Package with carrier with plated bottom surface and sidewalls

Abstract

A package includes: a carrier; an electronic component mounted on the carrier; and an encapsulation material at least partially encapsulating the electronic component and partially encapsulating the carrier, where at least a portion of the bottom surface and at least a portion of the sidewalls of the carrier are exposed outside the encapsulation material, where at least a portion of the bottom surface and at least a portion of the sidewalls are at least partially covered by a plating structure, the plated structure has one of the following: A) at least a portion of the bottom surface is directly covered by a tin plating layer, the tin plating layer is further covered by at least one further plating layer, and at least a portion of the side wall is directly covered by at least one further plating layer; b) at least a portion of the bottom surface and at least a portion of the side walls are directly covered by a common tin plating layer on which at least a portion of at least one further plating layer is deposited; or C) at least a portion of the bottom surface and at least a portion of the sidewalls are directly covered by at least one coating made of an electrically conductive material other than tin.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Various embodiments generally relate to a package and a method of manufacturing a package. Background Art

[0002] Conventional packages may include electronic components mounted on a carrier, may be electrically connected from the electronic components to the carrier or to leads, and may be molded using a molding compound as an encapsulation material.

[0003] The electrical reliability and manufacturing effort of conventional packages may be a problem. Summary of the Invention

[0004] There may be a need for a package having high electrical reliability and a reasonable or low manufacturing effort.

[0005] According to an exemplary embodiment, there is provided a package including: a carrier; an electronic component mounted on the carrier; and an encapsulation material at least partially encapsulating the electronic component and partially encapsulating the carrier, wherein at least a portion of a bottom surface and at least a portion of a sidewall of the carrier are exposed outside the encapsulation material, and wherein at least a portion of the at least a portion of the bottom surface and at least a portion of the at least a portion of the sidewall are at least partially covered by a plating structure having one of the following: A) at least a portion of the bottom surface is directly covered by a tin plating layer, the tin plating layer is further covered by at least one additional plating layer, and at least a portion of the sidewall is directly covered by the at least one additional plating layer; B) at least a portion of the bottom surface and at least a portion of the sidewall are directly covered by a common tin plating layer, and at least a portion of at least one additional plating layer is deposited on the tin plating layer; or C) at least a portion of the bottom surface and at least a portion of the sidewall are directly covered by at least one plating layer made of a conductive material different from tin.

[0006] According to another exemplary embodiment, a method of manufacturing a package is provided, the method comprising: mounting an electronic component on a carrier structure provided in common for a plurality of packages, each package being manufactured having at least one electronic component; at least partially encapsulating the electronic component and partially encapsulating the carrier structure by an encapsulating material structure provided in common for the plurality of packages; after encapsulation, selectively removing exposed material of the carrier structure at least between adjacent packages being manufactured; and completely separating the packages by a separate subsequent process by removing the exposed material of the encapsulating material structure between the adjacent packages that has been exposed by the selective removal, wherein the selective removal of the exposed material comprises: applying a tin layer that covers a portion of the carrier structure that will serve as an electrical terminal of the package; and selectively removing, by an alkaline etching process, the exposed portion of the carrier structure that is not covered by the tin layer so as to disconnect adjacent sections of the carrier structure that are covered by the tin layer.

[0007] According to an exemplary embodiment related to the above manufacturing method, an electronic component can be mounted on a carrier structure and can be at least partially encapsulated by an encapsulating material, while the carrier structure can be only partially encapsulated. Advantageously, the exposed material of the carrier structure between adjacent packages being manufactured can be removed in a process that can be performed before completely separating the packages from each other to obtain separate and discrete packages. Advantageously, the selective removal of the material of the carrier structure between adjacent packages can utilize the applied tin layer (i.e., a layer comprising or consisting of tin) that covers a portion of the carrier structure to protect that portion from material removal. By selectively removing, by an alkaline etching process, the exposed portion of the carrier structure that is not covered by the tin layer, adjacent sections of the carrier structure that are covered by the tin layer can be separated from each other. In short, the tin layer - for example, in addition to its function as a solderable plating - serves synergistically as an etch mask for defining the portion of the carrier structure to be removed by the alkaline etching process and for defining the portion of the carrier structure that should not be removed by the alkaline etching process. This can make the manufacturing process simple and accurate. Further advantageously, by separating the carrier structure into separate carriers for each package before actually separating the individual packages from a common integral structure during a batch manufacturing process, it can be made possible to perform a subsequent separate package separation process without the need to remove metallic carrier material. In contrast, the package separation process may only require cutting through the encapsulating material, which can be significantly easier and faster to perform.

[0008] For example, as a result of the described manufacturing process, an encapsulation body according to an exemplary embodiment can be obtained, which has at least one electronic component mounted on a carrier and encapsulated by an encapsulating material. As a unique feature of the described manufacturing process, A) a part of the bottom surface of the carrier can be directly covered by a tin plating layer, and the tin plating layer can be further covered by another plating layer, wherein the side walls of the carrier can also be directly covered by the another plating layer (see, for example Figure 3 or Figure 4 for an embodiment, where the option is indicated by reference numeral 150). In another embodiment B), the bottom surface and the side walls of the carrier can be directly covered by a common tin plating layer, and the another plating layer can be deposited on the tin plating layer (see, for example Figure 2A for an embodiment). In yet another embodiment C), the bottom surface and the side walls of the carrier can be directly covered by a non-tin plating layer (see, for example Figure 3 or Figure 4 for an embodiment, where the option is indicated by reference numeral 152). All these encapsulation bodies can be manufactured with high electrical reliability and reasonable or low manufacturing effort.

[0009] Description of Further Exemplary Embodiments

[0010] Hereinafter, further exemplary embodiments of the encapsulation body and the method will be explained.

[0011] In the context of the present application, the term "encapsulation body" can particularly denote an electronic device, which can include one or more electronic components mounted on a (particularly conductive) carrier. The components of the encapsulation body can be encapsulated by an encapsulating material. Optionally, one or more conductive interconnects (such as metal posts, bumps, connecting wires, and / or clips) can be implemented in the encapsulation body, for example, for electrically coupling and / or mechanically supporting the electronic components.

[0012] In the context of the present application, the term "carrier" may particularly denote a support structure (which may be at least partially conductive), which serves as a mechanical support for electronic components to be mounted thereon, and which may also contribute to the electrical interconnection between the electronic components and the periphery of the package. In other words, the carrier can perform a mechanical support function and an electrical connection function. The carrier may comprise or consist of a single component, a plurality of components joined via an encapsulant or other package components, or a sub-assembly of the carrier. When the carrier forms part of a lead frame, the carrier may be or may include a die pad. For example, such a carrier may be a lead frame structure (e.g., made of copper), a DAB (Direct Aluminum Bonding) substrate, a DCB (Direct Copper Bonding) substrate, etc. Additionally, the carrier may also be configured as an active metal brazing (AMB) substrate.

[0013] In the context of the present application, the term "carrier structure" may particularly denote a conductive structure composed of a plurality of (e.g., integrally connected) carriers, each carrier for a corresponding package. During a mass manufacturing process, the carrier structure may be processed jointly for a plurality of packages to be manufactured before separating the carrier structure into individual carriers to obtain individual packages. For example, the carrier structure may be a lead frame or a substrate in the form of a panel.

[0014] In the context of the present application, the term "electronic component" may particularly encompass semiconductor chips (especially power semiconductor chips), active electronic devices (e.g., transistors), passive electronic devices (e.g., capacitors or inductors or ohmic resistors), sensors (e.g., microphones, optical sensors or gas sensors), actuators (e.g., speakers) and microelectromechanical systems (MEMS). However, in other embodiments, the electronic components may also be of different types, such as electromechanical components, especially mechanical switches, etc. In particular, the electronic component may be a semiconductor chip having at least one integrated circuit element (e.g., a diode or a transistor) in its surface portion. The electronic component may be a bare die or may already be encapsulated or enclosed. The semiconductor chip implemented according to an exemplary embodiment may be formed in silicon technology, gallium nitride technology, silicon carbide technology, etc.

[0015] In the context of the present application, the term "encapsulation material" can particularly denote a substantially electrically insulating material that surrounds an electronic component and a carrier to provide mechanical protection, electrical insulation and optionally contribute to heat dissipation during operation. In particular, the encapsulation material can be a molding compound. The molding compound can include a matrix of a flowable and curable material and filler particles embedded therein. For example, the filler particles can be used to adjust the properties of the molded component, particularly to enhance thermal conductivity. As an alternative to a molding compound (e.g., based on epoxy resin), the encapsulation material can also be a potting compound (e.g., based on silicone gel).

[0016] In the context of the present application, the term "encapsulation material structure" can particularly denote an electrically insulating structure composed of a plurality of (particularly integrally connected) encapsulation materials, each encapsulation material for a corresponding package. During a mass manufacturing process, the encapsulation material structure can be processed jointly for a plurality of packages to be manufactured before separating the encapsulation material structure into individual encapsulation materials to obtain individual packages. For example, the encapsulation material structure can be a common molded body.

[0017] In the context of the present application, the term "plated structure" can particularly denote a conductive structure formed by plating (e.g., electroless plating and / or electroplating). The plated structure can be made of a solderable material. For example, the material of the plated structure itself can be solderable and / or can have appropriate wetting characteristics in terms of soldering.

[0018] In the context of the present application, the term "electrical terminal" can particularly denote a conductive interface of a package, such as a pad or a lead. Through such an electrical terminal, electrical signals and / or electrical energy can be transmitted between the package and a peripheral electronic device.

[0019] In the context of the present application, the term "selectively removing exposed carrier material" can particularly denote a process during which only or mainly the carrier material exposed outside the tin layer can be removed, while the carrier material covered by the tin layer can be mainly or completely avoided being removed by the selective removal process. Thus, the tin layer can be used as a protective layer to prevent the underlying material from being removed, for example, can be used as an etching mask.

[0020] In the context of the present application, the term "alkaline etching process" can particularly denote a process capable of selectively removing (especially metal) carrier material (especially copper) while not being able to efficiently remove tin material. Such an alkaline etching process can use an alkaline etchant that can include, for example, ammonium chloride. For example, ammonia etching solution, copper chloride, cupric chloride, etc. can all be used as alkaline etchants.

[0021] In the context of the present application, the term "major surface" of the body can in particular denote the body surface of one of the largest body surfaces, and more particularly the body surface of one of the two largest body surfaces. For example, the body can have two opposite major surfaces, which are separated by the body material and connected to each other by a circumferential edge defined by a plurality of sides.

[0022] In one embodiment, at least a portion of the sidewall of the carrier is curved, for example, concave-curved, and has an undercut. By providing curvature to at least a portion of the sidewall, the sidewall area can be increased. When a plating layer is formed on the sidewall, the increased surface area may have a positive effect on adhesion. When an undercut is formed at the curved sidewall surface, this can be particularly advantageous as it can provide an anchoring effect that promotes the integral connection of the components of the package. Such a curved sidewall surface can be a unique feature of an alkaline etching process.

[0023] In one embodiment, the sidewall includes a lower curved portion and an upper curved portion connected at an edge (see, for example Figures 1 to 3 ). For example, at least one of the curved portions can be formed by an alkaline etching process. More precisely, one curved portion can be formed by an alkaline etching process performed when separating different carriers from a common carrier structure during a mass manufacturing process. The other curved portion can be formed by an etching process during a lead frame manufacturing process. The curved portion formed by an etching process during a lead frame manufacturing process can be an upper curved portion and / or a lower curved portion. Referring to, for example Figure 3 the lead frame design of the first image, the shown lead frame design has a bottom recess and a top recess (at least one of the bottom recess and the top recess can be optional), the bottom recess and the top recess can be formed by etching during lead frame manufacturing, and can lead to curved sidewall portions respectively. Another curved portion of the carrier sidewall can be formed by an alkaline etching process using a tin plating layer as an etching mask, and can achieve an upper curved sidewall portion or a lower curved sidewall portion. For example, when using a lead frame design with only a top recess and no bottom recess, the lower curved portion may be formed due to an alkaline etching process using a tin plating layer as an etching mask, and the upper curved portion may be formed due to the top recess in the lead frame. However, when using a lead frame design with a bottom recess, the upper curved portion formed due to an alkaline etching process using a tin plating layer as an etching mask can be located above the lower curved portion formed due to the bottom recess in the lead frame. An undercut can be formed through the edge between the above two concave portions, and the undercut can generate an anchoring structure, thereby improving the mechanical integrity of the package. For example, the edge can be characterized by a plated curve intersecting a non-plated curve.

[0024] In one embodiment, the bottom surface and the lower bent portion are covered by the same plating structure. For example, a structure such as that shown in Figure 2A can simplify the manufacturing process because only a single plating structure (e.g., made of tin) can be formed for both the bottom surface and the lower portion of the sidewall.

[0025] In one embodiment, the conductive material different from tin is electroless nickel immersion gold (ENIG), NiPdAu, and / or NiPAu. Other alloys or metals with non-tin surface treatments are also possible. However, ENIG, NiPdAu, and / or NiPAu exhibit excellent characteristics in terms of soldering and wetting properties.

[0026] In one embodiment, the at least one additional plating layer is made of a material different from the tin plating layer, preferably ENIG, NiPdAu, and / or NiPAu, and at least a portion of the sidewall is directly covered by the at least one additional plating layer, without a tin plating layer between at least a portion of the sidewall and the at least one additional plating layer. Thus, tin can be combined with non-tin materials in the plating structure to further improve solderability. However, an additional tin plating layer, i.e., tin-on-tin, can also be applied on an existing tin plating layer.

[0027] In one embodiment, the electronic component is configured as a power die. Thus, the electronic component can be configured as a power semiconductor chip. Therefore, an electronic component (such as a 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 (such as MOSFET, JFET, HEMT, etc.) and / or at least one integrated diode. Such an integrated circuit element can be manufactured, for example, in silicon technology or based on wide bandgap semiconductors (such as silicon carbide, gallium nitride). The semiconductor power chip can include one or more field effect transistors, diodes, inverter circuits, half bridges, full bridges, drivers, logic circuits, other devices, etc.

[0028] In one embodiment, the package is configured as a power package. The power package can be a package that includes at least one power chip as an encapsulated electronic component. Thus, the package can 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 can be a smart power module (IPM). Another exemplary embodiment of the package is a dual in-line package (DIP).

[0029] In one embodiment, the carrier comprises or consists of copper at least at its bottom surface. It has been found that copper can be etched efficiently by an alkaline etchant solution and is thus a highly suitable material for the carrier. In addition, copper has very high electrical and thermal conductivity, which is advantageous for low-loss electrical signal transmission and excellent heat dissipation during operation of the package.

[0030] In one embodiment, the carrier is a lead frame structure. Accordingly, the method may include using a lead frame as the carrier structure. The lead frame may in particular comprise a one-piece body of a plurality of lead frame structures. Thus, the carrier may comprise a lead frame-type structure. The lead frame may be a metal structure that conveys signals from the electronic component to the outside and / or in the opposite direction. The lead frame may include a central die pad on which the electronic component is placed, and the central die pad is surrounded by one or more leads, i.e., metal conductors leading from the electronic component to the peripheral electronics of the package and / or in the opposite direction.

[0031] In one embodiment, the method includes: before applying the tin layer, applying a mask that covers a portion of the bottom surface of the carrier structure so as to expose another portion of the bottom surface of the carrier structure for subsequent application of the tin layer. By providing a patterned layer that forms the mask on a defined surface portion of the bottom of the carrier structure, other exposed surface portions of the bottom of the carrier structure can be defined, and a tin layer will be formed in a selective manner on the other exposed surface portions of the bottom of the carrier structure in a subsequent deposition process, particularly a plating process. The mask may be made of a material on which tin deposition does not occur or to which tin does not adhere. After forming the tin pattern, the mask may be removed (e.g., by selective etching).

[0032] In one embodiment, before said selectively removing the exposed portion of the carrier structure, the method includes at least partially removing at least one of the following:

[0033] a) The material of the encapsulant structure between adjacent portions of the carrier structure covered by the tin layer. During encapsulation, e.g., during molding, the encapsulant section may fill the recesses on the bottom side of the carrier structure, thereby forming a mask-like pattern that can be used to define the exposed surface portions of the bottom of the carrier structure for subsequent tin deposition. Such an encapsulant section may be removed before etching away the defined section of the carrier structure by an alkaline etching process.

[0034] b) A resist mask located between adjacent portions of the carrier structure covered by the tin layer, the resist mask being applied before encapsulation. Before encapsulation, a mask pattern can be formed to define an area of the bottom of the carrier structure that should not be covered by tin in a subsequent tin deposition process. Such a resist mask applied before encapsulation can be removed before etching away a defined section of the carrier structure by an alkaline etching process.

[0035] c) A resist mask located between adjacent portions of the carrier structure covered by the tin layer, the resist mask being applied after encapsulation and before applying the tin layer. After encapsulation, a mask pattern can be applied to define an area of the bottom of the carrier structure that should not be covered by tin in a subsequent tin deposition process. Such a resist mask applied after encapsulation can be removed before etching away a defined section of the carrier structure by an alkaline etching process.

[0036] In one embodiment, after said removal by the alkaline etching process, the method further comprises removing the tin layer from the bottom surface of the carrier structure and depositing at least one additional conductive layer on the bottom surface of the carrier structure and on the sidewalls of the carrier structure exposed by the alkaline etching process. For example, the corresponding embodiment is shown by Figure 3 and Figure 4 in the accompanying drawings by reference numeral 152. Then, the tin mask used to selectively remove the carrier material during alkaline etching can be removed, and a freely definable conductive layer (e.g., a plating layer) can be formed on the bottom and sidewalls of the carrier. Preferably, the outermost surface of the at least one additional conductive layer comprises a material different from tin. For example, the at least one additional conductive layer can be made of NiPdAu, which can be formed, for example, by plating.

[0037] In one embodiment, after said removal by the alkaline etching process, the method further comprises depositing at least one additional conductive layer (e.g., an additional tin layer) on the bottom surface of the carrier structure and on the sidewalls of the carrier structure exposed by the alkaline etching process. For example, such an embodiment is shown by Figure 3 and Figure 4is shown by reference numeral 150 in the drawings. A tin mask for selectively removing the carrier material during alkaline etching can be left as a solderable plating, which can have suitable properties in terms of solderability. By forming an additional conductive layer, the tin can subsequently be thickened and also extend to the sidewalls of the carrier. Preferably, the outermost surface of the at least one additional conductive layer comprises a material different from tin. For example, the at least one additional conductive layer can be made of NiPdAu, which can be formed, for example, by plating. Alternatively, a second tin layer can be applied on top of the first tin layer and can extend not only along the bottom of the carrier but also along the sidewalls of the carrier. Such an embodiment has the advantage that the tin mask does not have to be removed after selective etching, but can be used as part of the surface treatment or plating on the remaining carrier. This can simplify the manufacturing process.

[0038] In one embodiment, the separate subsequent process is a mechanical cutting process, in which the cutting process is performed without cutting the metal of the carrier structure. Alternatively, a laser cutting process can be used. During cutting, cutting through the metal material can significantly reduce the speed of the separation process. By removing the metal material of the carrier in the cutting lanes by means of an alkaline etching process prior to cutting, only the encapsulation material can be cut through. This can significantly accelerate the package separation process.

[0039] In one embodiment, the method comprises forming a tin layer and / or at least one additional conductive layer by means of a plating process. Such a plating process can be represented as forming a metallic material, for example by electroless plating (e.g. chemical method or by physical vapor deposition) or by electroplating (especially electrolytic plating).

[0040] In one embodiment, the method comprises making at least a part of the sidewalls of the carrier structure concave by means of an alkaline etching process, while the bottom surface of the carrier structure is formed flat without being etched. When performing the alkaline etching process, the etching process and the etchant can be adjusted such that etching anisotropy is achieved, which causes at least a part of the sidewalls of the carrier structure to have a concave curvature. Such a concave curvature can increase the surface area to be plated and can thus have a positive effect on adhesion and / or can provide a mechanical anchoring effect.

[0041] In one embodiment, the selective removal and the separate subsequent process remove material in the same direction. In short, the selective removal process can remove the carrier material in the thickness direction of the package to be formed for thinning without completely separating the package. The subsequent material removal process can then also remove the encapsulation material in the thickness direction of the package to be formed until the individual packages are separated from each other.

[0042] In one embodiment, selective removal causes local thinning of an arrangement composed of a carrier structure and an encapsulation material structure, and a separate subsequent process forms a through-hole extending through the arrangement. The selective removal process removes the exposed carrier material for vertical thinning, while a subsequent separation process removes the encapsulation material to separate the common structure into individual packages.

[0043] In one embodiment, selectively removing the material of the carrier structure includes selectively removing a metal material, such as selectively removing copper material. Through such a selective etching process, the encapsulation material can be substantially not removed and the mask material can be substantially not removed, or the etching rate of these materials can be at least significantly lower than the etching rate of the copper material of the carrier structure.

[0044] In one embodiment, the separate subsequent process does not remove the metal material. This enables a very fast separation process.

[0045] In one embodiment, the package includes a conductive coupling element that electrically couples an electronic component to the carrier. Such a conductive coupling element can be a clip, a connecting wire, or a connecting strip. The clip can be a bent conductive plate body that can achieve electrical connection with the main surface of the corresponding electronic component with a high connection area. In addition to or as an alternative to such a clip, one or more other conductive interconnects can also be implemented in the package, such as connecting wires and / or connecting strips that connect the electronic component to the carrier and / or leads or connect different pads of the electronic component.

[0046] As the substrate or wafer on which the electronic component is formed, a semiconductor substrate, particularly a silicon substrate, can be used. Alternatively, a silicon oxide or other insulator substrate can be provided. It can also be implemented as a germanium substrate or a III-V group semiconductor material. For example, an exemplary embodiment can be implemented in GaN or SiC technology.

[0047] In conjunction with the accompanying drawings, the above and other objects, features, and advantages will become apparent from the following description and the appended claims, in which like parts or elements are denoted by like reference numerals. Description of the Drawings

[0048] The drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the exemplary embodiments and form a part of the specification, illustrate the exemplary embodiments.

[0049] In the drawings:

[0050] Figure 1 A cross-sectional view of a package according to an exemplary embodiment is shown.

[0051] Figure 2AA cross-sectional view of a structure obtained during the manufacture of a package according to an exemplary embodiment is shown.

[0052] Figure 2B A cross-sectional view of a package according to another exemplary embodiment is shown.

[0053] Figure 3 A cross-sectional view of a structure obtained during the manufacture of a package according to an exemplary embodiment is shown.

[0054] Figure 4 A cross-sectional view of a structure obtained during the manufacture of a package according to another exemplary embodiment is shown.

[0055] Figure 5 A cross-sectional view of a structure obtained during the manufacture of a package according to yet another exemplary embodiment is shown.

[0056] Figure 6 A plan view of a structure obtained during the manufacture of a package according to an exemplary embodiment is shown.

[0057] Figure 7 A plan view of a structure obtained during the manufacture of a package according to another exemplary embodiment is shown.

[0058] Figure 8 An image obtained during the manufacture of a package according to an exemplary embodiment is shown.

[0059] Figure 9 A flowchart of a method for manufacturing a package according to an exemplary embodiment is shown.

[0060] Figure 10 An image obtained during the manufacture of a package according to an exemplary embodiment is shown. Detailed Description

[0061] The illustrations in the drawings are schematic and not to scale.

[0062] Before describing the exemplary embodiments in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, some general considerations will be outlined based on the exemplary embodiments already developed.

[0063] Conventionally, a strip-shaped or panel-shaped copper lead frame or copper sheet (chip embedding) can be used as a common carrier for power devices due to its good electrical conductivity, thermal conductivity, and simple structure. The power package can have a thick copper structure along its sawing track. This makes the package singulation process for removing the molding compound and copper lead frame material complex. This may slow down the sawing process. During the conventional package singulation process, a trade-off can be made between the process speed (and thus the process throughput) and the singulation quality (particularly, which involves the formation of defects such as burrs and particles).

[0064] In another conventional method, a tie-barless carrier (such as a laminated substrate, a routable pre-molded frame, etc.) that allows for faster singulation can be implemented. However, the limitation of this method is the higher material cost, and the tie-barless carrier is an uncommon carrier option for power applications.

[0065] Partial etching lead frame technology has also been considered in conventional methods. However, the limitation of this method is that the process cost is higher due to the precise mask (especially the use of photoresist) and etching.

[0066] According to an exemplary embodiment, an electronic component mounted on a carrier structure is encapsulated by an encapsulating material, while a part of the carrier structure can remain exposed. The exposed part of the carrier structure can be removed before singulating the package from a previously integrated multi-package structure. Advantageously, the selective removal of the carrier material between the described adjacent packages can be spatially defined by a patterned tin layer applied only on a part of the carrier structure. During an alkaline etching process for selectively removing the carrier material (preferably copper), the patterned tin layer can be used as an etching mask, and a simple and clearly defined manufacturing can be achieved. Since the defined part of the carrier structure is separated into individual carriers before singulating each package by cutting, etc., it is advantageously not necessary to use a cutting process to remove the metal carrier material. On the contrary, the package separation process may only need to cut through the encapsulating material, which allows for an accelerated singulation.

[0067] Using the mentioned manufacturing architecture, packages of exemplary embodiments with one or more encapsulated electronic components assembled on a carrier can be created. As a result of the above manufacturing, at least one of the following can be obtained:

[0068] A) The bottom surface of the carrier can be directly covered with tin, and the tin can be further covered with another plating. The side walls of the carrier can also be directly covered with the said another plating (see, for example, the embodiment denoted by reference numeral 150 Figure 3 or Figure 4 .

[0069] B) The bottom surface and the side walls of the carrier can be directly covered with tin, and additional coatings can be formed on the tin (see, for example, Figure 2A for the embodiments).

[0070] C) The bottom surface and the side walls of the carrier can be directly covered with a coating that does not include tin (see, for example, the Figure 3 or Figure 4 embodiments denoted by reference numeral 152).

[0071] The package obtained from the above manufacturing process can be produced in a simple manner and has high reliability and performance.

[0072] The gist of an exemplary embodiment may be to selectively remove the carrier portion (especially the copper structure) along the cutting line (e.g., along the saw lane) before singulating the package. By applying a tin material that is inert to the etching chemical as a protection on the entire lead frame surface except at the cutting line (e.g., saw lane) position, the selectivity of the corresponding etching process can be achieved. Depending on the type of the applied material, it may be advantageous to perform a cleaning and / or removal process on the applied material before the etching process.

[0073] The exemplary embodiment may have the following advantages: For example, the exemplary embodiment can prevent copper burrs, lead delamination, solderability failure, and particle problems. Another advantage may be that existing lead frame materials, preferably copper, can be used. The singulation process can get rid of mechanical stress. In addition, the subsequent package singulation process can be accelerated. This can simplify and accelerate the singulation process. In addition, the quality problems of the manufactured package, such as problems involving burrs and copper particles, can be reduced or even eliminated. In addition, a hybrid mask for copper etching of semiconductor packages can be advantageously achieved. A high-speed saw can be implemented on the molding compound, for example, up to 300 mm / s. The described manufacturing architecture can be suitably compatible with any package covering area and can thus be flexible and scalable.

[0074] A preferred embodiment may provide a method of removing metal along a saw track. This may be achieved by etching before singulating the package. Advantageously, this may enable high-speed package singulation. Selective batch etching may be achieved through tin finishing to protect large areas from etching. Further advantageously, the tin may also be used as a solder material. Preferably, a molding resin, resist, or mask may be implemented at a focused area to define a target copper etch pattern. In one embodiment, the resist material may be applied only during a masking process before etching and may be stripped after etching. In one embodiment, the resin resist material will not remain on the final package. As an alternative, tin (as a resist) may remain on the leads after etching to serve as a final finish, for example, with a target thickness of 5 μm to 30 μm, such as 10 μm. An undercut profile may be created at the sidewalls of a carrier (e.g., made of copper) and may be exposed without tin plating. As a resist material, selective tin, a selective epoxy resin type resist, etc. may be used. The resist material (e.g., epoxy resin or tin) may be used as a temporary masking material or as a final finish (especially in the case of tin).

[0075] Figure 1 A cross-sectional view of a package 100 according to an exemplary embodiment is shown.

[0076] The power package 100 shown includes a carrier 102, which is implemented here as a copper lead frame structure, i.e., as a processed metal plate. In the illustrated embodiment, the carrier 102 includes two separate sections. An electronic component 104, which may be a semiconductor power chip, may be mounted on a first section of the carrier 102 (i.e., the die pad portion). Terminals or pads of the electronic component 104 may be connected to a second section of the carrier 102 through a conductive connection structure 109 (such as bonding wires).

[0077] An encapsulation material 106, preferably a molding compound, completely encapsulates the electronic component 104 and partially encapsulates the carrier 102. More precisely, a portion of the bottom surface 120 of the carrier 102 and the bottom portion of the sidewalls 108 are exposed outside the encapsulation material 106, while the top surface of the carrier 102 and the top portion of the sidewalls 108 are covered by the encapsulation material 106.

[0078] In addition, the exposed bottom surface 120 is covered by a plating structure 118, which may be made of tin or may include tin. Further, the aforementioned portion of the bottom surface 120 covered by the plating structure 118 and the exposed bottom portion of the sidewall 108 are covered by an additional plating structure 118', which may also be made of tin or may also include tin, or may be made of another material such as NiPdAu and / or NiPAu. Thus, the bottom surface 120 is directly covered by a tin plating 118, and the tin plating 118 is further covered by an additional plating 118'. In addition, the portion of the sidewall 108 exposed to the encapsulating material is directly covered by the additional plating 118'.

[0079] Also as Figure 1 shown, the sidewall 108 of the carrier 102 is concave-curved and has an undercut 110. More specifically, the sidewall 108 includes a lower curved portion 112 and an upper curved portion 114 that are connected to each other at an edge 116. The curved portions 112, 114 may be formed by an anisotropic etching process such as an alkaline etching process. As shown, the bottom surface 120 covered by the tin plating 118 and the lower curved portion 112 of the sidewall 108 are covered by the same additional plating 118'. The additional plating 118' is made of a material different from that of the tin plating 118, preferably NiPdAu. The lower portion of the sidewall 108 is directly covered by the additional plating 118', and there is no tin plating 118 between the lower portion of the sidewall 108 and the additional plating 118'.

[0080] It should be emphasized that Figure 1 only one exemplary embodiment is shown. In other embodiments, Figure 1 the two curved portions 112, 114 may not be present. For example, the lead frame panel may be a flat piece made of, for example, copper (especially at the bottom surface of the carrier structure), such that it may not be provided with a bottom recess (such a bottom recess is shown, for example, in Figure 3 the first picture of Figure 4 and is not present in Figure 2A ). By using an alkaline etching process, a single curved portion may be produced in another embodiment. Figure 2A shows a cross-sectional view of the structure obtained during the manufacture of the package 100 according to one exemplary embodiment. In

[0081] Figure 2A the embodiment of Figure 2AThe bottom portion of the structure shown involves a common carrier structure that has been separated into individual carriers 102. Separating the common carrier structure into individual carriers 102 can be performed by selectively removing the material of the common carrier structure through an alkaline etching process, which will be described in further detail below. The alkaline etching process can help form the concave curved sidewalls 108 of the separated structure. Also as will be described below, a tin plating 118 formed on the bottom surface 120 and the lower curved portion 112 of the sidewall 108 can be used as an etch mask during the copper removal process. An additional plating 118' (e.g., also made of tin or made of ENIG) can be formed on the tin plating 118 and on the upper curved portion 114 of the sidewall 108. After separating the common carrier structure into individual carriers 102 according to Figure 2A the integral body will be held together only by the still integral encapsulation material 106. To separate the common integral structure into individual packages 100, the material of the encapsulation material 106 between the packages 100 will be removed by a (preferably mechanical) cutting process. Since the cutting process only requires removing the material of the encapsulation material 106 and not the metallic material of the carriers 102, this singulation can be performed in a rapid manner.

[0082] In Figure 2A the embodiment, the bottom surface 120 and the bottom portion of the sidewall 108 are directly covered by an integral common tin plating 118. The bottom portion of the additional plating 118' is deposited on the tin plating 118, while the top portion of the additional plating 118' is directly deposited on the top portion of the sidewall 108 of the carrier 102.

[0083] Notches associated with the curved portion 112 can be formed during the lead frame manufacturing process. The tin plating 118 can form an etch mask to ensure selective removal of the copper material of the carrier 102 by etching (specifically, through an alkaline etching process) to form the curved portion 114.

[0084] Figure 2B A cross-sectional view of a package 100 according to another exemplary embodiment is shown.

[0085] Figure 2B The embodiment of involves a scenario in which the incoming lead frame panel is a copper sheet with a flat bottom surface. In such an embodiment, the resulting semiconductor package 100 can have only one curved portion at the sidewall 108 of each pad or terminal of the carrier 102, since there can be only one alkaline etching process that forms this single curved portion that extends along the sidewall 108 down to the bottom surface 120 of the carrier 102. Figure 2B Such an embodiment is shown, and for simplicity, the curvature of the sidewall 108 is not shown. Figure 3Shows a cross-sectional view of the structure obtained during the manufacture of a package 100 according to an exemplary embodiment. The resulting package 100 is shown on the Figure 3 lower left side of.

[0086] Referring to reference numeral 160, a carrier structure 122 embodied as a structured metal plate is provided. For example, the carrier structure 122 can be a lead frame made of, for example, copper. The structured carrier structure 122 can optionally have a bottom recess 103 and a top recess 105. One available lead frame panel is shown by reference numeral 160, and another available lead frame panel can have only the top recess 105, while the bottom can be flat (see Figure 4 ). As shown in detail 107 of Figure 3 , the top recess 105 can be bounded by side walls having a curved portion 114. A metal coating 101 including, for example, silver can be formed on the top surface portion of the carrier structure 122 (specifically formed on the connection pads). Thus, reference numeral 160 shows a received lead frame having silver on the connection pads. Selective micro-etching ties 175 (or formed by laser engraving or stamping) are shown, for example, having a depth in the range of 0.5 μm to 1 μm.

[0087] Referring to reference numeral 162, an electronic component 104 (such as a semiconductor chip) can be mounted on the carrier structure 122 provided for a plurality of packages 100 to be co-manufactured. Thus, reference numeral 162 shows the result of die assembly on the metal coating 101. Each electronic component 104 is assigned to a corresponding package 100 to be manufactured. At least one pad on the corresponding electronic component 104 can be coupled to the metal coating 101 of the carrier structure 122 through a conductive connection structure 109. The conductive connection structure 109 is embodied as a connection wire here, but can also be a clip (not shown). Still referring to reference numeral 162, the electronic component 104 is completely encapsulated, while the carrier structure 122 is partially encapsulated by an encapsulation material structure 124 provided for a plurality of packages 100 to be co-manufactured. Preferably, the encapsulation material structure 124 is a molding compound. A micro-segment of the encapsulation material structure 124 can also fill the bottom recess 103. The molding resin overflow can be used as an etch resist mask in subsequent manufacturing methods. In other embodiments, such a micro-segment of the molding material may not be present.

[0088] Referring to reference numeral 164, a tin layer 118 can then be applied or deposited to cover a portion of the bottom surface of the carrier structure 122, and the tin layer 118 will serve as an electrical terminal of the fabricated package 100. When forming the tin layer 118, the section of the encapsulation material structure 124 that fills the bottom recess 103 serves as a mask for defining the portion of the carrier structure 122 that will be covered by the tin layer 118. In short, the manufacturing process according to reference numeral 164 involves selective tin plating or printing.

[0089] Referring to reference numeral 166, the section of the encapsulation material structure 124 that fills the bottom recess 103 is removed. This process can be represented as deburring. Thus, the material of the encapsulation material structure 124 between adjacent portions of the carrier structure 122 covered by the tin layer 118 can be removed. This exposes a section of the carrier structure 122.

[0090] Referring to reference numeral 168, the exposed material of the carrier structure 122 between adjacent packages 100 and within the corresponding package 100 being fabricated is selectively removed by an alkaline etching process. During the selective removal of the exposed material, the tin layer 118 covering the bottom portion of the carrier structure 122 serves as an etch mask that will not be removed by the alkaline etching process. This process will selectively remove the exposed portions of the carrier structure 122 that are not covered by the tin layer 118 by an alkaline etching process. Thus, alkaline copper etching is performed, during which the tin can act as a resist due to its stability to the alkaline etchant. Thus, the adjacent sections of the carrier structure 122 covered by the tin layer 118 are disconnected from each other to form the now-separate carriers 102 and the now-separate sections of the corresponding carriers 102. The resulting integral structure will be held together only by the material of the encapsulation material 106 but no longer by the material of the carrier structure 122.

[0091] As shown in detail 111, the anisotropic alkaline etching process causes the sidewalls 108 of the carrier 102 to be concave and have undercuts 110. More precisely, the sidewalls 108 include a lower curved portion 112 and an upper curved portion 114 that are connected at an edge 116. The lower curved portion 112 can be formed by the anisotropic alkaline etching process. Thus, the concave bottom portion of the sidewalls 108 of the carrier 102 is caused by the alkaline etching process, and due to the presence of the tin layer 118, the resulting bottom surface 120 of the carrier 102 is formed flat and not etched.

[0092] Referring to reference numeral 170, after removing the material of the carrier structure 122 by the alkaline etching process, the method can proceed according to Figure 3 option 150 or option 152 as shown in

[0093] According to option 150, after removing the material of the carrier structure 122, an additional conductive layer 118' is deposited on the bottom surface 120 of the carrier 102 (or more precisely on the tin layer 118 on the bottom surface 120 of the carrier 102) and on the exposed portions of the sidewalls 108 of the carrier 102. The additional conductive layer 118' may include tin (thus forming a tin bilayer) or may include a material different from tin, such as NiPdAu.

[0094] According to option 152, after removing the material of the carrier structure 122, the tin layer 118 can be removed from the bottom surface 120 of the carrier structure 122, for example, by tin stripping. Thereafter, the conductive layer 118' can be directly deposited on the exposed bottom surface 120 of the carrier 102 and on the portions of the sidewalls 108 of the carrier 102 that have been exposed by an alkaline etching process. Preferably, the conductive layer 118' includes a material different from tin, such as NiPdAu.

[0095] Referring to reference numeral 172, the individual packages 100 can then be singulated from the still-integral structure according to reference numeral 170 (in both options 150, 152) by a separate subsequent process for completely separating the packages 100 from each other. This can be achieved by removing the material of the encapsulation material structure 124 between adjacent packages 100, which material has been exposed by the selective removal of the material of the carrier structure 122. The separate subsequent process can be a mechanical cutting process using a mechanical cutting blade 113. As shown by reference numeral 172, the cutting process can be performed by cutting only through the encapsulation material and not through the metal of the carrier structure 122. This can enable a high-speed sawing process.

[0096] Referring to reference numerals 168 and 172, the selective removal of the carrier structure material and the separate subsequent process of removing the encapsulation material operate in the same direction (i.e., along the vertical direction). When the selective removal causes the arrangement structure composed of the carrier structure 122 and the encapsulation material structure 124 to be locally thinned, the separate subsequent cutting process forms a through-hole extending through the arrangement structure and completes the singulation of the packages 100.

[0097] As a result of the manufacturing process described, the package 100 shown in the lower left side of Figure 3 is obtained. Depending on which of options 150, 152 is followed, the properties of the package 100 can be different:

[0098] In the case of option 150, a portion of the bottom surface 120 of the carrier 102 is directly covered by the tin plating 118, the tin plating 118 is further covered by another plating 118', and a portion of the sidewalls 108 of the carrier 102 is directly covered by the another plating 118'.

[0099] In the case of option 152, a part of the bottom surface 120 and a part of the side wall 108 are preferably directly covered by a plating 118' made of a conductive material different from tin (such as NiPdAu).

[0100] Figure 4 A cross-sectional view of the structure obtained during the manufacture of the package 100 according to another exemplary embodiment is shown. The obtained package 100 is shown at the Figure 4 lower left side of.

[0101] The structure according to reference numeral 174 differs from the structure according to Figure 3 reference numeral 164 in that, in Figure 4 , a selective bottom part of the carrier structure 122 is covered by a mask 128 instead of being filled with an encapsulating material. Thus, an etch mask 128 is formed between adjacent parts of the carrier structure 122 to be covered by the tin layer 118 before forming the tin layer 118 and before selectively removing the exposed parts of the carrier structure 122 during the transition from the structure according to reference numeral 176 to the structure according to reference numeral 178. The etch mask 128 can be applied especially after encapsulation. The etch mask 128 can be removed after forming the tin layer 118, see Figure 4 reference numeral 176. According to Figure 4 , the bottom main surface of the carrier structure 122 is flat, i.e., does not include a bottom recess 103.

[0102] Reference numeral 174 shows the result of the chip assembly process, forming an etch or mechanical mask 128 on the exposed tie bars (which can be pre-printed or assembled for example), and tin plating or printing.

[0103] Reference numeral 176 shows the result of removing the etch mask, which is optional for pre-printed tin.

[0104] Reference numeral 178 shows the result of an alkaline copper etch process for removing the exposed copper material of the carrier structure 122, thereby forming separate carriers 102 and separate sections of the carrier 102 for the respective packages 100 to be formed. Removing the material of the carrier structure 122 exposed outside the tin layer 118 according to Figure 4 reference numeral 178 can be a process corresponding to the process described above with reference to Figure 3 reference numeral 168.

[0105] Thereafter, any of the options 150, 152 described above can be performed. Refer to the above description of reference numerals 180 and Figure 3 reference numeral 170.

[0106] After that, each package 100 can be singulated by mechanical cutting, see the Figure 3 reference numeral 172 corresponding to Figure 4 reference numeral 182.

[0107] Depending on whether option 150 or option 152 is adopted, the package 100 shown in the lower left side of Figure 4 can have one of two configurations regarding the plating on the bottom side 120 and the side wall 108, which has been described above with reference to the package 100 obtained according to Figure 3 .

[0108] Figure 5 A cross-sectional view of the structure obtained during the manufacture of the package 100 according to another exemplary embodiment is shown. The obtained package 100 is shown in the lower left side of Figure 5 .

[0109] According to Figure 5 the embodiment is different from the embodiment according to Figure 4 in that, according to Figure 5 , the mask 128 can be formed before encapsulation. For example, Figure 5 the mask 128 of

[0110] can be realized as a resist printed (e.g., by inkjet printing) from the incoming lead frame material in the notch or bottom recess 103 of the carrier structure 122.

[0111] Figure 5 The reference numeral 184 shows the components after molding and resist printing. Figure 4 The reference numeral 186 of

[0112] Figure 5 basically corresponds to the reference numeral 174 of Figure 4 , except for the formation of the above-mentioned mask 128.

[0113] Figure 5 The reference numeral 190 of Figure 4 basically corresponds to the reference numeral 176 of Figure 5 , except that the shape of the tin layer 118 is slightly different, and the tin layer 118 also partially extends into the bottom recess 103. The reference numeral 186 shows the result of electrolytic tin plating. The reference numeral 188 shows the result after removing the resist mask.

[0114] Figure 5 The reference numeral 192 of Figure 4reference numeral 182, and shows a singulation of the package 100.

[0115] According to Figure 5 the obtained package 100 has only a single tin layer 118 on the bottom surface 120 and on a part of the side wall 108.

[0116] Although the options 150, 152 are not shown in Figure 5 , they can also be applied according to Figure 5 , for example as described above with reference to Figure 4 or Figure 3 .

[0117] Figure 6 shows a plan view of the structure obtained during the manufacture of a package 100 according to an exemplary embodiment, the package 100 being a multi-row QFN-like package. More specifically, Figure 6 shows a bottom view of a preform of the package 100.

[0118] Reference numeral 200 shows a preform of the package 100 after die attachment, wire bonding and molding. Thus, reference numeral 200 shows a section of the carrier 102 and a section of the encapsulation material 106.

[0119] Reference numeral 202 shows a preform of the package 100 after a selective resist mask has been applied. Thus, reference numeral 202 additionally shows the patterned mask 128.

[0120] Reference numeral 204 shows a preform of the package 100 after tin plating. Thus, reference numeral 204 additionally shows a section of the tin layer 118.

[0121] Reference numeral 206 shows a preform of the package 100 after resist stripping. Thus, reference numeral 206 shows the bottom surface after the mask 128 has been removed.

[0122] Reference numeral 208 shows a preform of the package 100 after selective copper etching. Thus, reference numeral 208 shows the bottom surface after the exposed material of the carrier 102 has been removed by a selective alkaline etching process.

[0123] The package 100 is shown from the bottom side after ENIG (electroless nickel immersion gold) plating. Thus, an additional plating layer 118' is embodied as ENIG here. The tin layer 118 can be removed by tin stripping, or mainly remains below the additional plating layer 118'.

[0124] Figure 7Shows a plan view of the structure obtained during the manufacture of a package 100 according to another exemplary embodiment, the package 100 being another multi-row QFN-type package.

[0125] Reference numeral 210 shows the preform of the package 100 after die attachment, wire bonding, and molding. Thus, reference numeral 210 shows a section of the carrier 102 and a section of the encapsulant material 106.

[0126] Reference numeral 212 shows the preform of the package 100 after a selective resist mask has been applied. Thus, reference numeral 212 additionally shows the patterned mask 128.

[0127] Reference numeral 214 shows the preform of the package 100 after tin plating. Thus, reference numeral 214 additionally shows a section of the tin layer 118.

[0128] Reference numeral 216 shows the preform of the package 100 after resist stripping and copper etching. Thus, reference numeral 216 shows the bottom surface after the mask 128 has been removed and after the exposed material of the carrier 102 has been removed by a selective alkaline etching process.

[0129] The package 100 is shown from the bottom side after ENIG plating. Thus, the additional plating 118' is embodied as ENIG here. The tin layer 118 can be removed by tin stripping or mainly remains below the additional plating 118'.

[0130] Figure 8 Shows an image 220 obtained during the manufacture of a package 100 according to an exemplary embodiment. Copper etching with a selective mask has been performed to analyze the etched profile.

[0131] At Figure 8 the left side, a sample after masking and tin plating is shown. The scaled image on the bottom side shows the resist structure.

[0132] After resist stripping, as indicated by the arrow on the Figure 8 left side, Figure 8 the central image is obtained. The scaled image on the bottom side shows the copper structure at the location where the resist structure was previously and now removed (i.e., in the area after resist stripping). Around the copper structure, the tin-plated surface can be seen.

[0133] After semi-etching, as indicated by the arrow on the Figure 8 right side, Figure 8Image on the right side. On the top side, a tinned surface and an etched area can be seen. In the middle, an etching depth of 0.1 mm is shown in the etched area adjacent to the tinned surface (see double arrow). On the bottom left, a section of a sample with a small undercut having a 1:1 aspect ratio is shown. On the lower right side, a top view of the molded compound surface without debris and contaminants after etching is shown. After increasing the jet pressure from 1.6 bar to 2.5 bar and reducing the etching speed (from 1.2 m / min to 0.8 m / min), the undercut can be significantly reduced.

[0134] Figure 9 FIG. 230 is a flow chart showing a method of manufacturing a package 100 according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0135] Referring to reference box 232, a sequence of die attachment, wire bonding, molding, and deburring can be performed.

[0136] Referring to the subsequent box 234, a selective resist mask is performed by performing a sequence of pre-cleaning, inkjet printing, and curing.

[0137] Referring to the subsequent box 236, tin resist plating is performed.

[0138] Referring to the subsequent box 238, resist stripping is performed, more precisely, the mask material can be stripped.

[0139] Referring to reference box 240, alkaline copper etching is performed.

[0140] Referring to the subsequent box 242, tin resist stripping is performed.

[0141] Referring to the subsequent box 244, a sequence of selective coating, laser activation, copper and ENIG or tin plating, solder mask formation, and sawing can be performed.

[0142] According to a preferred embodiment, a selective tinned surface can be achieved by performing an electrolytic tin process on a printed epoxy resin mask. Another advantageous process is selective alkaline etching on a lead frame with a tin mask. The alkaline etchant can preferably be formed based on ammonium chloride. Thereafter, tin can preferably be stripped or a tin stripping process can be performed. Alternatively, tin can be retained as the final finish after the alkaline etching process. This can achieve an undercut profile with copper and tin plating.

[0143] Figure 10 Images obtained during the manufacture of a package 100 according to an exemplary embodiment are shown. Figure 10 The etched profile of a copper frame structure with a surface plating indicated by an arrow on the bottom side is shown. In addition, Figure 10Shows a cross-section of the etched sidewall of the carrier 102 with a solder mask. The area without the encapsulation material 106 is created by removing the metal by alkaline etching. The area on the top side of the carrier 102 may be filled with the encapsulation material 106. The curved upper recess may have carried the initial lead frame panel, and during the molding process, this curved upper recess may be filled with the encapsulation material 106. In the final package 100, the arrow 171 may indicate the boundary line of the encapsulation material 106 until the copper is etched away. The arrow 173 indicates the bottom surface of the package 100, which is also the area where there is no copper in the encapsulation material 106.

[0144] It should be noted that the term "comprising" does not exclude other elements or features, and "a" or "an" does not exclude a plurality. Elements described in connection with different embodiments may also be combined. It should also be noted that reference numerals should not be construed 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, compositions of matter, devices, methods, and steps described in the specification. Accordingly, the appended claims are intended to include such processes, machines, manufactures, compositions of matter, devices, methods, or steps within their scope.

Claims

1. An encapsulation body (100), comprising: · A carrier (102); · An electronic component (104) mounted on the carrier (102); And · An encapsulation material (106) that at least partially encapsulates the electronic component (104) and partially encapsulates the carrier (102); · Wherein at least a part of the bottom surface (120) and at least a part of the side wall (108) of the carrier (102) are exposed outside the encapsulation material (106); · At least a part of the at least a part of the bottom surface (120) and the side wall (108) is at least partially covered by a plating structure (118, 118'), and the plating structure has one of the following: o A) At least a part of the bottom surface (120) is directly covered by a tin plating layer (118), the tin plating layer (118) is further covered by at least one additional plating layer (118'), and at least a part of the side wall (108) is directly covered by the at least one additional plating layer (118'); or o B) At least a part of the bottom surface (120) and the lower part of the side wall (108) that is at least a part of the side wall (108) are directly covered by a common tin plating layer (118), at least a part of at least one additional plating layer (118') is deposited on the tin plating layer (118) covering the part of the bottom surface (120) and the lower part of the side wall (108), and is deposited on the upper part of the side wall (108) not covered by the common tin plating layer (118).

2. The package (100) according to claim 1, wherein, At least a part of the side wall (108) of the carrier (102) is curved, for example, concave-curved, and has an undercut (110).

3. The package (100) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The side wall (108) includes a lower curved part (112) and an upper curved part (114) connected at an edge (116), in particular, at least one of the curved parts (112, 114) is formed by an alkaline etching process.

4. The package (100) according to claim 3, wherein, The bottom surface (120) and the lower curved part (112) are covered by the same plating structure (118, 118').

5. The package (100) according to any one of claims 1-4, wherein, The at least one additional plating layer (118') is made of a material different from the tin plating layer (118), preferably NiPdAu, at least a part of the side wall (108) is directly covered by the at least one additional plating layer (118'), and there is no tin plating layer (118) between at least a part of the side wall (108) and the at least one additional plating layer (118').

6. The package (100) according to any one of claims 1-5, wherein The electronic component (104) is configured as a power die.

7. The package (100) according to any one of claims 1-6, wherein, The carrier (102) includes copper or is composed of copper at least at its bottom surface (120).

8. The package (100) according to any one of claims 1-7, wherein, The carrier (102) is a lead frame structure.

9. A method of manufacturing an encapsulation body (100), the method comprising: · Mounting an electronic component (104) on a carrier structure (122) provided in common for a plurality of encapsulation bodies (100), each encapsulation body (100) being manufactured having at least one electronic component; ·At least partially encapsulating the electronic component (104) and partially encapsulating the carrier structure (122) by means of an encapsulation material structure (124) provided jointly for a plurality of packages (100); ·After encapsulation, selectively removing the exposed material of the carrier structure (122) at least between adjacent packages (100) being manufactured; And ·By a separate subsequent process, completely separating the packages (100) by removing the material of the encapsulation material structure (124) that has been exposed by the selective removal between adjacent packages (100); ·Wherein, performing the selective removal of the exposed material includes: o Applying a tin layer (118) that covers the portion of the carrier structure (122) that will serve as the electrical terminals of the package (100); and o Selectively removing the exposed portions of the carrier structure (122) that are not covered by the tin layer (118) by means of an alkaline etching process so as to disconnect adjacent sections of the carrier structure (122) covered by the tin layer (118); Wherein, after the removal by the alkaline etching process, the method further includes: Removing the tin layer (118) from the bottom surface (120) of the carrier structure (122); and Depositing at least one conductive layer (118') on the bottom surface (120) of the carrier structure (122) and on the side walls (108) of the carrier structure (122) exposed by the alkaline etching process, preferably, the outermost surface of the at least one conductive layer (118') comprises a material different from tin.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein, The method includes: before applying the tin layer (118), applying a mask (128) that covers a part of the bottom surface (120) of the carrier structure (122) so as to expose another part of the bottom surface (120) of the carrier structure (122) for subsequent application of the tin layer (118).

11. The method according to claim 9 or 10, wherein Before performing the selective removal of the exposed portions of the carrier structure (122), the method includes at least partially removing at least one of the following: a) The material of the encapsulation material structure (124) between adjacent portions of the carrier structure (122) covered by the tin layer (118), and / or b) The resist mask (128) located between adjacent portions of the carrier structure (122) covered by the tin layer (118), the resist mask (128) being applied before encapsulation; and / or c) The resist mask (128) located between adjacent portions of the carrier structure (122) covered by the tin layer (118), the resist mask (128) being applied after encapsulation and before applying the tin layer (118).

12. The method according to any one of claims 9-11, wherein The separate subsequent process is a mechanical cutting process, and the cutting process is performed without cutting the metal of the carrier structure (122).

13. The method according to any one of claims 9-12, wherein, The method includes forming the tin layer (118) and / or at least one additional conductive layer (118') by means of a plating process.

14. The method according to any one of claims 9 - 13, wherein The method includes making at least a part of the side wall (108) of the carrier structure (122) concave and curved by an alkaline etching process, while the bottom surface (120) of the carrier structure (122) is formed flat without being etched.

15. The method according to any one of claims 9-14, wherein, The method includes at least one of the following features: The selective removal and the separate subsequent process remove materials along the same direction; The selective removal causes the arrangement structure composed of the carrier structure (122) and the encapsulation material structure (124) to be locally thinned, and the separate subsequent process forms a through hole extending through the arrangement structure; Selectively removing the material of the carrier structure (122) includes selectively removing a metal material, such as selectively removing a copper material; The separate subsequent process does not remove the metal material; The method includes using a lead frame as the carrier structure (122).

Images