ELECTRONIC SYSTEM, AS WELL AS MANUFACTURING METHOD, AND DEVICE FOR MANUFACTURING AN ELECTRONIC SYSTEM

Abstract

An electronic system having a carrier, at least one radio chip mounted on the carrier, a spacer element, which is mounted on the radio chip and features a material having a predefined permittivity number, and at least one electronic component mounted on the radio chip.

Claims

1-14. (canceled)

15. An electronic system, comprising: a carrier; at least one radio chip mounted on the carrier; a spacer element mounted on the radio chip, the spacer element having a material having a predefined permittivity number; and at least one electronic component mounted on or above the radio chip.

16. The electronic system of claim 15, wherein the material has a permittivity number that is within a tolerance range of the permittivity number of a molding compound surrounding the electronic component.

17. The electronic system of claim 15, wherein the spacer element has at least one further material having another predefined permittivity number, the further material being disposed on a first main side of the material facing the carrier and/or on a second main side of the material opposite the first main side and facing away from the carrier.

18. The electronic system of claim 17, wherein a predefined thickness of the spacer element is between 50 and 200 m, the thickness denoting a distance between a first main side and a second main side of the spacer element.

19. The electronic system of claim 17, wherein the material and/or the further material are/is formed as an adhesive agent for adhering to a main side of the radio chip adjacent to the spacer element.

20. The electronic system of claim 15, further comprising: a housing to at least enclose the electronic component.

21. The electronic system of claim 20, wherein, within a predefined tolerance range of a permittivity number, the predefined permittivity number or a sum of the predefined permittivity number and the other predefined permittivity number corresponds to the portion of the housing adjacent to the radio chip.

22. The electronic system of claim 15, wherein the electronic component and/or the radio chip is configured as a processing unit for controlling at least an actuator and/or analyzing information and/or as a sensor for recording at least one physical quantity.

23. The electronic system of claim 15, further comprising: an electronic component mounted on the electronic component.

24. The electronic system of claim 23, wherein the electronic component is configured as a processing unit for controlling and/or analyzing information of the further electronic component, and wherein the further electronic component is configured as a sensor for recording at least one physical quantity, the electronic component.

25. A method for manufacturing an electronic system, the method comprising: providing a carrier, at least one radio chip, at least one electronic component, and a spacer element that is formed with a material having a predefined permittivity number; and mounting the at least one radio chip on the carrier, the spacer element on the at least one radio chip, and the at least one electronic component on the spacer element to manufacture the electronic system.

26. A device for manufacturing an electronic system, comprising: a feeder device for providing a carrier, at least one radio chip, at least one electronic component, and a spacer element that is formed with a material having a predefined permittivity number; and a positioning device for mounting the at least one radio chip on the carrier, the spacer element on the radio chip, and the at least one electronic component on the spacer element to manufacture the electronic system.

27. The device of claim 26, wherein the material has a permittivity number that is within a tolerance range of the permittivity number of a molding compound surrounding the at least one electronic component.

28. A machine-readable storage medium having a computer program, which is executable by a processor, comprising: a program code arrangement having program code for manufacturing an electronic system, by performing the following: providing a carrier, at least one radio chip, at least one electronic component, and a spacer element that is formed with a material having a predefined permittivity number; and mounting the at least one radio chip on the carrier, the spacer element on the at least one radio chip, and the at least one electronic component on the spacer element to manufacture the electronic system.

29. The electronic system of claim 15, wherein the material has a permittivity number that is within a tolerance range of the permittivity number of a molding compound surrounding the electronic component, in particular, the permittivity number of the material being less than 10.

30. The electronic system of claim 15, wherein the material has a permittivity number that is within a tolerance range of the permittivity number of a molding compound surrounding the electronic component, in particular, the permittivity number of the material being between 3 and 5.

31. The electronic system of claim 23, wherein the electronic component is configured as a processing unit for controlling and/or analyzing information of the further electronic component, and wherein the further electronic component is configured as a sensor for recording at least one physical quantity, the electronic component, in particular, being configured as part of the radio chip.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0038] FIG. 1 a schematic representation of an electronic system having a radio chip in accordance with the related art.

[0039] FIG. 2 a schematic representation of an electronic system having a radio chip and spacer element in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0040] FIG. 3 a schematic representation of an electronic system having a radio chip and a two-part spacer element in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0041] FIG. 4 a schematic representation of an electronic system having a radio chip and adhesive agent as a spacer element in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0042] FIG. 5 a flow chart of a method for manufacturing an electronic system, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0043] FIG. 6 a block diagram of a device for manufacturing an electronic system, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0044] The following description of advantageous exemplary embodiments of the present invention employs the same or similar reference numerals for the elements that are shown in the various figures and whose function is similar, there being no need to repeat the description of these elements.

[0045] FIG. 1 shows a schematic representation of an electronic system 100 having a radio chip in accordance with the related art. Electronic system 100 is provided as a stacked configuration of a substrate, respectively carrier 102, a radio chip 104 having a thickness of 100 m, a spacer element, respectively spacer chip 106 of silicon having a thickness of 75 m, a microcontroller 108 having a thickness of 100 m and a sensor, respectively sensor packet 110. A chip adhesive 112 having a nominal thickness of 20 m fixes radio chip 104 to substrate 102, spacer chip 106 to radio chip 104, and microcontroller 108 to spacer chip 106. Electronic system 100 also has a housing 114 in the form of a molded cover in accordance with the related art.

[0046] Upon assembly of radio chip system 100, it should be noted that a high frequency circuit of radio chip 104 is defined toward the top side of the chip. Radio chip 104 is normally configured to be installed with a molded cover 114 of a few hundred micrometers. This mold 114 takes the high frequency design into consideration in the configuration of the components of radio chip 104 that are relevant to high frequency.

[0047] With reference to a schematic representation, FIG. 2 shows an electronic system 200 in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Electronic system 200 is composed of a carrier 202, a radio chip 204, a spacer element, respectively spacer 206, and an electronic component 208.

[0048] As illustrated in FIG. 2, electronic system 200 has a stacked structure. Carrier 202 forms a base of the stack. Carrier 202 is a plate-shaped substrate, such as a printed circuit board, for example. Besides the carrier function, substrate 202 is also configured to supply electric voltage to at least one component of electronic system 200 via printed conductors and/or through holes. Radio chip 204 is mounted on carrier 202. Radio chip 204 is configured for transmitting and/or receiving electromagnetic radiation in one or a plurality of predefined radio bands. Radio chip 204 likewise has a plate-shaped, respectively layered design. Spacer element 206, which is likewise formed as a layer, is mounted on radio chip 204 and thereby spaces radio chip 204 at a distance from electronic component 208 that is mounted on spacer element 206. This is important to the radio transmission function of radio chip 204. Electronic component 208 may be a sensor, for example.

[0049] Spacer element, respectively spacer 206 features a material 210 having a predefined permittivity number, respectively dielectric constant. Spacer 206 may be completely or partially formed from material 210. The predefined permittivity number of spacer element 206 makes it possible to maintain, without limitation, the radio transmission functionality of subjacent radio chip 204, independently of further components of electronic system 200 stacked over spacer element 206. The predefined permittivity number of spacer element material 210 may be derived from a predefined thickness of material 210 forming spacer element 206. Alternatively or additionally, the predefined permittivity number may result from a chemical and/or physical composition of material 210.

[0050] FIG. 3 schematically represents another exemplary embodiment of electronic system 200 introduced here. Here as well, electronic system 200 is in a stacked configuration and, in this case, is expanded by another electronic component 300, as well as by a housing 302. Radio chip 204 is a Bluetooth or IEEE 802.15.4 radio chip, for example. Radio chip 204 has a thickness of 100 m here.

[0051] As illustrated in FIG. 3, carrier 202, radio chip 204, and spacer element 206, as well as electronic component 208 are layered, respectively plate-shaped here; further electronic component 300 is rectangular here and is mounted on electronic component 208 as a termination of the stack. All components 202, 204, 206, 208, 300 are stacked one upon the other by the main sides thereof. The main sides are understood to be those sides that oppose one another and have the largest dimensions in comparison to the remaining sides of components 202, 204, 206, 208, 300. As shown in the illustration, due to the larger dimensions of the main sides thereof, carrier 202, radio chip 204, and electronic component 208 project out laterally from the stack of electronic system 200. Carrier 202 has the largest lateral extent relative to the stack. In addition to further electronic component 300, electronic system 200 may include even more electronic components in accordance with exemplary embodiments. These, in turn, may be stacked upon further electronic component 300.

[0052] In the exemplary embodiment of electronic system 200 shown in FIG. 3, material 210 contains silicon dioxide (Si0.sub.3). Here, material 210 is entirely made of silicon dioxide. In accordance with one alternative exemplary embodiment, it is also possible that silicon dioxide make up only one portion of material 210. Silicon dioxide features a relative permittivity of .sub.r3.5 and is consequently within the range of the permittivity number of a typical housing for radio chips. It is thus ensured that radio chip 204 is not subject to any frequency shift by using silicon dioxide for spacer element 206 and in view of the structure of electronic system 200. In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 3, material 210 is present in the form of silicon dioxide in a layer thickness of 75 m. The layer thickness is merely exemplary and may also have a different value.

[0053] In the case of the exemplary embodiment of electronic system 200 shown in FIG. 3, further electronic component 300 is a sensor, for example, an MEMS sensor. A physical quantity of a field surrounding electronic system 200 may be recorded, for example, via sensor 300. Electronic component 208 disposed underneath sensor 300 is configured here as a processing unit for controlling and/or analyzing information from further electronic component 300. Processing unit 208 may be a microcontroller, respectively MCU (microcontroller unit) or digital signal processor. Microcontroller 208 may be configured for controlling sensor 300 or for analyzing data from sensor 300, and is present here in a thickness of 100 m. The thickness of MCU 208 is merely exemplary and may also have a different value.

[0054] In the exemplary embodiment of electronic system 200 shown in FIG. 3, housing 302 is formed as a molding compound that is applied to a surface of electronic system 200 and is cured, so that, here, housing 302 forms a mold that closely surrounds the covered region of electronic system 200. As illustrated, the molding compound of housing 302, at least in the lateral dimensions of carrier 202, is applied as the laterally largest element of the stack, so that, in the cured state, housing 302 extends over sensor 300 forming the termination of the stack and, to the side of the stack, to a main side 304 of carrier 202 facing the stack. Thus, housing 302 is configured for completely surrounding all of the regions of components 202, 204, 206, 208, 300 of the stack that are accessible to the molding compound, and for fixing them in position.

[0055] In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 3 of electronic system 200 introduced here, besides material 210, spacer element 206 features another material 306. Further material 306 is disposed here in the form of a layer on a first main side 308 of first material 210 facing carrier 202 and corresponds in the lateral dimensions thereof to material 210. Alternatively or additionally, further material 306 maybe disposed on a second main side 310 of first material 210 facing away from carrier 202 and opposing first main side 308. Further material 306 is characterized by a further predefined permittivity number that may differ from the permittivity number of material 210 or be identical thereto. In the case of the exemplary embodiment of electronic system 200 shown in FIG. 3, further material 306 is an adhesive agent 312 for adhering spacer element 206 to a main side 314 of radio chip 204 adjacent to spacer element 206. The adhesive agent, respectively film adhesive 312 is disposed here in an exemplary film thickness of nominally 20 m on first main side 308 of first material 210. In the case of exemplary electronic system 200 shown in FIG. 3, a sum of the predefined permittivity number of first material 210 and of further predefined permittivity number of further material 306 is within the range of a permittivity number of housing 302.

[0056] In the case of the illustrated exemplary embodiment of electronic system 200 on microcontroller 208 for fixing microcontroller 208 in place on spacer 206 and on radio chip 204 for fixing radio chip 204 in place on substrate 202, other adhesive agent layers 312 are disposed thereon.

[0057] Upon assembly of an electronic system, the radio chip is configured to define the high-frequency circuit toward the top side of the chip. Chips are normally configured to be installed with a molded cover of a few hundred micrometers. The high frequency design takes this mold into consideration in the configuration of the components that are relevant to high frequency.

[0058] Electronic system 200 presented here is configured to allow radio chip 204 and MEMS chips 208, 300 to be installed one over the other within housing 302, thus further chips 208, 300 to be stacked on radio chip 204. Thus, further chips of silicon having a permittivity number of approximately 11 are typically located within the stack. Using the spacer element, respectively spacer 206 having a low dielectric constant, eliminates the risk of subjecting radio chip 204 to a frequency shift, since it precludes any influence of spacer chip 206 on the high frequency component of radio chip 204. Thus, the approach introduced here eliminates the need for any adaptation to the high frequency design of radio chip 204 that is based on a molding compound having a permittivity number of approximately 3 to 4 and a height of at least 100 m, for example.

[0059] In another schematic representation, FIG. 4 shows another exemplary embodiment of electronic system 200 introduced here. The illustrated exemplary embodiment of electronic system 200 corresponds to that shown in FIG. 3, with the distinction here that, instead of silicon dioxide, adhesive agent 312 is used as material 210 for spacer element 206. Since, besides adhesive agent, respectively adhesive 312, no further materials are used for spacer element 206, adhesive layer 312 is dimensioned to be thicker than in the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 3, for example, to have a height of nominally 75 m. A film over wire technique, for example, is suited for applying chip adhesive 312. In this exemplary embodiment, the possibly greater production costs may be compensated by the lower material costs.

[0060] Besides the mentioned materials, other materials that may be produced and set as thin substrates, such as other types of glass or already cured molding compound, for example, may conceivably be used in spacer element, respectively spacer 206 illustrated in FIG. 2 through 4.

[0061] The thicknesses and functional descriptions indicated in the figures are exemplary; the principle introduced here applies independently of a thickness of the materials used.

[0062] FIG. 5 shows a flow chart of an exemplary embodiment of a method 500 for manufacturing an electronic system. For example, using manufacturing method 500, one of a plurality of electronic systems, such as those introduced in FIG. 2, may be manufactured in an automated process. In a step 502, a carrier, a radio chip, an electronic component, and a spacer element are provided for suitably spacing apart the radio chip and the electronic component. The spacer element has a material having a predefined permittivity number. In a step 504, the carrier, the radio chip, the spacer element, and the electronic component are stacked one over the other in this sequence to produce the electronic system.

[0063] FIG. 6 shows a block diagram of an exemplary embodiment of a device 600 for manufacturing an electronic system, for example, the electronic system from FIG. 2. Device 600 may be part of an automated production line. It includes a feeder device 602 and a positioning device 604. Feeder device 602 is configured for providing a radio chip, an electronic component, a spacer element for spacing the electronic component at a distance from the radio chip, and a carrier for supporting the radio chip, the spacer element and the electronic component. Positioning device 604 is configured for positioning the radio chip on the carrier, the spacer element on the radio chip, and the electronic component on the spacer element in order to manufacture the electronic system.

[0064] The concept presented here makes it possible to realize products that employ sensors, and a microcontroller having an installed radio front end.

[0065] The described exemplary embodiments shown in the figures are only selected exemplarily. Various exemplary embodiments may be combined with one another entirely or by individual features. An exemplary embodiment may also be supplemented by features of another exemplary embodiment.

[0066] The method steps presented here may also be repeated and be executed in a sequence other than that described.

[0067] If an exemplary embodiment includes an AND/OR logic operation between a first feature and a second feature, then this is to be read as the exemplary embodiment in accordance with a first specific embodiment having both the first feature, as well as the second feature and, in accordance with another specific embodiment, either only the first feature or only the second feature.