Carrier with passive cooling function for a semiconductor device

Abstract

Carrier (2) with passive cooling function for a semiconductor device (3), comprising a base body (6) with a top surface (7) and a bottom surface (8) and at least one electrical component (13, 13a, 13b) embedded in the base body (6), wherein the support (2) has a first thermal via (14) extending from the top (7) of the base body (6) to the at least one electrical component (13, 13a, 13b), wherein the carrier (2) has a second thermal via (15) extending from the at least one electrical component (13, 13a, 13b) to the underside (8) of the base body (6), wherein the at least one embedded electrical component (13, 13a, 13b) is electrically contacted through the first and second thermal via (14, 15), wherein the support (2) has at least one further thermal via (19) extending from the top (7) of the base body (6) to the bottom (8) of the base body (6), wherein the support (2) further comprises a metallic structure (24) which is embedded in the base body (6) and which extends in a direction parallel to the top surface (7) of the base body (6), wherein the metallic structure (24) is directly adjacent to the further thermal via (19), wherein the base body (6) has a multi-layer structure, and wherein the metallic structure (24) and the at least one embedded electrical component (13, 13a, 13b) are arranged in the same layer (11).

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a carrier for a semiconductor component and a device comprising a carrier and a semiconductor component arranged on the carrier.

[0002] The semiconductor component can in particular be a light-emitting diode.

[0003] Various aspects such as luminous efficacy, lifetime, and thermal management play an important role in the design of carriers for LEDs. In addition to functional and thermomechanical requirements, geometric problems also need to be solved. Especially in mobile applications, such as LEDs integrated into the camera flash of a mobile phone, the carrier and other components, such as discrete protection components and sensors, should have the smallest possible space requirements and the smallest possible height.

[0004] Another important requirement for a carrier for a light-emitting diode is to enable the light emission of the light-emitting diode as unhindered as possible and, in particular, to avoid shadows.

[0005] The document JP 2009-164 287 A describes a multilayer carrier with an embedded electronic element that is electronically connected to a top side and a bottom side of the carrier via vias.

[0006] The document DE 10 2013 203 932 A1 describes an arrangement with a circuit carrier which has a metallic heat conducting means and an embedded component with an electrical, electronic or optoelectronic component and a rewiring layer which contains a metallic heat conducting path, wherein a metallic-thermal connection of the rewiring layer to the metallic heat conducting means of the circuit carrier is established by means of the heat conducting path.

[0007] The document US 2011 / 0 180 819 A1 describes a light-emitting arrangement comprising a circuit board with at least one electrically and thermally conductive section, an LED connected to the at least one electrically and thermally conductive section, and a heat dissipation element for dissipating heat generated by the LED.

[0008] The document US 2013 / 0 269 986 A1 describes a package in which an electronic component is embedded in a carrier and electrically connected to a top and bottom side of the carrier by means of metallization. An LED chip arranged on the top side of the carrier is thermally connected to a thermal via that extends through the carrier.

[0009] The object of the present invention is to provide an improved carrier for a semiconductor component which, for example, enables good thermal management.

[0010] This object is solved by the subject matter of the present claim 1.

[0011] A carrier with a passive cooling function for a semiconductor component is proposed, comprising a base body with a top side and a bottom side, and at least one electrical component embedded in the base body. The carrier further comprises a first thermal via extending from the top side of the base body to the at least one electrical component. The carrier has a second thermal via extending from the at least one electrical component to the bottom side of the base body. The at least one electrical component is electrically contacted by the first and second thermal vias.

[0012] The first and second thermal vias thus fulfill two functions in the carrier. They enable both the electrical contacting of the at least one embedded component and a reduction in the thermal resistance of the base body. Due to their high thermal conductivity, they are suitable for quickly and effectively dissipating heat radiated by a semiconductor component applied to the carrier from the top side of the base body.

[0013] Accordingly, the thermal vias provide passive cooling of the carrier and / or semiconductor component. Passive cooling refers to the cooling of electrical or electronic devices based solely on "free" convection. This allows waste heat to be dissipated into the surrounding air.

[0014] Because at least one electrical component is embedded in the carrier, the carrier can be free of components applied to its top surface, allowing for a low overall carrier height. This significantly reduces the overall height, which is particularly critical in mobile applications.

[0015] The carrier can be designed to allow the semiconductor component, for example, a light-emitting diode chip, to be mounted directly on the carrier. This can be achieved, for example, using an AuSn eutectic bonding or an AuSn reflow process. The carrier is designed such that the semiconductor component, for example, a light-emitting diode, can be arranged on the top side of the base body. The carrier can accommodate one or more semiconductor components.

[0016] The term "embedded" here means that the embedded electrical component is enclosed on all sides by a layer of the base body or a thermal via. Openings are formed in the base body in which the electrical component is enclosed. The electrical component is completely enclosed on its top, bottom, and side surfaces by the material of the base body and the thermal vias.

[0017] A via is a through-hole plating (vertical interconnect axis, or via) that enables a vertical electrical connection between different levels of the base body. "Vertical" refers to the direction from the bottom of the base body to the top of the base body. A thermal via is a through-hole plating characterized by a high thermal conductivity of at least 250 W / (m·K). A thermal via is used to conduct heat away from the top of the base body. A thermal via can be made of copper or silver, or can be made of copper or silver.

[0018] The described carrier is characterized by efficient dissipation of the heat radiated by the semiconductor component, which results from the low thermal resistance of the thermal vias. This can improve the lifetime of the semiconductor component. Alternatively or additionally, it can enable the semiconductor component to be operated at a higher power than would be possible for a comparable carrier without thermal vias, since the thermal vias enable the dissipation of the additional heat generated due to the increased power.

[0019] Furthermore, the carrier has at least one additional thermal via extending from the top side of the base body to the bottom side of the base body. The additional thermal via can be a purely thermal via that does not serve to contact the embedded component. The at least one additional thermal via can further improve the thermal conductivity of the base body.

[0020] Furthermore, the carrier has a metallic structure that is embedded in the base body and extends in a direction parallel to the top side of the base body, wherein the metallic structure directly adjoins the further thermal via. In particular, the metallic structure can touch the further thermal via. The metallic structure can also directly adjoin several further thermal vias. The metallic structure introduces additional material with a high thermal conductivity into the base body, thereby increasing the thermal conductivity of the entire base body. In particular, the metallic structure contributes to quickly dissipating heat from the top side of the base body. The metallic structure can be designed, for example, as a block or as a strip.

[0021] The base body has a multi-layer structure, with the metallic structure and the embedded electrical component being arranged in the same layer.

[0022] The embedded electrical component may be a varistor, a diode, an NTC thermistor, a PTC thermistor, a multilayer ceramic chip capacitor, a multilayer inductor or a driver circuit for the at least one semiconductor component.

[0023] The embedded component can be designed to protect the semiconductor device from damage caused by excessively high applied voltage. Such an ESD protection component can be, for example, a varistor or a diode.

[0024] The embedded component can also enable a defined thermal connection to the semiconductor device. NTC and PTC thermistors are particularly suitable for this. When appropriately connected to the semiconductor device, these can prevent damage to the semiconductor device due to excessive temperatures.

[0025] It is also possible that the embedded component is a driver circuit or a control circuit for controlling the semiconductor component.

[0026] The embedded component can be, in particular, any active electronic component (such as an electronic chip, in particular a semiconductor chip) or any passive electronic component (such as a capacitor, a resistor, a varistor, an NTC, a PTC, or an inductor). Examples of embedded components orComponents are a data memory such as a DRAM (or any other memory), a filter (which can be configured, for example, as a high-pass filter, a low-pass filter or a band-pass filter, and which can be used, for example, for frequency filtering), an integrated circuit (such as a logic IC), a signal processing component (such as a microprocessor), a power management component, an optical-electrical interface element (for example, an optoelectronic component), a voltage converter (such as a DC / DC converter or an AC / DC converter), an electromechanical converter (e.g. a PZT (lead zirconate titanate) sensor and / or actuator), a transmitting and / or receiving unit for electromagnetic waves (e.g.An electronic component (e.g., an RFID chip or transponder), a cryptographic component, a capacitor, an inductor, a switch (e.g., a transistor-based switch), and a combination of these and other functional electronic components. The component may also include a microelectromechanical system (MEMS), a battery, a camera, or an antenna.

[0027] The base body can comprise at least one material from a group consisting of resin, in particular bismaleimide-triazine resin, glass, in particular glass fibers, prepreg material, polyimide, a liquid crystal polymer, cyanate ester, epoxy-based build-up film, FR4 material, a ceramic, and a metal oxide. FR4 refers to a class of composite materials consisting of epoxy resin and glass fiber fabric. Resin-glass fiber laminates are characterized by high dielectric strength and high mechanical strength. Furthermore, they can have a thermal expansion coefficient that is well matched to the thermal expansion coefficient of the semiconductor component, so that thermomechanical interference can be kept to a minimum.

[0028] The carrier can have a height of less than 500 µm, preferably less than 350 µm. In particular, the carrier can have a height between 200 and 500 µm, preferably between 200 and 350 µm. Such a low height is made possible by the integration of the electrical component into the carrier. In this way, carriers can be constructed that do not have a component arranged on the carrier's top side. However, it is also possible to design the carrier such that additional electrical components are arranged on the surface as SMD components (SMD = Surface Mounted Device).

[0029] The carrier may further comprise a third thermal via extending from the top side of the base body to the electrical component, and a fourth thermal via extending from the electrical component to the bottom side of the base body. The embedded electrical component may also be electrically contacted by the third and fourth thermal vias.

[0030] Furthermore, at least one second electrical component can be embedded in the base body, wherein the carrier has a fifth thermal via extending from the top side of the base body to the second electrical component, wherein the carrier has a sixth thermal via extending from the electrical component to the bottom side of the base body, and wherein the embedded electrical component is electrically contacted by the fifth and sixth thermal vias. Accordingly, the carrier can have multiple embedded electrical components. For example, the first embedded component could be an ESD protection component, such as a varistor or a diode, and the second embedded component could be a temperature sensor or a component for controlling the thermal connection of the semiconductor component, such as a PTC or an NTC thermistor, wherein both components can be interconnected to the same semiconductor component.Connecting the semiconductor component with a PTC thermistor can protect the semiconductor component from overcurrents. Connecting the semiconductor component with an NTC thermistor can protect the semiconductor component from overheating.

[0031] According to a further aspect, a device is proposed which comprises the carrier described above and a semiconductor component, wherein the semiconductor component is arranged on top of the carrier.

[0032] The semiconductor component can be a light-emitting diode.

[0033] In the following, the invention is described in more detail with reference to figures. Fig. 1 shows a first embodiment of a device. The Fig. 2 and Fig. 3 show a second embodiment of a device. The Fig. 4 and Fig. 5 show a perspective view of a third embodiment of a carrier for a semiconductor component.

[0034] Fig. Figure 1 shows a first embodiment of a device 1. The device 1 comprises a carrier 2 for a plurality of semiconductor components 3. The semiconductor components 3 are each light-emitting diodes. Three semiconductor components 3 are arranged on the carrier 2. A protective layer 4 designed as a lens is arranged on each semiconductor component 3. The protective layer 4 comprises silicone. Furthermore, the protective layer 4 is coated with an additional phosphor layer 5.

[0035] The carrier 2 has a base body 6 with a top side 7 and a bottom side 8. The carrier 2 is designed such that the semiconductor components 3 can be attached, for example, soldered, to the top side 7 of the base body 6. For this purpose, the base body 6 has contact surfaces 9 on its top side 7.

[0036] The base body 6 has a multi-layer structure. The base body 6 has at least a lower layer 10, a middle layer 11, and an upper layer 12. The lower layer 10 comprises the underside 8 of the base body 6. The upper layer 12 comprises the upper side 7 of the base body 6. The middle layer 11 is arranged between the lower and upper layers 10, 12. Each of these layers 10, 11, 12 comprises a glass fiber-resin mixture. The layers 10, 11, 12 of the base body 6 can differ from one another in the mixing ratio of glass fiber to resin. The layers comprise an FR4.

[0037] An electrical component 13 is embedded in the middle layer 11 of the base body 6. The middle layer 11 has openings in the glass fiber resin layer in which the embedded electrical component 13 is arranged. The component 13 is bounded laterally by the middle layer 11. The upper layer 12 is arranged above the component 13, and the lower layer 10 is arranged below the component 13. Accordingly, the component 13 is enclosed on each side by a layer 10, 11, 12 of the base body 6.

[0038] The component 13 can be a varistor, a diode, an NTC thermistor, a PTC thermistor, a multi-layer ceramic chip capacitor (MLCC), a multi-layer inductor (ML inductor) or a driver circuit for the semiconductor component 3.

[0039] The carrier 2 further comprises a first thermal via 14 extending from the top side 7 of the base body 6 to the electrical component 13. The first thermal via 14 contacts the electrical component 13 with one of the contact surfaces 9 arranged on the top side 7.

[0040] Furthermore, the carrier 2 has a second thermal via 15, which extends from the electrical component 13 to the underside 8 of the base body 6. The second thermal via 15 contacts the component 13 with an electrical contact 16 arranged on the underside 8 of the base body 6. Accordingly, the first and second thermal vias 14, 15 ensure electrical contact with the component 13.

[0041] Furthermore, the carrier 2 has a third thermal via 17, which extends from the top side 7 to the component 13, and a fourth thermal via 18, which extends from the embedded electrical component 13 to the bottom side 8. The embedded component 13 is also electrically contacted via the third and fourth thermal vias 17, 18.

[0042] The first to fourth thermal vias 14, 15, 17, 18 fulfill two functions in the present carrier 2. Firstly, they ensure electrical contact with the embedded component 13. Secondly, they reduce the thermal resistance of the carrier 2. Accordingly, the first to fourth thermal vias 14, 15, 17, 18 enable heat generated by the semiconductor component 3 to be quickly and effectively dissipated away from the top side 7 of the base body 6. In this way, the thermal vias 14, 15, 17, 18 ensure passive cooling of the carrier 2 and the semiconductor component 3. For this purpose, the thermal vias 14, 15, 17, 18 comprise a material with high thermal conductivity. The thermal vias 14, 15, 17, 18 comprise, for example, copper or silver. They can also be made of copper or silver. Both materials are characterized by very high thermal conductivity. Pure copper has a thermal conductivity of 401 W / (m·K).Pure silver has a thermal conductivity of 429 W / (m·K).

[0043] Furthermore, the carrier 2 has additional thermal vias 19 extending from the top side 7 to the bottom side 8. These additional thermal vias 19 serve the sole purpose of reducing the thermal resistance of the carrier 2, i.e., providing passive cooling of the carrier 2 and the semiconductor component 3. These additional thermal vias 19 also comprise copper or silver. The additional thermal vias 19 are not contacted with the embedded component 13.

[0044] The additional thermal vias 19 have a larger diameter than the first to fourth thermal vias 14, 15, 17, 18, with which the electrical component 13 is contacted. In particular, the additional thermal vias 19 have a diameter between 100 and 200 µm, preferably between 130 and 170 µm. The first to fourth thermal vias 14, 15, 17, 18 have a diameter between 40 and 100 µm, preferably between 40 and 70 µm.

[0045] The upper side 7 of the base body 6 is coated with a reflective layer 20. This layer is suitable for reflecting light emitted by the semiconductor component 3 and thus improving the reflectance of the carrier 2. The reflective layer 20 can comprise a filled polymer or filled glass.

[0046] Furthermore, an SMD component 21 (SMD = surface mounted device) is arranged on the upper side 7 of the carrier 2, which is not embedded in the base body 6.

[0047] A second electrical component 13a and a third electrical component 13b are embedded in the base body 6. These are each electrically connected to contact surfaces 9 arranged on the top side 7 of the base body via thermal vias. For example, the second electrical component 13a is connected to the top side 7 via a fifth thermal via 22.

[0048] Furthermore, the second and third components 13a, 13b are electrically connected via thermal vias to electrical contacts 16 on the underside 8 of the base body 6. For example, the second component 13a is connected to the underside 8 via a sixth thermal via 23.

[0049] The second and third embedded components 13a, 13b can be configured and interconnected in the same way as the first embedded component 13. The features described in connection with the first component 13 also apply to the second and third embedded components 13a, 13b.

[0050] The Fig. 2 and Fig. 3 show a second embodiment of a device 1, consisting of a semiconductor component 3 and a carrier 2 for the semiconductor component 3, wherein the semiconductor component 3 is a light-emitting diode. Fig. Figure 2 shows a cross section through the device 1 along a vertical plane and Fig. 3 shows a horizontal cross section.

[0051] The device 1 according to the second embodiment essentially corresponds to the device 1 explained in the first embodiment. However, only contact surfaces 9 for a single semiconductor component 3 are provided on the carrier 2. Furthermore, exactly one component 13 is embedded in the base body 6.

[0052] The embedded component 13 can be made of ZnOPr, which has a thermal conductivity of 40 W / (m·K). The base body 6 can be made of FR4 with a thermal conductivity of 0.62 W / (m·K). As described above, the thermal vias 14, 15, 17, 18, and 19, however, can have a significantly higher thermal conductivity.

[0053] The carrier 2 can have a height of less than 500 µm, preferably a height between 200 and 350 µm. Such a carrier 2 is significantly lower than carriers 2 in which 7 SMD components 21 are arranged on the top side. Accordingly, by embedding the electrical component 13 in the carrier 2, the overall height of the arrangement can be significantly reduced. Multiple components 13, 13a, 13b can also be embedded in a carrier with a height of less than 500 µm.

[0054] In Fig. Figure 3 shows the arrangement of the additional thermal vias 19 as well as the first and third thermal vias 14, 17. The additional vias 19 are arranged around the embedded component 13. Fig. Figure 3 shows that these additional vias 19 have a comparatively large cross-section, which improves their thermal conductivity. The first and third vias 14, 17 have an elongated cross-section. The second and fourth vias 15, 18 can also have such an elongated cross-section.

[0055] The further thermal vias 19 have a diameter of 150 µm and a minimum distance from one another of at least 200 µm. The further vias 19 have a minimum distance of 200 µm from the embedded component 13. The further vias 19 have a distance of at least 125 µm from the edge of the carrier 2. The embedded component 13 has a distance of at least 380 µm from the edge. The embedded component 13 has a height between 80 and 200 µm, with a total height of the base body 6 of 300 µm. The first to fourth vias 14, 15, 17, 18 each have an extension of 60 µm in a first direction and an extension of 100 µm in a second direction, which is perpendicular to the first direction. The lower and upper layers 10, 12 of the base body 6 have a thickness of at least 50 µm. The contact surfaces 9, 16 arranged on the upper and lower sides 7, 8 of the base body 6 are made of copper and have a thickness of 30 + / - 10 µm.They are spaced at least 75 µm apart from the lateral edges of the base body 6. The dimensions specified here enable a stable carrier 2, which is characterized in particular by a low overall height and high thermal conductivity, which enables the semiconductor component 3 to be operated at high power.

[0056] The Fig. 4 and Fig. 5 show a perspective view of a third embodiment of a carrier 2 for a semiconductor component 3. For better illustration, Fig. 4 the base body 6 and the contact surfaces 9 arranged on the upper side 7 of the base body are not shown. Fig. 5 only the basic body 6 is not shown.

[0057] The carrier 2 according to the third embodiment has metallic structures 24 embedded in the base body 6. The metallic structures 24 are arranged in the middle layer 11 of the base body 6, in which the embedded electrical component 13 is also arranged. The metallic structures 24 are each connected to three additional thermal vias 19. In particular, they directly surround the additional thermal vias 19 and bear against them. The metallic structures 24 improve the thermal conductivity of the thermal vias 19 contacted by them.

[0058] The Fig. 4 and Fig.5 each show metallic structures 24 formed as blocks. Metallic structures 24 with other shapes, such as strips or windows, are also possible. A frame-shaped window could, for example, have an opening in its center and be arranged such that it encloses the metallic component 13 embedded in the base body 6 and arranges it in the opening. A strip has only a very small height, which can, for example, be less than 10 µm. The height is referred to here as the extension in the direction from the bottom side 8 to the top side 7. List of reference symbols 1 device 2 carriers 3 Semiconductor component 4 protective layer 5 Phosphor layer 6 basic bodies 7 Top 8 Bottom 9 contact surfaces 10 lower layer 11 middle layer 12 upper layer 13 electrical component 13a electrical component 13b electrical component 14 first thermal via 15 second thermal via 16 electrical contact 17 third thermal via 18 fourth thermal via 19 additional thermal vias 20 reflective layer 21 SMD component 22 fifth thermal via 23 sixth thermal via 24 metallic structure

Claims

[1] Carrier (2) with passive cooling function for a semiconductor component (3), comprising a base body (6) with a top side (7) and a bottom side (8) and at least one electrical component (13, 13a, 13b) embedded in the base body (6), wherein the carrier (2) has a first thermal via (14) extending from the upper side (7) of the base body (6) to the at least one electrical component (13, 13a, 13b), wherein the carrier (2) has a second thermal via (15) extending from the at least one electrical component (13, 13a, 13b) to the underside (8) of the base body (6), wherein the at least one embedded electrical component (13, 13a, 13b) is electrically contacted by the first and the second thermal via (14, 15), wherein the carrier (2) has at least one further thermal via (19) extending from the top side (7) of the base body (6) to the bottom side (8) of the base body (6), wherein the carrier (2) further comprises a metallic structure (24) which is embedded in the base body (6) and which is extended in a direction parallel to the upper side (7) of the base body (6), wherein the metallic structure (24) lies directly against the further thermal via (19), wherein the base body (6) has a multi-layer structure, and wherein the metallic structure (24) and the at least one embedded electrical component (13, 13a, 13b) are arranged in the same layer (11). [2] Carrier (2) according to claim 1, wherein the further thermal via (19) has a diameter which is larger than the diameter of the first thermal via (14) and than the diameter of the second thermal via (15). [3] Carrier (2) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the at least one embedded electrical component (13, 13a, 13b) is a varistor, a diode, an NTC thermistor, a PTC thermistor, a ceramic multilayer chip capacitor, a multilayer inductor or a driver circuit for the semiconductor component (3). [4] Carrier (2) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the at least one embedded electrical component (13, 13a, 13b) is either an active electronic component, for example an electronic chip, in particular a semiconductor chip, or a passive electronic component, for example a capacitor, a resistor, a varistor, an NTC, a PTC or an inductor or an embedded module, wherein the embedded component is, for example, a data memory, such as a DRAM or any other memory, a filter, which can be configured, for example, as a high-pass filter, a low-pass filter or a band-pass filter and which can be used, for example, for frequency filtering, an integrated circuit, such as a logic IC, a signal processing component, such as a microprocessor, a power management component, an optical-electrical interface element, for example an optoelectronic component, a voltage converter, such as a DC / DC converter or an AC / DC converter, an electromechanical converter, e.g. a PZT sensor and / or actuator, a transmitting and / or receiving unit for electromagnetic waves, e.g.an RFID chip or transponder, a cryptographic component, a capacitor, an inductor, a switch, for example a transistor-based switch, and a combination of these and other functional electronic components. and / or wherein the embedded electrical component (13, 13a, 13b) comprises a microelectromechanical system (MEMS), a battery, a camera or an antenna. [5] Carrier (2) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the base body (6) comprises at least one material from a group consisting of resin, in particular bismaleimide-triazine resin, glass, in particular glass fibers, prepreg material, polyimide, a liquid crystal polymer, cyanate ester, epoxy-based build-up film, FR4 material, a ceramic, and a metal oxide. [6] Carrier (2) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the carrier (2) has a height of less than 500 µm. [7] Carrier (2) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the carrier (2) has a third thermal via (17) extending from the top side (7) of the base body (6) to the at least one electrical component (13, 13a, 13b), wherein the carrier (2) has a fourth thermal via (18) extending from the at least one electrical component (13, 13a, 13b) to the underside (8) of the base body (6), wherein the at least one embedded electrical component (13, 13a, 13b) is also electrically contacted by the third and fourth thermal via (17, 18). [8] Carrier (2) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein at least one second electrical component (13a) is embedded in the base body (6), wherein the carrier (2) has a fifth thermal via (22) extending from the top side (7) of the base body (6) to the second electrical component (13b), wherein the carrier (2) has a sixth thermal via (23) extending from the second electrical component (13b) to the underside (8) of the base body (6), and wherein the second embedded electrical component (13b) is electrically contacted by the fifth and sixth thermal vias (22, 23). [9] Device comprising a carrier (2) according to one of the preceding claims and a semiconductor component (3) arranged on the upper side (7) of the carrier (2).

Images