Dam Structure for Semiconductor Molding Planarity

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Solution Overview

Problem

In semiconductor packaging, ensuring adequate molding material coverage around integrated circuit dies while preventing overflow and improving the planarity of the molding material surface for effective interconnect formation is challenging, especially in chip scale packaging where smaller areas require precise material distribution.

Innovation Solution

A dam structure is formed proximate the edge regions of the integrated circuit dies before molding material application, which acts as a seal ring to ensure sufficient material coverage and is subsequently reduced in height to eliminate recesses, facilitating improved interconnect structure formation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If molding material is applied around integrated circuit dies to ensure adequate coverage, then protection and encapsulation are improved, but material overflow and surface planarity issues occur

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemolding material coverageVSAvoidsurface planarity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

A dam structure is formed around the integrated circuit die before molding material application. This preliminary structure prevents material overflow during the molding process and ensures adequate coverage while maintaining surface planarity for effective interconnect formation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The dam structure acts as an intermediary element between the die and the molding material. It controls material flow and distribution, ensuring proper encapsulation without overflow, and provides a reference surface for achieving planarity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Area of stationary object

If chip scale packaging is used to reduce package area, then space utilization is improved, but precise material distribution becomes more difficult

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepackage areaVSAvoidmaterial distribution precision

Core Design Contradiction:

Area of stationary objectVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The dam structure is formed in advance around the die in the chip scale package configuration. This preliminary action establishes precise boundaries for material distribution, enabling accurate control even in the constrained space of chip scale packaging.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The dam structure provides localized control of molding material distribution around the die. By creating a confined region with specific geometric properties, it ensures precise material placement in the limited space available in chip scale packages.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentUS10510719B2Methods of packaging semiconductor devices and packaged semiconductor devices

Publication Date: 2019.12.17 TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO LTD

AI summary

Methods of packaging semiconductor devices and packaged semiconductor devices are disclosed. In some embodiments, a method of packaging a semiconductor device includes forming a dam structure on dies proximate edge regions of the dies. A molding material is disposed around the dies, and a top portion of the molding material and a top portion of the dam structure are removed.