Semiconductor Package Structures with Dummy Dies for Warpage Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

The semiconductor industry faces challenges in bonding integrated circuit chips directly onto substrates due to increased integration density and thermal expansion mismatches, leading to warpage and cold joints in package structures.

Innovation Solution

Incorporating dummy die structures in scribe line regions and using cover structures to reduce warpage, which allows for more control over encapsulant ratio and stress, and in some cases, omitting the encapsulant as thicker top dies provide sufficient support and protection.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Area of stationary object

If integrated circuit chips with increased integration density are bonded directly onto substrates, then the area occupied by integrated components is reduced, but warpage and cold joints occur due to thermal expansion mismatches

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvearea occupied by integrated componentsVSAvoidbonding reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

Area of stationary objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

An interposer is introduced as an intermediary component between the integrated circuit chip and the substrate. The interposer has a different thermal expansion coefficient that matches or bridges the mismatch between the chip and substrate, thereby preventing warpage and cold joints while enabling direct bonding of high-density integrated components to the substrate

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Area of stationary object

If interposers are used to redistribute ball contact areas, then the bonding area is increased, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebonding areaVSAvoidpackage structure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Area of stationary objectVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The interposer is designed to perform multiple functions simultaneously: it redistributes ball contact areas to increase bonding area, compensates for thermal expansion mismatches, provides mechanical support, and enables three-dimensional packaging configurations. This multi-functionality justifies the added complexity by delivering multiple benefits from a single component

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Reliability

If encapsulant is used to protect package structures, then the protection and support are improved, but the manufacturing process complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepackage structure protectionVSAvoidmanufacturing process complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent identifies scenarios where the encapsulant can be omitted from the package structure. By extracting this component, the manufacturing process is simplified while maintaining adequate protection and support through alternative design approaches, such as using thicker top dies or optimized interposer structures that provide sufficient mechanical protection without requiring additional encapsulation layers

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentUS11527454B2Package structures and methods of forming the same

Publication Date: 2022.12.13 TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO LTD

AI summary

An embodiment is a method including: attaching a first die to a first side of a first component using first electrical connectors, attaching a first side of a second die to first side of the first component using second electrical connectors, attaching a dummy die to the first side of the first component in a scribe line region of the first component, adhering a cover structure to a second side of the second die, and singulating the first component and the dummy die to form a package structure.