Semiconductor Die Packages With Segmented Substrates
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current smart power modules face conflicting requirements of being small and inexpensive while maintaining high reliability, and accommodating increasing demands for additional control circuitry, which complicates package costs and reliability.
Innovation Solution
The solution involves disposing power-handling devices on a specially designed substrate for power dissipation and control circuitry components on separate substrates, interconnected using surface-mount technologies and encapsulated with an electrically-insulating molding material to create a compact and reliable package.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If power-handling devices and control circuitry are integrated on a single substrate, then package size is reduced, but reliability and manufacturing complexity deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the package into two separate substrates: a first substrate for power-handling devices and a second substrate for control circuitry. This segmentation allows each substrate to be optimized for its specific function, improving reliability while maintaining compact size through vertical stacking of the separated components.
2Adaptability or versatility
If additional control circuitry is added to accommodate customer demands, then functionality is improved, but package cost and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The control circuitry is extracted from the power-handling substrate and placed on a separate second substrate. This extraction allows the control circuitry to be independently designed, customized, and manufactured according to specific application requirements without affecting the power-handling portion of the package.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a planar integration approach to a three-dimensional stacked architecture. By stacking the second substrate vertically above the first substrate, additional control circuitry can be added in the vertical dimension rather than expanding the horizontal footprint, thus maintaining compact size while increasing functionality.
3Reliability
If wire bonds are used to interconnect components, then electrical connection is achieved, but manufacturing cost and time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical wire bonding process with direct electrical connections formed through conductive regions on the substrates. This substitution eliminates the time-consuming wire bonding step while maintaining reliable electrical connections, significantly improving manufacturing efficiency.
Data Source
AI summary
An exemplary semiconductor die package is disclosed having one or more semiconductor dice disposed on a first substrate, one or more packaged electrical components disposed on a second substrate that is electrical coupled to the first substrate, and an electrically insulating material disposed over portions of the substrates. The first substrate may hold power-handling devices and may be specially constructed to dissipation heat and to facilitate fast and inexpensive manufacturing. The second substrate may hold packaged components of control circuitry for the power-handling devices, and may be specially constructed to enable fast and inexpensive wiring design and fast and inexpensive component assembly. The first substrate may be used with different designs of the second substrate.