottom side cooling, and a package with double-sided cooling may be implemented.

[0053] Accordingly, the electronic component can be configured as a power semiconductor chip. Therefore, the electronic component (e.g., semiconductor chip) can be used for power applications in, for example, the automotive field, and can, for example, have at least one integrated insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) and / or at least one other type of transistor (e.g., MOSFET, JFET, HEMT, etc.) and / or at least one integrated diode. Such an integrated circuit element can be manufactured, for example, with silicon technology or based on wide bandgap semiconductors (e.g., silicon carbide, gallium nitride). The semiconductor power chip may include one or more field effect transistors, diodes, inverter circuits, half bridges, full bridges, drivers, logic circuits, other devices, etc. The advantages of the exemplary embodiment regarding enhanced thermal performance are particularly evident for power bare chips. In addition, in the context of driver technologies (e.g., insulated gate drivers, level shifter gate drivers, solid-state relays, circuit breakers, etc.) that manipulate high voltages, exemplary embodiments can provide significant advantages.

[0054] A semiconductor substrate, such as a silicon substrate, may be used as a substrate or wafer for the semiconductor chip. Alternatively, a silicon oxide or another insulator substrate may be provided. A germanium substrate or a III-V semiconductor material may also be implemented. For example, exemplary embodiments may be implemented in GaN or SiC technology.

[0055] The above and other objects, features and advantages will become apparent from the following description and appended claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which like parts or elements are designated by like reference numerals. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0056] The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of exemplary embodiments and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate exemplary embodiments.

[0057] In the attached picture:

[0058] Figure 1 A schematic cross-sectional view of a package according to an exemplary embodiment is shown, wherein the carrier is configured as a die pad.

[0059] Figure 2 A flow chart of a method of manufacturing a carrier according to an exemplary embodiment is shown.

[0060] Figure 3 A schematic cross-sectional view of a package according to another exemplary embodiment is shown.

[0061] Figure 4 A schematic cross-sectional view of a carrier of a package according to an exemplary embodiment is shown, wherein the carrier is configured as a die pad.

[0062] Figure 5 A schematic cross-sectional view of a carrier of a package according to another exemplary embodiment is shown.

[0063] Figure 6 A cross-sectional view of an electronic device including a package according to an exemplary embodiment and assembled with a heat sink type mounting structure is shown.

[0064] Figure 7 A schematic cross-sectional view of a carrier of a package according to another exemplary embodiment is shown.

[0065] Figure 8 A schematic cross-sectional view of a carrier of a package according to another exemplary embodiment is shown.

[0066] Fig. 9 A schematic cross-sectional view of a package according to another exemplary embodiment is shown.

[0067] Fig.10 A schematic cross-sectional view of a package according to another exemplary embodiment is shown.

[0068] Fig.11 Schematic cross-sectional views of portions of a package including a carrier configured as a clip according to an exemplary embodiment are shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0069] The illustrations in the drawings are schematic and not to scale.

[0070] Before the exemplary embodiments will be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, some general considerations will be outlined based on the exemplary embodiments that have been developed.

[0071] Discrete power devices are dominated by heat dissipation, which in some cases (such as surface mount device (SMD) top side cooling) is closely related to the exposed die pad area. On the other hand, the encapsulation material (such as the molding compound applied by transfer molding) should maintain a small enough gap between the die pad and the molded body to ensure proper filling and robustness. Therefore, the maximum die pad size is determined by the conventional encapsulation material assembly design rules.

[0072] In conventional packages, the exposed heat sink area is always smaller than the die pad size. This involves significant limitations in thermal reliability and performance, especially for packages with wide bandgap semiconductor chips, such as those formed in silicon carbide technology. Especially for wide bandgap semiconductor chips, every inch of the heat sink is important for the performance of the package. Therefore, mold flash features may occupy a large area of ​​the heat sink, thereby affecting the thermal resistance related performance of the package.

[0073] According to an exemplary embodiment, a carrier and a corresponding package having such a carrier are provided, wherein the carrier may be at least partially conductive (e.g. may be or may include a metal die pad). At least a portion of the horizontal component side region on the front side of the carrier may be configured for accommodating and mounting at least one electronic component thereon. The horizontal back side region may be formed on the back side of the carrier opposite to the front side. Descriptively speaking, the horizontal component side region and the horizontal back side region may form two opposite main surfaces of the carrier. One or more electronic components (e.g. one or more power semiconductor chips) may be mounted on the horizontal component side region of the carrier, for example, by welding (e.g. diffusion welding or soft soldering), sintering or gluing. Both the at least one electronic component and the carrier may be covered by an encapsulation material. The above-mentioned horizontal back side region of the carrier may be used to promote thermal coupling between the interior and the exterior of the package and / or for providing an electrical coupling function. Advantageously, the size of the horizontal back side region is made larger than the size of the horizontal component side region (e.g. see Figure 1). Thus, the heat dissipation capacity of the package can be enhanced, since the outer area (above which the heat can be dissipated directly from the package towards the environment) is presented as being as large as or even larger than the horizontal component side area (the horizontal component side area having a central portion on which the electronic components can be mounted). This can be achieved by a suitable design of the carrier, which can, for example, be provided with a sidewall shape extending laterally outward in a direction from the horizontal component side area towards the horizontal back side area. By taking such measures, the heat dissipation capacity as well as the additional heat diffusion function can be greatly enhanced. Thus, the heat generated by at least one electronic component during operation of the package can be efficiently dissipated via the enlarged horizontal back side area, while achieving beneficial heat diffusion over a wider angular range. Additionally or alternatively, the enlarged horizontal back side area can achieve a strong electrical coupling function in view of the large area size on the back side, thereby allowing high current values. Due to the appropriate covering of the carrier and the electronic components with the encapsulation material, the correspondingly designed package can provide high performance, high thermal reliability and high electrical reliability. When a heat sink (or another suitable mounting structure) is assembled on the enlarged horizontal backside area, heat dissipation can be further improved over a wide spatial range.

[0074] According to an exemplary embodiment, the heat sink-related area of ​​the package can be larger than the die pad size. This can be achieved by flexibly designing the sidewall angle of the die pad. Advantageously, this can provide greater margin for anti-mold flash and can allow for improved or even optimized thermal resistance-related performance.

[0075] In particular, a narrowed die pad (with a freely adjustable narrowing angle) can be provided. This can allow a large heat sink size to be obtained, which in turn can achieve efficient heat dissipation. For example, for this purpose, a carrier (e.g. a die pad) with a trapezoidal cross-sectional shape can be provided. The carrier with the narrowed sidewall can be formed, for example, by blanking, stamping and / or embossing or by any other suitable sidewall processing method. This can allow a greater exposure of the die pad type carrier to the external heat sink. In particular, due to the contrast between the molded wall robustness and the thermal resistance requirements of the package, the interface of the die pad to the heat sink can be spatially improved or even optimized in a limited package space.

[0076] The die pad / heat sink coupling area may be extended, for example in the range from 5% to 20%. This may allow at least partially compensating for the space for the anti-mold flash profile.

[0077] The available increase in exposed heat sink area can be very advantageous, since this can allow increasing the power density and / or reducing the size of the electronic components. The corresponding chip shrinkage may have the greatest advantage, especially for wide bandgap devices (e.g. in SiCMOS or GaN technology). Semiconductor chips manufactured based on wide bandgap semiconductors have small sizes and high power densities compared to conventional silicon chips. Therefore, maximizing the chip mounting surface area may not be the most relevant for wide bandgap chips. However, for wide bandgap semiconductor devices, heat dissipation may be of the utmost importance. Therefore, in exemplary embodiments, it may be particularly advantageous to maximize heat dissipation by increasing the backside area of ​​the carrier for such wide bandgap components.

[0078] One exemplary embodiment provides the possibility of heat sink extension by increasing the horizontal backside area compared to the horizontal component side area of ​​the carrier such as the die pad. Such extension of the heat sink facing area of ​​the package can enhance heat dissipation, thereby improving or even optimizing thermal resistance characteristics.

[0079] Advantageously, the constriction in the sidewall of the die pad carrier may be formed by stamping, embossing or another suitable method. Further advantageously, the constriction angle may be flexibly adjusted to enlarge the size of the heat sink, for example to make the base of the carrier larger than the top surface of the carrier.

[0080] In one embodiment, the expanded area of ​​the heat sink can make the exposed area of ​​the heat sink larger, thereby obtaining better thermal resistance performance. In particular, the heat sink area can be presented as a component side dimension larger than the die pad. This may have a positive impact on the conventional problem of anti-mold flash consumption space and the corresponding reduction of the heat sink area effectively exposed. In addition, it may be advantageous that the narrow-shrink heat sink provides additional space for mold locking and / or the formation of mold flash, thereby providing a larger margin for anti-mold flash in particular. In addition, the benefits of exemplary embodiments may include a larger margin for mold construction, and a larger-sized heat sink with more exposed area, thereby providing better performance in terms of thermal resistance.

[0081] Exemplary applications of the exemplary embodiment are an electrical charging device, an on-board charging device, a solar power device, a wind power plant or a train.

[0082] Figure 1 A schematic cross-sectional view of a package 100 according to an exemplary embodiment is shown.

[0083] The package 100 includes a carrier 102, which is implemented as a die pad here. The carrier 102 can be formed as a die pad of a lead frame structure, that is, formed as a patterned metal plate. The patterning can include defining the shape of the sidewall 120 of the carrier 102, and can preferably be implemented by stamping and / or embossing. For example, the carrier 102 can be made of copper and / or aluminum or other applicable materials. Therefore, the carrier 102 can be electrically and thermally conductive.

[0084] As shown, the carrier 102 has a horizontal component side region 104 on the front side 106. In the embodiment shown, the horizontal component side region 104 is a planar region at a continuous constant vertical level. Thus, the horizontal component side region 104 corresponds to a substantially planar or flat upper main surface of the structured plate-like carrier 102. Thus, the component side region 104 is horizontally oriented and constitutes a side of the carrier 102 configured for carrying one or more electronic components 108, as described in further detail below.

[0085] In addition, the carrier 102 includes a lower major surface through which heat is removed, the heat generated during operation of the package 100. The lower major surface of the carrier 102 is represented as a horizontal backside area 112 and can be used as a heat dissipation area in the illustrated embodiment. The horizontal backside area 112 faces away from the horizontal component side area 104. In the illustrated embodiment, the horizontal backside area 112 is a planar area that is at a continuous constant vertical level. Those skilled in the art will understand that although most of the bottom surface of the die pad type carrier 102 can be flat or planar, some smaller areas of the bottom surface of the die pad can have grooves, recesses, patterns, etc., such as for retaining solder when soldering on a PCB, or for retaining thermally conductive adhesive when a heat sink is attached. According to Figure 1 , the horizontal component side region 104 and the horizontal back side region 112 may both be substantially planar and may extend parallel to each other.

[0086] Likewise Figure 1 As shown, the electronic component 108 is mounted on the central part of the horizontal component side area 104 of the carrier 102. For example, the electronic component 108 can be soldered or sintered on the top side of the carrier 102. For example, the electronic component 108 can be a semiconductor chip, preferably a power semiconductor chip. For example, the semiconductor chip can be manufactured with a wide bandgap semiconductor technology, such as silicon carbide or gallium nitride technology. For this type of electronic component 108, it is extremely beneficial to the overall performance of the package 100 to efficiently remove the heat generated by the electronic component 108 during the operation of the package 100.

[0087] Still reference Figure 1, the encapsulation material 110 encapsulates the entire electronic component 108 and only a portion of the carrier 102. More specifically, the encapsulation material 110 is provided so as to expose the entire horizontal backside area 112 on the backside 114 of the carrier 102 opposite to the front side 106. Except for the exposed horizontal backside area 112, all other surface portions of the carrier 102 may be covered by the encapsulation material 110 or the electronic component 108. Preferably, the encapsulation material 110 is a molding compound. Such a molding compound may include an epoxy resin matrix filled with filler particles (e.g., aluminum oxide or aluminum nitride particles) for fine-tuning the properties of the encapsulation material 110, in particular the thermal conductivity of the encapsulation material 110. In addition, the molding compound may contain one or more additives. The molding compound type encapsulation material 110 may be electrically insulating for providing high electrical reliability of the package 100. However, the molding compound type encapsulation material 110 may have a limited thermal conductivity, so that efficient heat dissipation from the package 100 may be a problem.

[0088] exist Figure 1 In an embodiment of the present invention, the heat generated by the electronic component 108 during operation of the package 100 is mainly dissipated via the carrier 102, and more specifically, via the exposed horizontal backside area 112 of the carrier 102. Very advantageously, the carrier 102, and in particular the design of the sidewalls 120 of the carrier 102, can be selected so that the size S (in Figure 1 104 (shown schematically in FIG. 10 and 105 ) is larger than the dimension L of the horizontal component side area 104 (shown schematically in FIG. 104 and 105 ) in square centimeters. Figure 1 104). Thus, the dimension S of the surface area of ​​the exposed horizontal backside region 112 may exceed the dimension L of the horizontal component side region 104, i.e., S>L. In short, this may be achieved by exposing the entire bottom main surface of the carrier 102 and by a narrowed design of the sidewalls 120 of the carrier 102. Thus, the exposed surface area of ​​the carrier 102 may be increased by adjusting the design of the carrier 102 so that S>L, and the heat generated by the encapsulated electronic components 108 may be dissipated from the package 100 to the environment of the package 100 via the exposed surface area. By taking such measures, the amount of heat that can be dissipated via the exposed horizontal backside region 112 may therefore be increased. Furthermore, by narrowing the sidewalls 120 from the exposed horizontal backside region 112 toward the horizontal component side region 104, the heat diffusion within a certain angle range may be enhanced. Thus, a package 100 having excellent thermal reliability and outstanding performance may be obtained without compromising electrical reliability. All these advantages can be achieved by very simple measures, namely by an inclined design of the side walls 120 of the carrier 102 .

[0089] Still reference Figure 1, in particular detail 150, the carrier 102 tapers from the back side 114 toward the front side 106 in a thickness direction 118. The thickness direction 118 also corresponds to a stacking direction along which the electronic components 108 are stacked on the carrier 102. As shown, the tapered sidewall 120 of the carrier 102 has an inclined straight shape. Detail 150 shows that the sidewall 120 of the carrier 102 is inclined relative to the vertical direction 122 (according to Figure 1 , the vertical direction 122 corresponds to the thickness direction 118) by a narrowing angle β. Preferably, the narrowing angle β is in the range of 5° to 30°, for example 10°. With the mentioned angle range, it can be ensured that the expansion of the exposed horizontal backside area 112 is sufficiently significant, while manufacturing artifacts such as burrs can be prevented from being generated in the corner area of ​​the carrier 102.

[0090] For example, the diameter of the exposed horizontal backside region 112 (corresponding to the diameter of the exposed horizontal backside region 112) Figure 1 The horizontal span of the dimension S) and the diameter of the horizontal component side area 104 (corresponding to the Figure 1 The difference between the dimension L (the horizontal span of the dimension L) is at least 0.5 mm and not more than 5 mm. In this way, the amount of additional heat is considerable while ensuring that the corners of the carrier 102 (which is trapezoidal in the cross-sectional view shown) are clearly defined. For example, the diameter of the exposed horizontal backside area 112 can be 14 mm, while the diameter of the horizontal component side area 104 can be 13 mm. If the carrier 102 has a square shape, the corresponding diameter can be the side length of the square. If the carrier 102 has a rectangular shape, the corresponding diameter can be the longer side length of the rectangle. If the carrier 102 has a circular shape, the corresponding diameter can be twice the radius of the circle.

[0091] The carrier 102 may have a vertical thickness D in the range from 200 μm to 2 mm. A thick carrier 102, for example with a thickness of at least 1 mm, combined with the narrowed sidewalls 120 may be able to remove a large amount of heat and may also support efficient heat spreading. In the illustrated embodiment, the thickness D may be 2 mm.

[0092] Figure 2 A flow chart 200 of a method for manufacturing a carrier 102 according to an exemplary embodiment is shown. Reference numerals used in the following description of the manufacturing method refer to Figure 1 and Figure 3 Embodiment of the invention.

[0093] Referring to block 202 , the method includes providing a carrier 102 with a front side 106 having a horizontal component side region 104 .

[0094] Referring to block 204 , the method includes providing the carrier 102 with a back side 114 opposite the front side 106 and having a horizontal back side region 112 .

[0095] Referring to block 206 , the method includes forming a dimension S of the horizontal back side region 112 to be greater than a dimension L of the horizontal component side region 104 .

[0096] Figure 3 1 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of a package body 100 according to another exemplary embodiment. Figure 3 Not shown, but one or more electronic components 108 may be mounted on the horizontal component side region 104 of the carrier 102 .

[0097] according to Figure 3 Embodiments and basis Figure 1 The embodiments of Figure 3 , the dimension H of the exposed portion of the horizontal backside area 112 is the same as the dimension L of the horizontal component side area 104 (H=L). In this embodiment, there is an additional bottom side edge area with a horizontal extension B for forming an anti-spill profile in the form of a retracted lateral section 126, as described below. As shown in the figure, Figure 3 The size of can be described by the equation S = H + 2B and S>L. Figure 3 In FIG. 1 , the bottom main surface of the carrier 102 has a circumferential step 124 at the back side 114 , thereby forming a retracted lateral section 126 surrounding the protruding central area 197 .

[0098] according to Figure 3 , the carrier 102 is narrowed from the back side 114 toward the front side 106 in the thickness direction 118, and has outwardly directed spikes 116 in the straight narrowed sidewalls 120. The outwardly directed spikes 116 can help mold interlocking. Therefore, the spikes 116 can mechanically anchor the carrier 102 in the encapsulation material 110 to improve the structural integrity of the package 100 and thus improve the mechanical reliability of the package 100.

[0099] In addition, according to Figure 3 Embodiments and basis Figure 1 The embodiments of Figure 3 , the back side 114 of the carrier 102 has a step 124 between the exposed main heat dissipation area of ​​the horizontal back side area 112 and the retracted lateral section 126 surrounding the exposed main heat dissipation area of ​​the horizontal back side area 112. For example, the retracted lateral section 126 may have a horizontal extension B in the range of 0.1 μm to 0.5 μm. Figure 3The circumferentially closed step 124 can form an anti-flash profile at the bottom side of the package 100 to solve the problem of mold flash. Figure 3 Only a single circumferentially closed step 124 is shown, but the anti-spill profile can also be formed by multiple steps (e.g. forming a step shape) at the bottom main surface of the carrier 102 and thus at the exposed protruding central area 197 adjacent to the horizontal backside area 112.

[0100] exist Figure 3 In the embodiment of FIG. 1 , the exposed bottom surface area of ​​the carrier 102 is the same as the top surface area of ​​the carrier 102 (but may also be greater than the top surface area of ​​the carrier 102 ). In addition to the improved thermal performance of the package 100 , Figure 3 Embodiments may also ensure that good heat dissipation is still guaranteed even if the bottom of the carrier 102 is covered with molding residues.

[0101] Figure 4 1 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of a carrier 102 of a package 100 according to an exemplary embodiment. In short, Figure 4 The diagram shows a schematic diagram without encapsulation material 110 and without electronic components 108. Figure 1 The enlarged heat sink can be achieved by narrowing the sidewalls 120. The die pad top corresponds to the horizontal component side area 104. The heat sink attachment surface corresponds to the heat dissipation surface 112, which remains exposed even after encapsulation.

[0102] Figure 5 A schematic cross-sectional view of a carrier 102 of a package 100 according to another exemplary embodiment is shown. Figure 5 The encapsulation material 110 is shown Figure 3 The carrier 102.

[0103] Figure 6 A cross-sectional view of an electronic device 130 is shown, which includes the package 100 according to an exemplary embodiment and is assembled with a mounting structure 132 .

[0104] according to Figure 6 The package 100 of FIG. 1 comprises a metal carrier 102 including a die pad 125 on which an electronic component 108 is arranged (eg, soldered or sintered). Figure 6 As another component of the embodiment of the present invention, the metal carrier 102 includes a separate lead segment 128, which is electrically coupled to the electronic component 108 via a conductive connection structure 160. For example, the conductive connection structure 160 can be a connecting wire or a clip.

[0105] The molded encapsulation material 110 completely encapsulates the electronic component 108 and the conductive connection structure 160, and partially encapsulates the die pad 125 and the lead segment 128. Through the exposed portion of the lead segment 128, electrical signals and / or electrical power can be conducted between the outside of the package 100 and the electronic component 108. Figure 6 The die pad 125 is substantially as described above with reference to Figure 1 The carrier 102 is designed as described above.

[0106] As shown, the mounting structure 132 is mounted below the horizontal backside region 112 of the die pad 125. In the illustrated embodiment, the mounting structure 132 includes a heat sink attached to a thermally conductive and electrically insulating layer 134 disposed between the mounting structure 132 and the exposed horizontal backside region 112 of the package body 100. For example, the thermally conductive and electrically insulating layer 134 may be a thermal interface material (TIM). The heat sink forming the mounting structure 132 may be made of a highly thermally conductive material, such as copper or aluminum. The heat sink may include a substrate 156, which may be directly attached to the thermally conductive and electrically insulating layer 134. A plurality of mutually spaced cooling fins 158 may be attached to the substrate 156 or may be integrally formed with the substrate 156. With this configuration, heat generated by the encapsulated electronic components 108 of the package 100 may be dissipated and spread toward the environment of the electronic device 130 via the carrier 102 having the tapered sidewalls 120 , the thermally conductive and electrically insulating layer 134 , and the heat sink type mounting structure 132 .

[0107] In another embodiment (not shown), the mounting structure 132 can be a printed circuit board or an insulated metal substrate, or any other type of mounting base. In such an embodiment, the mounting structure 132 can be directly welded to the carrier 102 (without a thermally conductive and electrically insulating layer 134 between the mounting structure 132 and the carrier 102).

[0108] Figure 7 A schematic cross-sectional view of a carrier 102 of a package 100 according to another exemplary embodiment is shown.

[0109] Figure 7 Examples and Figure 4 The embodiments of Figure 7 , the sidewall 120 of the carrier 102 has a stepped profile 136 that narrows from the back side 114 toward the front side 106. Descriptively, the multiple steps of the stepped profile 136 form a stepped structure so that the horizontal backside area 112 increases. In addition, the multiple steps can interlock with the encapsulation material, thereby improving the Figure 7 The carrier 102 forms the mechanical integrity of the package 100 .

[0110] Figure 8 A schematic cross-sectional view of a carrier 102 of a package 100 according to another exemplary embodiment is shown.

[0111] Figure 8 Examples and Figure 4 The embodiments of Figure 8 , the first portion 138 of the sidewall 120 is narrowed in the thickness direction 118, and the connected second portion 140 of the sidewall 120 extends vertically along the thickness direction 118. The first portion 138 can increase the horizontal backside area 112. The second portion 140 can suppress the formation of undesirable burrs at the bottom side of the carrier 102.

[0112] Fig. 9 A schematic cross-sectional view of a package 100 according to another exemplary embodiment is shown. In this embodiment, the horizontal backside region 112 is completely encapsulated within the encapsulation material 110 .

[0113] according to Fig. 9 Embodiments and basis Figure 1 The embodiments of Fig. 9 , the horizontal back region 112 is arranged inside the encapsulation material 110 . Fig. 9 The package type can be represented as a complete package. Fig. 9 , the carrier 102 is completely embedded in the encapsulation material 110 .

[0114] Fig.10 A schematic cross-sectional view of a package 100 according to another exemplary embodiment is shown. In this embodiment, an insert 199 is disposed on the horizontal backside region 112 of the carrier 102 and is exposed outside the encapsulation material 110 .

[0115] according to Fig.10 Embodiments and basis Fig. 9 The embodiments of Fig.10 , the insert 199 is arranged between the horizontal backside region 112 and the bottom side exterior of the package 100. In other words, the insert 199 can be exposed from the encapsulation material 110 to facilitate the removal of heat from the package 100. For example, the insert 199 can be a DAB substrate, an IMS substrate, etc. Although Fig.10 Not shown in the drawings, the insert 199 may comprise a central ceramic sheet covered on its two opposing major surfaces with a continuous or patterned metal layer, for example made of copper or aluminum.

[0116] Fig.11Schematic cross-sectional views of portions of a package 100 are shown according to an exemplary embodiment, wherein a carrier 102 ′ (eg, but not necessarily an additional carrier) is configured as a clip.

[0117] More specifically, Fig.11 The portion of the package 100 shown in FIG. 1 includes a bottom side carrier 102 implemented as a die pad, on which a semiconductor die-type electronic component 108 is mounted. The bottom side carrier 102 may be as described above with reference to FIG. Figures 1 to 10 The implementation, wherein according to Figure 1 The configuration is Fig.11 On the other main surface opposite to the electronic component 108 , another carrier 102 ′ is mounted, which is implemented as a clip.

[0118] As shown, the further carrier 102' has a horizontal component side region 104' on a main surface facing the electronic component 108, which horizontal component side region 104' is indicated as the front side of the further carrier 102'. In addition, the further carrier 102' comprises an opposite further main surface indicated as the back side, via which heat is removed, which heat is generated by the electronic component 108 during operation of the package 100. The opposite further main surface of the further carrier 102' is indicated as a horizontal back side region 112'. The horizontal back side region 112' faces away from the horizontal component side region 104'. As shown in FIG. Fig.11 As shown, the sidewalls of the other carrier 102' extending from the horizontal component side region 104' to the horizontal surface back side region 112' are narrowed toward the electronic component 108. Accordingly, the size of the horizontal back side region 112' of the clip is larger than the size of the horizontal component side region 104' of the clip. Therefore, the inclined sidewall shape of the clip helps to remove heat from the electronic component 108.

[0119] Thus, the die pad (see reference numeral 102) and / or the clip (see reference numeral 102') may feature sloping sidewalls. The fabrication of the die pad (e.g. from a lead frame) or the clip (e.g. from a clip frame) may be performed accordingly. The heat path of the die pad and the heat path of the clip may be the same, i.e. from a heat source in the form of the electronic component 108 to a heat sink ( Fig.11 not shown).

[0120] Despite Fig.11 , a die pad type carrier 102 and a clip type additional carrier 102' are shown, but according to the embodiments described above, embodiments in which only the clip, but not the die pad, is manufactured to have inclined sidewalls are also possible. In particular, the clip type carrier 102' can be formed to have the geometry of any of the die pad type carriers 102 described in any of the embodiments described above.

[0121] It should be noted that the term "comprising" does not exclude other elements or features, and "one" or "an" does not exclude a plurality. In addition, elements described in association with different embodiments may also be combined. It should also be noted that the reference numerals should not be interpreted as limiting the scope of the claims. In addition, the scope of the present application is not intended to be limited to the specific embodiments of the processes, machines, manufactures, material compositions, means, methods and steps described in the specification. Therefore, the appended claims are intended to include these processes, machines, manufactures, material compositions, means, methods or steps within their scope.

Claims

1. A lead frame, comprising: A carrier (102) for carrying the electronic component (108) of the package (100), Multiple leads, Wherein, the carrier (102) comprises: A front side (106) having a horizontal component side region (104); and a back side (114) opposite to the front side (106) and having a horizontal back side region (112); wherein the size (S) of the horizontal back side region (112) is greater than the size (L) of the horizontal component side region (104), The carrier consists of a single metal part.

2. The lead frame according to claim 1, wherein: The carrier (102) and the plurality of leads are made of sheet metal.

3. The lead frame according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The carrier (102) is a die pad.

4. The lead frame according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein: At least a portion of the sidewall (120) of the carrier (102) tapers in a thickness direction (118) from the back side (114) toward the front side (106).

5. The lead frame according to claim 4, wherein: The at least partially narrowed side wall (120) of the carrier (102) has a straight shape.

6. The lead frame according to claim 4 or 5, wherein: The first portion (138) of the side wall (120) is narrowed in the thickness direction (118), and the connected second portion (140) of the side wall (120) extends vertically along the thickness direction (118).

7. The lead frame according to any one of claims 4 to 6, wherein: The narrowing angle (β) of the side wall (120) of the carrier (102) relative to the vertical direction (122) is at least 5°.

8. The lead frame according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein: At least a portion of a side wall (120) of the carrier (102) has a stepped profile (136) that narrows from the back side (114) toward the front side (106).

9. The lead frame according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein: The carrier (102) has a step (124) at the back side (114), thereby forming a retracted lateral section (126) around the protruding central area (197).

10. A package (100), comprising: Multiple leads; A carrier (102); An electronic component (108) mounted on the carrier (102); an encapsulation material (110) encapsulating at least a portion of the electronic component (108) and at least a portion of the carrier (102), Wherein, the carrier (102) comprises: A front side (106) having a horizontal component side region (104); and a back side (114) opposite to the front side (106) and having a horizontal back side region (112); wherein the size (S) of the horizontal back side region (112) is greater than the size (L) of the horizontal component side region (104), The carrier is composed of a single metal part; The horizontal backside region (112) is partially or completely exposed outside the encapsulation material (110).

11. The package (100) according to claim 10, wherein: The carrier is a die pad, and a horizontal backside region (112) of the carrier is partially or completely exposed outside the encapsulation material (110).

12. The package (100) according to claim 10 or 11, wherein: The carrier is a clip, the package is a top-side cooled package, and a horizontal backside region (112) of the carrier (102) is partially or completely exposed outside the encapsulation material (110).

13. The package (100) according to claim 10, wherein: The carrier is a die pad, and a horizontal backside region (112) of the carrier is completely encapsulated in the encapsulation material (110), and the package further includes an insert (199) located on the horizontal backside region (112) of the carrier (102) and exposed outside the encapsulation material (110).

14. The package (100) according to any one of claims 10 to 12, wherein: The size (H) of the area of ​​the horizontal back side region (112) exposed outside the encapsulation material (110) is the same as or larger than the size (L) of the horizontal component side region (104), and The electronic component (108) is a semiconductor power chip.

15. An electronic device (130), comprising: · A package (100) according to any one of claims 10 to 14; and A mounting structure (132) mounted above, below or above the horizontal backside region (112).

16. The electronic device (130) according to claim 15, wherein: The electronic device (130) includes at least one of the following features: The mounting structure (132) includes a heat sink or mounting base, such as a printed circuit board or an insulated metal substrate; The electronic device also includes a thermally conductive and electrically insulating layer (134) located between the mounting structure (132) formed as a heat sink and the horizontal backside region (112) at least partially exposed outside the encapsulation material (110).

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