Connector in semiconductor device package and semiconductor device package comprising the same

Abstract

A connector for a semiconductor device package and a semiconductor device package including the thereof. The connector may include a central portion having a curved concave shape relative to a given surface in a front view. The connector may include a first contact portion and a second contact portion, the first contact portion being integrally connected to the central portion on a first side and the second contact portion being integrally connected to the central portion on a second side, wherein the first contact portion and the second contact portion define a curved convex shape relative to a given surface in a front view. In some embodiments, the connector may include a slot assembly and one or more notches defining a tortuous path, the structure providing, for example, greater elastic flexibility under mechanical loads.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The embodiments relate to the field of semiconductor devices, and more specifically to packages for supplying power to semiconductor wafers. Prior Technology

[0002] For example, a semiconductor component package (or simply "semiconductor package") such as a power module or discrete package may include components such as semiconductor wafers, substrates, and connectors, wherein the connectors may include wiring, clips, and other connectors. Specifically, a power semiconductor package may include power chips, such as thyristors, field-effect transistors (FETs), insulated-gate bipolar transistors (IGBTs), and auxiliary chips including diodes. The main purpose of the clips is to electrically connect these chips to each other or to the substrate. Such substrates are generally formed as sandwich structures, which have an inner insulating substrate such as alumina or aluminum nitride and copper or aluminum layers on opposite main surfaces of the inner insulating substrate.

[0003] Because a single metal clamp has a substantially larger cross-section to conduct current compared to wiring, metal clamps offer advantages over wiring when used as electrical connectors. Furthermore, wiring connections, which attach metal clamps to a substrate or semiconductor wafer, can be more complex and less reliable than attaching wiring to a substrate or semiconductor wafer.

[0004] Known clamps have a pair of planar portions for engagement with a wafer surface or substrate surface. These planar portions are separated by a curved intermediate portion. The overall structure of such clamps can be presented in a C-shape in a front view, and such connectors can be referred to as "C-clamps." This design reduces stress accumulation during mechanical or thermomechanical loads, thus improving the reliability of C-clamp connectors during semiconductor packaging operations.

[0005] In summary, the embodiments disclosed herein are provided. Summary of the Invention

[0006] In one embodiment, a connector for a semiconductor device package is provided. The connector may include a central portion having a curved concave shape relative to a given surface in a front view. The connector may include a first contact portion integrally connected to the central portion on a first side. The connector may further include a second contact portion integrally connected to the central portion on a second side, wherein the first contact portion and the second contact portion define a curved convex shape relative to the given surface in the front view.

[0007] In another embodiment, a semiconductor device package is provided. The semiconductor device package may include a housing and a plurality of components, the plurality of components including at least one semiconductor wafer disposed within the housing. The semiconductor device package may also include a connector coupled to a pair of the plurality of components. The connector may include a central portion having a curved concave shape relative to a given surface in a front view. The connector may also include a first contact portion and a second contact portion, the first contact portion being integrally connected to the central portion on a first side and fixed to a first component of the pair of components, and the second contact portion being integrally connected to the central portion on a second side and fixed to a second component of the pair of components. Thus, the first contact portion and the second contact portion may define a curved convex shape relative to the given surface in the front view, wherein the connector provides an electrical connection between the pair of components. Simple Explanation of the Diagram

[0008] Figures 1A to 1D show various views of the connector according to embodiments of the present disclosure. Figures 2A to 2D illustrate various views of yet another connector according to other embodiments of this disclosure. Figures 3A to 3D show various views of the connector according to an additional embodiment of this disclosure. Figures 4A to 4D show various views of connectors according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. Figures 5A to 5D show various views of the connector according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. Figure 6 shows a side view of a semiconductor device package arranged according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 7A illustrates the semiconductor device package shown in Figure 6 in a warped configuration. Figure 7B illustrates the semiconductor device package shown in Figure 6 in a different warp configuration. Figure 8A illustrates an exemplary connector of this disclosed embodiment in a warped configuration. Figure 8B illustrates the connector shown in Figure 8A in a different warp configuration. Implementation

[0009] Embodiments of this disclosure will now be described more fully below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which exemplary embodiments are illustrated. These embodiments should not be construed as limited to those described herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of this disclosure to those skilled in the art. In the drawings, the same reference numerals always refer to the same components.

[0010] In the following description and / or claims, the terms "located on," "overlapping," "disposed on," and "above" may be used. "Located on," "overlapping," "disposed on," and "above" can be used to indicate that two or more components are in direct physical contact with each other. Additionally, the terms "located on," "overlapping," "disposed on," and "above" can also mean that two or more components are not in direct contact with each other. For example, "above" can mean that one component is located above another component without contacting it, and that another component or other components may be present between the two components. Furthermore, the term "and / or" can mean "and", "or", "mutually exclusive or", "one", "some, but not all", "neither of them", and / or "both of them", but the scope of the object claimed is not limited in this manner.

[0011] The novel connectors and semiconductor device packages disclosed in the following description are provided in various embodiments.

[0012] Turning to Figures 1A through 1D, Figures 1A through 1D illustrate various views of a connector according to embodiments of the present disclosure. In Figures 1A through 5D hereinafter, each figure with the suffix "A" presents a front view of the relevant connector; each figure with the suffix "B" presents a side view of the relevant connector; each figure with the suffix "C" presents a top view of the relevant connector; and each figure with the suffix "D" presents a perspective view of the relevant connector.

[0013] As shown in FIG1A, connector 100 is illustrated in a front view. Connector 100 and other connectors disclosed in the embodiments described below may be formed of a highly conductive metal, such as copper, copper alloys, or other conductive metal materials suitable for use as electrical connectors between components (e.g., semiconductor wafers and substrates) in semiconductor element packaging. In various embodiments, connector 100 may be formed of an integral or monolithic sheet metal, which is shaped and cut to form the final structure shown. Generally, in the front view illustrated in FIG1A, connector 100 and other connectors described below may define a curved shape as shown, which may be referred to as an Ω-like shape, where "Ω-like" generally refers to the shape of the uppercase Greek letter Ω. The Ω-like shape of the connector in the embodiments disclosed herein may be characterized by three distinct portions, each defining three different curvatures. As shown, connector 100 includes a middle portion 102 having a curved shape in the front view and a first contact portion 104 integrally connected to the middle portion 102 on a first side (indicated by L). The connector 100 further includes a second contact portion 106 integrally connected to the intermediate portion 102 on a second side (indicated by R). It should be noted that, according to some embodiments and as shown in FIG1A, the first contact portion 104 and the second contact portion 106 may define curved surfaces in a front view. In the embodiment shown in FIG1A, since the curvature of the intermediate portion 102 is considered a concave curve (e.g., relative to surface S), the curved surfaces of the first contact portion 104 and the second contact portion 106 can be considered convex curves; therefore, the curved surfaces of the contact portions (104, 106) are opposite to the curved surface of the intermediate portion 102.

[0014] As further shown in Figures 1B to 1D, the first contact portion 104 and the second contact portion 106 may include a plurality of fingers extending from the intermediate portion 102. These plurality of fingers are shown as fingers 108, and each of the fingers 108 may define a curved shape in the front views shown in Figures 1A and 1D. The advantages of the structure provided by the connector 100 are described in detail below with reference to Figures 6 and 7A to 7B. In short, however, the structure of the connector 100 provides improved thermomechanical stability under device operation in a semiconductor device package and provides less inherent strain within the connector after assembly into the package.

[0015] Referring to Figure 1C, compared to the overall length L of connector 100, this embodiment and other embodiments described below may arrange the fingers 108 or similar fingers to have a relatively small length (shown as l) (along the Y-axis in the figure). For example, in some non-limiting embodiments, the overall length L may be on the order of 1 cm, such as 0.5 cm, 1 cm, or 2 cm. This arrangement ensures that connector 100 will attach to the external component only at the fingers 108, and thus the length of the interface between the external component and connector 100 is limited to length l. For example, in some non-limiting embodiments, length l may be on the order of 1 mm. By limiting the interface to a shorter interface defined by l, the overall thermal mismatch strain generated between connector 100 and external component during temperature changes will be reduced. In addition, the plurality of fingers 108 as a whole present a sufficient cross-sectional area for delivering relatively high currents in connector 100.

[0016] Figures 2A to 2D illustrate various views of yet another connector according to a different embodiment of this disclosure. In this embodiment, as in the embodiments shown in Figures 1A to 1D, connector 120 defines an Ω-shaped form as observed in the front view. Similar to the previous embodiments, connector 120 has a central portion 122, a first contact portion 124, and a second contact portion 126. These contact portions are also formed by a plurality of fingers, shown as finger-like elements 128. The difference in this embodiment is that the central portion 122 includes a slot assembly 130 extending between a first side (L) and a second side (R) and dividing the central portion 122 into a plurality of central regions along the length of the connector. In this particular embodiment, the slot assembly 130 is formed by two slots, shown as slots 130A and 130B, wherein the central portion 122 is divided into central regions consisting of a central region 122A and two end regions, shown as end regions 122B and 122C. These intermediate zones are arranged sequentially along the length of connector 120 from the front (F) to the rear (B) to form an integral intermediate portion 122. Slots 130A and 130B provide an arrangement that allows connector 120 to more easily undergo elastic deformation under mechanical loads.

[0017] In this embodiment, the central region 122A further includes a first notch 132A disposed on the first side L and a second notch 132B disposed on the second side R. Regarding the Cartesian coordinate system shown, the slot assembly 130 and the first and second notches 132A and 132B provide stress-absorbing properties for the connector 120 to reduce mechanical and thermomechanical stresses in the X, Y, and Z directions. Specifically, the slot assembly 130 and the notches 132A and 132B together define the tortuous path shown as P1, a structure that allows for, for example, large elastic deformation under mechanical loads.

[0018] Figures 3A to 3D show various views of a connector according to an additional embodiment of this disclosure. In this embodiment, as in the embodiments shown in Figures 1A to 1D and Figures 2A to 2D, the connector 140 is defined in an Ω-shaped form as seen in the front view. Similar to the previous embodiments, the connector 140 has a central portion 142, a first contact portion 144, and a second contact portion 146. These contact portions are also composed of a plurality of fingers, shown as finger-like elements 148. The difference in this embodiment is that the central portion 142 includes a slot assembly 150 extending between a first side (L) and a second side (R), wherein the slot assembly 150 is a single slot dividing the central portion 142 into end regions 142A and end regions 142B. These regions are arranged sequentially along the length of the connector 140 from the front (F) to the rear (B) to form the central portion 142 as a whole.

[0019] In this embodiment, end regions 142A and 142B each include a pair of notches: end region 142A includes a side notch 152A disposed on a first side L and a side notch 152B disposed on a second side R. End region 142B includes a side notch 152C disposed on the first side L and a side notch 152D disposed on the second side R. With respect to the Cartesian coordinate system shown, the slot assembly 150 and notches 152A to 152D provide stress-reducing properties to the connector 140 to reduce mechanical and thermomechanical stresses in the X, Y, and Z directions. Specifically, the slot assembly 150 and notches 152A to 152D are used to define a tortuous path shown as P2, a feature that allows for, for example, large elastic deformation under mechanical loads.

[0020] Figures 4A to 4D show various views of a connector according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. In this embodiment, as shown in Figures 1A to 1D, 2A to 2D, and 3A to 3D, the connector 160 is defined in an Ω-shaped form as seen in the front view. Similar to the previous embodiments, the connector 160 has a central portion 162, a first contact portion 164, and a second contact portion 166. These contact portions are also formed by a plurality of fingers, shown as finger-like elements 168. In this embodiment, the central portion 162 includes a groove assembly 170 extending between a first side (L) and a second side (R), wherein the groove assembly 170, as shown in the embodiment of Figure 2A, is formed by two grooves, shown as grooves 170A and 170B, wherein the central portion 162 is divided into a central region 162A and two end regions, shown as end regions 162B and 162C. These intermediate sections are arranged sequentially from the front (F) to the rear (B) along the length of connector 160 to form an intermediate portion 162 as a whole.

[0021] Regarding the embodiment shown in Figure 4A, in this embodiment, the central region 162A is relatively narrow, and the end regions 162B and 162C are relatively wide. In addition, the first groove (groove 170A) is aligned with the first pair of finger-like members located on the first contact portion 164 and the second contact portion 166, respectively, and the second groove (groove 170B) is aligned with the second pair of finger-like members on the first contact portion 164 and the second contact portion 166.

[0022] Additionally, each of the central region 162A, end region 162B, and end region 162C includes a pair of notches: end region 162B includes a notch 172A on a first side L and a notch 172B on a second side R. Central region 162A includes a notch 172C on the first side L and a notch 172D on the second side R. End region 162C includes a notch 172E on the first side L and a notch 172F on the second side R. With respect to the Cartesian coordinate system shown, the slot assembly 170 and the notches 172A to 172F provide stress-reducing properties to the connector 160 to reduce mechanical and thermomechanical stresses in the X, Y, and Z directions.

[0023] Figures 5A to 5D show various views of a connector according to further embodiments of the present disclosure. In this embodiment, as shown in Figures 1A to 1D, 2A to 2D, 3A to 3D, and 4A to 4D, the connector 180 is defined in an Ω-shaped form as seen in the front view. Similar to the previous embodiments, the connector 180 has a central portion 182, a first contact portion 184, and a second contact portion 186. These contact portions are also formed by a plurality of fingers, shown as finger-like elements 188. In this embodiment, the central portion 182 includes a groove assembly 190 extending between a first side (L) and a second side (R), wherein the groove assembly 190, as shown in the embodiment of Figure 4A, is formed by two grooves, shown as grooves 190A and 190B, wherein the central portion 182 is divided into a central region 182A and two end regions, shown as end regions 182B and 182C. These intermediate sections are arranged sequentially along the length of connector 180 from the front (F) to the rear (B) to form an intermediate portion 182 as a whole.

[0024] Regarding the embodiment shown in FIG5B, in this embodiment, grooves 190A and 190B are relatively wider than their corresponding portions in FIG4B. Similar to the embodiment shown in FIG4B, the first groove (groove 190A) is aligned with the first pair of fingers located on the first contact portion 184 and the second contact portion 186, respectively, and the second groove (groove 190B) is aligned with the second pair of fingers on the first contact portion 184 and the second contact portion 186.

[0025] Additionally, each of the central region 182A, end region 182B, and end region 182C includes a pair of notches: end region 182B includes a notch 192A on a first side L and a notch 192B on a second side R. Central region 182A includes a notch 192C on the first side L and a notch 192D on the second side R. End region 182C includes a notch 192E on the first side L and a notch 192F on the second side R. It should be noted that notches 192A and 192B are not centered relative to end region 182B, and notches 192E and 192F are not centered relative to end region 182B. Regarding the Cartesian coordinate system shown, the slot assembly 190 and notches 192A to 192F provide stress-reducing properties to connector 180 to reduce mechanical and thermomechanical stresses in the X, Y, and Z directions.

[0026] Figure 6 shows a side view of a semiconductor device package 200 arranged according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The semiconductor device package 200 may include a housing 218 and multiple components, including at least one semiconductor wafer, shown as wafer 206, disposed within the housing 218. In the illustrated example, a baseplate 202 is provided, on which a substrate 204 is disposed. As known in the art, the substrate 204 may be, for example, a direct bonded copper (DCB) substrate in which metal layers are disposed on the upper and lower surfaces of a ceramic body. It should be noted that the semiconductor device package 200 may include multiple substrates, but only one substrate is shown for clarity of illustration. Similarly, only one semiconductor wafer (e.g., wafer 206) is shown in Figure 6, which is disposed on the top surface of the substrate 204. Additionally, multiple connectors 210 are shown, having the connector structure generally disclosed in the embodiments of the present disclosure. As shown, the connectors 210 may be coupled to the wafer 206 via a contact layer 207 (e.g., a copper connector). Two connectors 210 are shown in the front view and two connectors 210 are shown in the side view. One side portion of each connector 210 may be fixed to a wafer (e.g., wafer 206), while the other side portion is fixed to another component (e.g., substrate 204). In the illustrated example, for the connector 210 shown in the front view, a first contact portion 214 is fixed to substrate 204, and a second contact portion 216 is fixed to contact layer 207.

[0027] It should be noted that since the upper surface of the wafer 206 is disposed above the upper surface of the substrate 204 along the Z direction, the connector 210 can rotate about the Y-axis relative to the XZ plane. Because the first contact portion 214 and the second contact portion 216 have curved surfaces in the side view, the connector 210 can be more easily secured to the substrate 204 and the contact layer 207 without causing excessive stress in the connector 210, the wafer 206, the substrate 204, and the bonding material (not shown separately) used to secure the connector to the substrate 204 and the wafer 206. Furthermore, in operation, the connector 210 or similar connector arranged according to the foregoing embodiments is better adapted to the mechanical and thermomechanical stresses that may occur during the use of semiconductor device packaging. For illustration, FIG. 7A illustrates the semiconductor device package shown in FIG. 6 in one warped configuration, and FIG. 7B illustrates the semiconductor device package shown in FIG. 6 in another warped configuration.

[0028] In the views shown in Figures 7A and 7B, the side view of connector 210 illustrates how various slots and notches can accommodate stresses in the X, Y, and Z directions by providing space for deformation of areas of connector 210, such that these movements can reduce the stresses that would otherwise occur at the interface between connector 210, chip 206, and substrate 204.

[0029] Figure 8A illustrates a close-up view of an exemplary connector (shown as connector 220) in one warped configuration according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, and Figure 8B illustrates the connector shown in Figure 8A in another warped configuration. Due to the provision of slots 224A to 224C thus forming regions 222A to 222D, and due to the provision of a notch 226, regions 222A to 222D can be misaligned relative to each other in the event of warping in the wafer / baseplate (S / B) system located beneath connector 220. In this way, stress can be mitigated at interface I, where electrical connections to the wafer or substrate may occur, for example. It should be noted that the warping shown in Figures 7A to 8B may be exaggerated for illustrative purposes; this means that the radius of curvature of the substrate or baseplate may be several orders of magnitude larger than shown, making the given wafer / baseplate / baseplate flatter along the length of the connector than shown.

[0030] In summary, the disclosed embodiments facilitate easier assembly of the connector structure and provide more robust resistance to stress by offering a novel connector structural configuration, thus providing a more reliable semiconductor device package. It should be noted that although the embodiments disclosed above show a connector with four fingers on one side, in various embodiments, the connector length L may be longer or shorter, and may include fewer or more fingers / slots / notches.

[0031] Although embodiments of this disclosure have been described with reference to certain examples, numerous modifications, alterations, and variations may be made to the described embodiments without departing from the field and scope of this disclosure as defined in the appended claims. Therefore, the embodiments of this disclosure are not limited to the described embodiments, but may have the full scope defined by the following claims and their equivalents.

[0032] 100, 120, 140, 160, 180, 210, 220: Connectors 102, 122, 142, 162, 182: Middle section 104: Contact portion / First contact portion 106: Contact portion / Second contact portion 108, 128, 148, 168, 188: Finger-shaped parts 122A, 162A, 182A: Central Area 122B, 122C, 142A, 142B, 162B, 162C, 182B, 182C: End region 124, 144, 164, 184, 214: First contact portion 126, 146, 166, 186, 216: Second contact portion 130, 150, 170, 190: Slot assembly 130A, 130B, 170A, 170B, 190A, 190B, 224A, 224B, 224C: Slots 132A: Notch / First Notch 132B: Notch / Second Notch [] 152A, 152B, 152C, 152D: Notch / Side Notch 172A, 172B, 172C, 172D, 172E, 172F, 192A, 192B, 192C, 192D, 192E, 192F, 226: Notch 200: Semiconductor Component Packaging 202: Base 204:Substrate [] 206: Chip 207: Contact Layer 218: Shell 222A, 222B, 222C, 222D: Area B: Rear F:Front L: First side l: length P1, P2: Winding Path R: Second side S: Surface X, Z: Direction Y: Axis / Direction

Claims

1. A connector for semiconductor device packaging, comprising: The middle section has a curved concave shape relative to a given surface in the front view; The first contact portion is integrally connected to the middle portion on the first side; And a second contact portion integrally connected to the intermediate portion on the second side, wherein the first contact portion and the second contact portion define a curved convex shape relative to the given surface in the front view, and wherein the intermediate portion includes a groove assembly extending between the first side and the second side and dividing the intermediate portion into a plurality of intermediate zones arranged relative to each other along the length of the connector.

2. The connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein the connector defines an Ω-shaped form in the front view.

3. The connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first contact portion and the second contact portion include a plurality of fingers extending from the intermediate portion.

4. The connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein the slot assembly includes two slots, wherein the intermediate portion is divided into a central region and two end regions.

5. The connector as claimed in claim 4, wherein the intermediate region further includes a first notch disposed on the first side and a second notch disposed on the second side.

6. The connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein the slot assembly includes a single slot, wherein the intermediate portion is divided into a first end region and a second end region.

7. The connector as claimed in claim 6, wherein the first end region includes a first side recess disposed on the first side and a second side recess disposed on the second side, and wherein the second end region includes a third side recess disposed on the first side and a fourth side recess disposed on the second side.

8. The connector as claimed in claim 4, wherein the first slot is aligned with the first pair of fingers of the first contact portion and the second contact portion, respectively, and wherein the second slot is aligned with the second pair of fingers of the first contact portion and the second contact portion.

9. A semiconductor device package, comprising: case; Multiple components, including at least one semiconductor wafer, are disposed within the housing; and a connector coupled to a pair of the plurality of components, wherein the connector includes: a central portion having a concave shape curved relative to a given surface in a front view; A first contact portion is integrally connected to the intermediate portion on a first side and fixed to a first component of the pair of components; and a second contact portion is integrally connected to the intermediate portion on a second side and fixed to a second component of the pair of components, wherein the first contact portion and the second contact portion define a curved convex shape relative to the given surface in the front view, wherein the connector provides an electrical connection between the pair of components, and wherein the intermediate portion includes a groove assembly extending between the first side and the second side and dividing the intermediate portion into a plurality of intermediate zones arranged relative to each other along the length of the connector.

10. The semiconductor device package as claimed in claim 9, wherein the connector defines an Ω-shaped form in the front view.

11. The semiconductor device package as claimed in claim 9, wherein the first contact portion and the second contact portion include a plurality of fingers extending from the intermediate portion.

12. The semiconductor device package of claim 9, wherein the trench assembly includes two trenches, wherein the intermediate portion is divided into a central region and two end regions.

13. The semiconductor device package as claimed in claim 12, wherein the intermediate region further includes a first notch disposed on the first side and a second notch disposed on the second side.

14. The semiconductor device package of claim 9, wherein the trench assembly includes a single trench, wherein the intermediate portion is divided into a first end region and a second end region.

15. The semiconductor device package of claim 14, wherein the first end region includes a first side recess disposed on the first side and a second side recess disposed on the second side, and wherein the second end region includes a third side recess disposed on the first side and a fourth side recess disposed on the second side.

16. The semiconductor device package of claim 12, wherein the first trench is aligned with a first pair of fingers of the first contact portion and the second contact portion, respectively, and wherein the second trench is aligned with a second pair of fingers of the first contact portion and the second contact portion.

17. The semiconductor element package of claim 9, wherein the plurality of components further includes a contact layer disposed on the at least one semiconductor wafer, wherein the first contact portion of the connector is arranged to contact the contact layer.

18. The semiconductor device package of claim 17, wherein the plurality of components further includes a substrate, wherein at least one semiconductor wafer is disposed on the substrate, and wherein the second contact portion is arranged to contact the substrate.

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