Injection-Molded Semiconductor Housing with Integrated Metallization

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing semiconductor chip packaging solutions lack improved properties that reduce component count and manufacturing tolerances while effectively protecting the chip from external influences and facilitating electrical connections.

Innovation Solution

A housing for semiconductor chips is designed with an injection-molded body that serves as both a housing and a circuit carrier, utilizing a two-component injection molding process with metallizable and non-metallizable plastic components, where metallizations are applied to create electrical contacts both within the housing and on its surface, eliminating the need for separate contact pins and allowing for direct connection to printed circuit boards.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If separate housing and circuit carrier components are used, then electrical contacting and chip protection are achieved, but component count increases and manufacturing tolerances become harder to control

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveelectrical contacting and chip protectionVSAvoidcomponent count
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the housing and circuit carrier into a single integrated injection-molded body. The housing body (1) incorporates circuit carrier surfaces (2, 3) with metallizations (6-15) directly formed as part of the molding process, eliminating the need for separate housing and circuit carrier components while maintaining both protective and electrical contacting functions

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The injection-molded housing body performs multiple functions simultaneously: it provides mechanical protection for the semiconductor chip, serves as a circuit carrier with integrated metallizations for electrical contacting, and enables hermetic sealing when combined with the cover. This multi-functional design reduces overall device complexity while improving reliability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Reliability

If separate housing and circuit carrier components are used, then electrical contacting and chip protection are achieved, but manufacturing precision decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveelectrical contacting and chip protectionVSAvoidmanufacturing tolerances
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The housing and circuit carrier are merged into a single injection-molded component, allowing manufacturing tolerances to be controlled within a single molding process rather than requiring precise assembly of multiple parts. The integrated design ensures consistent positioning of metallizations and chip mounting surfaces

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The circuit carrier surfaces and metallization patterns are formed during the initial injection molding process, before chip assembly. This preliminary formation of electrical contacts and mounting surfaces ensures precise tolerances are achieved during manufacturing, eliminating the need for subsequent alignment and assembly operations

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Object-affected harmful factors

If conventional housing designs are used, then chip protection is provided, but component count increases and assembly complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemechanical and chemical protectionVSAvoidcomponent count and assembly
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The protective housing and electrical circuit carrier functions are merged into a single injection-molded body, reducing the number of components that need to be assembled. The housing body itself incorporates all necessary electrical contacting features, eliminating the need for separate circuit carrier boards and reducing assembly steps

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The housing body serves as both a protective enclosure against mechanical and chemical harmful factors and as an integrated circuit carrier for electrical contacting. This universal design provides both protection and electrical functionality through a single component, simplifying the overall device structure and assembly process

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP2736836B1Housing for semiconductor chip and semiconductor chip with a housing
Publication Date: 2023.01.18 TDK ELECTRONICS AG
  • EP2736836B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2736836B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP2736836B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

A housing (1) for a semiconductor chip (2) has an injection-moulded body (4), in which an accommodating area (3) for accommodating the semiconductor chip (2) is provided. The injection-moulded body (4) has at least one metallization (6, 7, 11, 12, 14, 15, 24, 25) for making electrical contact with the semiconductor chip (2).