HOUSING FOR AN OPTOELECTRONIC SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENT, AND OPTOELECTRONIC SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENT

Abstract

Described is a housing for an optoelectronic semiconductor component with a mounting side a lead frame, and a housing body which is integrally moulded onto the lead frame, wherein the lead frame has a first lead frame part and a second lead frame par, wherein the housing body comprises a cavity on a front side facing away from the mounting side for accommodating a semiconductor chip, and wherein the lead frame is exposed solely at a first connection point of the first lead frame part and at a second connection point of the second lead frame part of the lead frame in the cavity. Additionally, an optoelectronic semiconductor component is also described.

Claims

1. A housing for an optoelectronic semiconductor component with a mounting side, a lead frame, and a housing body which is integrally moulded onto the lead frame, wherein the lead frame comprises a first lead frame part and a second lead frame part; the housing body comprises a cavity on a front side facing away from the mounting side for accommodating an optoelectronic semiconductor chip; the lead frame is exposed solely at a first connection point of the first lead frame part and at a second connection point of the second lead frame part of the lead frame in the the first lead frame part has a first inner region and a first edge region; the first inner region and the first edge region are exposed on the mounting side of the housing; the first inner region in plan view of the housing overlaps with the first connection point the first edge region is exposed on a first side face of the housing; and the first inner region and the first edge region are connected to one another via a front-side region of the first lead frame part, wherein the front-side region is distanced from the mounting side.

2. The housing according to claim 1, wherein a bottom face of the cavity in a region of the first connection point and the second connection point has an indentation, in which the first connection point and the second connection point are exposed.

3. (canceled)

4. The housing according to claim 1, wherein the first edge region has a recess which is accessible on the mounting side and on a side face of the housing.

5. The housing according to claim 1, wherein the first front-side region in plan view of the housing runs along two edges of the first inner region.

6. The housing according to claim 1, wherein the first lead frame part between the first inner region and the first edge region in plan view of the housing is interrupted along a longitudinal axis of the housing.

7. The housing according to claim 1, wherein the first inner region and the first edge region in plan view of the housing, seen along a longitudinal axis of the housing, are connected to one another via the first front-side region only on one side of the longitudinal axis.

8. The housing according to claim 1, wherein the front-side region of the first lead frame part has a first extension, which extends between the second connection point and a second side face of the housing, said second side face running parallel to a longitudinal axis of the housing.

9. The housing according to claim 8, wherein the first extension, seen along the longitudinal axis, runs along at least 50% of an extent of the second connection point.

10. The housing according to one of the preceding claims claim 1, wherein an area dimension of the first connection point and an area dimension of the second connection point is in each case at most 30% of an area dimension of a bottom face of the cavity.

11. The housing according to claim 1, wherein the second lead frame part and the first lead frame part are point-symmetrical to one another in respect of their basic shape.

12. An optoelectronic semiconductor component with the housing according to claim 1 and with the optoelectronic semiconductor chip arranged in the cavity and electrically conductively connected to the first connection point and the second connection point.

13. The optoelectronic semiconductor component according to claim 12, wherein the optoelectronic semiconductor chip covers the first connection point and the second connection point fully.

14. The optoelectronic semiconductor component according to claim 12, wherein the first connection point and the second connection point in plan view of the optoelectronic semiconductor component are each at most half of a size of the optoelectronic semiconductor chip.

15. The optoelectronic semiconductor component according to claim 12, wherein the optoelectronic semiconductor chip is embedded in a potting compound, wherein the potting compound does not at any point directly border the lead frame.

Description

[0040] Further embodiments and practicalities will result from the following description of the exemplary embodiments in conjunction with the figures.

[0041] In the figures:

[0042] FIGS. 1A, 1B, 1C, 1D, 1E, 1F and 1G show an exemplary embodiment of a housing on the basis of a schematic plan view (FIG. 1A), a schematic sectional view along the longitudinal axis (FIG. 1B), a rear view (FIG. 1C), a schematic plan view showing the course of the lead frame (FIG. 1D), a perspective sectional view (FIG. 1E), as well as a schematic representation of the lead frame in a perspective front-side view (FIG. 1F) and a schematic rear-side view (FIG. 1G); and

[0043] FIGS. 2A, 2B shows an exemplary embodiment of an optoelectronic semiconductor component in schematic plan view (FIG. 2A) and in an associated perspective sectional view (FIG. 2B).

[0044] Identical, similar or similarly acting elements are provided with the same reference signs in the figures. The figures are schematic representations and therefore not necessarily true to scale. In particular, comparatively small elements or layer thicknesses can be shown exaggeratedly large.

[0045] An exemplary embodiment of a housing 1 is illustrated in various views in FIGS. 1A to 1G.

[0046] The housing 1 extends in a vertical direction between a mounting side 10 and a front side 15 facing away from the mounting side.

[0047] The front side 15 comprises a cavity 17 for accommodating an optoelectronic semiconductor chip.

[0048] The housing 1 further comprises a lead frame 2 with a first lead frame part 21 and a second lead frame part 22. A housing body 5 is integrally moulded onto the lead frame 2 and connects the first lead frame part 21 and the second lead frame part 22 to each other in a mechanically stable manner. The housing body 5 has, for example, a polymer material and is produced by a moulding method. To increase the reflectivity of the housing body 5, reflective particles, for example titanium dioxide particles, can be added to the housing body 5.

[0049] In the cavity 17, the lead frame 2 is only exposed at a first connection point 31 of the first lead frame part 21 and at a second connection point 32 of the second lead frame part 22. A bottom face 170 has an indentation 19 in the region of the first connection point 31 and the second connection point 32, and these connection points are exposed in said recess. When an optoelectronic semiconductor chip is fastened in the housing 1 by means of a connecting means 97, the lateral extent of the connecting means can be delimited via the indentation 19.

[0050] Except in the region of the indentation 19, the housing body 5 thus completely covers the lead frame 2 in plan view of the housing 1. The first connection point 31 and the second connection point 32 are each small compared to the bottom face 170 of the cavity 17. For example, an area dimension of the first connection point 31 and an area dimension of the second connection point 32 are each at most 30% of an area dimension of the bottom face 170 of the cavity 17.

[0051] In the vertical direction, the lead frame 2 extends between a rear side 200 and a front side 205. The lead frame is etched from the rear side 200 and from the front side 205, so that the lead frame 2 has regions with different thicknesses.

[0052] Along a longitudinal axis 81, the housing 1 extends between two first side faces 11. Perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis, i.e. along the transverse axis 82, the housing extends between two second side faces 12 in plan view.

[0053] The longitudinal axis 81 and the transverse axis 82 are each formed centrally to the housing, so that the point of intersection of the longitudinal axis 81 and the transverse axis 82 forms a centre point 83 of the housing. The transverse axis runs between the first connection point 31 and the second connection point 32.

[0054] FIG. 1B shows a sectional view along the longitudinal axis 81 through the housing 1.

[0055] The first lead frame part 21 has a first inner region 211 and a first edge region 212. The first inner region 211 and the first edge region 212 each extend to the rear side 200 of the lead frame. As shown in FIG. 1C, the first inner region 211 and the first edge region 212 are exposed at the mounting side 10 and are thus accessible from the mounting side 10.

[0056] The second lead frame part 22 is analogous to the first lead frame part 21 and has a second inner region 221 and a second edge region 222.

[0057] The first edge region 212 and the second edge region 222 each have a recess 4 that extends to the first side face 11 and to the mounting side 10. During the mounting of the housing 1, the recess 4 can fulfil the function of a solder control structure.

[0058] The first lead frame part 21 and the second lead frame part 22 are each interrupted along the longitudinal axis 81, as can be seen from the sectional view in FIG. 1B. However, it is clear from FIG. 1D that the first lead frame part 21 and the second lead frame part 22 are each formed in one piece.

[0059] The first lead frame part 21 has a first front-side region 215, through which the first inner region 211 and the first edge region 212 are connected to each other. In FIG. 1D, the parts of the perimeter of the first lead frame part 21 and the second lead frame part 22 that are hidden by the housing body 5 are shown by dashed lines, wherein a perimeter of the first inner region 211 and of the second inner region 221 are illustrated by a dotted line.

[0060] The first front-side region 215 forms the first connection point 31. The second front-side region 225 forms the second connection point 32.

[0061] In FIGS. 1F and 1G, the lead frame parts of the lead frame 2 are shown without the housing body 5. In plan view of the housing 1, the first inner region 211 and the first edge region 212 are connected to each other via the first front-side region 215 along the longitudinal axis 81 of the housing 1, as seen only on one side of the longitudinal axis 81.

[0062] In the other half of the housing 1 along the longitudinal axis 81, the first lead frame part 21 is interrupted so that the first lead frame part 21 does not form a closed structure in plan view. The first lead frame part 21 and the second lead frame part 22, in particular their respective front-side regions, each have a C-shaped basic form, as illustrated by the line 85 in FIG. 1.

[0063] The first front-side region 215 is distanced from the rear side 200 of the lead frame 2, so that the first front-side region 215 has a comparatively small thickness, as does the second front-side region 225. Seen from the rear side of the housing 1, the first front-side region 215 and the second front-side region 225 are covered by material of the housing body 5. A mechanical force transmission due to thermomechanical stresses between the first edge region 212 and the first inner region 211 is reduced compared to the situation in which a connecting region between the first inner region and the first edge region is not thinned, in particular in conjunction with the interruption of the first lead frame part 21 and the second lead frame part 22 along the longitudinal axis 81.

[0064] This reduces the risk that thermomechanical stresses will cause an optoelectronic semiconductor chip fastened to the first connection point 31 and the second connection point 32 or an electrical connection between the optoelectronic semiconductor chip and the connection points 31, 32 to be damaged due to thermomechanical stresses.

[0065] The first lead frame part 21, in particular the first front-side region 215 further comprises a first extension 217. The first extension 217 extends across the transverse axis 82 to that side of the housing 1 in which the second inner region 221 of the second lead frame part and the second connection point 32 are arranged. The first extension 217 extends at least at points between the second connection point 32 and the second side face 12 of the housing 1.

[0066] Analogously, the second lead frame part 22, in particular the second front-side region 225, has a second extension 227, wherein the second extension extends beyond the transverse axis 82 onto that half of the housing 1 in which the first inner region 211 of the first lead frame part 21 is formed. Thus, in a side view of the housing 1, the first lead frame part 21 and the second lead frame part 22 overlap due to the extensions 217, 227.

[0067] Via the first extension 217 and the second extension 227, the mechanical stability of the housing 1 is improved, in particular with respect to a bending or a breaking stress.

[0068] For example, the first inner region 215 has a cuboid basic shape and is covered at points by the first front-side region 215. As shown in FIG. 1G, the first front-side region 215 extends along two edges 2110 of the first inner region, wherein these edges run perpendicular to each other.

[0069] Accordingly, the second front-side region 225 runs along two edges 2210 of the second inner region 221. This improves the mechanical stability of the housing, in particular when the lead frame is pressed into a film to produce the housing body 5 by a film assisted moulding method.

[0070] In respect of its basic shape, the lead frame 2 is point-symmetrical to the centre point 83, in particular apart from a marking for simplified identification of the polarity of the housing 1 in the form of a cut-off corner of the second inner region 212.

[0071] FIGS. 2A and 2B show an exemplary embodiment of an optoelectronic semiconductor component 9, in which the housing 1 is formed as described in conjunction with FIGS. 1A to 1G. The optoelectronic semiconductor component 9 further comprises an optoelectronic semiconductor chip 95. The first connection point 31 and the second connection point 32 are each electrically conductively connected to a contact 951 of the optoelectronic semiconductor chip 95, for example via a connecting means 97 such as a solder. The optoelectronic semiconductor chip 95 is formed in flip-chip geometry and has the contacts 951 in each case on the side facing the mounting side 10 of the housing 1. For example, the semiconductor chip 95 is a light-emitting diode having a sapphire substrate as a growth substrate and an active region based on nitride compound semiconductor material for generating radiation.

[0072] In plan view of the optoelectronic semiconductor component 9, the optoelectronic semiconductor chip 95 completely covers the first connection point 31 and the second connection point 32. In particular, the first connection point 31 and the second connection point 32 can be covered by metal material of the connection means 97. The indentation 19 of the housing 1 delimits the lateral extent of the connecting means 97.

[0073] Waste heat generated during operation of the optoelectronic semiconductor component 9 can be dissipated directly in the vertical direction via the first front-side region 215 and the first inner region 211, or via the second front-side region 225 and the second inner region 221 of the lead frame 2.

[0074] The optoelectronic semiconductor chip 95 is embedded in a potting compound 99. The potting compound 99 is expediently permeable to the radiation to be generated and/or received by the optoelectronic semiconductor chip and can, for example, be mixed with a luminescent material. In particular, the potting compound 99 does not adjoin the lead frame 2 of the optoelectronic semiconductor component 9 at any point, and therefore the material for the potting compound 99 can be selected independently of how well the material adheres to metal surfaces.

[0075] Furthermore, no bonding wires are required for the electrical contacting of the optoelectronic semiconductor chip 95. Thus, there is no risk of the potting compound 99 impairing the electrical contacting of the optoelectronic semiconductor chip 95, for example when soldering the optoelectronic semiconductor component 9 to a connection carrier such as a printed circuit board. Furthermore, there is no risk of corrosion of the lead frame 2 within the cavity 17, irrespective of whether the potting compound 99 is permeable to corrosive gases, such as hydrogen sulfide, and/or whether the potting compound 99 or the housing body 5 allows penetration paths to the lead frame 2 in the cavity 17.

[0076] The described embodiment of the housing 1 is particularly suitable for the realisation of small housing designs. For example, an extent of the housing along the longitudinal axis 81 is at most 3 mm or at most 2 mm. For example, the housing 1 is a housing for a light-emitting diode of the design 1608, i.e. a light-emitting diode with a footprint of 1.6×0.8 mm.sup.2, in particular in QFN (Quad Flat No Lead) technology. The electrical connections of the housing 1 therefore do not protrude laterally beyond the housing body 5 in plan view.

[0077] The figures are true to scale for an exemplary embodiment of design 1608. However, the proportions of the individual elements can also deviate from this. Furthermore, the described construction of the housing is also suitable for other designs.

[0078] This patent application claims the priority of German patent application 10 2020 107 409.3, the content of the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference.

[0079] The invention is not limited by the description with reference to the exemplary embodiments. Rather, the invention includes any new feature as well as any combination of features, which in particular includes any combination of features in the claims, even if this feature or combination is not itself explicitly indicated in the claims or the exemplary embodiments.

List of reference signs

[0080] 1 housing [0081] 10 mounting side [0082] 11 first side face [0083] 12 second side face [0084] 15 front side [0085] 17 cavity [0086] 170 bottom face [0087] 19 indentation [0088] 2 lead frame [0089] 200 rear side of the lead frame [0090] 205 front side of the lead frame [0091] 21 first lead frame part [0092] 211 first inner region [0093] 2110 edge of the first inner region [0094] 212 first edge region [0095] 215 first front-side region [0096] 217 first extension [0097] 22 second lead frame part [0098] 221 second inner region [0099] 2210 edge of the second inner region [0100] 222 second edge region [0101] 225 second front-side region [0102] 227 second extension [0103] 31 first connection point [0104] 32 second connection point [0105] 4 recess [0106] 5 housing body [0107] 81 longitudinal axis [0108] 82 transverse axis [0109] 83 centre point [0110] 85 line [0111] 9 semiconductor component [0112] 95 optoelectronic semiconductor chip [0113] 951 contact of the optoelectronic semiconductor chip [0114] 97 connecting means [0115] 99 potting compound