METHOD FOR THE MASSAGE MANUFACTURING OF ELECTRONIC DEVICES INCORPORATING PROTECTIVE ELEMENTS AND RESULTING ELECTRONIC DEVICES

Abstract

A method for manufacturing electronic devices is proposed in which a protective grid is fixed (205) to a first substrate, the grid comprising a set of motifs each associated with a device; walls are molded (215) onto the first substrate, forming at least one set of peripheral walls for the devices; and the assembly comprising the first substrate, the grid, and the walls is fixed (220) to a second substrate. The assembly comprising the first and second substrates is cut, according to the peripheral walls, into a plurality of devices. Fixing the grid to the first substrate includes establishing an electrical contact between each motif and an element of the first substrate, and / or fixing the assembly comprising the first substrate, the grid, and the walls to the second substrate includes establishing an electrical contact between each motif and an element of the second substrate. Figure for the abstract: Fig. 2

Description

Title of the invention: METHOD FOR THE MASSAGE MANUFACTURING OF ELECTRONIC DEVICES INTEGRATING PROTECTIVE ELEMENTS AND RESULTING ELECTRONIC DEVICES

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of microelectronics and more particularly to the field of manufacturing electronic devices comprising electronic chips, in particular electronic chips including integrated optical elements for emitting and / or receiving light.

[0002] Known electronic devices include a support substrate including an electrical connection network, one or more electronic chips, for example a light-emitting electronic chip and a light-receiving electronic chip, mounted remotely above one face of the support substrate, and a closure substrate (or encapsulation hood) mounted on said face of the support substrate and delimiting one or more chambers in which electronic chips are located, this encapsulation hood having, where appropriate, openings opposite the optical elements of the electronic chips in which lenses and / or light filters are generally provided.

[0003] Furthermore, some electronic devices require specific components, such as protection against electromagnetic radiation, also called electromagnetic shielding, or protection against mechanical failures, for example, to deactivate a laser diode if a lens or filter associated with that diode becomes detached from its support or breaks. Since these components are often difficult to implement, they generally require individual production of the electronic devices.

[0004] There is therefore a need to integrate protective elements into electronic devices, enabling the mass production of the latter.

[0005] According to one aspect, a method for manufacturing electronic devices is proposed, the method comprising, - fixing a protective grid to a first substrate, the protective grid being formed from an electrically conductive material and comprising a set of patterns, each pattern being associated with an electronic device and comprising at least one part of which a component extends in a direction perpendicular to the first substrate; - molding of walls on the first substrate, the molded walls forming at least one set of peripheral walls of said electronic devices; - fixing, to a second substrate, the assembly comprising the first substrate, the protective grid and the molded walls; and - cutting, according to the peripheral walls, the assembly comprising the first and second substrates into a plurality of electronic devices,

[0006] the fixing of the protective grid to the first substrate including the establishment of an electrical contact between each motif of the protective grid and at least one element of the first substrate and / or the fixing, to the second substrate, of the assembly comprising the first substrate, the protective grid and the molded walls including the establishment of an electrical contact between each motif of the protective grid and at least one element of the second substrate.

[0007] Such a process makes it possible in particular to improve the manufacturing processes of electronic devices by allowing the manufacture of several electronic devices by plates.

[0008] According to embodiments, the diaphragm walls include at least a portion of the part of the protective grid, a component of which extends in a direction perpendicular to the first substrate, thus protecting this part of the protective grid and limiting the risks of unwanted electrical contact.

[0009] According to embodiments, the protective grid forms a peripheral structure for each of said electronic devices, the molding of the peripheral walls being carried out on said peripheral structures, thus making it possible to protect the electronic devices from electromagnetic waves.

[0010] According to embodiments, the method further comprises establishing an electrical contact between the protective grid and at least one element of each of the first and second substrates.

[0011] According to embodiments, one of said first and second substrates includes openings, the method further including the fixing of lenses and / or filters on said openings, the other of said first and second substrates including electronic circuits placed opposite said lenses and / or filters.

[0012] According to embodiments, the protective grid is electrically connected to said electrical circuits and to said lenses and / or filters and configured to allow the detection, after cutting, of a displacement or breakage of a lens and / or filter.

[0013] According to embodiments, the wall molding is carried out on at least a part of the protective grid extending along a plane parallel to the first substrate.

[0014] According to some embodiments, the protective grid is attached to the first substrate by gluing and / or by means of which the assembly is attached including the first substrate, the protective grid and the molded walls to the second substrate is carried out by bonding.

[0015] According to some embodiments, the protective grid is obtained by a stamping or deep drawing process.

[0016] According to another aspect, an electronic device obtained by the process described above is proposed. The advantages provided by this electronic device include, in particular, its potential for mass production.

[0017] Other advantages and features will become apparent upon examination of the detailed description of embodiments and implementations, which are by no means limiting, and the accompanying drawings on which:

[0018] [Fig.l];

[0019] [Fig.2];

[0020] [Fig.3] ;

[0021] [Fig.4] ;

[0022] [Fig.5] ;

[0023] [Fig.6] ;

[0024] [Fig.7] ;

[0025] [Fig.8] illustrate embodiments.

[0026] According to some embodiments, a protective grid comprising a protective pattern for each electronic device in an assembly of electronic devices is attached to a first substrate used to produce this assembly of electronic devices. After molding walls, particularly peripheral walls, the assembly comprising the first substrate, the protective grid, and the molded walls is attached to a second substrate. This latter assembly is then cut to form the electronic devices.

[0027] Figure 1 schematically illustrates a set of electronic devices manufactured simultaneously according to various embodiments, partially cut away to show a portion of the internal structure of an electronic device. The set of 100 electronic devices, forming a board, comprises four electronic devices 105-11, 105-12, 105-21, and 105-22. For clarity, the board is shown here after cutting and obtaining the four electronic devices 105-11, 105-12, 105-21, and 105-22. Naturally, the set of electronic devices can comprise a very large number of electronic devices, for example, a board with X by Y electronic devices. All the electronic devices on the board are manufactured simultaneously, and the board is then cut (here along the XX and YY axes) to produce the four electronic devices.

[0028] As illustrated, the plate 100 here comprises a first substrate 110, or closure substrate or encapsulation cap, and a second substrate 115, or support substrate. The two substrates are connected to each other by walls, in particular peripheral walls of the electronic devices, for example the peripheral wall 120 of the electronic device 105-11, and, where applicable, internal walls, for example the internal wall 125 of the electronic device 105-11. The walls can be made by molding and are preferably made of an opaque material, particularly when the electronic device includes a light emitter and / or receiver.

[0029] The walls, or some of the walls, may include part of a protective grid, here the protective grid 130. Since this is electrically conductive and can be connected to the electrical circuit of the electronic devices, it can form an electromagnetic shield.

[0030] Furthermore, the walls form one or more chambers in each electronic device, housing one or more electronic chips, for example, electronic chips 135 and 140, fixed here to the support substrate 115, which includes electrical traces for exchanging electrical signals between the chips and / or to or from outside the electronic device. If the electronic chips are light emitters and / or receivers (electronic chip 135 is here a light emitter and electronic chip 140 is a light receiver), openings are made in the closure substrate, opposite the emitter and receiver. A lens and / or a filter is preferably placed under the opening to protect the inside of the electronic device and control the emitted or received light. By way of illustration, the closure substrate 110 includes the opening 145 located opposite the emitter 135, to which the lens 150 is fixed.

[0031] Figures 2 and 3 illustrate an example of steps in a process for manufacturing electronic devices according to embodiments. As illustrated, a first step (step 200) aims to obtain a first substrate 300, for example a closure substrate, and a protective grid 305. The first substrate and the protective grid are obtained here in the form of a plate, allowing the manufacture of an assembly of electronic devices.

[0032] According to some embodiments, the first substrate is made of epoxy laminate. It may also comprise several layers stacked and laminated to one another. The first substrate may be machined, for example, to include openings such as the opening 310 to allow light to pass through. It may also include open cavities such as the open cavities 315, formed next to the openings, allowing light to pass through. glue and glue lenses to the openings, without creating excess thickness due to the glue.

[0033] The protective grid is, for example, a thin plate, for example made of copper or brass, stamped or deep-drawn to form a 3D structure whose shape is determined according to the desired patterns to form an electromagnetic shield, allow light to pass through opposite the light emitter and / or receiver, connect an element of the protective substrate to an element of the support substrate, etc. According to embodiments and as illustrated in [Fig. 3], the protective grid 305 comprises, for each electronic device, a peripheral element 320, one component of which extends along a plane substantially perpendicular to the first substrate (i.e.(the peripheral element is not parallel to the first substrate) and forming a continuous or discontinuous perimeter structure (or side screens), one or more elements 325, one component of which extends, preferably, in a plane substantially perpendicular to the first substrate and forms an internal structure (or internal screens), and / or one or more elements 330, extending, preferably, in a plane substantially parallel to the first substrate and forming an upper structure (or upper screen, so called because it is located above the electronic chip(s) in electronic devices). When the protective grid is fixed to the first substrate, the upper screen is against (or near) the first substrate and can protect electronic chips located beneath it.According to other embodiments, the protective grille 305 comprises, for each electronic device, only a side screen, an internal screen or a top screen, or comprises any combination of these screens.

[0034] In a subsequent step (step 205), the protective grid is fixed to the first substrate, in a predefined position, to form an assembly 335. According to some embodiments, the protective grid is bonded to the first substrate, for example with a standard adhesive such as the adhesive known under the reference Loctite Ablestik 8387B (Loctite is a brand name). Again, by way of illustration, the bonding may include applying a film of adhesive to the first substrate at the locations where the protective grid will be in contact with the first substrate (e.g., the part forming the upper screen), positioning the protective grid on the first substrate, and then heating the assembly to allow the adhesive to polymerize.

[0035] According to some embodiments, the attachment of the protective grid to the first substrate includes establishing an electrical contact between the protective grid and conductive elements of the first substrate, for example, establishing an electrical contact between a point on the protective grid and a conductive surface or track present on the surface of the first substrate, for each electronic device. A conductive adhesive may be used for this purpose.

[0036] According to further embodiments, and if the electronic devices include light emitters and / or receivers, lenses and / or filters can be attached to the first substrate (step 210), for example, at the openings 310. For this purpose, adhesive such as that used to bond the protective grid can be deposited near the openings, for example, in the open cavities 315. The lenses and / or filters can then be positioned, and the assembly can be heated to allow the adhesive to polymerize. It is noted that the polymerization of the adhesive can be carried out simultaneously for the protective grid and the lenses and / or filters, or separately. According to other embodiments, the lenses and / or filters are attached in a subsequent step, for example, after the walls have been molded.

[0037] Walls are then molded onto the first substrate (step 215). The molded walls include the peripheral walls of the electronic devices (e.g., wall 120 in [Fig. 1]) and, optionally, internal walls (e.g., wall 125 in [Fig. 1]). The molding can be carried out conventionally, using a mold and a liquid or viscous polymer material, for example, an epoxy resin-based material, such as the compounds known under the reference NT-8560 TDS (NITTO) or under the reference Tecoré 820L-B or TC-8020LA-7000 (NITTO and Tecoré are trademarks). This material is preferably opaque, particularly when the electronic devices include one or more light emitters and / or receivers. According to some embodiments, the walls include at least part of the protective grid, for example side screens 320, internal screens 325 and / or top screens 330.

[0038] The peripheral walls of an electronic device may be molded with a portion of the peripheral walls of neighboring electronic devices (these walls then being cut in their thickness to separate the electronic devices), as illustrated with reference 340a or may be separate, as illustrated with reference 340b.

[0039] According to other embodiments, the walls are added or created by another process.

[0040] The assembly 340a or 340b, comprising the first substrate, the protective grid, lenses or filters if applicable, and the walls, is then mounted on a second substrate (step 220), for example, a support substrate 345 on which the electronic chips of the electronic devices are mounted. The second substrate here comprises several layers stacked and laminated to one another, in which conductive tracks are formed to allow signal exchange between electronic chips of each electronic device and between an electronic chip of an electronic device and an external element. Like the first substrate, the second substrate is obtained in the form of a plate, allowing the manufacture of a set of electronic devices.

[0041] The second substrate can be mounted to the assembly comprising the first substrate, the protective grid, and the walls by bonding. Bonding may involve applying a film of adhesive to the second substrate, for example, at the locations where the molded walls will be in contact with the second substrate, positioning the assembly comprising the first substrate, the protective grid, and the walls onto the second substrate, and then heating the assembly to allow the adhesive to cure. Again, the adhesive used may be Loctite Ablestik 8387B.

[0042] According to some embodiments, attaching the second substrate to the assembly comprising the first substrate, the protective grid, and the walls involves establishing an electrical contact between the protective grid and conductive elements of the second substrate, for example, establishing an electrical contact between a point on the protective grid and a conductive surface or track on the surface of the second substrate, for each electronic device. These conductive surfaces or tracks are connected to ground to allow portions of the protective grid to act as an electromagnetic shield. The contact is established, for example, using a conductive adhesive.

[0043] In a subsequent step (step 225), the assembly 350 comprising the first and second substrates is cut to obtain the electronic devices 255. The cutting is carried out along the peripheral walls. The cutting is, for example, performed using a cutting disc.

[0044] Fig. 4, comprising figures 4a and 4b, illustrates a first example of a protective grid, seen from above and from the side, respectively.

[0045] After fixing the protective grid 400 to a first substrate and assembling this assembly to a second substrate, the new assembly is cut along the axes Xi to X5 and Yi to Y6 to form 36 electronic devices.

[0046] By way of illustration, the protective grid comprises a set of motifs arranged in a matrix, each motif corresponding to a particular electronic device. Each motif consists of a three-dimensional shape determined by its function. For example, the motif located in the first row and sixth column of the matrix here comprises four side screens (only side screens 405-1, 405-2, and 405-3 are visible), an inner screen (not visible), and an upper screen 410. These screens provide electromagnetic protection to electronic chips located between them. They can also ensure electrical contact between substrate elements located on either side of this motif, by An example to ensure a common mass. Naturally, other pattern forms can be used.

[0047] As illustrated, each motif here is linked to another motif by one or more generically referenced 415 linking elements which are cut when the electronic devices are separated from each other.

[0048] Fig. 5, comprising figures 5a, 5b, 5c and 5d, illustrates a first example of certain manufacturing steps of an assembly comprising a closure substrate, a protective grid and walls, seen in section.

[0049] For the sake of clarity, only a portion of this assembly, corresponding to two electronic devices, is shown, as illustrated with references 500-1 and 500-2.

[0050] Figure 5a represents the assembly after fixing, on a substrate 505, of a protective grid 510 and generically referenced lenses 515, using a layer of glue 520 deposited in appropriate locations.

[0051] As illustrated, the protective grid 510 comprises, in portion 500-1, side screens 525-1 and 525-2 (the others are not visible in the cross-sectional view), an inner screen 530, and an upper screen 535 bonded to the substrate 505. The side screen 525-1, the inner screen 530, and the upper screen 535 form a first cavity configured to protect one or more electronic chips, for example, a light emitter. Similarly, the side screen 525-2, the inner screen 530, and the upper screen 535 form a second cavity configured to protect one or more electronic chips, for example, a light receiver.

[0052] Figure 5b shows the assembly after molding of the walls. As illustrated, the walls are molded here on the side, inner, and upper screens. Thus, for example, the peripheral walls 540-1 and 540-2 are molded on the side screens 525-1 and 525-2, respectively, the inner wall 545 is molded on the inner screen 530, and a molding 550 is also made on the upper wall 535 and, here, on the edge of the lenses.

[0053] According to the illustrated example, the molding does not extend over the entire part of the protective grid located opposite the substrate, in particular on the part referenced 555, to allow the establishment of an electrical contact between the protective grid and a support substrate to which the assembly would be fixed.

[0054] Figure 5c represents the assembly, for example by gluing, as described previously, of the assembly comprising the substrate, the protective grid and the walls with another substrate 560. The latter includes generically referenced electronic chips 565 connected to tracks (not shown) of this substrate and generically referenced contacts 570 configured to allow the establishment of an electrical contact with the protective grid.

[0055] Figure 5d represents the assembly during cutting, to separate the electronic devices from each other using a cutting device generically referenced 575, for example a cutting disc.

[0056] Figure 6 illustrates a second example of a wall molding step during the manufacture of an assembly comprising a closing substrate, a protective grid, and walls, seen in cross-section. The step illustrated in Figure 6 is an alternative to the step illustrated in Figure 5b.

[0057] As illustrated, peripheral walls such as peripheral walls 600-1 and 600-2 are molded onto side screens, for example side screens 525-1 and 525-2, respectively; however, no internal wall is molded onto internal screens, for example onto internal screen 530, and no molding is done on top walls, for example top wall 535, nor on the edge of lenses.

[0058] Figure 7 illustrates a second example of a protective grid, seen in perspective.

[0059] The protective grid 700 illustrated in Figure 7 is designed, in particular, to detect the displacement or breakage of a lens or filter, for example, the displacement or breakage of a diffusing filter placed in front of a laser emitter. To this end, the protective grid includes connecting elements for establishing electrical contacts between elements of a first substrate, for example, an electrical contact of a lens fixed to the first substrate, and an element of a second substrate, for example, a contact connected to an electrical track of the second substrate.

[0060] The protective grid also includes connecting elements for maintaining the connection elements in predefined relative positions while the protective grid is being attached to a substrate and the walls are being molded. At least some of these connecting elements are partially modified during the cutting of the final assembly into electronic devices to allow for the establishment of the required electrical connections.

[0061] By way of illustration, the protective grid 700 can be configured to control the position of the lens 705, which includes electrical contacts 710-1 and 710-2. For this purpose, the protective grid 700 includes connecting elements 715-1 and 715-2 to establish electrical contact between the electrical contacts 710-1 and 710-2 and electrical contacts of elements of a substrate (not shown) assembled to a substrate (not shown) to which the protective grid 700 and the lens 705 are attached. Furthermore, the protective grid includes the connecting element 720, which holds the connecting elements 715-1 and 715-2 together during the manufacturing of the electronic devices. As represented by the dashed line YY, the connecting element 720 is separated from the connecting elements 715-1 and 715-2 during the final cutting into electronic devices.

[0062] Fig. 8, comprising figures 8a, 8b and 8c, illustrates a second example of certain manufacturing steps of an assembly comprising a closure substrate, a protective grid and walls, seen in section.

[0063] For the sake of clarity, only a portion of this assembly, corresponding to two electronic devices, is shown, as illustrated with references 800-1 and 800-2.

[0064] Figure 8a represents the assembly after fixing, on a substrate 805, of a protective grid 810 and generically referenced lenses and / or filters 815 and 817, using a layer of glue 820 deposited in appropriate locations.

[0065] The lenses and / or filters 815 are herein lenses and / or filters placed in front of light emitters, for example laser emitters, whose position must be monitored, while the lenses and / or filters 817 are herein lenses placed in front of light receivers, for example laser receivers, whose position does not need to be monitored.

[0066] As illustrated, the protective grid 810 comprises, in the portion 800-1, side screens 825-1 and 825-2 (the others are not visible in the cross-sectional view), an inner screen 830, and an upper screen 835 bonded to the substrate 805. The side screen 825-1, the inner screen 830, and the upper screen 835 form a first cavity configured to protect one or more electronic chips, in particular, in this case, a light emitter. Similarly, the side screen 825-2, the inner screen 830, and the upper screen 835 form a second cavity configured to protect one or more electronic chips, in particular, in this case, a light receiver.

[0067] As also illustrated, a first electrical contact 816-1 of the lens 815 is electrically connected to the inner wall 830 and a second electrical contact 816-2 of the lens 815 is electrically connected to the lateral wall 825-2. The electrical contacts can, for example, be established by simple pressure or by bonding, using a conductive adhesive.

[0068] Figure 8b shows the assembly after the walls have been molded. As illustrated, the walls are molded here onto the side, inner, and upper screens. Thus, for example, the peripheral walls 840-1 and 840-2 are molded onto the side screens 825-1 and 825-2, respectively, the inner wall 845 is molded onto the inner screen 830, and a mold 850 is also made onto the upper wall 835.

[0069] According to the illustrated example, the molding does not extend over the entire part of the protective grid located opposite the substrate, in particular over the parts referenced 855-1 and 855-2, to allow the establishment of an electrical connection between the electrical contacts 816-1 and 816-2 and elements of a substrate to which the assembly illustrated in Figure 8b would be fixed.

[0070] Figure 8c shows the assembly, for example by bonding as described above, of the assembly comprising the substrate, the protective grid, and the walls with another substrate 860. The latter comprises electronic chips, in particular a light emitter 865 such as a laser emitter, connected to tracks (not shown) of this substrate, and contacts, in particular contacts 870-1 and 870-2 configured to allow electrical contact to be established with electrical contacts 816-1 and 816-2 through the protective grid. Again, the electrical contacts can, for example, be established by simple pressure or by bonding, using a conductive adhesive.

[0071] As illustrated, the electronic devices can then be separated from each other using a cutting device generically referenced 875, for example a cutting disc.

[0072] Naturally, while the examples illustrated in Figures 6 and 7 relate to monitoring the position of lenses and / or filters, the systems and methods described apply to other elements of which at least one characteristic must be monitored using an electrical signal.

Claims

Demands

1. A method for manufacturing electronic devices, the method comprising: - attaching (205) a protective grid (305) to a first substrate (300), the protective grid being formed from an electrically conductive material and comprising a set of patterns, each pattern being associated with an electronic device and comprising at least one part (320, 325) of which a component extends in a direction perpendicular to the first substrate; - molding (215) walls on the first substrate, the molded walls forming at least one set of peripheral walls of said electronic devices; - attaching (220), to a second substrate (345), the assembly comprising the first substrate, the protective grid and the molded walls;and - cutting (225), according to the peripheral walls, of the assembly comprising the first and second substrates into a plurality of electronic devices, the fixing of the protective grid to the first substrate including the establishment of an electrical contact between each motif of the protective grid and at least one element of the first substrate and / or the fixing, to the second substrate, of the assembly comprising the first substrate, the protective grid and the molded walls including the establishment of an electrical contact between each motif of the protective grid and at least one element of the second substrate.;

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the molded walls comprise at least a portion of the part of the protective grid, a component of which extends in a direction perpendicular to the first substrate.

3. A method according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the protective grid forms a peripheral structure for each of said electronic devices, the molding of the peripheral walls being carried out on said peripheral structures.

4. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising establishing electrical contact between the grid of protection and at least one element of each of the first and second substrates.

5. A method according to claim 4, wherein one of said first and second substrates comprises openings (310), the method further comprising the attachment (205) of lenses and / or filters on said openings, the other of said first and second substrates comprising electronic circuits placed opposite said lenses and / or filters.

6. A method according to claim 5, wherein the protective grid is electrically connected to said electrical circuits and to said lenses and / or filters and configured to allow the detection, after cutting, of a displacement or breakage of a lens and / or filter.

7. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the wall molding is carried out on at least a portion of the protective grid extending along a plane parallel to the first substrate.

8. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the attachment of the protective grid to the first substrate is carried out by gluing and / or wherein the attachment of the assembly comprising the first substrate, the protective grid and the molded walls to the second substrate is carried out by gluing.

9. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the protective grille is obtained by a deep drawing or stamping process.

10. Electronic device obtained by the method according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

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