Chip Package Reinforcing Structure for Burn-In Testing
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Bare die semiconductor chips are difficult to handle and test due to their sensitivity and small form factors, making burn-in tests, which are essential for quality assurance, costly and inefficient when performed at the wafer level.
Innovation Solution
A chip package is created by attaching a reinforcing structure to the semiconductor chip, allowing for package-level burn-in testing that mimics the bare die form while providing the necessary robustness for testing, thereby enabling effective screening of early failures and improving product quality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If bare die testing is performed, then small form factor and high flexibility are achieved, but handling difficulty and testing complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent embeds the bare die within a package structure that contains a cavity matching the die's dimensions. The die is nested inside this protective cavity, allowing the small-form-factor benefits of bare die to be retained while the outer package provides mechanical protection and ease of handling.
Solution Approach 2:
The package structure acts as an intermediary between the bare die and the external environment. It provides a protective interface that shields the fragile die from mechanical impacts while allowing electrical and thermal interactions to pass through, thus enabling easy handling without exposing the die to damage.
2Reliability
If wafer-level burn-in testing is performed, then testing capability is maintained, but cost and efficiency deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs burn-in testing at the package level after the die has been mounted in its final package structure. This preliminary action of testing in the actual operating configuration allows for reliable quality assurance while avoiding the high costs associated with wafer-level testing, as defects can be screened out before final assembly completion.
3Adaptability or versatility
If bare die is used, then flexibility is improved, but sensitivity to external impact increases
Solution Approach 1:
The package structure provides beforehand cushioning by incorporating a cavity that cradles the bare die and absorbs mechanical impacts before they can reach the die. This protective cushioning allows the die to maintain its flexibility and adaptability while being shielded from harmful external impacts during handling and operation.
Data Source
AI summary
A method of producing and testing a chip package is described. The chip package to be produced includes a semiconductor chip containing an integrated circuit and a reinforcing structure attached to the semiconductor chip. Further, the chip package has a lower main face and an upper main face opposite to the lower main face, wherein the lower main face is at least partly formed by an exposed surface of the semiconductor chip and the upper main face is formed by a terminal surface of the reinforcing structure on which external terminal pads of the chip package are arranged. After production, the package is subjected to a package-level burn-in test.