Electronic device including electrical connections on an encapsulation block

[0001] Embodiments of the present invention are directed to electronic devices comprising chips and support substrates for the chip.

[0002] Generally, in such electronic devices, the chip is connected to the carrier substrate by electric wires or by electrical connecting elements interposed therebetween, wherein the chip and the electric wires or the electrical connecting elements are embedded in an encapsulation block in front of the encapsulation unit.

In the case of stacked chips, the electrical connections are also made by electrical wires or electrical connecting elements interposed.

[0003] According to one embodiment, an electronic device comprises an electronic chip having a front face provided with at least one electrical connection pad, and an overmolded chip encapsulation package comprising a front layer at least partially covering the front face of the chip.

[0004] The encapsulation block comprises a plastic material containing additive particles and has a through hole, above the chip pad.

[0005] The wall of the hole is covered with an inner metal layer joined to the front pad of the chip and a local area of the front face of the chip up to the hole is covered with a local front metal layer joined to the inner metal layer, thus forming an electrical connection.

[0006] The inner metal layer and the local front metal layer are hooked or anchored to additive particles included in the encapsulant material.

[0007] By means of the above arrangements, electrical connections are made directly and simply and can be short.

[0008] At least part of the periphery of the edge of the hole of the front layer of the encapsulation block, located on the side of the die may be above and adjacent to a front face of the die pad.

[0009] The front layer of the encapsulation block may partially cover a front face of the front pad.

[0010] The edge of the hole of the front layer of the encapsulation block, on the chip side, it can be inscribed on top of a front face of the chip pad.

[0011]Abackside of the die may be secured over a front face of a support substrate.

[0012] The overmolded encapsulation block may include an annular peripheral portion that extends around the periphery of the die, above the front face of the support substrate.

[0013] The annular peripheral portion of the encapsulating overmolded block may have a through hole, whose wall is covered with an inner metal layer connected to an electrical connection pad of the front face of the support substrate and to said local front metal layer, forming an electrical connection between the front pad of the die and the front pad of the support substrate.

[0014] An additional electronic component can be mounted above the front face of the support substrate, at a distance from the chip, and is embedded in the encapsulating overmolded block.

[0015] The annular peripheral portion of the overmolded encapsulation block may have a through hole located above the second electrical component, the wall of which is covered with an inner metal layer connected to an electrical connection pad of a front face of the second electronic component, and the local front metal layer.

[0016] An electrical connection can thus be formed between the front pad of the die and the front pad of the support substrate, wherein the inner metal layer is suspended or anchored to additive particles included in the material of the encapsulation block.

[0017] An additional electronic component can be mounted above the front layer of the encapsulating overmolded block, via at least one electrical connecting element interposed between the local front metal layer and a stud of the electronic component.

[0018]Amethod of manufacturing an electronic device, which comprises the steps of:

[0019] placing in an mould an electronic chip having a front face provided with at least one electrical connection pad. and

[0020] injecting into the mould a material provided with additive particles activatable by laser radiation, so as to form by overmoulding an encapsulation block comprising a layer at least partially covering said face of the chip. and then, after demoulding of the obtained device.

[0022] making a hole in the layer of the encapsulation block above the chip pad and activating the additive particles located in the wall of the hole and in a local area of the front face of the front layer up to the hole, under the influence of laser radiation, and

[0023] providing in a metal bath a metallization step so as to form, under the effect of activated particles, an inner metal layer suspended or anchored to the wall of the hole and connected to the front pad of the chip, and a local front metal layer suspended or anchored to the front local area of the front face of the layer of the encapsulation block and connected to the inner metal layer, the hole.

[0024] Electronic devices and their manufacturing modes will now be described as non-limiting embodiments, illustratively on the appended drawing in which:

[0025] [FIG.L]

represents a section of an electronic device.

[0026] [Fig. 2]

represents a local top view of the electronic device of Figure 1.

[0027] [Fig. 3]

represents a section of another electronic device.

[0028] [Fig. 4]

represents a section of another electronic device.

[0029] [Fig. 5]

represents one cutting another electronic device.

[0030] An electronic device 1 shown in Figures 1 and 2 includes an electronic chip 2 having a front face 3 with at least one electrical connection pad 4 having a front face 5.

[0031] The electronic device 1 comprising an overmolded chip 6 encapsulating block 2 that includes a front layer 7 that at least partially covers the front face 3 of the chip 2. The encapsulation block 6 has a front face 8.

[0032] The front layer 7 of the encapsulation block 6 has a through hole 9 above the pad 4. At least a part of the periphery of the edge of the hole 9. located on the side of the chip 2 is located above and is adjacent to the front face 5 of the chip 4 of the chip 2. In other words, the front layer 7 of the encapsulation block 6 partially covers the front face 5 of the front pad 4. For example, the through hole 9 is inscribed in the front face 5 of the pad 4.

[0033] The wall of the through-hole 9 is covered with an inner metal layer 10 which is joined to the front pad 4 of the chip 2 so as to provide an electrical connection.

[0034]Agrooved local area 12 of the front face 8 of the front layer 7. extending to the leading edge of the through hole 9. is covered with a local front metal layer 12 which is joined to the inner metal layer 10 so as to provide an electrical connection. Advantageously, the front metal layer 12 is connected to the front periphery of the inner metal layer 10.

[0035] The encapsulation overmolded block 6 comprises a plastic material, for example, a resin, which contains additive particles dispersed in the material. However, the additive particles located in a surface portion of the wall of the hole 9 and in a surface portion of the front zone 11 are activated and comprise metal anchoring or anchoring grains to the encapsulation block. 6 of the inner metal layer 10 and the front metal layer 12.

[0036]Amanufacturing mode of the electronic device 1 comprises the following steps.

[0037] The die 2 is placed in a mold so as to create a mold cavity corresponding to the encapsulation block 6 to be made.

[0038]Aliquid plastic material, for example, a thermosetting resin is injected into the mold cavity. Said liquid plastic material contains additive particles in suspension, electrically non-conducting, on which the laser structuring technology Lds (English "direct laser structuring") can be implemented.

[0039] After curing the material, an encapsulation solid block 6 is obtained, the front layer 7 of which passes or extends over the front pad 4 of the chip 2. The additive particles are then dispersed and included in the solid plastic material.

[0040] And then, the device is demolded, etching the solid material by laser radiation so as to make the through-hole 9 and a groove in the front region 11. In that under the effect of laser radiation, the additive particles of the surface portion of the hole 9 and the surface portion of the grooved front region 11 are activated to expose active metal grains.

[0041] Then the device is immersed in a metal bath. The metal of the metal bath engages or anchors the activated additive particles of the wall of the hole 9 and the front zone 11. so as to locally achieve the inner metal layer 10 and the front metal layer 12.

[0042] Removed from the metal bath, the electronic device 1 is directly obtained.

[0043] More specifically, according to an example embodiment shown in Figures 1 and 2, the electronic device 1 includes a support substrate 13 having a front face 14 and a back face 15.

[0044] The chip 2 is fixed above the front face 14 of the carrier substrate 13 via a glue layer 16. the chip 2 covers a central area of the front face 14.

[0045] The support substrate 13 is provided with an array 17 of electrical connections from one side to the other and comprises an electrical connection pad 18 in the front face 14. located at a distance from the periphery of the chip 2 and having a front face 19.

[0046] The encapsulation block 6 comprises the front layer 7 and an annular peripheral portion 20 which extends around the periphery of the chip 2. above the peripheral area of the front face 14 of the support substrate 13 and joined to the front layer 7. The front face 8 the encapsulation block 8 is flat and parallel to the support substrate 13.

[0047] The peripheral portion 18 of the encapsulation block 6 has a through hole 21 located above the pad 18. The through hole 21 is located relative to the pad 18 of the support substrate 13 equivalent to the location, previously described, the hole 9 with respect to the pad 4 of the chip 2.

[0048] The wall of the through-hole 21 is covered an inner metal layer 22 which is joined to the front pad 18 of the support substrate 13 so as to provide an electrical connection.

[0049] The grooved local area 11 of the front face 8 of the encapsulation block 7 extends to the leading edge of the through hole 21 and the front metal layer 12 is joined to the inner metal layer 22 so as to provide an electrical connection.

[0050] Thus. the front pad 4 of the chip 2 and the front pad 18 of the electrical connection network 17 are connected by an electrical connection 23 comprising the inner metal layers 9 and 22 and the front metal layer 12. the front layer 12 constituting a front track.

[0051]Amanufacturing mode of the electronic device 1 thus constituted includes steps equivalent to those previously described, so as to realize this electrical connection 23.

[0052] The electronic device 1 may include a plurality of electrical connections 23 connecting other front pads, from the chip to other front pads of the electrical connection network 17 of the carrier substrate 13.

[0053] According to an embodiment of the invention, also shown in Figure 1, the electronic device 1 may further include a plurality of electrical leads 24 that are embedded in the encapsulation block 6 at the time of injection of the material forming the encapsulation block, and which connect other front pads 26 of the chip 2 to other front pads 27 of the electrical wiring network 17 of the substrate, holder 13.

[0054] The electronic device 1 may be mounted above a printed circuit board (not shown) through electrical connection elements (not shown) placed on rear pads 18 of the electrical connection network. 17 located in the backside 15 of the support substrate 13.

[0055] According to an embodiment shown in Figure 3. an electronic device IA comprises a chip 2 adhered to a carrier substrate 13.

[0056] The front face 3 of the chip 2 is provided with electrical connection front pads 27 and 28.

[0057]Afront layer 7 of an overmolded encapsulation block 6 has through holes 29 and 30 located above the pads before 27 and 28. equivalent to what was previously described.

[0058] The walls of the holes 29 and 30 are covered with inner metal layers 31 and 32 which are joined to the pads 27 and 28.

[0059] Local areas before grooved 33 and 34 of the front face 8 of the front layer 7 of the encapsulation block 6. extending respectively to the front edges of the through holes 29 and 30. are covered with local front metal layers 35 and 36 which are respectively joined to the inner metal layers 31 and 32.

[0060] The inner metal layers 31 and 32 and the metal layers before 35 and 36 form electrical connections 37 and 38. equivalent to what was previously described.

[0061] In one embodiment, the electronic device IA comprises an additional electronic component 39, such as a discrete component, an electronic chip or a specific electronic package, which is mounted above the front layer 8 of the encapsulation block 6 via electrical connection elements 40 and 41 interposed between the metal layers before 35 and 36 and pads 42 and 43 of the additional component 39. so that the chip 2 and the additional component 39 are connected.

[0062]Aplurality of electrical connections 37 and 38 and electrical connection elements 40 and 41 may be provided to connect the chip 2 and the additional component 39.

[0063] The electronic device IA comprises an electrical connection 23 and/or electric wires 24. or a plurality of electrical connections 23 and/or electrical leads 24, such that the chip 2 is connected to the electrical connection network 17 of the carrier substrate 3. equivalent to what was previously described.

[0064] According to an embodiment (not shown), the second die 39 could be subsequently embedded in a complementary encapsulation layer formed above the front face 8 of the encapsulation block 6.

[0065] According to an embodiment (not shown). wherein the second chip 39 is absent or located elsewhere above the chip 2, at least one of the local front metal layers 35 and 36. or a plurality of such local front metal layers could be connected to front pads of the electrical wiring network 17 of the carrier substrate 17 through electrical leads located outside the encapsulation block 6.

[0066] According to an example embodiment shown in Figure 4. an electronic device IB comprises an additional electronic component 44, such as a discrete component or an electronic chip, which is mounted above the front face 14 of the carrier substrate 13. remote from the chip 2, and which is embedded in the encapsulation block 6.

[0067] The electronic component 44 is connected to the electrical connection network 17 of the support substrate 13. via intermediate electrical connection elements and/or electric wires.

[0068] The electrical connection 23 is modified such that the through hole 22 is formed above a front pad 45 of the complementary electronic component 44 and the inner layer 22 is connected to the front pad 45. Thus. the chip 2 and the electronic component 44 are connected via the electrical connection 23 thus made. The chip 2 and the electronic component 44 could be connected via a plurality of electrical connections 23 so formed.

[0069] According to an example embodiment shown in Figure 5. an electronic device 101 includes an electronic chip 102 having a front face 103 with a plurality of electrical connection pads 104 and a rear face 105.

[0070] The electronic chip 102 is buried in an overmolded encapsulation block 106 that includes a front layer 107 extending over the face 103 of the chip 102 and an annular portion 108 surrounding the periphery of the chip 102. so that the encapsulation block 105 has a front face 109 parallel to the faces 103 and 105 of the chip 102 and a back face 110, ring, located in the plane of the rear face 105 of the chip 102.

[0071] The encapsulation block 105 is provided with a plurality of electrical connections 111 which are made by laser etching the encapsulation block 106. as described above.

[0072] Each electrical connection 111 comprises an inner metal layer 112 which covers the wall of a through hole 113. through the front layer 107 of the encapsulation block 106 and which is connected to a front pad 103 of the chip 102 and includes a local front metal layer 114 that covers a grooved local area 115 of the front face 109 of the encapsulation block 106. and which is connected to the inner metal layer 112.

[0073] The electronic device 201 may be mounted above a printed circuit board (not shown) through electrical connection elements (not shown) placed on the local front metal layers 114 of the electrical connections 111.

[0074] According to embodiments, electronic devices may include combinations of the different electrical connections described in the above examples and variants and combinations of several encapsulation layers on top of each other, provided with combinations of electrical connections comprising inner and front metal layers.