Semiconductor Package Sidewall Recess for Creepage Isolation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional semiconductor package designs with exposed tie bars compromise electrical and thermal reliability due to limited creepage distance, leading to smaller design dimensions and increased packaging effort.
Innovation Solution
A package design featuring encapsulated electronic components with exposed electrically conductive structures on opposing sides and sidewall recesses formed by removing tie bars, which extend the creepage distance and suppress parasitic current flow, thereby enhancing electrical reliability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If exposed tie bars are used to connect electrically conductive structures during manufacturing, then ease of manufacture is improved, but electrical reliability deteriorates due to limited creepage distance and parasitic current paths
Solution Approach 1:
The harmful tie bar structures are completely removed from the encapsulated package. The patent extracts and eliminates the parasitic conductive paths that would otherwise remain as exposed tie bars, thereby eliminating the creepage current problem while maintaining manufacturing simplicity through the encapsulation process itself.
Solution Approach 2:
The encapsulant material serves as an intermediary substance that replaces the need for exposed tie bars. By using the encapsulant to provide structural support and electrical isolation instead of metal tie bars, the patent achieves both electrical reliability and manufacturing ease.
2Reliability
If larger package dimensions are used to increase creepage distance, then electrical reliability is improved, but device complexity and packaging effort increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from increasing creepage distance through lateral dimension expansion to achieving electrical isolation through vertical encapsulation. By utilizing the third dimension (depth) for creepage path extension within the encapsulant, the package maintains compact footprint while achieving sufficient creepage distance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical state and configuration of the encapsulant material to provide both structural support and electrical isolation functions. By modifying the encapsulation process parameters to completely enclose previously exposed conductive structures, the patent achieves enhanced creepage distance without increasing package footprint.
3Ease of operation
If exposed conductive structures are used for electrical connections, then ease of operation is improved, but harmful parasitic current flow increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the potentially harmful exposed conductive structures into beneficial encapsulated features. By enclosing the conductive structures within the encapsulant, the previously harmful creepage paths are transformed into controlled internal pathways, eliminating parasitic current flow while maintaining electrical connection functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The encapsulant acts as a flexible protective shell that encloses the conductive structures. This shell provides both mechanical protection and electrical isolation, preventing parasitic current flow while allowing the conductive structures to maintain their electrical connection functions.
Data Source
AI summary
A package is disclosed. In one example, the package includes an electronic component and an encapsulant encapsulating at least part of the electronic component. A first electrically conductive structure is arranged on one side of the electronic component, a second electrically conductive structure arranged on an opposing other side of the electronic component and being electrically coupled with the electronic component, and at least one sidewall recess at the encapsulant. The first electrically conductive structure and the second electrically conductive structure are configured to be at different electric potentials during operation of the package. The first electrically conductive structure and the second electrically conductive structure are exposed at opposing main surfaces of the encapsulant.