Flex Sensor Package With Integrated Stiffener And Alignment Windows
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current sensor packaging solutions are complex, expensive, and difficult to integrate, with high tooling costs and large footprints, leading to marginal reliability and increased assembly complexity.
Innovation Solution
A flex sensor package is fabricated using a flex printed circuit with a flex window, an adhesive layer with an adhesive window, and a stiffener assembly with a stiffener window, coupled to a semiconductor die on a printed circuit board, employing flexible substrates, screen-printed silver circuits, and thin copper strips, with adhesive and stiffener materials that allow for alignment and transmission of electromagnetic radiation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional sensor packaging solutions are used, then sensor functionality is achieved, but device complexity and tooling costs increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple packaging functions (stiffening, alignment, protection) into a single integrated flex sensor package structure. The flex sensor package merges the semiconductor die, flexible substrate, stiffener, and alignment features into one unified component that attaches directly to the printed circuit board, eliminating the need for separate packaging steps and reducing overall device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The flex sensor package serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides mechanical support through the stiffener, ensures precise alignment using the flex window and adhesive layer window, protects the semiconductor die, and enables electromagnetic radiation transmission. This multi-functionality reduces the number of separate components needed and simplifies the overall packaging system.
2Reliability
If traditional sensor packaging solutions are used, then sensor functionality is achieved, but tooling costs and manufacturing expenses increase
Solution Approach 1:
By integrating multiple packaging functions into a single flex sensor package, the patent reduces the number of separate manufacturing steps and tooling requirements. The unified structure can be manufactured as one assembly rather than requiring multiple sequential packaging operations, thereby reducing tooling costs and manufacturing expenses.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses flexible substrates with varying degrees of rigidity and transparent materials with specific electromagnetic radiation transmission properties to achieve the desired packaging functionality. By optimizing material parameters such as flexibility, transparency, and mechanical strength, the design reduces the need for complex processing and expensive specialized tooling.
3Reliability
If traditional sensor packaging solutions are used, then sensor functionality is achieved, but package footprint increases
Solution Approach 1:
The flex sensor package employs a nested structure where the semiconductor die is mounted on the flexible substrate, which is then reinforced by the stiffener with integrated alignment windows. This nesting approach allows multiple functional elements to be contained within a compact footprint, minimizing the overall area occupied by the sensor package on the printed circuit board.
4Reliability
If traditional sensor packaging solutions are used, then sensor functionality is achieved, but assembly complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The integrated flex sensor package combines alignment features, mechanical support, and component mounting into a single unit that can be attached to the printed circuit board in one assembly operation. The flex window and adhesive layer window provide built-in alignment references that simplify the assembly process, eliminating the need for separate alignment and mounting steps.
Data Source
AI summary
Packaging techniques are described for fabricating a flex sensor package that includes a flex printed circuit with a flex window, an adhesive layer with an adhesive layer window, and a stiffener assembly with a stiffener window on a first side of the flex printed circuit and a semiconductor die on a second side of the flex printed circuit. In implementations, fabricating the flex sensor package includes receiving a flex printed circuit including at least one flex window, placing an adhesive layer on at least a portion of a first side of the flex printed circuit, placing a stiffener assembly on the adhesive layer, and placing at least one semiconductor die on a second side of the flex printed circuit, where an active portion of the at least one semiconductor die is aligned with the at least one flex window and the adhesive layer window.