LEAD FRAME DEVICE WITH SHARED TERMINAL
20260060099 ยท 2026-02-26
Inventors
Cpc classification
International classification
Abstract
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes providing a conductive frame defining first and second rails, a first terminal disposed between the rails, and a plurality of second terminals extending toward the first terminal from one or both of the rails, disposing a plurality of unencapsulated stacks of capacitor(s) on the frame, each of the stacks having electrically isolated first and second contacts and being disposed with the first contact electrically connected to the first terminal and the second contact electrically connected to one of the second terminals, encapsulating the plurality of stacks, and removing the rails from the frame. The method may include electrically connecting the first terminal to a ground line of the semiconductor device and electrically connecting each of the second terminals to a respective power rail of the semiconductor device associated with a respective voltage potential.
Claims
1-15. (canceled)
16. A lead frame device for servicing multiple power rails of a semiconductor device at different voltage potentials, the lead frame device comprising: a conductive frame made of a single sheet of metal, the conductive frame defining a first terminal and a plurality of second terminals extending toward the first terminal with a respective gap between the first terminal and each second terminal; and a plurality of unencapsulated capacitor stacks, each of the stacks comprising one or more capacitors and electrically isolated first and second contacts and bridging the gap between the first terminal of the conductive frame and one of the second terminals of the conductive frame with the first contact electrically connected to the first terminal of the conductive frame and the second contact electrically connected to the respective one of the second terminals of the conductive frame.
17. The lead frame device of claim 16, wherein at least one of the plurality of second terminals extends around the plurality of stacks from a first side of the plurality of stacks that faces the conductive frame to a second side of the plurality of stacks opposite the first side.
18. The lead frame device of claim 17, wherein the conductive frame further defines first and second segments connected to the first terminal, at least one of the first and second segments extending around the plurality of stacks from the first side to the second side.
19. The lead frame device of claim 16, wherein the conductive frame further defines first and second segments connected to the first terminal, at least one of the first and second segments extending around the plurality of stacks from a first side of the plurality of stacks that faces the conductive frame to a second side of the plurality of stacks opposite the first side.
20. The lead frame device of claim 16, wherein a portion of the first terminal extends around the plurality of stacks from a first side of the plurality of stacks that faces the conductive frame to a second side of the plurality of stacks opposite the first side.
21. The lead frame device of claim 16, wherein the first terminal is electrically connected to a ground line of the semiconductor device.
22. The lead frame device of claim 21, wherein each of the second terminals is electrically connected to a respective power rail of the semiconductor device associated with a respective voltage potential.
23. A lead frame device for servicing multiple power rails of a semiconductor device at different voltage potentials, the lead frame device comprising: a conductive frame made of a single sheet of metal, the conductive frame defining a first terminal and a plurality of second terminals extending toward the first terminal with a respective gap between the first terminal and each second terminal; and a plurality of capacitor stacks, each of the stacks comprising one or more capacitors and electrically isolated first and second contacts and being disposed with the first contact electrically connected to the first terminal of the conductive frame and the second contact electrically connected to a respective one of the second terminals of the conductive frame, wherein a capacitance of a first stack is different from a capacitance of a second stack.
24. The lead frame device of claim 23, wherein at least one of the plurality of second terminals extends around the plurality of stacks from a first side of the plurality of stacks that faces the conductive frame to a second side of the plurality of stacks opposite the first side.
25. The lead frame device of claim 24, wherein the conductive frame further defines first and second segments connected to the first terminal, at least one of the first and second segments extending around the plurality of stacks from the first side to the second side.
26. The lead frame device of claim 23, wherein the conductive frame further defines first and second segments connected to the first terminal, at least one of the first and second segments extending around the plurality of stacks from a first side of the plurality of stacks that faces the conductive frame to a second side of the plurality of stacks opposite the first side.
27. The lead frame device of claim 23, wherein a portion of the first terminal extends around the plurality of stacks from a first side of the plurality of stacks that faces the conductive frame to a second side of the plurality of stacks opposite the first side.
28. The lead frame device of claim 23, wherein the first terminal is electrically connected to a ground line of the semiconductor device.
29. The lead frame device of claim 28, wherein each of the second terminals is electrically connected to a respective power rail of the semiconductor device associated with a respective voltage potential.
30. A lead frame device for servicing multiple power rails of a semiconductor device at different voltage potentials, the lead frame device comprising: a conductive frame made of a single sheet of metal, the conductive frame defining a first terminal and a plurality of second terminals with a respective gap between the first terminal and each second terminal; and a plurality of capacitor stacks, each of the stacks comprising one or more capacitors and electrically isolated first and second contacts and being disposed with the first contact electrically connected to the first terminal of the conductive frame and the second contact electrically connected to a respective one of the second terminals of the conductive frame.
31. The lead frame device of claim 30, wherein at least one of the plurality of second terminals extends around the plurality of stacks from a first side of the plurality of stacks that faces the conductive frame to a second side of the plurality of stacks opposite the first side.
32. The lead frame device of claim 30, wherein the conductive frame further defines first and second segments connected to the first terminal, at least one of the first and second segments extending around the plurality of stacks from a first side of the plurality of stacks that faces the conductive frame to a second side of the plurality of stacks opposite the first side.
33. The lead frame device of claim 30, wherein a portion of the first terminal extends around the plurality of stacks from a first side of the plurality of stacks that faces the conductive frame to a second side of the plurality of stacks opposite the first side.
34. The lead frame device of claim 30, wherein the first terminal is electrically connected to a ground line of the semiconductor device.
35. The lead frame device of claim 34, wherein each of the second terminals is electrically connected to a respective power rail of the semiconductor device associated with a respective voltage potential.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011] These and other features and advantages of the various embodiments disclosed herein will be better understood with respect to the following description and drawings, in which like numbers refer to like parts throughout, and in which:
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DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0030] The present disclosure encompasses various embodiments of semiconductor devices and lead frame devices capable of servicing multiple power rails of a semiconductor device at different voltage potentials, along with lead frames and methods of manufacturing thereof. The detailed description set forth below in connection with the appended drawings is intended as a description of several currently contemplated embodiments and is not intended to represent the only form in which the disclosed subject matter may be developed or utilized. The description sets forth the functions and features in connection with the illustrated embodiments. It is to be understood, however, that the same or equivalent functions may be accomplished by different embodiments that are also intended to be encompassed within the scope of the present disclosure. It is further understood that the use of relational terms such as first and second and the like are used solely to distinguish one from another entity without necessarily requiring or implying any actual such relationship or order between such entities.
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[0032] In the illustrated example, the first terminal 120 is associated with four second terminals 130a, 130b, 130c, 130d. The arrangement of one first terminal 120 and four associated second terminals 130a, 130b, 130c, 130d (as well as two segments 140a, 140b) may repeat multiple times between a single pair of rails 110a, 110b as shown, allowing for mass production of the disclosed devices from a single lead frame. Referring to
[0033] More specifically, the HSA portion of each conductive substrate may include, conformal therewith, a dielectric layer such as a naturally occurring oxide layer (e.g., an aluminum oxide layer) or one that has been grown by an anodization process (e.g., by placing the conductive substrate in an electrolytic solution and passing a current through the solution), grown by thermal oxidation in a humidity chamber, or coated on the conductive substrate (e.g., by atomic layer deposition). As may be appreciated, the dielectric layer may, in general, exhibit the same high surface area as the underlying HSA portion of the conductive substrate as it fills in and takes the shape of the various tunnels and recesses that may result from the etching or other modification to the material of the conductive substrate. A portion of the dielectric layer may also be formed directly on the solid metal portion as it wraps around the edge of the conductive substrate. The HSA portion of the conductive substrate may further include, conformal therewith, a conductive polymer layer that is electrically isolated from the conductive substrate by the dielectric layer and may exhibit the same high surface area as the underlying conductive substrate as it fills in and takes the shape of the various tunnels and recesses that may result from the etching or other modification to the material of the conductive substrate, with the dielectric layer sandwiched therebetween. The conductive polymer layer may serve as a cathode of the capacitor. Similarly to the dielectric layer, a portion of the conductive polymer layer may wrap around the edge of the conductive substrate, but with the dielectric layer therebetween. A variety of conductive polymers may be suitable for use as the conductive polymer layer serving as the second electrode of the capacitor described herein. The conductive polymer layer may, for example, comprise one or more of a polypyrrole, a polythiophene, a polyaniline, a polyacetylene, a polyphenylene, a poly(p-phenylene-vinylene), PEDOT:PSS (poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) polystyrene sulfonate), or P3HT (poly(3-hexylthiophene-2,5-diyl)). In some cases, TiN or Pt may be used in place of the conductive polymer.
[0034] In addition to the dielectric layer and the conductive polymer layer serving as the cathode, the layer buildup may include additional layers on the conductive polymer layer in order to improve the electrical connection between the conductive polymer layer and the conductive frame 100. For example, a carbonaceous layer (e.g., a carbon ink) and/or a metallization layer (e.g., Ag or Ti/Cu) may be applied on the conductive polymer layer. The carbonaceous layer may be applied in direct, physical contact with the conductive polymer layer, and the metallization layer may be applied in direct, physical contact with the carbonaceous layer. Preferably, the application of the metallization layer may comprise depositing a diffusion barrier on the conductive polymer layer (e.g., directly in contact with the carbonaceous layer thereon) and depositing metal adjacent the diffusion barrier. The carbonaceous layer, if included, may advantageously reduce a contact resistance between the conductive polymer layer and other components, such as a diffusion barrier layer of the metallization layer. The carbonaceous layer may include, for example, carbon black, graphite, a carbon-based ink, or a polymeric, and may be applied using a variety of techniques, such as screen printing, inkjet printing, sputter deposition, vacuum deposition, spin coating, doctor blading, or the like. The metallization layer may be used to provide high-quality electrical conductivity between the respective conductive polymer layer (acting as the second electrode of the capacitor) and the conductive frame 100. The metallization layer may include a metal such as Ag, Au, Cu, Pt, Pd, and/or composites or alloys of the aforementioned metals, or in some cases polymers such as epoxies, silicones, or fluoroelastomers. Including a diffusion barrier layer in the metallization layer may limit infiltration of components from the metallization layer into the carbonaceous layer or conductive polymer layer. Example materials for a diffusion barrier layer include, but are not limited to, Ti, W, Cr, TiW, TaN, and/or CoW. The metallization layer, as well as any diffusion barrier layer thereof, may be applied using any suitable techniques, such as vacuum deposition (e.g., sputter deposition).
[0035] Within each capacitor stack 200, the metallization layer that is electrically connected to the conductive polymer layers serving as the cathodes of the individual capacitive elements may define a first contact 210a, 210b, 210c, 210d, while the conductive substrates serving as the anodes of the constituent capacitive elements may be electrically connected together (e.g., by conductive spacers as shown or simply by being pinched together and resistance welded) to define a second contact 220a, 220b, 220c, 220d corresponding to the anodes of the individual capacitive elements. The second contact 220a, 220b, 220c, 220d of each stack 200 may be electrically isolated from the first contact 210a, 210b, 210c, 210d. Each of the stacks 200, may be disposed so as to bridge the gap 150 between the first terminal 120 of the conductive frame 100 and one of the second terminals 130a, 130b, 130c, 130d of the conductive frame 100 with the first contact 210a, 210b, 210c, 210d electrically connected to the first terminal 120 of the conductive frame 100 and the second contact 220a, 220b, 220c, 220d electrically connected to the one of the second terminals 130a, 130b, 130c, 130d of the conductive frame 100.
[0036] Referring to
[0037] As shown in the respective top and bottom views of
[0038] In the example shown in
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[0040] Referring to
[0041] Turning to
[0042] As shown in the respective top and bottom views of
[0043] In the illustrated examples, stacks 200 of capacitors are disposed on one side of the conductive frame 100, 100, but it is contemplated that stacks 200 of capacitors may be disposed on both sides (top and bottom) of the conductive frame 100, 100 in some cases, though this may limit the ability to wrap the anode and/or cathode terminals of the conductive frame 100, 100 around each stack 200. It is also contemplated that multiple stacks 200 of capacitors may themselves be stacked on the conductive frame 100, 100 (e.g., a stack of two or more stacks 200) for greater capacitance devices. In some cases, a completed lead frame device 400, 400 as described herein may be embedded in a tile as described in Applicant's own U.S. patent application Ser. No. 18/408,914 (the '914 application), filed Jan. 10, 2024 and entitled Embeddable Tiles Containing Passive Devices for Packaged Semiconductor Devices, the entire contents of which is incorporated by reference herein. It should also be noted that the illustrated number of second terminals 130, 130 (e.g., anodes) is an example only, and that the contemplated lead frame device 400, 400 may have fewer than four (e.g., two or three) second terminals 130, 130 or may have more than four (e.g., five, six, etc.) second terminals 130, 130, with a corresponding number of stacks 200 of capacitors within the single lead frame device 400, 400.
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[0045] The above description is given by way of example, and not limitation. Given the above disclosure, one skilled in the art could devise variations that are within the scope and spirit of the invention disclosed herein. Further, the various features of the embodiments disclosed herein can be used alone, or in varying combinations with each other and are not intended to be limited to the specific combination described herein. Thus, the scope of the claims is not to be limited by the illustrated embodiments.