Connecting Clip Structure for Uniform Pressure Sintering
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional semiconductor package assemblies face challenges in achieving uniform pressure distribution during pressure sintering, leading to suboptimal electrical connections between semiconductor die and conducting substrates due to varying thicknesses of material stacks and lack of vertical support in connecting clips.
Innovation Solution
The use of a connecting clip with a first and second portion disposed on material stacks of different thicknesses, where the second portion includes a vertical support to equalize the perpendicular distance from the conducting substrate, ensuring simultaneous and equalized pressure application during pressure sintering, thereby enhancing the electrical connection between the semiconductor die and the substrate.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If material stacks of different thicknesses are used on the conducting substrate, then design flexibility and electrical performance are improved, but uniform pressure distribution during pressure sintering deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The connecting clip is designed with different portion heights tailored to specific material stack thicknesses. Each portion of the connecting clip has a customized height that corresponds to the thickness of the underlying material stack, ensuring that the top surface of each portion aligns with a common reference plane. This local customization allows the single connecting clip structure to accommodate varying material stack thicknesses while maintaining uniform pressure distribution during sintering.
2Device complexity
If conventional connecting clips without vertical support are used, then device complexity is reduced, but pressure application uniformity and connection reliability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The connecting clip incorporates vertical support portions that extend downward from the top surface to contact the conducting substrate. These support portions are designed to be substantially equipotential, meaning they all reach the same depth and contact the substrate at equivalent positions. This equipotential design ensures that pressure applied to the connecting clip is uniformly distributed across all material stacks, regardless of their varying thicknesses, thereby improving electrical connection reliability without significantly increasing device complexity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach results in improved electrical connections by ensuring uniform pressure distribution across material stacks of varying thicknesses, enhancing the robustness and reliability of the semiconductor package assembly.
Implementation Method 1
performing a pressure sintering operation by applying pressure, by a top plate of a pressure sintering apparatus, to the connecting clip
Data Source
AI summary
A semiconductor package assembly having a connecting clip disposed on both a first material stack and a second material stack having different thicknesses and disposed on a conducting substrate. This connecting clip has a first portion disposed on to the first material stack and second portion disposed on the second material stack, such that the surfaces of the first portion and second portion opposite the conducting substrate are at the same perpendicular distance from the conducting substrate. For example, in some implementations, when the thickness of the second material stack is smaller than the thickness of the first material stack, the second portion of the connecting clip may include a vertical support disposed on the second material stack to equalize the heights of the surfaces of the first portion and second portion of the connecting clip.