Laser-Activatable Mold Compound for Semiconductor Package Interconnects

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Solution Overview

Problem

Semiconductor device packaging faces challenges in reducing parasitic electrical effects while maintaining high performance and reliability, often resulting in increased costs, larger package sizes, and complex manufacturing processes.

Innovation Solution

A molded package is created using a laser-activatable mold compound with laser-activated regions plated with conductive material to form metal pads and traces, allowing for direct structuring of interconnects without a lead frame, enabling controlled distance between active circuits and package I/Os and providing design flexibility.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If conventional packaging techniques are used to reduce parasitic electrical effects, then parasitic resistance and inductance are reduced, but package size increases and manufacturing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveparasitic electrical effectsVSAvoidmanufacturing process complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and eliminates the lead frame from the packaging structure, replacing it with direct metal traces formed in the mold compound. This removal of the intermediate lead frame component simplifies the overall structure and manufacturing process while maintaining electrical performance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent merges the mold compound with the interconnect function by forming metal traces directly within the mold compound material. This integration eliminates the need for separate lead frames and reduces the number of discrete components, thereby simplifying manufacturing while reducing parasitic effects.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Reliability

If lead frame is used for interconnection, then electrical connection is established, but package size increases and parasitic effects increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveelectrical connectionVSAvoidpackage size
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSVolume of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the interconnect function directly into the mold compound by forming metal traces within it. This integration eliminates the need for separate lead frames, reducing package volume while maintaining reliable electrical connections between the die and external terminals.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent transitions from planar lead frame interconnections to three-dimensional metal traces embedded within the mold compound volume. This dimensional change allows for more compact routing of electrical connections, reducing overall package size while maintaining connection reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Reliability

If lead frame is used for interconnection, then electrical connection is established, but parasitic resistance and inductance increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveelectrical connectionVSAvoidparasitic resistance and inductance
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent removes the lead frame from the interconnection structure and replaces it with direct metal traces formed in the mold compound. This extraction eliminates the additional interfaces and joints inherent in lead frame constructions, thereby reducing parasitic resistance and inductance while maintaining electrical connection reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent incorporates metal traces directly into the mold compound during the molding process itself, creating pre-formed interconnect paths. This preliminary action eliminates the need for subsequent lead frame attachment and wiring steps, reducing parasitic effects introduced by additional connection interfaces.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

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

This approach reduces parasitic electric effects, minimizes package size, and simplifies manufacturing by eliminating the need for a lead frame, while maintaining high electrical and thermal performance.

Implementation Method 1

a laser-activatable mold compound having a plurality of laser-activated regions which are plated with an electrically conductive material

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectLaser activation: Laser

Data Source

PatentEP3754691A1Semiconductor package having a laser-activatable mold compound
Publication Date: 2020.12.23 INFINEON TECH AUSTRIA AG
  • EP3754691A1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3754691A1 patent drawingFigure 3A~3C
  • EP3754691A1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

Embodiments of molded packages and corresponding methods of manufacture are provided. In an embodiment of a molded package, the molded package includes a laser-activatable mold compound (102) having a plurality of laser-activated regions (104) which are plated with an electrically conductive material to form metal pads (106) and/or metal traces (107) at a first side of the laser-activatable mold compound. A semiconductor die (108) embedded in the laser-activatable mold compound has a plurality of die pads (110) . An interconnect (112) electrically connects the plurality of die pads of the semiconductor die to the metal pads and/or metal traces at the first side of the laser-activatable mold compound.