Method for producing a double-sided moulded module with

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a method of manufacturing a double-sided molded module, the method beginning with providing a laminate comprising a laminate body, a pad on a bottom surface of the laminate body, and a copper pillar surrounding the pad and on the bottom surface of the laminate body. The copper pillar having a change in height is higher than each block. Next, the laminate is placed on a support block, the support block comprising cavities for receiving the copper pillars and support tables, each surrounded by some of the cavities. A top surface of each support table has a vertical distance from the bottom surface of the laminate body to receive the pad. Vacuum holes are then formed through the support blocks, each of which is confined in a corresponding support table. The vacuum aperture and the cavity are evacuated to ensure that the laminate is placed flat on the support block.

Description

[0001] Related Applications

[0002] This application claims the benefit of provisional patent application serial number 63 / 511,941, filed July 5, 2023, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. TECHNICAL FIELD

[0003] The present disclosure relates to a method of manufacturing a double-sided molded module with plated copper pillars in a reliable manner without occurrence of distortion, die crack, or component interconnection failure, and particularly enables a surface mount / wire bonding process and a molding process to be performed during the manufacturing of a double-sided molded module. BACKGROUND

[0004] With the popularity of portable consumer electronic products, such as smart phones, tablet computers, and the like, in microelectronic devices, double-sided assemblies are becoming more and more attractive in order to achieve electronic device densification with small footprint.

[0005] However, conventional double-sided molded modules with ball grid array (BGA) can make the thickness of the final product relatively large, and have a limit on input / output (I / O) density. This is because each solder ball of the BGA has a relatively large size in both horizontal and vertical dimensions. In order to achieve desired performance, the thickness of the laminate substrate of the double-sided molded module cannot generally be reduced. In some applications, in order to improve the performance of the double-sided molded module, it is necessary to increase the thickness of the laminate substrate. Conventional double-sided molded modules with BGA are limited to a reduced thickness of less than 0.7 mm. In addition, BGA is not superior in terms of heat dissipation, especially for high frequency and high power applications.

[0006] Therefore, in order to accommodate the low profile requirement of portable products and enhance thermal and electrical performance, it is an object of the present disclosure to provide a manufacturing method of an improved double-sided molded module with reduced thickness. It is also desirable to manufacture the improved double-sided molded module in a reliable manner without occurrence of distortion, die crack, or component interconnection failure. SUMMARY

[0007] This disclosure relates to a method for reliably manufacturing double-sided molded modules using electroplated copper pillars without deformation, die cracking, or component interconnect failures, particularly enabling surface mount / wire bonding and molding processes during the manufacturing of the double-sided molded modules. The disclosed method begins by providing a laminate comprising a laminate body, a first pad on a first surface of the laminate body, a second pad on a second surface of the laminate body, and copper pillars surrounding the second pads and on the second surface of the laminate body. Herein, each of the second pads has the same thickness, while the copper pillars are higher than each of the second pads and have varying heights. Horizontally, the laminate comprises a plurality of strips, and each of the first pads, each of the second pads, and each of the copper pillars is confined within a corresponding strip. Next, the laminate is placed on a support block. The support block has a top surface in contact with the second surface of the laminate body and includes one or more cavities below each of the strips of the laminate for receiving one or more corresponding copper pillars of the laminate. The depth of each of the one or more cavities is not less than the height of any one of the copper pillars. For each of the strips, the support block further includes a support platform surrounded by the one or more cavities. The top surface of the support platform is lower than the top surface of the support block and has a vertical distance from the second surface of the laminate body to accommodate the second pad.

[0008] In one embodiment of the method, the one or more cavities have the same depth. The support block further includes a soft fill layer at the bottom surface of each of the one or more cavities to compensate for the height variation of the copper pillars, such that each of the copper pillars contacts the soft fill.

[0009] According to one embodiment, the method further includes grinding the copper pillars to have the same height before placing the laminate on the support block. In this document, the one or more cavities have the same depth. After placing the laminate on the support block, each of the copper pillars contacts the bottom surface of a corresponding cavity in the one or more cavities.

[0010] In one embodiment of the method, the support block further includes a support pin in each of the one or more cavities. Each of the support pins has the same height as the polished copper pillar and extends directly between the second surface of the laminated body and the bottom surface of the corresponding cavity in the one or more cavities.

[0011] In one embodiment of the method, for each of the strips, the laminate further includes a ring structure on the second surface of the laminate body. Herein, for each of the strips, the ring structure is surrounded by a corresponding copper pillar. The ring structure has the same thickness as each of the second pads and is vertically positioned between the second surface of the laminate body and the top surface of the support platform. The vertical distance difference between the top surface of the support platform and the second surface of the laminate body is substantially the same as the thickness of the ring structure.

[0012] In one embodiment of the method, the ring structure surrounds a corresponding second pad in the second pad for each of the strips and has a continuous ring shape. The ring structure is not electrically connected to the first pad, the second pad, or the copper pillar.

[0013] In one embodiment of the method, for each of the strips, the ring structure surrounds a corresponding second pad in the second pad. The ring structure has a broken configuration and is composed of multiple individual segments. The ring structure is not electrically connected to the first pad, the second pad, or the copper pillar.

[0014] According to one embodiment, the method further includes forming a vacuum hole beneath each of the strips after the laminate is placed on the support block. Hereinafter, for each of the strips, the vacuum hole extends through the support block to expose certain second pads in the second pads. The vacuum hole is formed and confined within the support block for a corresponding strip and is capable of communicating with one or more cavities beneath the corresponding strip. Additionally, the method includes evacuating each of the strips to evacuate the vacuum hole and the one or more cavities.

[0015] According to one embodiment, the method further includes, after performing the vacuuming, mounting one or more first components onto the first pad on the first surface of the laminated body.

[0016] According to one embodiment, the method further includes, after mounting the one or more first components to the first pad, applying a first molding compound over the first surface of the laminated body to encapsulate the one or more first components.

[0017] According to one embodiment, the method further includes removing the support block after applying the first molding compound, and mounting one or more second components to the second pad on the second surface of the laminated body.

[0018] According to one embodiment, the method further includes, after mounting the one or more second components to the second pad, applying a second molding compound over the second surface of the laminate to encapsulate the one or more second components and each of the copper pillars.

[0019] According to one embodiment, the method further includes polishing the second molding compound until each of the copper pillars is exposed.

[0020] In another respect, any of the foregoing aspects and / or the various individual aspects and features as described herein may be combined, individually or together, to obtain additional advantages. Unless otherwise indicated herein, any of the various features and elements disclosed herein may be combined with one or more other disclosed features and elements.

[0021] Those skilled in the art will understand the scope of this disclosure and recognize its other aspects after reading the following detailed description of preferred embodiments in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0022] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form a part of this specification, illustrate several aspects of this disclosure and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of this disclosure.

[0023] Figure 1 A flowchart illustrating an exemplary process for providing a double-sided molding module according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is provided.

[0024] Figures 2A-2D , Figures 3-4 , Figures 5A-5B , Figures 6A-6B and Figures 7-13 It shows the relationship with Figure 1 The steps associated with the process shown.

[0025] Figure 14 A block diagram of a communication apparatus according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown, the communication apparatus including a... Figure 1 The process shown provides a double-sided molding module.

[0026] It should be understood that, for the sake of clarity, Figures 1-14 It is not necessary to draw it to scale. Detailed Implementation

[0027] The embodiments described below illustrate the information necessary to enable those skilled in the art to practice the embodiments and demonstrate the best mode of practice. After reading the following description with reference to the accompanying drawings, those skilled in the art will understand the concepts of this disclosure and will appreciate the application of these concepts, which are not specifically set forth herein. It should be understood that these concepts and applications fall within the scope of this disclosure and the appended claims.

[0028] It will be understood that while the terms first, second, etc., may be used herein to describe various elements, these elements should not be limited by these terms. These terms are used only to distinguish one element from another. For example, without departing from the scope of this disclosure, a first element may be referred to as a second element, and similarly, a second element may be referred to as a first element. As used herein, the term "and / or" includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0029] It should be understood that when an element such as a layer, region, or substrate is referred to as "on another element" or extends "to another element," it may be directly on or directly extends onto the other element, or intermediate elements may also exist. Conversely, when an element is referred to as "directly located on another element" or "directly extending onto another element," no intermediate elements exist. Similarly, it should be understood that when an element such as a layer, region, or substrate is referred to as "above another element" or "above another element" and extends, it may be directly above or directly extends over the other element, or intermediate elements may also exist. Conversely, when an element is referred to as "directly located above another element" or "directly extending over another element," no intermediate elements exist. It will also be understood that when an element is referred to as "connected" or "coupled" to another element, it may be directly connected or coupled to the other element, or intermediate elements may exist. Conversely, when an element is referred to as "directly connected" or "directly coupled" to another element, no intermediate elements exist.

[0030] In this document, relative terms such as “below” or “above” or “upper” or “lower” or “horizontal” or “vertical” may be used to describe the relationship between one element, layer, or region and another element, layer, or region as shown in the figures. It should be understood that these terms, and those discussed above, are intended to include different orientations of the device other than those depicted in the figures.

[0031] The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit this disclosure. As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It should be further understood that, when used herein, the terms “comprises,” “comprising,” “includes,” and / or “including” specify the presence of stated features, integrals, steps, operations, elements, and / or components, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integrals, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or combinations thereof.

[0032] Unless otherwise defined, all terms used herein (including technical and scientific terms) shall have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure pertains. It should be further understood that the terms used herein shall be interpreted as having the same meaning as in the context of this specification and related art, and shall not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless expressly defined herein.

[0033] The embodiments of this disclosure are illustrated herein with reference to schematic diagrams. Therefore, the actual dimensions of layers and elements may differ, and variations from the shapes shown are expected due to (for example) manufacturing techniques and / or tolerances. For instance, areas shown or described as squares or rectangles may have rounded or curved features, and areas shown as straight lines may have some irregularities. Therefore, the areas shown in the figures are schematic, and their shapes are not intended to show the precise shapes of areas of the device and are not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure. Additionally, for illustrative purposes, the size of structures or areas may be exaggerated relative to other structures or areas; therefore, the sizes of said structures or areas are provided to illustrate the general structure of the subject matter and may be drawn to scale or not. Common elements in the figures may be presented herein using common element reference numerals and will not be described again thereafter.

[0034] This disclosure relates to a method for reliably manufacturing double-sided molded modules using electroplated copper pillars without deformation, die cracking, or component interconnect failures, and particularly enables surface mounting and wire bonding processes and molding processes to be performed during the manufacturing of the double-sided molded modules. Figure 1 A flowchart illustrating an exemplary process for providing a double-sided molding module according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is provided. Figures 2A-13 It shows the relationship with Figure 1 The flowchart and associated steps are illustrated. Although the flowchart and associated steps are illustrated as a series, their order is not necessarily required. Some steps may be performed in a different order than presented. Furthermore, the processes within the scope of this disclosure may include more than […].Figure 1 The steps shown are fewer or more steps.

[0035] Initially, a laminate 10 with copper pillars 12 is provided, such as Figure 2A and 2B As shown in step 102. Figure 2A This is a bottom view of laminate 10, and Figure 2B This is a cross-sectional view of a portion of the laminate 10 along the dashed line A-A'. The laminate 10 includes a laminate body 14, a first pad 16, a second pad 20, a ring structure 22, and copper pillars 12 (for clarity, only some of the first pads, some of the second pads, and some of the copper pillars are labeled with reference numerals). The first pad 16 is formed on a first surface of the laminate body 14 and is configured to accommodate electronic components on the first surface of the laminate body 14 (more details are described below). Each first pad 16 may have the same size and the same shape, such as circular, square, etc. (not shown). The second pad 20 is formed on a second surface of the laminate body 14 and is configured to accommodate electronic components on the second surface of the laminate body 14 (more details are described below). Each second pad 20 may have the same size and the same shape, such as circular, square, etc. The ring structure 22 is also formed on the second surface of the laminate body 14 and may surround the second pad 20. The copper pillars 12 are formed on the second surface of the laminate body 14 and surround the ring structure 22. Each copper pillar 12 is taller than the second pad 20 and the ring structure 22. In this document, the first and second surfaces of the laminate 14 are the top and bottom surfaces of the laminate 14, respectively.

[0036] Viewed in plan, the laminate 10 can be divided into multiple strips 24, with strip edges 26 separating the strips 24 from each other. For illustrative purposes, the laminate 10 includes 3x2 strips 24. In different applications, the laminate 10 may include fewer or more strips with different layout configurations. Each of the first pads 16, each of the second pads 20, each of the ring structure 22, and each of the copper pillars 12 is confined within the corresponding strip 24.

[0037] The laminate body 14 has a thickness of 100 μm to 400 μm and is formed of alternating layers of prepreg (PPG) and metal layers (not shown) in a vertical direction. The first pad 16 and the second pad 20 are formed of a metallic material such as copper. Each of the first pads 16 and the second pad 20 can be electrically connected to a corresponding metal layer (not shown) within the laminate body 14. Connection lines (not shown) can be formed on a first surface of the laminate body 14 to electrically connect certain first pads 16, and connection lines (not shown) can be formed on a second surface of the laminate body 14 to electrically connect certain second pads 20.

[0038] Each of the copper pillars 12 has a height of 100 μm to 150 μm and a diameter of 150 μm to 250 μm. In some embodiments, the copper pillars 12 may have varying heights due to the formation process of the copper pillars 12 (e.g., electrolytic copper plating). For example, the copper pillars 12 in the outer portion of the laminate 10 will be taller than the copper pillars 12 in the middle portion of the laminate 10. The height variation of the copper pillars can be 125 μm + / - 25 μm. For the purposes of this illustration, the first copper pillar 12-1, positioned near point A (i.e., near an outer edge of the laminate 10), is taller than the second copper pillar 12-2, positioned away from point A (i.e., away from the outer edge of the laminate 10).

[0039] The ring structure 22 is formed of a conductive material such as copper and is not electrically connected to any of the first pad 16, the second pad 20, the metal layer within the laminate body 14, or the copper pillar 12. The ring structure 22 is configured only to provide mechanical support to the laminate 10 in subsequent manufacturing steps (e.g., molding steps). Each of the ring structure 22 and the second pad 20 has substantially the same thickness.

[0040] In one embodiment, the ring structure 22 is continuous, such as... Figure 2A As shown in the figure. In one embodiment, the ring structure 22 has a broken configuration and is composed of a plurality of individual segments 28, as shown in the figure. Figure 2C As shown (for simplicity, only a portion of the laminate 10 including a strip 24 is shown). In one embodiment, as Figure 2D As shown, the ring structure 22 is omitted in the laminate 10 (for simplicity, only a portion of the laminate 10 including a strip 24 is shown). In different applications, the ring structure 22 can have different constructions and / or different shapes. In some cases, the ring structure 22 may not be a ring, but rather an arbitrary shape based on the application. Additionally, the ring structure 22 can be positioned in different regions within each strip 24 and does not need to surround the second pad 22. Regardless of the configuration of the ring structure 22 and / or its presence or absence, each of the second pads 20 is at a distance DD from its nearest copper pillar 12. This distance DD is at least 50 μm, or 50 μm to 200 μm.

[0041] Next, the laminate 10 with copper pillars 12 is placed on the support block 30 (step 104), as follows. Figure 3As shown. The support block 30 includes multiple cavities 32, and one or more cavities 32 may be present below each strip 24. Each cavity 32 is configured to accommodate one or more corresponding copper pillars 12. Due to cost and manufacturing complexity, each cavity 32 is typically formed to have the same depth D1, which is measured from the top surface of the support block 30 to the bottom surface of a cavity 32. As mentioned above, the copper pillars 12 can have varying heights due to the electroplating process (e.g., the first copper pillar 12-1 is taller than the second copper pillar 12-2). Therefore, in order to accommodate all copper pillars 12, it is desirable that the depth D1 of the cavity 32 is not less than the height of the tallest copper pillar 12. Otherwise, the taller copper pillars 12 may be compressed in subsequent manufacturing steps (e.g., molding steps), which will have side effects on the final product (e.g., deflection / deformation of the laminate 10, component interconnection failure).

[0042] However, if the depth D1 of cavity 32 can accommodate the taller copper pillar 12, the shorter copper pillar 12 will float in the corresponding cavity 32. In one embodiment, the support block 30 may further include a soft filler layer 34 at the bottom surface of each cavity 32 to compensate for height variations of the copper pillar 12. Herein, each copper pillar 12 will contact the corresponding soft filler layer 34. The soft filler layer 34 protects the taller copper pillar 12 (e.g., the first copper pillar 12-1) from deformation and supports the shorter copper pillar 12 (e.g., the second copper pillar 12-2) to prevent floating in the cavity 32. The cavity 32 with the soft filler layer 34, combined with the copper pillar 12, provides mechanical support to the laminate 10, maintaining the horizontal balance of the laminate 10 in subsequent molding steps and also preventing the laminate 10 from bending as it advances at high molding pressures. The soft filler layer 34 may be formed of a soft material that does not damage the copper pillar 12 under pressure, such as tape, rubber, silicone film, or any polymer material. The thickness of the soft filler layer 34 is less than the height of the shortest copper pillar 12, and the thickness can be from 25 μm to 100 μm.

[0043] Additionally, for each of the strips 24, the support block 30 includes at least one support platform 36 surrounded by the cavity 32. For illustrative purposes, for each of the strips 24, the support block 30 includes only one support platform 36. In different applications, for each of the strips 24, the support block 30 may include more support platforms. Hereinafter, the support platform 36 has a height H1, which is measured from the bottom of the cavity 32 to the top surface of the support platform 36. The height difference H2 between the top surface of the support platform 36 and the top surface of the support block 30 is substantially the same as the thickness of each second pad 20 / ring structure 22. For each of the strips 24, the second pad 20 and the ring structure 22 are confined within the support platform 36. Therefore, each second pad 20 and the ring structure 22 is in contact with the top surface of the support platform 36. The support platform 36, combined with the second pad 20 and the ring structure 22, provides mechanical support for the laminate 10, keeps the laminate 10 horizontally balanced in subsequent molding steps, and also prevents the laminate 10 from bending as it advances under high molding pressure.

[0044] Furthermore, the top surface of the support block 30 contacts the second surface of the laminating body 14 to provide further mechanical support to the laminate 10. The top surface of the support block 30, the top surface of each support platform 36, the bottom surface of each cavity 32, and the first and second surfaces of the laminating body 14 are substantially flat.

[0045] In some applications, the ring structure 22 is omitted. Regardless of the configuration of the ring structure 22 and / or its presence or absence, each of the second pads 20 is confined within its corresponding support 36. The sharp edges of the support 36 do not contact any of the second pads 20. Otherwise, pad damage could occur, leading to side effects such as non-wet defects and bump cracks in subsequent manufacturing steps (e.g., surface mount steps).

[0046] Alternatively, to eliminate the height variation of the copper pillar 12, an optional polishing step (optional step 104A) may be applied before placing the laminate 10 on the support block 30 (step 104), such as... Figure 4 As shown. After the grinding step, each ground copper pillar 12G has the same height H3 and a bottom surface at the same plane (e.g., the first ground copper pillar 12G-1 is ground from the first copper pillar 12-1, the second ground copper pillar 12G-2 is ground from the second copper pillar 12-2, and the first ground copper pillar 12G-1 and the second ground copper pillar 12G-2 have the same height H3). Then, the laminate 10 with the planarized copper pillars 12 is placed on the support block 30 (step 104), as shown. Figure 5AAs shown. In this document, the depth D1 of cavity 32 is substantially the same as the height H3 of the polished copper pillar 12G. Therefore, each polished copper pillar 12G contacts the bottom surface of the corresponding cavity 32 and the second surface of the laminate body 14. The cavity 32 combined with the polished copper pillar 12G provides mechanical support for the laminate 10, maintaining the horizontal balance of the laminate 10 in subsequent molding steps, and also preventing the laminate 10 from bending while advancing under high molding pressure.

[0047] In one embodiment, the support block 30 may further include one or more support pins 38 in each cavity 32, such as Figure 5B As shown in the diagram (for clarity, only one support pin is labeled with a reference numeral). One or more support pins 38 are positioned in a spare space within each cavity 32 (e.g., between a polished copper pillar 12G and the wall of each cavity 32). Each support pin 38 also has the same height H3 as the polished copper pillar 12G (i.e., substantially the same as the depth D1 of the cavity 32). Thus, each support pin 38 contacts the bottom surface of the corresponding cavity 32 and the second surface of the laminate body 14. The one or more support pins 38 in each cavity 32 provide additional mechanical support for the laminate 10, maintaining its horizontal balance during subsequent molding steps and also preventing it from bending as it advances under high molding pressure. The support pins 38 may be formed of a metal or a similar hard material. The support pins 38 may contact the PPG layer or a metal layer within the laminate body 14.

[0048] Typically, the bonding quality of electrical components on the laminate 10 depends on whether the laminate 10 is flat enough. To ensure the laminate 10 can be placed flat on the support block 30, vacuum holes 40 are formed below each strip 24 (step 106), as shown. Figure 6A and Figure 6B As shown in the image. Figure 6A It is a cross-sectional view of a portion of the laminate 10 along the dashed line A-A', which is a part of the support block 30. Figure 6B This is a bottom view of the support block 30. In this paper, the vacuum hole 40 is based on... Figure 3 The structure shown is not limited to this. The vacuum hole 40 can also be based on... Figure 5A and 5B The structure shown is formed.

[0049] For each strip 24, a vacuum hole 40 extends through the support block 30 to expose certain second pads 20 on the second surface of the laminate body 14. Herein, for the corresponding strip 24, the vacuum hole 40 is formed and confined within the support platform 36 and is capable of communicating with certain cavities 32 surrounding the support platform 36 (due to the vertical distance between the second surface of the laminate 10 and the top surface of the support platform 36). Therefore, when the vacuum hole 40 is evacuated, each cavity 32 below and confined within the corresponding strip 24 will also be evacuated. And thus, the laminate 10 will be flatly fixed to the support block 30, and the laminate 10 will not spring back when electrical components are mounted on it.

[0050] For illustrative purposes, the vacuum hole 40 is located at the center of each strip 24 and has a cylindrical shape. In different applications, the vacuum hole 40 may be located at random positions within the corresponding support 36 and may have different shapes, such as cubes, cuboids, triangular prisms, etc. It is desirable that the sharp edges of the vacuum hole 40 do not contact any of the second pads 20 to avoid pad damage in subsequent manufacturing steps (e.g., molding steps). If a ring structure 22 is present, the vacuum hole 40 may be confined within the ring structure 22. Additionally, for each strip 24, the vacuum hole 40 may not expose all of the second pads 20 and may be smaller than electrical components subsequently mounted on the second pads 20.

[0051] Next, a vacuuming step (step 108) is performed on each strip 24 to evacuate each vacuum hole 40 and cavity 32. For each strip 24, once the laminate 10 is flatly fixed to the support block 30, one or more first components 42 are mounted to the first pad 16 on the first surface of the laminate body 14 (step 110), as... Figure 7 As shown. For the purposes of this illustration, one or more first components 42 include a first surface mount device (SMD) 42-1, a second SMD 42-2, a first flip chip die 42-3 with die copper pillars, and a second flip chip die 42-4 with die solder balls. Each first component 42 is confined within a corresponding strip 24. In different applications, fewer or more first components 42 may be mounted on the first surface of the laminate body 14. The first components 42 may be other electrical components, such as filters, silicon (Si) devices, power amplifiers (PAs), and passive components. The first components 42 are mounted to the first pad 16 with or without adhesive. The first components 42 may also be electrically connected to corresponding metal layers (not shown) within the laminate body 14. Because air is drawn through the vacuum hole 40, the laminate 10 will not spring back when the first components 42 are mounted.

[0052] Next, the first molding compound 46 is applied over the first surface of the laminate 14 to provide a one-sided molding precursor 48 (step 112), as follows. Figure 8 As shown in the diagram, a first molding compound 46 encapsulates each first component 42. The first molding compound 46 may be an organic epoxy resin system, etc., and can be applied through various procedures such as sheet molding, overmolding, compression molding, transfer molding, plate filling encapsulation, or screen printing encapsulation. In a typical molding step (e.g., compression molding), the molding pressure used to apply the first molding compound 46 is 100 psi to 1000 psi.

[0053] In this document, if the support block 30 includes a soft filler layer 34 at the bottom surface of each cavity 32 to compensate for changes in the height of the copper pillar 12, then no copper pillar 12 will float within the cavity 32. Therefore, the support block 30, combined with the copper pillar 12, provides mechanical support to the laminate 10 during the molding process, and thus prevents deformation of the laminate 10, cracking of the first component 42, or connection failure of the first component 42.

[0054] Alternatively, if each copper pillar 12 has the same height (e.g., after applying optional polishing step 104A), each copper pillar 12 can be located on the bottom surface of the corresponding cavity 32, and the laminate body 14 will be located on the top surface of the support block 30. Thus, during the molding step, the support block 30 combined with the copper pillars 12 provides mechanical support to the laminate 10 without causing deformation of the laminate 10, cracking of the first component 42, or connection failure of the first component 42. Additionally, if the support block 30 further includes support pins 38 in each cavity 32, the support pins 38 will provide additional support to the laminate 10. The first molding compound 46 is then cured using a curing process (not shown). The curing temperature is from 100°C to 320°C, depending on the material used as the first molding compound 46. A planarization process can also be applied to planarize the top surface of the first molding compound 46 (not shown).

[0055] Then remove the support block 30 and flip the single-sided molding front body 48 (step 114), as shown. Figure 9 As shown in the diagram, the second surface of the laminate body 14, and the copper pillars 12, the second pad 20, and the ring structure 22 on the second surface of the laminate body 14 are exposed. Next, at least one second component 50 is mounted to the exposed second pad 20 on the second surface of the laminate body 14 (step 116), as shown. Figure 10As shown in the illustration. For the purposes of this illustration, at least one second component 50 comprises a flip-chip die with die solder balls. In various applications, more second components 40 may be present mounted on the second surface of the laminate body 14. At least one second component 50 may be one of other electrical components, such as a filter, low-noise amplifier (LNA), passive component, integrated passive device (IPD), PA, Si cap, controller, and antenna switch (ASW). At least one second component 50 is confined within a corresponding strip 24. At least one second component 50 is mounted to the exposed second pad 20 with or without adhesive. At least one second component 50 may be electrically connected to the first component 42 via a corresponding metal layer (not shown) within the laminate body 14. In one embodiment, each copper pillar 12 may extend vertically beyond the back side of at least one second component 50 (i.e., each copper pillar 12 may be taller than at least one second component 50, not shown). In one embodiment, each copper pillar 12 does not extend vertically beyond the back side of at least one second component 50, but rather extends vertically beyond the active device region of at least one second component 50.

[0056] like Figure 11 As shown, a second molding compound 52 is applied over a second surface of the laminate 14 to provide a double-sided molded package 54 (step 118). The second molding compound 52 encapsulates at least one second component 50, each copper pillar 12, and ring structure 22 (if present). The second molding compound 52 may be an organic epoxy resin system, etc., and may be formed from the same or different materials as the first molding compound 46. The second molding compound 52 can be applied through various processes such as sheet molding, overmolding, compression molding, transfer molding, platen filling encapsulation, or screen printing encapsulation. In this document, the planarized first molding compound 46 provides mechanical support to the laminate 10 such that during the second molding step, the laminate 10 does not undergo vertical deformation, the second component 50 does not experience core cracking, and the second component 50 does not experience connection failure.

[0057] Figure 12Further polishing steps (step 120) of the second molding compound 52 of the double-sided molded package 54 are shown. The second molding compound 52 is polished until each copper pillar 12 is exposed. If each copper pillar 12 is higher than at least one second component 50, at least one second component 50 remains fully encapsulated by the polished (not shown) second molding compound 52. If some copper pillars 12 are lower than at least one second component 50, a portion of at least one second component 50 (e.g., a die substrate) can be polished to expose each copper pillar 12. Since each copper pillar 12 always extends vertically beyond the active device region of at least one second component 50, the polishing process will not affect the active device region of at least one second component 50. In some applications, an additional metal pad 58 is formed above the exposed surface of each copper pillar 12.

[0058] Then, the double-sided molded package 54 is cut into individual double-sided molded modules 56 (step 122), as follows: Figure 13 As shown. The strip edge 26 of the laminate 10 may not be included in the final individual double-sided molding module 56. Each individual double-sided molding module 56 includes one or more first components 42, a first molding compound 46, at least one second component 50, a second molding compound 52, and a portion of the laminate 10 within the corresponding strip 24. Since the copper pillars 12 are connected to the first components 42 and / or the second components 50, the copper pillars 12 also help to conduct heat generated from the first components 42 and / or the second components 50. Since the height of each copper pillar 12 is only 100 μm to 150 μm, the thickness of the double-sided molding module 56 can be less than 0.7 mm.

[0059] Based on the aspects disclosed herein, systems and methods can be provided for implementing surface mount / wire bonding processes and molding processes for manufacturing double-sided molded modules in the manufacture of any processor-based device without deformation, die cracking, or component interconnect failures. Examples include, but are not limited to, set-top boxes, entertainment units, navigation devices, communication devices, fixed location data units, mobile location data units, Global Positioning System (GPS) devices, mobile phones, cellular phones, smartphones, Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) phones, tablet computers, phablets, servers, computers, portable computers, mobile computing devices, wearable computing devices (e.g., smartwatches, health or fitness trackers, glasses, etc.), desktop computers, personal digital assistants (PDAs), monitors, computer monitors, televisions, tuners, radios, satellite radios, music players, digital music players, portable music players, digital video players, video players, digital video disc (DVD) players, portable digital video players, automobiles, vehicle components, avionics systems, unmanned aerial vehicles, and multi-rotor helicopters.

[0060] refer toFigure 14 The concepts described above can be used to manufacture various types of communication devices 100, such as those listed in the previous paragraph. Communication device 100 will typically include a control system 102, a baseband processor 104, a transmitting circuit system 106, a receiving circuit system 108, an antenna switching circuit system 110, multiple antennas 112, and a user interface circuit system 114. In this document, at least one or any combination of the control system 102, baseband processor 104, transmitting circuit system 106, and receiving circuit system 108 can be implemented using the aforementioned manufacturing process. Figure 13 In the double-sided molding module 56 shown (e.g., implemented in the first flip chip die 42-3, the second flip chip 42-4 and / or the flip chip die 50).

[0061] In a non-limiting example, the control system 102 may be a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) or an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC). In this regard, the control system 102 may include at least a microprocessor, embedded memory circuitry, and a communication bus interface. The receiving circuitry system 108 receives radio frequency signals from one or more base stations via antenna 112 and antenna switching circuitry system 110. Low-noise amplifiers and filters in the receiving circuitry system 108 cooperate to amplify and eliminate broadband interference from the received signal for processing. Then, a down-conversion and digitization circuitry system (not shown) down-converts the filtered received signal to an intermediate or baseband frequency signal, and then digitizes it into one or more digital streams using one or more analog-to-digital converters (ADCs).

[0062] The baseband processor 104 processes the digitized received signal to extract the information or data bits transmitted in the received signal. This processing typically includes demodulation, decoding, and error correction operations, as will be discussed in more detail below. The baseband processor 104 is typically implemented in one or more digital signal processors (DSPs) and ASICs.

[0063] For transmission, baseband processor 104 receives digitized data representing voice, data, or control information from control system 102, and encodes the digitized data for transmission. The encoded data is output to transmit circuitry system 106, where a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) converts the digitally encoded data into an analog signal, and a modulator modulates the analog signal onto a carrier signal at one or more desired transmit frequencies. A power amplifier amplifies the modulated carrier signal to a level suitable for transmission, and the modulated carrier signal is passed to antenna 112 via antenna switching circuitry system 110. Multiple antennas 112 and replicated transmit circuitry system 106 and receive circuitry system 108 can provide spatial diversity. Those skilled in the art will understand the modulation and processing details.

[0064] It is conceivable that any of the foregoing aspects, and / or the various individual aspects and features described herein, can be combined to obtain additional advantages. Unless otherwise indicated herein, any of the various embodiments disclosed herein may be combined with one or more other disclosed embodiments.

[0065] Those skilled in the art will understand improvements and modifications to the preferred embodiments of this disclosure. All such improvements and modifications are considered to be within the scope of the concepts disclosed herein and the claims below.

Claims

1. A method comprising: ● A laminate is provided, the laminate comprising a laminate body, a first pad on a first surface of the laminate body, a second pad on a second surface of the laminate body, and copper pillars surrounding the second pad and on the second surface of the laminate body, wherein: ● Each of the second pads has the same thickness, while the copper pillar is taller than each of the second pads and has a varying height; ● In the horizontal direction, the laminate includes a plurality of strips, and each of the first pads, each of the second pads, and each of the copper pillars is confined within a corresponding strip; as well as ● Place the laminate on the support block, wherein: ●The support block has a top surface that contacts the second surface of the laminate body, and includes one or more cavities below each of the strips of the laminate for receiving one or more corresponding copper pillars of the laminate, wherein the depth of each of the one or more cavities is not less than the height of any of the copper pillars. ●The support block further includes a support platform surrounded by the one or more cavities for each of the strips, wherein the top surface of the support platform is lower than the top surface of the support block and has a vertical distance from the second surface of the laminate body to accommodate the second pad.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein: ●The one or more cavities have the same depth; and ●The support block further includes a soft filler layer at the bottom surface of each of the one or more cavities to compensate for the height variation of the copper pillars, such that each of the copper pillars is in contact with the soft filler layer.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising grinding the copper pillars to have the same height before placing the laminate on the support block, wherein: ●The one or more cavities have the same depth; and ● After the laminate is placed on the support block, each of the copper pillars contacts the bottom surface of the corresponding cavity in one of the one or more cavities.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the support block further comprises a support pin in each of the one or more cavities, wherein each support pin has the same height as the ground copper pillar and extends directly between the second surface of the laminated body and the bottom surface of the corresponding cavity in the one or more cavities.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein for each of the strips, the laminate further includes a ring structure on the second surface of the laminate body, wherein ● For each of the strips, the ring structure is surrounded by a corresponding copper pillar among the copper pillars; ● The ring structure has the same thickness as each of the second pads and is vertically positioned between the second surface of the laminate and the top surface of the support platform; and ● The vertical distance difference between the top surface of the support platform and the second surface of the laminated body is substantially the same as the thickness of the ring structure.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein: ●The ring structure surrounds the corresponding second pad in the second pad for each of the strips and has a continuous ring shape; and ●The ring structure is not electrically connected to the first pad, the second pad, or the copper pillar.

7. The method according to claim 5, wherein: ● For each of the strips, the loop structure surrounds the corresponding second pad in the second pad; ●The ring structure has a fractured configuration and is composed of multiple individual segments; and ●The ring structure is not electrically connected to the first pad, the second pad, or the copper pillar.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising: ● After the laminate is placed on the support block, a vacuum hole is formed under each strip in the strip, wherein: ● For each of the strips, the vacuum hole extends through the support block to expose certain second pads in the second pad; and ● The vacuum hole is formed and confined within the support platform for a corresponding strip of the strips, and is capable of communicating with one or more cavities below the corresponding strip of the strips; and ● Vacuum each of the strips to empty the vacuum holes and one or more cavities.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein: ●The one or more cavities of the support block have the same depth; and ●The support block further includes a soft filler layer at the bottom surface of each of the one or more cavities to compensate for the height variation of the copper pillars, such that each of the copper pillars is in contact with the soft filler layer.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising grinding the copper pillars to have the same height before placing the laminate on the support block, wherein: ●The one or more cavities have the same depth; and ● After the laminate is placed on the support block, each of the copper pillars contacts the bottom surface of the corresponding cavity in one of the one or more cavities.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the support block further comprises a support pin in each of the one or more cavities, wherein each support pin has the same height as the ground copper pillar, such that each support pin extends between the second surface of the laminated body and the bottom surface of the corresponding cavity in the one or more cavities for mechanical support.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein for each of the strips, the laminate further includes a ring structure on the second surface of the laminate body, wherein: ● For each of the strips, the ring structure is surrounded by a corresponding copper pillar among the copper pillars; ● The ring structure has the same thickness as each of the second pads and is vertically positioned between the second surface of the laminate and the top surface of the support platform; and ● The vertical distance difference between the top surface of the support platform and the second surface of the laminated body is substantially the same as the thickness of the ring structure.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein: ●The ring structure surrounds the corresponding second pad in the second pad for each of the strips and has a continuous ring shape; and ●The ring structure is not electrically connected to the first pad, the second pad, or the copper pillar.

14. The method according to claim 12, wherein: ● For each of the strips, the loop structure surrounds the corresponding second pad in the second pad; ●The ring structure has a fractured configuration and is composed of multiple individual segments; and ●The ring structure is not electrically connected to the first pad, the second pad, or the copper pillar.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising grinding the copper pillars to have the same height before placing the laminate on the support block, wherein: ●The one or more cavities have the same depth; and ● After the laminate is placed on the support block, each of the copper pillars contacts the bottom surface of the corresponding cavity in one of the one or more cavities.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the support block further comprises a support pin in each of the one or more cavities, wherein each support pin has the same height as the ground copper pillar, such that each support pin extends between the second surface of the laminated body and the bottom surface of the corresponding cavity in the one or more cavities for mechanical support.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein: ●The one or more cavities of the support block have the same depth; and ●The support block further includes a soft filler layer at the bottom surface of each of the one or more cavities to compensate for the height variation of the copper pillars, such that each of the copper pillars is in contact with the soft filler layer.

18. The method of claim 8, further comprising, after performing the vacuuming, mounting one or more first components onto the first pad on the first surface of the laminated body.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising, after mounting the one or more first components to the first pad, applying a first molding compound over the first surface of the laminated body to encapsulate the one or more first components.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising: ●After applying the first molding compound, remove the support block; and ● Mount one or more second components onto the second pad on the second surface of the laminate body.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising, after mounting the one or more second components to the second pad, applying a second molding compound over the second surface of the laminate to encapsulate the one or more second components and each of the copper pillars.

22. The method of claim 22, further comprising polishing the second molding compound until each of the copper pillars is exposed.

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