Electrical conductor mechanism and method for manufacturing the same

Abstract

The present invention provides an electrical conductor mechanism (100) including a conductor unit (1) having an upper surface (1 a) and an array of conductor contacts (2) on the upper surface (1 a), the array corresponding to a predetermined pattern and forming a contact extension region (KV) along a region of the predetermined pattern, and an electronic component (4) with solder points (3) and solder material on a lower surface (4 a) of the electronic component (4), the solder points (3) with solder material being mountable on the conductor contacts (2), and the solder points (3) with solder material mounted on the conductor contacts (2) form contact points (KS) extending along the contact extension region (KV).

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an electrical conductor mechanism and a method for manufacturing an electrical conductor mechanism. [Background technology]

[0002] Currently, ball grid array (BGA) or land grid array (LGA) packages are available for high frequency chips, with BGA packages typically used for very large chips and LGA packages in smaller first level packages that may be used for automotive applications, although industrial applications may also be found in larger packages.

[0003] In this regard, it must be considered that the package may have different coefficients of expansion relative to the conductor structure (substrate) over the temperature range of use. For high frequency transmission, galvanic approaches using shields / shield rings (on the conductor structure) and electromagnetic approaches using high frequency antennas (launchers) on / in the first level package can usually be used.

[0004] EP1722614B1 describes a substrate and a method for its manufacture. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The present invention provides an electrical conductor arrangement according to claim 1 and a method for manufacturing an electrical conductor arrangement according to claim 10. Preferred variants are the subject of the dependent claims.

[0006] Advantages of the Invention The idea underlying the present invention is to provide an electrical conductor arrangement and a method for manufacturing the same, in which the shielding properties of the contact area (for example at the interface and / or contact points) can be improved.

[0007] According to the present invention, the electrical conductor mechanism includes a conductor unit having an upper surface and an array of conductor contacts on the upper surface, the array corresponding to a predetermined pattern and forming a contact extension area along a region of the predetermined pattern; an electronic component with solder points and solder material on the lower surface of the electronic component, the solder points with the solder material being mountable on the conductor contacts, and the solder points with the solder material mounted on the conductor contacts forming contact points extending along the contact extension area.

[0008] It would be advantageous if so-called first level packages could be realized that have improved electromagnetic (EM / EMC) shielding properties and improved EM wave transmission properties. Integrated circuits, such as radio frequency ICs, can be used as electronic components for, for example, wireless technology, communications, sensing, radar, and the like.

[0009] In this regard, the present invention makes it possible to realize that even for relatively high frequencies (with relatively short wavelengths), the contact area (which may include one or more partial areas) surrounding the high-frequency transmission line can be a shield, preferably a shield that is as homogeneous and closed or gap-free as possible.

[0010] This can reduce or avoid effects due to the spacing and height between components that are typically present in a ball solder point array and the resulting openings through which high frequency radiation can typically leak or penetrate.

[0011] In this case, the occurrence of undesirable coupling between adjacent high frequency transmission channels within the package can be reduced or avoided. Furthermore, transmission losses that normally occur can be reduced, which may occur at relatively high frequencies because the (ball) contact (usually at ground potential) surrounding the high-frequency transmission line is no longer a homogeneous waveguide, but which can be reduced by the continuous contact area according to the present invention.

[0012] Typically, in the case of spaced contacts, there is an opening caused by the spacing of the contacts and the height between the components (between the conductor feature and the electronic feature, which can be called a "standoff"), which can increase transmission losses because the electromagnetic waves can no longer propagate uniformly.

[0013] Advantageously, the present invention may provide for the elimination or reduction of the effects and occurrence of such inhomogeneities, which may result in improved shielding and transmission behavior for ball grid arrays.

[0014] The conductor unit may include a substrate, and the electronic component may include a chip, an interposer, and an encapsulant with solder points and solder material on the underside of the electronic component. The interposer may be a distribution surface (often also a substrate that is encapsulated together in a chip housing). The interposer allows the contact surfaces of the chip / semiconductor to be routed to a larger BGA / LGA layout (ball grid array or land grid array).

[0015] The electronic component may have a chip in the center or central area of ​​the encapsulant and / or interposer, and in this regard, on the underside of the interposer, the area having solder points may extend beyond the area of ​​the chip or may be located only outside the chip area.

[0016] The conductor contacts may include coaxial lines and / or microstrip lines that may extend over and / or through the conductor units. Normally, closed or semi-open solder (ring) moldings beyond the contact area, for example as ball contacts, are not realized, and U-shapes, for example, are not common. The present invention advantageously allows this limitation of contact locations to be eliminated in ball contact arrays. The shielding effect can be improved, so that radiation from electronic components into adjacent components and radiation coupling can be reduced or avoided. In this case, the shielding properties and HF transmission properties can also be significantly improved.

[0017] The solder points and solder material, for example, balls in a ball grid array, may be provided with a certain spacing between and thickness of the solder points (e.g., balls). The uninterrupted contact extension area and the resulting extended contact points can provide improved shielding and reduce undesired coupling to adjacent HF terminals on the package.

[0018] According to a preferred embodiment of the electrical conductor arrangement, the conductor unit comprises a substrate. The substrate may be a printed circuit board (PCB). According to one preferred embodiment of the electrical conductor arrangement, the conductor contacts are a ball grid array.

[0019] The ball grid array may have a predetermined spacing, which may apply to both the conductor contacts as land contacts on the conductor unit and the solder points as mating contacts on the electronic component, where the mating contacts may be so-called ball contacts with ball-shaped solder material. The ball contacts and the conductor contacts may have a certain radius.

[0020] According to a preferred embodiment of the electrical conductor arrangement, the contact location consists of a solder material and forms a continuous contact wall between the upper surface of the conductor unit and the lower surface of the electronic component, and has electromagnetic shielding properties.

[0021] According to one preferred embodiment of the electrical conductor arrangement, the predetermined pattern is a grid array, and an area of ​​the predetermined pattern forms a rectangle, closed or open on all four sides, for the contact extension area.

[0022] The contact extension region may have, for example, a U-shape and may laterally wrap around the solder points of the electronic component in at least some areas. According to a preferred embodiment of the electrical conductor arrangement, one area of ​​the predetermined pattern forms an open rectangle for the contact extension area and has an opening on one particular side of a conductor unit, which conductor unit contains a waveguide that extends by means of the opening up to or into the open rectangle.

[0023] The contact extension area allows an improved shielding effect to be achieved on its closed side, but reduced on the open side, and radiation can be directed in this direction / from this direction, which can be used by the corresponding waveguide (waveguide) to improve the waveguide there.

[0024] According to a preferred embodiment of the electrical conductor arrangement, the conductor contacts for the contact extension region have a smaller area than the conductor contacts outside the contact extension region. If all the solder spots have the same amount and dimensions of solder material, placing the solder spots on the land contacts / conductor contacts can result in the formation of contact spots that extend along the contact extension area, i.e., less solder material is required per solder spot to create contact there than for other contact spots outside the contact extension area, and therefore the extension areas between the separate or combined conductor contacts and between the solder spots within the contact extension area can be filled with solder material along this surface.

[0025] Advantageously, ball grid housings for encapsulating electronic components with chips inside can be provided with solder balls in a ball shape, the size of which can be varied according to the amount of solder required.

[0026] Before soldering the substrate with components, the substrate can be wetted with solder and flux only at the locations to be soldered; such selective wetting can be prepared by a cavity template placed on the substrate (the thickness of the template affects the amount of solder). Solder paste is then spread on the template with a doctor blade, which is then removed, and then components (e.g., ball grid arrays / BGAs with electronic components) can be placed on the substrate (whose soldering spots have been coated with a doctor blade). The whole can then be sent into a reflow oven.

[0027] It is advantageous that the height between the electronic component and the conductor unit can be constant everywhere. According to a preferred embodiment of the electrical conductor arrangement, the electronic component is adapted to emit and / or receive electromagnetic radiation.

[0028] According to a preferred embodiment of the electrical conductor arrangement, a predetermined distance between the upper surface of the conductor unit and the lower surface of the electronic component is maintained. Overall, electronic components with solder points and solder material can be prepared in standard dimensions, and by adapting the dimensions of the conductor units with conductor contacts, they can be bridged to the nearest solder points even in standard soldering processes. Contact points extending along the contact extension area can create a gap-free and / or closed metallic conductive surface or wall, and very good shielding of HF transmission lines can be achieved. In this way, a closed or partially open, e.g., rectangular, shielding ring can be created that laterally surrounds at least a portion of the electronic component, and this shielding ring can be, for example, at ground potential. Improved attenuation and / or transmission characteristics can be achieved during the generation of EM waves, without the need for special housing or special specifications in the package, although this is still possible.

[0029] Furthermore, the geometry of the solder points and / or conductor contacts (land areas) on the conductor unit and / or package can itself be adapted to the clearance and diameter of the solder points, in this regard the layout adaptation on the conductor unit, including the diameter of the ball contacts if present, allows for a simple optimization of the bridge.

[0030] According to the present invention, a method for manufacturing an electrical conductor mechanism includes the steps of: preparing a conductor unit having an upper surface and an array of conductor contacts on the upper surface, the array corresponding to a predetermined pattern, and forming a contact extension area along a region of the predetermined pattern; and preparing an electronic component with solder points and solder material on a lower surface of the electronic component, the solder points with the solder material being placed on the conductor contacts, and the solder points with the solder material placed on the conductor contacts advantageously forming contact points extending along the contact extension area during soldering.

[0031] According to a preferred embodiment of the method, the contact points are molded from a solder material and a continuous contact wall is formed between the upper surface of the conductor unit and the lower surface of the electronic component.

[0032] According to a preferred embodiment of the method, a region of the predetermined pattern is formed as a rectangle, closed or open on all four sides, for the contact extension region. The electrical conductor arrangement may also feature the features and advantages listed in connection with the method, and vice versa.

[0033] Further features and advantages of embodiments of the present invention will become apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. The invention is explained in more detail below on the basis of exemplary embodiments shown in the diagrammatic drawings in the drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0034] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram of a top view of a top surface of a conductor unit in an electrical conductor arrangement according to one exemplary embodiment of the present invention, prior to placement of an electronic component having solder points thereon. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of the conductor unit of FIG. [Figure 3] 10 is a schematic diagram showing a top view of a top surface of a conductor unit in an electrical conductor arrangement according to a further exemplary embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] 1 is a schematic diagram of a conductor unit with an electronic component arranged thereon according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of process steps for a method of manufacturing an electrical conductor feature according to one exemplary embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0035] In the figures, the same reference numerals refer to elements of the same or same function. FIG. 1 shows a schematic diagram of a top view of a top surface of a conductor unit in an electrical conductor arrangement according to one exemplary embodiment of the present invention, prior to placement of electronic components having solder points thereon.

[0036] The top view of the upper surface 1a of the conductor unit 1 is shown diagrammatically by the pattern of conductor contacts 2. Furthermore, after subsequent positioning (shown symbolically), above the conductor unit, in the central area, there is a chip of an electronic component 4 (here only the chip marked "4" is shown).

[0037] The array of conductor contacts 2 may correspond to a predetermined pattern, in this case a grid. In the area inside the grid array, there may be a contact extension area KV, which may advantageously be rectangular. This contact extension area KV is shown only as a track in this case, since contact walls may only be present along this track after the extension of the solder material of the solder points (not shown). In FIG. 1 , the right-hand column of conductor contacts 2 shows how the extent (dimensions, radius) of the conductor contacts 2 would appear without the solder point material; the remaining illustrated conductor contacts 2 also show their overlap with the solder point material, particularly in their relative size comparison with each other. In this case, the solder points and conductor contacts may advantageously be a ball grid array.

[0038] The double circle is a schematic representation of a conductor contact 2 on which a solder point of an electronic component is placed. To allow for size recognition, the conductor contact 2 without the solder point ball is symbolically shown in the area to the right of the contact extension area KV. The size of the double circle may be reversed, in which case the conductor contact may have a larger radius than the solder point.

[0039] However, the contact extension region KV may also include a metal conductor or metal profile, which may extend between the conductor contacts 2 for the contact extension region and may better contain or distribute the extending solder material.

[0040] The electronics component 4 may have the chip in the center or central region of the encapsulant and / or interposer, whereby the area under the interposer with the solder points may extend beyond the area of ​​the chip or may be located only outside the chip area as shown in Figure 1 (interposer and encapsulant not shown). For clarity, Figure 1 shows only the chip as part of the electronics component 4; the area of ​​the encapsulant and / or interposer with the solder points above the conductor contacts 2 is also part of the electronics component 4 but is not shown in Figure 1. Figures 2 and 3 also symbolically show the position of the chip as part of the electronics component 4 above the conductor unit 1.

[0041] FIG. 2 shows a schematic diagram of the conductor unit of FIG. 2 shows how the array of conductor contacts 2 may look like. In this regard, the area of ​​the conductor contacts 2 within the contact extension region KV may be smaller than outside the contact extension region KV, thereby ensuring sufficient solder material for forming the contact locations KS.

[0042] FIG. 2 advantageously shows a conductor track structure on the conductor unit 1, which can be advantageously wetted with solder during the manufacturing process, in which case a hole mask and doctor blade can be used.

[0043] FIG. 3 shows a schematic top view of a top surface of a conductor unit in an electrical conductor arrangement according to a further exemplary embodiment of the present invention. In Fig. 3, an array similar to the embodiment of Fig. 1 is shown, except that, unlike Fig. 1 in which the contact extension area KV is a closed rectangle, this contact extension area KV is a rectangle with one side open. According to Fig. 3, furthermore, in or on the conductor unit 1, a waveguide WL can extend from one side into the rectangular area of ​​the contact extension area KV.

[0044] 3, for example, an RF signal may be transmitted from the package via a waveguide WL, which may be a coaxial line, and the contact point may be a solder ring for feeding the waveguide on the substrate.

[0045] 4a to 4d each show a schematic diagram of a conductor unit with an electronic component arranged thereon according to one exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 4a to 4d show the sequence of placing the electronics component 4 on the conductor unit 1. In FIG.

[0046] The conductor unit 1 has an upper surface 1a with an array of conductor contacts 2 on this upper surface 1a, which may be a ball grid array according to Fig. 4a. The solder points 3 may be formed, for example, as ball contacts, on the lower surface 4a of the electronic component 4 and may be placed (accessible) to the conductor contacts 2 and to the contact extension area KV.

[0047] In FIG. 4b it is shown how the solder points 3 are placed on the conductor contacts 2 (KV) and the soldering of the contacts (FIG. 4c) begins. 4c shows how the solder material can extend along the contact extension area KV during further approach and soldering of the solder point to the conductor unit 1. This can be achieved by excess material of the solder point as a solder contact, which comes from the relatively small conductor contact surface. The solder can melt in a reflow oven and extend according to the representation in FIG. 4d.

[0048] The contact points KS consist of a solder material and form a continuous contact wall between the upper surface 1a of the conductor unit 1 and the lower surface 4a of the electronic component 4, as shown in FIG. 4d.

[0049] 4d further shows that the contact extension areas KV can also be present on the underside of the electronic component 4. The contact extension areas KV can therefore be arranged on the electronic component and / or on the conductor unit and can have only solder points / conductor contacts and / or also connecting lines between adjacent solder points / conductor contacts.

[0050] FIG. 5 shows a block diagram of process steps for a method of manufacturing an electrical conductor feature according to one exemplary embodiment of the present invention. A method for manufacturing an electrical conductor mechanism includes step S1 of preparing a conductor unit having an upper surface and an array of conductor contacts on the upper surface, the array corresponding to a predetermined pattern, and forming a contact extension area along a region of the predetermined pattern, and step S2 of preparing an electronic component with solder points and solder material on a lower surface of the electronic component, the solder points with the solder material being placed on the conductor contacts, and the solder points with the solder material placed on the conductor contacts forming contact points extending along the contact extension area.

[0051] Although the invention has been described above entirely on the basis of preferred exemplary embodiments, the invention is not limited thereto but can be modified in many different ways.

Claims

1. An electrical conductor mechanism (100), a conductor unit (1) having a top surface (1a) and an array of conductor contacts (2) on said top surface (1a), said array corresponding to a predetermined pattern and forming a contact extension region (KV) along a region of said predetermined pattern; - an electronic component (4) with solder points (3) and solder material on its underside (4a), wherein the solder points (3) with the solder material can be placed on the conductor contacts (2), and the solder points (3) with the solder material placed on the conductor contacts (2) form contact points (KS) extending along the contact extension region (KV). An electrical conductor mechanism (100) comprising:

2. The electrical conductor arrangement (100) according to claim 1, wherein the conductor unit (1) comprises a substrate.

3. The electrical conductor arrangement (100) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the conductor contacts (2) are ball grid arrays.

4. 4. The electrical conductor mechanism (100) according to claim 1, wherein the contact point (KS) is made of the solder material and forms a continuous contact wall between the upper surface (1a) of the conductor unit (1) and the lower surface (4a) of the electronics component (4), and has electromagnetic shielding properties.

5. 5. The electrical conductor mechanism (100) of claim 1, wherein the predetermined pattern is a grid array, and the one area of ​​the predetermined pattern forms a rectangle with four closed or open sides for the contact extension area (KV).

6. 6. The electrical conductor mechanism (100) of claim 5, wherein the one region of the predetermined pattern forms an open rectangle for the contact extension region (KV) and has an opening on a particular side of the conductor unit (1), the conductor unit (1) including a waveguide (WL), the waveguide (WL) extending to or into the open rectangle by the opening.

7. 7. The electrical conductor mechanism (100) according to claim 1, wherein the conductor contacts (2) for the contact extension region (KV) have a smaller area than the conductor contacts (2) outside the contact extension region (KV).

8. 8. The electrical conductor arrangement (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the electronics component (4) is adapted to emit and / or receive electromagnetic radiation.

9. 9. The electrical conductor arrangement (100) according to claim 1, wherein a predetermined distance is maintained between the upper surface (1a) of the conductor unit (1) and the lower surface (4a) of the electronics component (4).

10. A method for manufacturing an electrical conductor mechanism (100), comprising the steps of: - providing (S1) a conductor unit (1) having a top surface (1a) and an array of conductor contacts (2) on said top surface (1a), said array corresponding to a predetermined pattern and forming a contact extension region (KV) along a region of said predetermined pattern; - a step (S2) of preparing an electronic component (4) with solder points (3) and solder material on the underside (4a) of the electronic component (4), wherein the solder points (3) with the solder material are placed on the conductor contacts (2), and the solder points (3) with the solder material placed on the conductor contacts (2) form contact points (KS) extending along the contact extension areas (KV). A method comprising:

11. 11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the contact points (KS) are molded from the solder material and a continuous contact wall is formed between the upper surface (1a) of the conductor unit (1) and the lower surface (4a) of the electronic component (4).

12. 12. The method according to claim 10 or 11, wherein the one region of the predetermined pattern is formed as a rectangle with four closed or open sides for the contact extension region (KV).

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