IC Packaging with Conductive Pillars and Molded Cavities

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Current integrated circuit packaging technologies face challenges in achieving smaller footprints, increased robustness, and reduced manufacturing costs while addressing issues like EMI radiation, thermal loads, and second-level assembly reliability stresses, with existing solutions failing to provide effective answers.

Innovation Solution

The development of an integrated circuit packaging system that includes a substrate with conductive posts having vertical sides, an integrated circuit attached to the substrate, and an encapsulant with molded cavities formed by film-assisted molding, which exposes the conductive posts and provides mechanical stability and increased connectivity.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If traditional packaging methods are used, then manufacturing robustness is maintained, but manufacturing costs increase and productivity decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemanufacturing costVSAvoidmanufacturing efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the molding process with the formation of conductive post structures into a single integrated step. The mold cavity design allows the encapsulant to be formed while simultaneously creating the conductive post structures, eliminating the need for separate laser ablation and molding operations. This merging of processes reduces manufacturing cost and improves productivity by reducing the number of discrete manufacturing steps.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Ease of manufacture

If laser ablation is used to create conductive posts, then connectivity is achieved, but manufacturing cost increases and time consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemanufacturing timeVSAvoidconnectivity reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent incorporates conductive material within the mold cavity design before the molding process begins. This preliminary placement of conductive material allows the conductive posts to be formed during the encapsulant molding process itself, rather than requiring subsequent laser ablation steps. The conductive material is pre-positioned to ensure reliable connectivity while reducing manufacturing time and cost.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Area of stationary object

If package size is reduced, then footprint is smaller, but mechanical support and robustness deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepackage footprintVSAvoidmechanical robustness
Core Design Contradiction:
Area of stationary objectVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs a mold cavity design that creates localized structural features within the encapsulant. The cavity walls and internal structures provide concentrated mechanical support at critical locations while maintaining an overall small package footprint. This local reinforcement approach ensures mechanical robustness without increasing the total package size, as the structural strength is distributed strategically rather than uniformly throughout the entire package.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentUS8853855B2Integrated circuit packaging system with conductive pillars and molded cavities and method of manufacture thereof
Publication Date: 2014.10.07 STATS CHIPPAC MANAGEMENT PTE LTD
  • US8853855B2 patent drawing
  • US8853855B2 patent drawing
  • US8853855B2 patent drawing

AI summary

A method of manufacture of an integrated circuit packaging system includes: providing a substrate; forming a conductive post on the substrate, the conductive post includes a vertical side; attaching an integrated circuit to the substrate; and forming an encapsulant including a molded cavity, the vertical side circumscribed by and exposed within the molded cavity from the encapsulant.