Widened Conductive Traces in IC Package Mold Clamp Critical Areas
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Solution Overview
Problem
Integrated circuit packages face issues with thermal and mechanical shock during assembly, test, and board mount processes, leading to open-circuits due to damage in conductive traces, especially as devices shrink in size and pin counts increase, with existing connection techniques like flip-chip bonding and thin film rerouting being costly and prone to defects.
Innovation Solution
The solution involves providing a substrate with conductive traces that are widened in critical areas around the mold clamp line to enhance durability against thermal and mechanical shocks, with the widened traces being three to four times the width of standard traces, specifically where they connect with vias, while maintaining standard widths elsewhere.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional narrow conductive traces are used in integrated circuit packages, then manufacturing cost is reduced and device size is minimized, but the traces are susceptible to thermal and mechanical shock causing open-circuits
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by widening conductive traces specifically in the critical mold clamp line area where thermal and mechanical stress is concentrated during encapsulation, while maintaining standard trace widths in non-critical areas. This localized modification enhances reliability at the vulnerable point without unnecessarily increasing overall device complexity or manufacturing cost.
2Volume of moving object
If device size is reduced to meet miniaturization requirements, then portability and integration density improve, but conductive traces become more susceptible to damage from thermal and mechanical shock
Solution Approach 1:
The patent resolves this contradiction by implementing local quality enhancement - widening traces only in the mold clamp line critical area where stress concentration occurs during encapsulation. This allows miniaturization of the overall device while maintaining trace durability at the specific vulnerability point, thus achieving both small size and high reliability.
3Reliability
If advanced connection techniques like flip-chip bonding or thin film rerouting are used, then connection reliability improves, but manufacturing cost increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by modifying the geometric parameter of conductive traces (width) in the critical mold clamp line area. This simple dimensional change enhances connection reliability and trace durability without requiring complex manufacturing processes like flip-chip bonding or thin film rerouting, thus maintaining ease of manufacture and cost-effectiveness.
Data Source
AI summary
An integrated circuit package system includes providing a substrate having a first plurality of conductive traces having a first width. An integrated circuit die is attached to the substrate. A mold clamp line is identified on the substrate. A critical area around the mold clamp line is determined. A plurality of widened conductive traces having a second width in the critical area is provided. An encapsulant encapsulates the integrated circuit die.