Active solid-state devices (e.g. – transistors – solid-state diode – Lead frame – On insulating carrier other than a printed circuit board
Reexamination Certificate
2000-09-05
2003-10-07
Williams, Alexander O. (Department: 2826)
Active solid-state devices (e.g., transistors, solid-state diode
Lead frame
On insulating carrier other than a printed circuit board
C257S698000, C257S700000, C257S701000, C257S758000, C257S704000, C257S706000, C257S710000, C257S712000, C257S729000, C257S794000, C257S789000, C257S691000, C257S207000, C257S208000, C257S694000, C361S735000, C361S744000, C361S790000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06630727
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a modularly expandable semiconductor component having at least one carrier layer, at least one intermediate layer, at least one coverlayer and at least one semiconductor chip placed on the carrier layer. The invention also relates to a method for producing a semiconductor component.
Surface-mounted electronic components, also referred to as SMD components, are typically embedded in a housing which is made of a plastic molding compound, with electrical terminals being led out therefrom. There are a number of different housing construction types, which vary in size and which include a varying number of terminals. A semiconductor chip is first connected therein to a carrier layer. The connecting of the semiconductor chip to the carrier layer is usually accomplished by adhesion, soldering, or alloying. Following the securing of the semiconductor chip, its individual terminal points are connected to terminals of the carrier frame, for instance by using bonding wires. Next, the semiconductor chip and the terminals of the terminal frame are coated in such a way that the semiconductor chip is fully encapsulated and the terminals protrude from the housing.
It is necessary to construct the semiconductor component with optimally small dimensions. Given an optimally small volume, an optimally high storage density, that is to say performance of the semiconductor component, should be realized. If a reduction of housing space consumption is desired, given peripheral external pinning, that can only be done by refining a terminal grid significantly. However, with such a miniaturization of external pinning, one would move closer and closer to the limits of processing capability both in production and in soldering onto the assembly carrier. That necessitates completely new technologies of construction, such as the multichip module (MCM).
In a multichip module, a plurality of semiconductor chips are installed on a substrate adjacent one another in one plane and connected thereto. That permits the realization of internal chip-to-chip connections. Besides plastic leadframe packages, in which the semiconductor chips are installed on a substrate layer and which are coated by a surrounding plastic injection compound following electrical contacting, there are also ceramic packages in existence which have a cavity into which the semiconductor chips are inserted. Three principles of construction can be distinguished:
In a first embodiment, a multilayer wiring system (substrate) is integrated into a housing. That principle is applied primarily in plastic leadframe packages. In a second type of production, the housing already includes a wiring carrier system (cofired ceramic and laminate packages). In a third form, the simplest, the housing includes a construction without a wiring carrier system. It is thus possible to produce a direct interconnection through a wire connection with simple multichip modules having two or maximally three semiconductor chips.
Besides the complicated production of the substrate, as it is known, the primary disadvantage of the multichip modules is that they are unsuitable for economical mass production.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a modularly expandable semiconductor component and a method for producing a semiconductor component, which overcome the hereinafore-mentioned disadvantages of the heretofore-known devices and methods of this general type, in which a high packing density is achieved given a low volume consumption and in which a high reliability is guaranteed, while simultaneously keeping production costs low.
With the foregoing and other objects in view there is provided, in accordance with the invention, a modularly expandable semiconductor component, comprising at least one carrier layer, at least one intermediate layer and at least one coverlayer respectively disposed above one another; external contacts; a conductor configuration disposed on the at least one carrier layer and leading to the external contacts; and at least one semiconductor chip inserted in the at least one intermediate layer and having contact pads connected to the conductor configuration; the at least one carrier layer and the at least one intermediate layer formed of an at least partly oxidized-through aluminum foil material having a metallic core.
The basic concept of the invention resides in accommodating a plurality of semiconductor chips in one semiconductor component, but with the semiconductor chips being disposed not merely in one plane but rather wherein they may also be installed over one another in several planes. The semiconductor component thus is respectively formed of at least one carrier layer, one intermediate layer, one coverlayer, at least one semiconductor chip with contact pads on a top side, external contacts and an interconnect configuration. The interconnects produce the electrical connection between the contact pads of the semiconductor chip and the external contacts.
In accordance with another feature of the invention, the intermediate layer has at least one opening. This at least one opening serves for accepting the at least one respective semiconductor chip. The printed conductor configuration is located on the carrier layer. The intermediate layer, the carrier layer and the coverlayer are connected to one another in such a way that they lie one over the other. The component is further constructed in such a way that the printed conductors of the carrier layer terminate on one hand in a region near the semiconductor chip, and on the other hand in an edge region of the semiconductor component.
An advantage of this type of component construction is that the semiconductor component can be manufactured with known production methods and materials. The carrier layer is formed of an aluminum foil that has been completely or partly oxidized through, and on the top side of which conductors are etched or printed. The production methods of printed circuit boards (PCB) can be used for this purpose. Like the carrier layer, the intermediate layer also is formed of aluminum foil that has been completely or partly oxidized through. Aluminum foil that has been oxidized through at least partly has the advantage of ensuring that the coefficients of thermal expansion are better suited to the values of semiconductor chips and plastic molding compound. Furthermore, aluminum foil undertakes an insulation of the individual layers from one another. If a metallic aluminum core remains in aluminum foil that has been partly oxidized through, then this core assumes an electrical shielding of the respective intermediate layers or carrier layers that are located over one another. An inclusion of moisture is also prevented. A further advantage is a more cost-effective production of aluminum foil as compared to the use of FR
4
, a common substrate. Openings are stamped or embossed into the intermediate layer and it is also possible to use any other known method of production. This production step is also known.
In accordance with a further feature of the invention, the coverlayer is formed of a material which dissipates heat well and which is well suited to the values of the carrier layer and the intermediate layer regarding coefficients of thermal expansion.
In accordance with an added feature of the invention, the semiconductor component is composed of what are known as submodules. A submodule is formed of a carrier layer, onto which an intermediate layer has been laminated on both sides, as well as one or two respective coverlayers. The coverlayer or coverlayers are applied on the other side of the intermediate layers and form a termination of the semiconductor component. This means that one side of an intermediate layer has the coverlayer and the other side of an intermediate layer has the carrier layer. Since both the coverlayer and the carrier layer have a planar surface, a plurality of these submodules in one-sided or double-sided embodiments can be combined into one s
Münch Thomas
Tutsch Günter
Greenberg Laurence A.
Infineon - Technologies AG
Mayback Gregory L.
Stemer Werner H.
Williams Alexander O.
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