Microelectronic circuit package

Details Microelectronic circuit package Microelectronic circuit package

1999-08-24

2002-08-27

Potter, Roy (Department: 2822)

Active solid-state devices (e.g., transistors, solid-state diode

Housing or package

Insulating material

C257S718000, C257S727000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06441480

ABSTRACT:

FIELD
This invention relates to the packaging of circuits, and more particularly to the packaging of microelectronic circuits.
BACKGROUND
As the density of circuit elements, such as resistors, capacitors, and transistors, is increased in a microelectronic circuit, heat generated by the circuit elements during the operation of the circuit increases. This heat conducts through the chip on which the microelectronic circuit is fabricated and must be efficiently removed from the chip. Failure to efficiently remove the heat from the chip can result in catastrophic failure of the microelectronic circuit.
FIG. 1
is a cross-sectional view of prior art microelectronic circuit package
100
. Microelectronic circuit package
100
comprises substrate
103
, encapsulated solder balls
106
, electronic chip
109
, thermal interface material
112
, integrated heat spreader
115
, and sealant material
118
. Substrate
103
is a fragile sandwich of conductors and insulators formed on a ceramic base. Encapsulated solder balls
106
provide a conductive path for signals routed between electronic chip
109
and substrate
103
. Thermal interface material
112
is a cured epoxy and is capable of transmitting heat from electronic chip
109
to integrated heat spreader
112
. Integrated heat spreader
115
is a complex machined device that efficiently dissipates heat into the air and is secured to substrate
103
by sealant material
118
. The bond provided by sealant material
118
between integrated heat spreader
115
and substrate
103
hermetically seals the space enclosed by substrate
103
and integrated heat spreader
115
.
Unfortunately, there are several problems with microelectronic package
100
. First, integrated heat spreader
115
is a complex machined device that is expensive to manufacture. Second, thermal interface material
112
is a cured epoxy that takes a significant amount of time to cure, which slows the manufacturing process, and increases the cost of the package.
Other problems with microelectronic package
100
arise as the heat flow in electronic chip
109
increases. First, the mismatch between the coefficients of thermal expansion of integrated heat spreader
112
, thermal interface material
112
, and electronic chip
109
, causes electronic chip
109
to tear away from integrated heat spreader
112
and generate voids and uneven heat flow in thermal interface material
112
. Second, the mismatch between the coefficients of thermal expansion of heat spreader
112
and substrate
103
cause integrated heat spreader
112
to tear away from substrate
103
, which breaks sealant material
118
, destroying the hermetic seal and structurally damaging the fragile conductors and insulators of substrate
103
.
For these and other reasons there is a need for the present invention.
SUMMARY
An electronic chip package comprises an electronic chip, a slug thermally coupled to the electronic chip, and a mechanism capable of exerting a constant force on the slug.


REFERENCES:
patent: 4716494 (1987-12-01), Bright et al.
patent: 4872089 (1989-10-01), Ocken et al.
patent: 5381042 (1995-01-01), Lerner et al.
patent: 5436798 (1995-07-01), Wieland, Jr.
patent: 5777345 (1998-07-01), Loder et al.
patent: 5831829 (1998-11-01), Lin
patent: 6153932 (2000-11-01), Lin

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