Glass-Ceramic Packaging Substrate With Crack-Stopping Edge Structures

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current semiconductor packaging technologies face challenges in achieving high manufacturing yield due to crack issues at the edges or side surfaces of substrates, particularly with ceramic substrates having high resistance or dielectric permittivity, and resin substrates limited in reducing line pitch, affecting electrical performance.

Innovation Solution

A substrate with a glass or ceramic core divided into product and dummy regions, incorporating breakage prevention structures like grooves or vias to prevent crack propagation, along with a side surface protection layer and stabilization layer to enhance durability and reduce damage.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If ceramic substrate is used for packaging, then high-frequency performance can be achieved, but manufacturing yield deteriorates due to high resistance and high dielectric permittivity causing crack issues at edges or side surfaces

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvehigh-frequency performanceVSAvoidmanufacturing yield
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The substrate is divided into a product region where individual products are disposed and a dummy region that does not correspond to any individual product. The breakage prevention portion is disposed in the dummy region, separating the crack-stopping function from the product areas and allowing yield improvement without affecting product integrity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

A breakage prevention portion consisting of grooves or via holes is introduced as an intermediary structure between the edge regions and the product regions. This intermediary structure intercepts and stops cracks before they can propagate into the product areas, thereby improving manufacturing yield while maintaining the use of ceramic substrates for high-frequency performance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If resin substrate is used for packaging, then high-performance and high-frequency semiconductor elements can be mounted, but manufacturing yield deteriorates due to limit in reducing line pitch and crack propagation

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveelectrical performanceVSAvoidmanufacturing yield
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The substrate is divided into a product region and a dummy region, with the breakage prevention portion disposed in the dummy region. This segmentation allows the resin substrate to maintain its electrical performance benefits while the dummy region's breakage prevention structures stop crack propagation, improving manufacturing yield.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The breakage prevention portion acts as an intermediary structure that intercepts cracks in resin substrates, preventing them from reaching product areas. This allows resin substrates to be used for mounting high-performance semiconductor elements while overcoming the yield limitation caused by crack propagation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Device complexity

If substrate edges or side surfaces are used without protection, then device complexity is reduced, but manufacturing yield deteriorates due to cracks generated from the side of the core

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesubstrate structureVSAvoidmanufacturing yield
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The breakage prevention portion is disposed in advance in the dummy region before any crack propagation can occur. The grooves or via holes are pre-positioned to intercept potential cracks, preventing them from reaching product areas and improving manufacturing yield without requiring complex protective structures.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The breakage prevention portion serves as an intermediary structure between the vulnerable edge regions and the product regions. By placing this intermediary structure in the dummy region, cracks are stopped before they can affect products, improving yield while maintaining relatively simple substrate design.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP4373223A1Substrate and semiconductor module
Publication Date: 2024.05.22 ABSOLICS INC
  • EP4373223A1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4373223A1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP4373223A1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

An embodiment relates to a substrate and a semiconductor module. A substrate capable of manufacturing a substrate for packaging, which is an individual product, with excellent yield despite cracks that may occur at edges or side surfaces of a core is provided. The substrate comprises a core as a glass or ceramic support, wherein the substrate is divided into a product region and a dummy region, the product region is a region where one or more individual products are disposed, the dummy region is a region of the substrate other than the product region, a breakage prevention portion is disposed in the product region or the dummy region, wherein the breakage prevention portion is a region in which one or more crack stopping structures are disposed, and the crack stopping structure is grooves or vias who stops cracks generated from the side of the core from growing toward the center of the individual product, and wherein the groove is a depression in a surface of the core, and the via is a through hole that has been removed so that a portion of the core being penetrate in a thickness direction.