Covered Magnetic Mold Compound for Short-Resistant Semiconductor Packages
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Solution Overview
Problem
Semiconductor packages with magnetic mold compounds face electrical shorts due to exposed metal particles, compromising functionality, reliability, and safety, especially after dicing operations that reduce the insulation material's coverage and increase the risk of leakage currents.
Innovation Solution
A semiconductor package design that includes a magnetic material with metal particles suspended in a first insulation material, where the exposed surfaces are covered with a second insulation material, substantially free of metal particles, to mitigate electrical shorts and enhance insulation, and a method involving coating metal particles with an insulation layer to further increase breakdown voltage and prevent leakage currents.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If magnetic mold compound with metal particles is used, then inductor functionality is improved, but electrical shorts and leakage currents increase
Solution Approach 1:
The magnetic mold compound is segmented into discrete metal particles suspended in insulation material rather than using continuous metal structures. This segmentation isolates conductive paths while maintaining magnetic functionality, preventing electrical shorts between adjacent conductive elements.
Solution Approach 2:
An insulation material acts as an intermediary substance between metal particles, providing electrical isolation while allowing magnetic field penetration. This intermediary layer prevents direct contact between metal particles, eliminating leakage current paths while preserving inductor operation.
2Productivity
If dicing operation is performed to separate packages, then productivity is improved, but insulation coverage is reduced and electrical shorts increase
Solution Approach 1:
The magnetic mold compound with suspended metal particles and insulation material is prepared in advance as a pre-formed encapsulant. This preliminary preparation ensures that the insulation structure is already in place before dicing, protecting against insulation degradation during the separation process.
Solution Approach 2:
The mold compound combines multiple materials (insulation base material and magnetic metal particles) into a composite structure. This composite material provides both the necessary magnetic properties for inductor functionality and the insulation properties to prevent electrical shorts, even after dicing operations.
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
The solution effectively reduces the risk of electrical shorts and improves the reliability and safety of semiconductor packages by maintaining high insulation resistance and preventing leakage currents, even after dicing, thereby ensuring consistent performance and safety.
Implementation Method 1
An inductor stores energy in a magnetic field when electric current flows through it
Implementation Method 2
the second insulation material is substantially free of metal particles... the second insulation material covering the magnetic material may mitigate electrical shorts between exposed metal particles
Data Source
AI summary
A semiconductor package includes a substrate, a semiconductor die, metal interconnects, the semiconductor die being mounted to the substrate via the metal interconnects, an inductor mounted to the substrate, a magnetic material encapsulating the semiconductor die, the inductor, and the metal interconnects, the magnetic material including metal particles suspended in a first insulation material, and a second insulation material covering the magnetic material, wherein the second insulation material is substantially free of metal particles.