Encapsulant Corner Openings for Crack-Resistant Semiconductor Packaging
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Solution Overview
Problem
As semiconductor integrated circuits shrink, the challenge of reducing or eliminating cracks within the encapsulant in chip-on-wafer-on-substrate systems becomes significant, particularly due to increased stress at the corners of the encapsulant, which affects the yield and performance of the devices.
Innovation Solution
The introduction of first openings within the encapsulant, strategically located between the semiconductor dies and the encapsulant sidewalls, helps to relieve stress and prevent cracks by allowing for the formation of these openings during the manufacturing process, which can be filled with a softer material to provide additional support and control stress distribution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of moving object
If semiconductor integrated circuits are shrunk to smaller dimensions, then device density and integration are improved, but manufacturing stress and crack formation in the encapsulant increase
Solution Approach 1:
The encapsulant is segmented by forming openings within it, dividing the continuous encapsulant structure into regions separated by these openings. This segmentation reduces stress concentration and prevents crack propagation across the entire encapsulant, thereby maintaining reliability despite smaller device dimensions
Solution Approach 2:
The encapsulant is transformed into a porous structure by introducing openings throughout its volume. This porous configuration allows the encapsulant to better accommodate thermal and mechanical stresses, reducing the likelihood of crack formation while maintaining the protective function
2Reliability
If openings are formed within the encapsulant, then stress distribution and crack prevention are improved, but manufacturing process complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The openings are formed within the encapsulant during the manufacturing process before final device assembly and testing. This preliminary action ensures that stress relief features are already in place to prevent cracks during subsequent handling, assembly, and operation, improving corner reliability without requiring additional post-processing steps
Solution Approach 2:
The formation of openings is integrated into the existing encapsulant manufacturing process, combining the stress relief feature creation with the standard encapsulation procedure. This merging approach minimizes additional process complexity while achieving the reliability improvement
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 reduction or elimination of cracks at the corners of the encapsulant improves the yield and performance of the semiconductor devices by reducing manufacturing stresses, ensuring better corner reliability and device integrity.
Implementation Method 1
The introduction of first openings within the encapsulant, strategically located between the semiconductor dies and the encapsulant sidewalls, helps to relieve stress and prevent cracks
Data Source
AI summary
Semiconductor devices and methods of manufactured are presented in which a first redistribution structure is formed, semiconductor devices are bonded to the first redistribution structure, and the semiconductor devices are encapsulated in an encapsulant. First openings are formed within the encapsulant, such as along corners of the encapsulant, in order to help relieve stress and reduce cracks.