Electronic device

Abstract

An electronic device is provided. The electronic device includes a carrier, a first guide structure, and a first optical channel. The carrier has an upper surface. The first guide structure is supported by the carrier and has a side surface extending away from the upper surface in a first direction that is not parallel to the upper surface. The first optical channel is supported by the carrier and the side surface of the first guide structure. The first optical channel includes an end configured to receive or transmit an optical signal in the first direction.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure generally relates to an electronic device. Background Technology

[0002] Typically, photonic components are optically coupled to optical fibers via edge coupling between the fiber and a waveguide exposed at the edge of the photonic component. Therefore, it is difficult to perform optoelectronic inspections on wafer-level photonic structures, which can be performed from above rather than from the edges of the wafer-level photonic structure, unless a single-cutter operation is performed to expose the waveguide from the edge of the single-cutter photonic structure. However, such processes can increase processing time and cost. Summary of the Invention

[0003] In one or more arrangements, an electronic device includes a carrier, a first guiding structure, and a first optical channel. The carrier has an upper surface. The first guiding structure is supported by the carrier and has side surfaces extending away from the upper surface in a first direction not parallel to the upper surface. The first optical channel is supported by the carrier and the side surfaces of the first guiding structure. The first optical channel includes an end portion configured to receive or transmit optical signals in the first direction.

[0004] In one or more arrangements, an electronic device includes a carrier, a plurality of guiding structures, and a plurality of optical channels. The carrier has an upper surface. The guiding structures are supported by the carrier and have a plurality of side surfaces that are not parallel to the upper surface. The optical channels extend along the plurality of side surfaces of the plurality of guiding structures and are configured to receive or transmit a plurality of optical signals. The plurality of guiding structures are configured to switch the transmission of the plurality of optical signals from a first direction to a second direction different from the first direction.

[0005] In one or more arrangements, an electronic device includes a first guiding structure, a first optical channel, a second guiding structure, and a second optical channel. The first guiding structure includes a first inclined surface. The first optical channel extends along the first inclined surface of the first guiding structure. The second guiding structure includes a second inclined surface and is located at a different height from the first guiding structure. The second optical channel extends along the second inclined surface of the second guiding structure. Attached Figure Description

[0006] The aspects of this disclosure are better understood from the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that the various features may not be drawn to scale, and the dimensions of the various features may be arbitrarily increased or decreased for clarity of discussion.

[0007] Figure 1A It is a cross-section of an electronic device arranged according to some of the present disclosure.

[0008] Figure 1B This is a top view of an electronic device arranged according to some of the present disclosure.

[0009] Figure 1C It is a cross-section of an electronic device arranged according to some of the present disclosure.

[0010] Figure 2A It is a cross-section of a portion of an electronic device arranged according to some of the present disclosure.

[0011] Figure 2B It is a cross-section of a portion of an electronic device arranged according to some of the present disclosure.

[0012] Figure 2C It is a cross-section of a portion of an electronic device arranged according to some of the present disclosure.

[0013] Figure 2D It is a cross-section of a portion of an electronic device arranged according to some of the present disclosure.

[0014] Figure 3A It is a cross-section of an electronic device arranged according to some of the present disclosure.

[0015] Figure 3B This is a top view of an electronic device arranged according to some of the present disclosure.

[0016] Figure 3C It is a cross-section of an electronic device arranged according to some of the present disclosure.

[0017] Figure 4A It is a cross-section of an electronic device arranged according to some of the present disclosure.

[0018] Figure 4B This is a top view of an electronic device arranged according to some of the present disclosure.

[0019] Figure 4C It is a cross-section of an electronic device arranged according to some of the present disclosure.

[0020] Figure 4D It is a cross-section of an electronic device arranged according to some of the present disclosure.

[0021] Figure 5A It is a cross-section of an electronic device arranged according to some of the present disclosure.

[0022] Figure 5B This is a top view of an electronic device arranged according to some of the present disclosure.

[0023] Figure 5C It is a cross-section of an electronic device arranged according to some of the present disclosure.

[0024] Figure 5DIt is a cross-section of an electronic device arranged according to some of the present disclosure.

[0025] Figure 6A This is a top view illustrating one or more stages of an exemplary method for manufacturing an electronic device according to some arrangements of this disclosure.

[0026] Figure 6B This is a cross section illustrating one or more stages of an exemplary method for manufacturing an electronic device according to some arrangements of the present disclosure.

[0027] Figures 7A to 7H This describes the various stages of an exemplary method for manufacturing an electronic device according to some arrangements of the present disclosure.

[0028] Common reference numerals are used throughout the drawings and detailed description to indicate the same or similar elements. This disclosure will become more apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Detailed Implementation

[0029] Figure 1A It is a cross-section of an electronic device 1 arranged according to some of the present disclosure. Figure 1B It is a cross-section of an electronic device 1 arranged according to some of the present disclosure. Figure 1C This is a cross-section of an electronic device 1 according to some arrangements of this disclosure. In some arrangements, Figure 1A Display along Figure 1B The cross section intercepted by line 1A-1A' in the middle, and Figure 1C It is along Figure 1B The cross-section of line 1C-1C' in the diagram. Electronic device 1 may include substrate 10, conductive line 110w, photonic component 20, electronic components 30 and 50, guiding structure 41-48, optical guide 60, optical component 70, electrical contact 81, adhesive element 83, and connecting elements 85 and 91.

[0030] Substrate 10 can support photonic component 20 and electronic component 30. Substrate 10 may comprise, for example, a printed circuit board, such as a paper-based copper foil laminate, a composite copper foil laminate, or a polymer-impregnated glass fiber-based copper foil laminate. Substrate 10 may include interconnect structures, such as multiple conductive traces and / or multiple conductive vias. In some arrangements, substrate 10 comprises a ceramic material, a metal plate, an organic substrate, or a lead frame. In some arrangements, substrate 10 may comprise two substrate layers, the two substrate layers comprising a core layer and conductive material and / or structures disposed on the upper and lower surfaces of substrate 10. The conductive material and / or structures may comprise multiple conductive traces.

[0031] Substrate 10 may have a surface 101 (also referred to as a top surface or upper surface) and a surface 102 opposite to surface 101 (also referred to as a bottom surface or lower surface). In some arrangements, substrate 10 includes conductive pads 110 and 120, a conductive layer 130 (or conductive trace), a conductive via 140, and a dielectric structure 150. Dielectric structure 150 may include multiple dielectric layers. In some arrangements, conductive layer 130 and conductive via 140 electrically connected to conductive layer 130 and conductive pads 110 and 120 are within the dielectric layers of dielectric structure 150. Conductive pads 110 and 120, conductive layer 130, and conductive via 140 may independently comprise a conductive material such as a metal or metal alloy. Examples include gold (Au), silver (Ag), aluminum (Al), copper (Cu), or alloys thereof. The dielectric structure 150 may contain, for example, one or more organic materials (e.g., phosphoric anhydride (PA), polyimide (PI), polybenzoxazole (PBO), epoxy resin and epoxy-based materials) or one or more inorganic materials (e.g., silicon oxide, silicon nitride, glass and ceramics).

[0032] Photonic component 20 may be disposed above substrate 10. In some arrangements, photonic component 20 is configured to provide photoelectric conversion. In some arrangements, photonic component 20 is configured to transmit at least an optical signal L1 (or modulate an optical signal L1). In some arrangements, photonic component 20 is configured to provide photoelectric conversion of at least the optical signal L1 (or modulate an optical signal L1). Photonic component 20 may include a photonic integrated circuit (PIC), a laser diode, a receiver, a waveguide, a photodetector, a photodiode, a semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA), a grating coupler, an optical fiber coupling structure, an optical modulator (e.g., a Mach-Zehnder modulator or a microring modulator), or a combination thereof. In some arrangements, photonic component 20 supports guiding structures 41-48. Photonic component 20 may be referred to as a carrier.

[0033] In some arrangements, the photonic assembly 20 includes a circuit layer 210, conductive elements 211, conductive pads 212 and 213, a dielectric structure 220d, and one or more optical channels (e.g., optical channels 221, 222, 223, 224, 225, 226, 227, and 228). The circuit layer 210 may include combinations of photonic devices, such as a PIC, a photodetector, a photodiode, an SOA, an optical modulator, or combinations thereof. The conductive elements 211 may include conductive traces and / or conductive vias electrically connecting the circuit layer 210 to the conductive pads 212 and 213. The dielectric structure 220d may include multiple dielectric layers, such as silicon oxide, silicon nitride, etc. Each of the optical channels may include a core layer and a cladding layer covering the core layer. For example, optical channel 221 includes a core layer 221c and a cladding layer covering the core layer 221c (e.g., dielectric structure 220d). In some arrangements, optical channels 221-228 (or the core layer of optical channels 221-228) are or contain optical waveguides.

[0034] The photonic component 20 may have surfaces 201 and 201a (also referred to as top surface or upper surface) and surface 202 (also referred to as bottom surface or lower surface) opposite to surface 201.

[0035] Conductive lines 110w may be disposed above substrate 10 and electrically connect photonic component 20 to substrate 10. In some arrangements, conductive lines 110w electrically connect conductive pads 213 to conductive pads 110. Circuit layer 210 may be configured to receive electrical signals from electronic component 50 through substrate 10 and conductive lines 110w. In some arrangements, photonic component 20 of electronic device 1 may include one or more conductive vias (e.g., as shown in the image) electrically connecting circuit layer 210 to substrate 10. Figure 3A The conductive via 20V is shown. The conductive via can penetrate the photonic component 20. The conductive via may be or contain a through-silicon via (TSV).

[0036] Electronic component 30 may be disposed above substrate 10. In some arrangements, electronic component 30 is disposed above and electrically connected to photonic component 20. In some arrangements, electronic component 30 is configured to control the modulation of at least optical signal L1. In some arrangements, electronic component 30 is configured to amplify electrical signals. In some arrangements, electronic component 30 is configured to amplify electrical signals received from photonic component 20, such as a photodetector of photonic component 20. Electronic component 30 may include an electronic integrated circuit (EIC), which may be or include a modulator driver (DRV), a transimpedance amplifier (TIA), or a combination thereof.

[0037] In some arrangements, electronic component 30 includes conductive pads 310 exposed by or disposed on the active surface of electronic component 30. In some arrangements, electronic component 30 is electrically connected to photonic component 20 via connection element 91. In some arrangements, conductive pads 310 are electrically connected to conductive pads 212 via connection element 91, and protective element 91u further encapsulates connection element 91. Connection element 91 may be or include conductive bumps, such as solder bumps. Protective element 91u may be or include underfill.

[0038] Guiding structures 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, and 48 may be supported by photonic component 20 (or carrier). Guiding structures 41-48 may be supported by photonic component 20 and have multiple side surfaces that are not parallel to surface 201a. Optical channels 221-228 may extend along the side surfaces of guiding structures 41-48 and are configured to receive or transmit multiple optical signals. Guiding structures 41-48 may be configured to switch the transmission of multiple optical signals from a first direction to a second direction different from the first direction. For example, one or more of the multiple guiding structures 41-48 may be configured to switch the transmission of one or more of the multiple optical signals from a direction DR1 that is substantially parallel to surface 201a to a direction DR2A that is not parallel to surface 201a.

[0039] In some arrangements, refer to Figure 1A The guiding structure 41 is supported by the photonic component 20. The guiding structure 41 may have a top surface 411 (or upper surface), a bottom surface 412 (or lower surface), and side surfaces 413 and 414 (or side surfaces). In some arrangements, the side surface 413 extends away from the surface 201a (or upper surface) of the photonic component 20 in a direction DR2A that is not parallel to the surface 201a. In some arrangements, the side surface 413 may be referred to as an inclined surface. In some arrangements, the angle formed by the side surface 413 and the surface 412 may be greater than 45° and less than 90°. In some arrangements, the angle formed by the side surface 413 and the surface 412 may be about 70° to about 80°.

[0040] In some arrangements, refer to Figure 1AThe optical channel 221 is supported by the photonic component 20 and the side surface 413 of the guiding structure 41. In some arrangements, the optical channel 221 extends along the side surface 413 of the guiding structure 41. In some arrangements, the surface 411 (or upper surface) of the guiding structure 41 is exposed by the optical channel 221. In some arrangements, the optical channel 221 includes an end portion 221a configured to receive or transmit an optical signal L1 in the direction DR2A. In some arrangements, the end portion 221a of the optical channel 221 is at a height higher than the surface 201a of the photonic component 20 relative to the side surface 413 of the guiding structure 41. In some arrangements, the end portion 221a of the optical channel 221 is at a height higher than the surface 411 (or top surface) of the guiding structure 41 relative to the surface 201a of the photonic component 20 relative to the surface 411 of the guiding structure 41. In some arrangements, the core layer 221c is spaced apart from the side surface 413 of the guiding structure 41 by a cladding layer (e.g., a portion of the dielectric structure 220d). In some arrangements, the core layer 221c may be or comprise a high-refractive-index material, such as polyimide (PI) or a positive photoresist. In some arrangements, the dielectric structure 220d may be or comprise a low-refractive-index material, such as silicon oxide. The refractive index of the core layer 221c may be at least 0.1 greater than the refractive index of the cladding (e.g., a portion of the dielectric structure 220d).

[0041] In some arrangements, refer to Figure 1A and Figure 1B The guiding structures 41-48 are supported by the photonic component 20 (or carrier). In some arrangements, optical channels 221-228 are supported by the photonic component 20 and the guiding structures 41-48, respectively. In some arrangements, the electronic component 30 overlaps with at least two of the guiding structures 41-48 in a direction DR1 substantially parallel to the surface 201a of the photonic component 20. In some arrangements, at least some of the guiding structures 41-48 are arranged in a row R1 and at substantially the same height.

[0042] refer to Figure 1A and Figure 1BEach of the guiding structures 41-48 may have a side surface extending away from surface 201a in a direction non-parallel to surface 201a (e.g., direction DR2A). Each of the plurality of upper surfaces of the guiding structures 41-48 may be exposed by a corresponding one of the optical channels 221-228. Each of the optical channels 221-228 may include an end (e.g., ends 221a, 221a, 223a, 224a, 225a, 226a, 227a, and 228a) configured to receive or transmit optical signals in a direction non-parallel to surface 201a (e.g., direction DR2A). Each of the ends 221a-228a of the optical channels 221-228 may be at a height higher than the height of the side surface of the corresponding one of the guiding structures 41-48 relative to surface 201a of the photonic assembly 20.

[0043] In some arrangements, refer to Figure 1B The end 221a of optical channel 221 overlaps with at least one of the ends 222a-228a of optical channels 222-228 in a direction DR3 that is substantially parallel to the surface 201a of photonic component 20. In some arrangements, direction DR1 is not parallel to direction DR3.

[0044] Electronic component 50 may be disposed above and electrically connected to substrate 10. In some arrangements, electronic component 50 is electrically connected to substrate 10 via connection element 85. Electronic component 50 may be a chip or die comprising a semiconductor substrate, one or more integrated circuit devices, and one or more overlay interconnect structures thereon. Integrated circuit devices may comprise active devices such as transistors, and / or passive devices such as resistors, capacitors, inductors, or combinations thereof. In some arrangements, electronic component 50 may be or comprise processing components such as ASICs, FPGAs, GPUs, or combinations thereof. Connection element 85 may be or comprise conductive bumps, such as solder bumps.

[0045] The optical guide 60 can be positioned above the guide structures 41-48. In some arrangements, refer to... Figure 1A and Figure 1B The optical guide 60 includes or defines one or more lenses 60L. Lens 60L may be a convex lens. The surface of lens 60L may be coated with an ARC layer. In some arrangements, cavity 60C may be defined by a substantially planar top surface (e.g., surface 602 opposite the surface of lens 60L). In some arrangements, the optical guide 60 includes one or more cavities 60C directly below the corresponding one or more lenses 60L. In some arrangements, each of the guide structures 41-48 is positioned in each of the plurality of cavities 60C and directly below each of the plurality of lenses 60L. In some arrangements, reference... Figure 1AThe beam size of the optical signal L1 transmitted from optical channel 221 can be expanded, and lens 60L is configured to collimate the optical signal L1. In some arrangements, reference... Figure 1A and Figure 1B Each of the plurality of lenses 60L collimates each of the optical signals transmitted from each of the optical channels 221-228. In some arrangements, the optical guide 60 is attached or connected to the photonic assembly 20 via an adhesive element 61. Viewed in cross-section, the adhesive element 61 may comprise portions 61a and 61b of different thicknesses. The adhesive element 61 may comprise a UV-curable gel. The UV-curable gel may be an optical gel transparent to the optical signals.

[0046] Optical component 70 can be optically coupled to one or more optical channels (e.g., optical channels 221-228). In some arrangements, refer to... Figure 1A and Figure 1B Optical component 70 is optically coupled to photonic component 20 via optical channels 221-228. In some arrangements, optical component 70 is configured to optically couple one or more optical signals (e.g., optical signal L1) to or from optical channels 221-228. Optical component 70 may be or include a fiber array unit (FAU).

[0047] In some arrangements, refer to Figure 1A and Figure 1B The optical component 70 includes one or more optical fibers 72, a reflector 73, and lenses 741-748. In some arrangements, the optical fiber 72 is positioned above the photonic component 20. In some arrangements, the reflector 73 is configured to reflect one or more optical signals (e.g., optical signal L1) toward or from the optical fiber 72. In some arrangements, lenses 741-748 are positioned between the optical fiber 72 and the reflector 73. The reflector 73 may be or include a metallic layer or an anti-reflective coating (ARC). In some arrangements, reference... Figure 1A The optical signal L1 transmitted from optical channel 221 can have its transmission direction switched from direction DR1 to direction DR2A, which is not parallel to surface 201a, and the beam size of the optical signal L1 transmitted from optical channel 221 can be expanded, and then collimated by lens 60L of optical guide 60. Next, the collimated optical signal L1 can be reflected by reflector 73 to switch the transmission direction from direction DR2A to a direction different from direction DR2A (e.g., direction DR1). Next, the optical signal L1 can then pass through lens 741 to converge its beam size, thereby generating a focused optical signal L1 to be received by optical fiber 72.

[0048] Electrical contacts 81 may be disposed on surface 102. In some arrangements, electrical contacts 81 are electrically connected to conductive pads 120 of substrate 10. In some arrangements, electrical contacts 81 include solder elements or solder balls, such as controlled collapse chip interconnect (C4) bumps, ball grid arrays (BGAs), or planar grid arrays (LGAs).

[0049] An adhesive element 83 may be disposed between the photonic assembly 20 and the substrate 10. In some arrangements, the adhesive element 83 attaches the photonic assembly 20 to the surface 101 of the substrate 10. The adhesive element 83 may be or include a die attachment film (DAF).

[0050] In some arrangements, refer to Figure 1C Each of the optical channels 221-228 includes a core layer (e.g., core layers 221c, 222c, 223c, 224c, 225c, 226c, 227c, and 228c). In some arrangements, a dielectric structure 220d serves as a shared cladding for the core layers 221c-228c of the optical channels 221-228. The core layers 221c-228c may be at the same height. The dielectric structure 220d may include a bottom dielectric layer on which the core layers 221c-228c are formed and a top dielectric layer covering the core layers 221c-228c.

[0051] According to some arrangements of this disclosure, by utilizing the arrangement of optical channels extending along the side surface of the guide structure, optical signals can be switched from transmission in a horizontal direction (e.g., direction DR1) to another direction (e.g., direction DR2) that is not parallel to the horizontal direction. Optoelectronic inspection by the optical component 70 can be performed prior to the single-cut operation. Therefore, single-cut units that pass inspection (e.g., photonic components 20 on which electronic components 30 are mounted) can be further connected to the substrate 10 to form the electronic device 1, and single-cut units that fail inspection (e.g., photonic components 20 on which electronic components 30 are mounted) can be discarded or reprocessed. Thus, single-cut units considered only as "known qualified dies" can be used to form the electronic device 1. Therefore, if the photonic components 20 of a single-cut unit are determined to have failed inspection after single-cutting, the manufacturing process of the electronic device 1 can be simplified without requiring reprocessing, and costs can be reduced.

[0052] Furthermore, according to some arrangements of this disclosure, by utilizing the arrangement of the guiding structure that guides the transmission direction of the optical channel, the electronic device 1 or the wafer-level photonic structure does not contain a grating coupler, but can instead act as a non-horizontal coupler to guide optical signals upward from the photonic component 20. Therefore, unlike wavelength-sensitive grating couplers, optical signals of various wavelengths can be optically coupled from the photonic component 20 to the optical component 70. Thus, the guiding structure having an optical channel extending along the slope (e.g., side surface 413) of the guiding structure can support optical transmission over a relatively large wavelength range.

[0053] Furthermore, according to some arrangements of this disclosure, the beam size of the optical signals from the optical channel can be expanded until they reach the guide structure, which can then be arranged with an optical guide 60 (e.g., a lens 60L) to collimate the optical signals. Therefore, the tolerance for optical coupling can be increased.

[0054] Furthermore, according to some arrangements of this disclosure, the end of the optical channel can be positioned at a height higher than the top surface of the guiding structure. Therefore, obstruction or interference with the optical signal can be prevented, thereby improving optical transmission efficiency.

[0055] Figure 2A This is a cross-section of a portion of an electronic device according to some arrangements of this disclosure. In some arrangements, Figure 2A exhibit Figure 1A-1C The cross-section of part 2 of the electronic device 1.

[0056] In some arrangements, the optical channel 221 has an end 221a that does not overlap with the surface 411 of the guide structure 41. In some arrangements, the end 221a is defined by end surfaces 220d1 and 220d2 of the dielectric layer of the dielectric structure 220d and end surface 221c1 of the core layer 221c. In some arrangements, the dielectric structure 220d further has or defines a notch 220r recessed relative to the surface 411 of the guide structure 41. In some arrangements, the end surface 220d1 defines a stepped cross-sectional profile. The optical channel 221 can be formed by removing a portion of the optical channel material to expose the surface 411 of the guide structure 41. The portion can be removed by a dry etching operation to form a notch 220r with substantially vertical sidewalls.

[0057] Figure 2B This is a cross-section of a portion of an electronic device according to some arrangements of this disclosure. In some arrangements, Figure 2B exhibit Figure 1A-1C The cross-section of part 2 of the electronic device 1.

[0058] In some arrangements, the end surface 221c1 of the core layer 221c is misaligned with the end surfaces 220d1 and 220d2 of the cladding (e.g., dielectric structure 220d) of the optical channel 221. In some arrangements, the end surfaces 221c1, 220d1, and 220d2 are non-planar surfaces. In some arrangements, the surface roughness of the end surfaces 221c1, 220d1, and 220d2, as well as the surface of the notch 220r, is greater than that of the surface 411 of the guide structure 41. The optical channel 221 can be formed by a dry etching operation to create irregular surface profiles for the end surfaces 221c1, 220d1, and 220d2, as well as the surface of the notch 220r. The misalignment of the end surfaces 221c1, 220d1, and 220d2 may be due to different etch selectivity of the core layer 221c and the dielectric structure 220d for the etchant used in the dry etching operation.

[0059] Figure 2C This is a cross-section of a portion of an electronic device according to some arrangements of this disclosure. In some arrangements, Figure 2C exhibit Figure 1A-1C The cross-section of part 2 of the electronic device 1.

[0060] In some arrangements, the end surface 221c1 of the core layer 221c is substantially misaligned with the end surfaces 220d1 and 220d2 of the cladding (e.g., dielectric structure 220d) of the optical channel 221. In some arrangements, the end surfaces 221c1, 220d1, and 220d2 together form a substantially continuous curved surface. The optical channel 221 can be formed by a wet etching operation to create a relatively smooth and curved surface profile for the end surfaces 221c1, 220d1, and 220d2, as well as the surface of the notch 220r.

[0061] Figure 2D This is a cross-section of a portion of an electronic device according to some arrangements of this disclosure. In some arrangements, Figure 2D exhibit Figure 1A-1C The cross-section of part 2 of the electronic device 1.

[0062] In some arrangements, the guide structure 41 is attached to or connected to the photonic assembly 20 via an adhesive element 92. The adhesive element 92 may be or include a DAF. In some arrangements, the slope of the side surface 414 may be less than the slope of the side surface 413. The side surface 414 may be substantially perpendicular to the surface 201a of the photonic assembly 20.

[0063] Figure 3A It is a cross-section of an electronic device 3 arranged according to some of the present disclosure. Figure 3B It is a cross-section of an electronic device 3 arranged according to some of the present disclosure. Figure 3C This is a cross-section of electronic device 3 according to some arrangements of this disclosure. In some arrangements, Figure 3A Display along Figure 3B The cross section cut by line 3A-3A' in the middle, and Figure 3C It is along Figure 3B The cross-section cut by line 3C-3C' in the diagram. Electronic device 3 is similar to... Figures 1A to 1C The electronic device 1 in the text and the differences therebetween are described below.

[0064] Electronic device 3 may further include connection element 87. In some arrangements, photonic assembly 20 includes a plurality of conductive vias 20v electrically connected to circuit layer 210. The conductive vias 20v may be or include through-silicon vias (TSVs). In some arrangements, photonic assembly 20 is electrically connected to substrate 10 through conductive vias 20v and connection element 87. Connection element 87 may be or include conductive bumps, such as solder bumps.

[0065] In some arrangements, refer to Figure 3A and Figure 3B Guide structures 41-48 include guide structures 41, 43, 45, and 47 arranged in row R1, and guide structures 42, 44, 46, and 48 arranged in row R2, substantially parallel to row R1. In some arrangements, guide structures 41, 43, 45, and 47, and guide structures 42, 44, 46, and 48, are staggered when viewed from a top view. In some arrangements, guide structures 41, 43, 45, and 47, and guide structures 42, 44, 46, and 48 are at substantially the same height.

[0066] In some arrangements, refer to Figure 3AThe optical signal L1 transmitted from the end 221a of optical channel 221 can have its transmission direction switched from direction DR1 to direction DR2A, which is not parallel to surface 201a, and the beam size of the optical signal L1 transmitted from optical channel 221 can be expanded. It is then collimated above guide structure 41 by lens 60L of optical guide 60. Similarly, the optical signal L2 transmitted from the end 221a of optical channel 222 can have its transmission direction switched from direction DR1 to direction DR2A, which is not parallel to surface 201a, and the beam size of the optical signal L2 transmitted from optical channel 222 can be expanded. It is then collimated above guide structure 42 by lens 60L of optical guide 60. Next, the collimated optical signals L1 and L2 can be reflected by reflector 73 to switch the transmission direction from direction DR2A to a direction different from direction DR2A (e.g., direction DR1). Next, optical signals L1 and L2 can then pass through lenses 741 and 742 to converge their beam size, thereby generating focused optical signals L1 and L2 to be received by fiber optic 72. Note that the guide structure 42, lens 60L, row R2, optical signal L2, optical channel 220, end 220a, lens 742, and fiber optic 72 are shown by dashed lines only to illustrate the arrangement of these components. The components shown by dashed lines and those shown by solid lines are not on the same cross section.

[0067] In some arrangements, refer to Figure 3B Electronic component 30 overlaps with guide structures 41, 42, 43, and 46 in direction DR1. In some arrangements, the ends of optical channels supported by guide structures in row R1 do not overlap with the ends of optical channels supported by guide structures in row R2 in direction DR3. For example, the end 222a of optical channel 222 does not overlap with the end 221a of optical channel 221 and the end 223a of second optical channel 223 in direction DR3.

[0068] According to some arrangements of this disclosure, from a top view perspective, the guiding structures 41, 43, 45, and 47 of row R1 and the guiding structures 42, 44, 46, and 48 of row R2 are staggered. Therefore, the area of ​​the optical coupling region of the photonic component 20 can be reduced.

[0069] Figure 4A It is a cross-section of an electronic device 4 arranged according to some of the present disclosure. Figure 4B It is a cross-section of an electronic device 4 arranged according to some of the present disclosure. Figure 4C It is a cross-section of an electronic device 4 arranged according to some of the present disclosure. Figure 4D This is a cross-section of the electronic device 4 according to some arrangements of this disclosure. In some arrangements, Figure 4A Display along Figure 4B The cross section intercepted by line 4A-4A' in the middle. Figure 4C It is along Figure 4B The cross section cut by line 4C-4C' in the middle, and Figure 4D It is along Figure 4B The cross-section cut by line 4D-4D' in the diagram. Electronic device 4 is similar to... Figures 1A to 1C Electronic device 1 and / or Figures 3A to 3C The electronic device 3 in the text, and the differences therebetween are described below.

[0070] In some arrangements, refer to Figure 4A and Figure 4B Optical channels 221, 223, 225, and 227 extend along the side surfaces of guide structures 41, 43, 45, and 47 and are optically coupled to a set of optical fibers 72. In some arrangements, reference... Figure 4A and Figure 4B Optical channels 222, 224, 226, and 228 extend along the second side surfaces of guide structures 42, 44, 46, and 48 and are optically coupled to another set of optical fibers 72. In some arrangements, the two sets of optical fibers 72 are at different heights. In some arrangements, the photonic component 20 of the electronic device 4 may include one or more conductive vias (e.g., as shown in the image) electrically connecting the circuit layer 210 to the substrate 10. Figure 3A The conductive via 20V is shown. The conductive via can penetrate the photonic component 20. The conductive via may be or contain a through-silicon via (TSV).

[0071] In some arrangements, refer to Figure 4C The heights of portions of optical channels 221, 223, 225, and 227 differ from the heights of portions of optical channels 222, 224, 226, and 228. In some arrangements, reference... Figure 4C From a top view perspective, portions of optical channels 221, 223, 225, and 227 overlap with portions of optical channels 222, 224, 226, and 228. In some arrangements, reference... Figure 4B and Figure 4C From a top view perspective, a portion of optical channel 221 overlaps with a portion of optical channel 222. Similarly, a portion of optical channel 223 overlaps with a portion of optical channel 224 from a top view perspective, a portion of optical channel 225 overlaps with a portion of optical channel 226 from a top view perspective, and a portion of optical channel 227 overlaps with a portion of optical channel 228 from a top view perspective.

[0072] In some arrangements, refer to Figure 4AThe guiding structure 42 is supported by the photonic component 20 and has a side surface 423 that is not parallel to the surface 201a (or the upper surface). In some arrangements, the side surface 423 may be referred to as an inclined surface. In some arrangements, the optical channel 222 is supported by the photonic component 20 and the side surface 423 of the guiding structure 42. In some arrangements, the optical channel 222 extends along the side surface 423 of the guiding structure 42. In some arrangements, the guiding structure 41 is located at a different height than the guiding structure 42. In some arrangements, the height of the bottom surface 412 of the guiding structure 41 is different from the height of the bottom surface 422 of the guiding structure 42. In some arrangements, the height of the bottom surface 412 of the guiding structure 41 is higher than the height of the bottom surface 422 of the guiding structure 42. In some arrangements, the photonic component 20 supports optical channels 221 and 222. In some arrangements, the height of the end point 222a of the optical channel 222 is different from the height of the end point 221a of the optical channel 221. In some arrangements, the height of the end 221a of optical channel 221 is higher than the height of the end 222a of optical channel 222.

[0073] In some arrangements, the photonic component 20 defines a notch 20R recessed from the top surface (e.g., surface 201) of the photonic component 20. In some arrangements, the notch 20R accommodates a portion of the guiding structure 42. In some arrangements, reference... Figure 4A and Figure 4B Guide structures 41, 43, 45, and 47 are positioned above surface 201, and guide structures 42, 44, 46, and 48 are partially within recess 20R. In some arrangements, the heights of guide structures 41, 43, 45, and 47 differ from the heights of guide structures 42, 44, 46, and 48. In some arrangements, reference... Figure 4A and Figure 4B The guide structures 41, 43, 45 and 47 are positioned above a portion of optical channel 222, a portion of optical channel 224, a portion of optical channel 226 and a portion of optical channel 228.

[0074] Optical component 70 may be positioned above photonic component 20. In some arrangements, refer to... Figure 4A and Figure 4B Reflector 73 is configured to reflect one or more optical signals toward or from optical channels 221, 223, 225 and 227 and to or from optical channels 222, 224, 226, 228. In some arrangements, reflector 73 overlaps with guide structures 41-48 when viewed from a top view.

[0075] In some arrangements, refer to Figure 4A and Figure 4BLens 742 is positioned above lens 741. Similarly, lens 744 can be positioned above lens 743, lens 746 above lens 745, and lens 748 above lens 747. In some arrangements, refer to... Figure 4A and Figure 4B The guide structure 41 overlaps with the guide structure 42 in a first direction (e.g., direction DR1) that is substantially parallel to the surface 201a of the photonic component 20, and the lens 741 overlaps with the lens 742 in a direction that is substantially perpendicular to the direction DR1 (e.g., direction DR2).

[0076] In some arrangements, refer to Figure 4D The beam sizes of optical signals L2, L4, L6, and L8 transmitted from the ends 222a, 224a, 226a, and 228a of optical channels 222, 224, 226, and 228 are expandable and then collimated above guide structures 42, 44, 46, and 48 by lens 60L of optical guide 60. The collimated optical signals L2, L4, L6, and L8 can then be reflected by reflector 73.

[0077] According to some arrangements of this disclosure, multiple portions of optical channels 221, 223, 225, and 227 overlap with multiple portions of optical channels 222, 224, 226, and 228 when viewed from a top view. Therefore, the area of ​​the optical coupling region of the photonic assembly 20 can be further reduced.

[0078] Figure 5A It is a cross-section of an electronic device 5 arranged according to some of the present disclosure. Figure 5B It is a cross-section of an electronic device 5 arranged according to some of the present disclosure. Figure 5C It is a cross-section of an electronic device 5 arranged according to some of the present disclosure. Figure 5D This is a cross-section of the electronic device 5 according to some arrangements of this disclosure. In some arrangements, Figure 5A Display along Figure 5B The cross section taken from line 5A-5A' in the middle. Figure 5C It is along Figure 5B The cross section cut by line 5C-5C' in the middle, and Figure 5D It is along Figure 5B The cross-section cut by line 5D-5D' in the middle. Electronic device 5 is similar to Figures 1A to 1C Electronic devices 1 in Figures 3A to 3C Electronic devices 3 and / or Figures 4A to 4D The electronic device 4 in the text, and the differences therein are described below.

[0079] In some arrangements, the optical assembly 70 includes a plurality of optical fibers 72 optically coupled to optical channels 221-228. In some arrangements, reference... Figure 5A and Figure 5BThe height of one set of optical fibers 72 optically coupled to optical channels 221, 223, 225, and 227 is different from the height of the set of optical fibers 72 optically coupled to optical channels 222, 224, 226, and 228. In some arrangements, the optical fibers 72 include a curved structure configured to switch the transmission direction of the optical signal. In some arrangements, the photonic component 20 of the electronic device 5 may include one or more conductive vias (e.g., as shown in the image) electrically connecting the circuit layer 210 to the substrate 10. Figure 3A The conductive via 20V is shown. The conductive via can penetrate the photonic component 20. The conductive via may be or contain a through-silicon via (TSV).

[0080] In some arrangements, the optical guide 60 includes or defines one or more lenses 60L and one or more lenses 60L' facing downwards. Lenses 60L and 60L' may be convex lenses. In some arrangements, each of the cavities 60C corresponds to a set of lenses 60L and 60L'. In some arrangements, lens 60L' faces the photon assembly 20, and lens 60L faces away from the photon assembly 20. In some arrangements, cavity 60C may be defined by a curved top surface (e.g., lens 60L'). In some arrangements, each of the guide structures 41-48 is positioned below a set of lenses 60L and 60L'.

[0081] In some arrangements, refer to Figure 5D The beam size of the optical signals L2, L4, L6, and L8 transmitted from the ends 222a, 224a, 226a, and 228a of optical channels 222, 224, 226, and 228 is expandable and then focused above guide structures 42, 44, 46, and 48 by lenses 60L and 60L' of optical guide 60. The focused optical signals L2, L4, L6, and L8 can then be transmitted to optical fiber 72.

[0082] According to some arrangements of this disclosure, by utilizing the design of lenses 60L and 60L' of the optical guide 60, the optical signal can be amplified, collimated, and then focused to form a focused optical signal for optical coupling to the optical fiber 72. Therefore, the optical signal can be optically coupled between the photonic component 20 and the optical fiber 72, and the structure of the optical component 70 can be simplified without placing any reflectors or focusing lenses therein.

[0083] Figure 6A This is a top view illustrating one or more stages of an exemplary method for manufacturing an electronic device 1 according to some arrangements of the present disclosure. Figure 6B This is a cross-section illustrating one or more stages of an exemplary method for manufacturing an electronic device 1 according to some arrangements of this disclosure. In some arrangements, Figure 6B It is along Figure 6A The cross section cut by line 6B-6B' in the middle.

[0084] In some arrangements, refer to Figure 1A and Figures 6A-6B A wafer-level photonic structure 20A may be provided, having multiple guide structures 41-48 and multiple optical channels 221-228 extending along multiple side surfaces of the guide structures 41-48, and an electronic component 30 may be electrically connected to the photonic structure 20A. The photonic structure 20A may comprise multiple units (e.g., units U1 and U2), each unit comprising the electronic component 30, a set of guide structures 41-48, and a set of optical channels 221-228 extending along the side surfaces of the set of guide structures 41-48. Before dicing the photonic structure 20A into diced units (e.g., photonic components 20), a photoelectronic inspection of the wafer-level photonic structure 20A may be performed by allowing optical signals from the optical channels 221-228 of the photonic structure 20A to be transmitted along the inclined side surfaces of the guide structures 41-48 for optical coupling to the optical component 70. The inspection may be or include the detection of the amount of optical coupling. In some arrangements, the dicing operation may be performed after the inspection is performed by the optical component 70. In some arrangements, only the single-cut units that pass inspection (e.g., photonic components 20 on which electronic components 30 are mounted) can be further connected to the substrate 10 to form an electronic device. In some arrangements, single-cut units that fail inspection (e.g., photonic components 20 on which electronic components 30 are mounted) can be discarded or reprocessed.

[0085] In some arrangements, the optical guide 60 may be permanently attached to the photonic structure 20A or photonic assembly 20 after or before inspection, thus the single-cut unit is considered a "known qualified die". Therefore, if the photonic assembly 20 is determined to have failed inspection after single-cutting, the manufacturing process of the electronic device can be simplified without the need for secondary processing, and costs can be reduced.

[0086] Figures 7A to 7H The present disclosure describes the various stages of an exemplary method for manufacturing an electronic device 1 according to some arrangements.

[0087] refer to Figure 7A A wafer-level photonic structure 20A can be provided. The photonic structure 20A may have a surface 201a and a surface 202 opposite to the surface 201a.

[0088] refer to Figure 7BA guide structure 41 may be formed over surface 201a of photonic structure 20A. In some arrangements, a material layer is formed over surface 201a of photonic structure 20A, and an etching operation (e.g., dry etching process) is performed on the material layer to form a guide structure 41 having side surfaces 413 and 414 inclined relative to surfaces 411 and 412. Note that, as an example, the formation of one guide structure 41 is shown in the manufacturing process. The number of guide structures formed on photonic structure 20A may vary depending on the application, such as the number of optical channels. An arrangement of multiple guide structures formed on photonic structure 20A can be referenced. Figure 1B , Figure 3B , Figure 4B and / or Figure 5B The arrangement shown.

[0089] In some arrangements, the guide structure 41 may be a dummy die attached to the surface 201a of the photonic structure 20A via an adhesive element or bonded to the surface 201a of the photonic structure 20A via conductive bumps (e.g., solder bumps).

[0090] refer to Figure 7C The cladding material 220d1' may be formed over the guiding structure 41. In some arrangements, the cladding material 220d1' is formed over the surface 411 and side surfaces 413 and 414 of the guiding structure 41, as well as the surface 201a of the photonic structure 20A. The cladding material 220d1' may be or contain a low refractive index material, such as silicon oxide. The cladding material 220d1' may be formed by coating.

[0091] refer to Figure 7D The optical core material 221c' may be formed above the cladding material 220d1'. In some arrangements, the optical core material 221c' may be or contain a high refractive index material, such as polyimide (PI) or a positive photoresist. The refractive index of the optical core material 221c' may be at least 0.1 greater than the refractive index of the cladding material 221c'. The optical core material 221c' may be formed by coating.

[0092] refer to Figure 7E An exposure process can be performed on the optical core material 221c'. In some arrangements, a UV laser 700 can be used to expose the optical core material 221c'. In some arrangements, a fine pattern can be exposed using a UV laser 700 (e.g., with a wavelength of 355 nm) without the use of a mask.

[0093] refer to Figure 7F A wet development process can be performed on the optical core material 221c' to remove exposed portions in order to form one or more core layers 221c. The surface 411 of the guiding structure 41 can be exposed by the core layer 221c.

[0094] refer to Figure 7G The cladding material 220d2' may be formed over the cladding material 220d1' and the core layer 221c. The cladding material 220d2' may be or contain a low refractive index material, such as silicon oxide. The cladding material 220d2' may be formed by coating.

[0095] refer to Figure 7H A portion of the cladding material 220d1' and 220d2' and a portion of the core layer 221c can be removed to form an optical channel 221 with an end 221a and to expose the surface 411 of the guide structure 41. In some arrangements, an etching operation can be performed to remove portions of the cladding material 220d1' and 220d2' to form the dielectric structure 220d.

[0096] Next, in some arrangements, refer to Figure 6A and Figure 6B The wafer-level photonic structure 20A can be subjected to optoelectronic inspection, and then the photonic structure 20A can be diced into single-cutter units (e.g., photonic components 20). Next, in some arrangements, refer to... Figure 1A The single-cut unit can be disposed above and connected to the substrate 10, and the electronic component 50 can be further disposed above and connected to the substrate 10. Therefore, a [structure / form] can be formed. Figures 1A to 1C The electronic device 1 shown.

[0097] Unless otherwise specified, spatial descriptions such as “above,” “below,” “up,” “left,” “right,” “lower,” “top,” “bottom,” “vertical,” “horizontal,” “side,” “above,” “below,” “upper,” “above,” and “below” are relative to the orientation shown in the figures. It should be understood that the spatial descriptions used herein are for illustrative purposes only, and embodiments of the structures described herein can be arranged in space in any orientation or manner, provided that the advantages of the embodiments of this disclosure are not compromised by such arrangement.

[0098] As used herein, the terms “approximately,” “substantially,” “largely,” and “about” are used to describe and explain minor variations. When used in conjunction with an event or situation, these terms may refer to examples where the event or situation occurred precisely or very approximately. For example, when used in conjunction with a numerical value, these terms may refer to a range of variation less than or equal to ±10% of the stated value, such as less than or equal to ±5%, less than or equal to ±4%, less than or equal to ±3%, less than or equal to ±2%, less than or equal to ±1%, less than or equal to ±0.5%, less than or equal to ±0.1%, or less than or equal to ±0.05%. For example, if a first value is within a range of variation less than or equal to ±10% of a second value, such as less than or equal to ±5%, less than or equal to ±4%, less than or equal to ±3%, less than or equal to ±2%, less than or equal to ±1%, less than or equal to ±0.5%, less than or equal to ±0.1%, or less than or equal to ±0.05%, then the first value may be considered “substantially” the same as or equal to the second value. For example, "roughly" vertical can refer to an angle variation of less than or equal to ±10° relative to 90°, such as less than or equal to ±5°, less than or equal to ±4°, less than or equal to ±3°, less than or equal to ±2°, less than or equal to ±1°, less than or equal to ±0.5°, less than or equal to ±0.1°, or less than or equal to ±0.05°.

[0099] If the displacement between two surfaces is no greater than 5 μm, 2 μm, 1 μm, or 0.5 μm, then the two surfaces can be considered coplanar or substantially coplanar. If the displacement between the highest and lowest points of a surface does not exceed 5 μm, 2 μm, 1 μm, or 0.5 μm, then the surface can be considered substantially flat.

[0100] As used herein, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the singular forms “a / an” and “the” may contain a plural number of indicators.

[0101] As used herein, the terms “conductive,” “electrically conductive,” and “conductivity” refer to the ability to conduct electric current. Conductive materials are generally defined as materials that exhibit very little or no resistance to the flow of electric current. A unit of measurement for conductivity is Siemens per meter (S / m). Typically, conductive materials are those with a conductivity greater than about 10⁴ S / m, for example, at least 10⁵ S / m or at least 10⁶ S / m. The conductivity of a material can sometimes vary with temperature. Unless otherwise specified, the conductivity of a material is measured at room temperature.

[0102] In addition, quantities, ratios, and other numerical values ​​are sometimes presented in range format in this document. It should be understood that such range format is used for convenience and brevity, and should be flexibly interpreted as including not only the numerical values ​​explicitly specified as the limits of the range, but also all individual numerical values ​​or subranges covered within the range, as if each numerical value and subrange were explicitly specified.

[0103] While this disclosure has been described and illustrated with reference to specific embodiments thereof, such descriptions and illustrations are not limiting. Those skilled in the art will understand that various changes and alternative equivalents may be made without departing from the true spirit and scope of this disclosure as defined by the appended claims. Illustrations may not be drawn to scale. Due to manufacturing processes and tolerances, the process reproduction in this disclosure may differ from actual equipment. Other embodiments may exist that are not specifically described in this disclosure. The description and drawings should be considered illustrative rather than limiting. Modifications may be made to suit particular circumstances, materials, compositions, methods, or processes to the objectives, spirit, and scope of this disclosure. All such modifications are considered to be included within the scope of the appended claims. Although the methods disclosed herein have been described with reference to specific operations performed in a particular order, it should be understood that these operations may be combined, subdivided, or reordered to form equivalent methods without departing from the teachings of this disclosure. Therefore, unless specifically indicated herein, the order and grouping of operations are not a limitation of this disclosure.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising: A carrier, which has an upper surface; A first guiding structure, which is supported by the carrier and has a side surface that extends away from the upper surface in a first direction that is not parallel to the upper surface; as well as A first optical channel, supported by the carrier and the side surface of the first guiding structure, wherein the first optical channel includes an end configured to receive or transmit optical signals in the first direction.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the upper surface of the first guiding structure is exposed by the first optical channel.

3. The electronic device of claim 2, wherein the end of the first optical channel is at a higher height relative to the upper surface of the carrier than the height of the side surface of the first guiding structure.

4. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the first optical channel comprises a core layer and a cladding layer covering the core layer, and the core layer is spaced apart from the side surface of the first guiding structure by the cladding layer.

5. The electronic device of claim 4, wherein the end surface of the core layer is not aligned with the end surface of the cladding layer.

6. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the carrier comprises a photonic component configured to perform photoelectric conversion of the optical signal.

7. The electronic device according to claim 1, further comprising: Electronic components are mounted above the carrier; The second guiding structure is supported by the carrier; as well as The second optical channel is supported by the carrier and the second guiding structure.

8. The electronic device of claim 7, wherein the end of the second optical channel overlaps with the end of the first optical channel in a second direction substantially parallel to the upper surface of the carrier.

9. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein the electronic component overlaps with the first guide structure in a third direction that is not parallel to the second direction.

10. The electronic device according to claim 8, further comprising: The third guiding structure is supported by the carrier; as well as The third optical channel is supported by the carrier and the third guiding structure. The end of the third optical channel does not overlap with the end of the first optical channel and the end of the second optical channel in the third direction.

11. The electronic device of claim 7, wherein the height of the end of the second optical channel is different from the height of the end of the first optical channel.

12. The electronic device of claim 1, further comprising an optical component optically coupled to the first optical channel, wherein the optical component includes an optical fiber and a reflector above the carrier, the reflector being configured to reflect the optical signal toward or from the optical fiber.

13. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein the optical component further comprises a lens disposed between the optical fiber and the reflector.

14. An electronic device comprising: A carrier, which has an upper surface; Multiple guide structures, which are supported by the carrier and have multiple side surfaces that are not parallel to the upper surface; as well as Multiple optical channels extend along the multiple side surfaces of the multiple guide structures and are configured to receive or transmit multiple optical signals. The plurality of guiding structures are configured to switch the plurality of optical signals from transmission in a first direction to a second direction different from the first direction.

15. The electronic device of claim 14, wherein at least some of the plurality of guiding structures are arranged in a row and at substantially the same height.

16. The electronic device of claim 14, wherein the plurality of guide structures comprises a plurality of first guide structures arranged in a first row and a plurality of second guide structures arranged in a second row substantially parallel to the first row.

17. The electronic device of claim 16, further comprising an optical component including a plurality of first optical fibers and a plurality of second optical fibers optically coupled to the plurality of optical channels, wherein the height of the plurality of first optical fibers is different from the height of the plurality of second optical fibers.

18. An electronic device comprising: A first guiding structure having a first inclined surface; A first optical channel extends along the first inclined surface of the first guide structure; The second guide structure has a second inclined surface and is located at a different height from the first guide structure; as well as The second optical channel extends along the second inclined surface of the second guide structure.

19. The electronic device of claim 18, further comprising a photonic assembly supporting the first optical channel and the second optical channel, wherein the photonic assembly defines a notch for receiving a portion of the second guiding structure.

20. The electronic device of claim 18, wherein a portion of the first optical channel overlaps with a portion of the second optical channel when viewed from a top view.

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