Wafer level package for a MEMS sensor device and corresponding manufacturing process

Abstract

A MEMS device having a wafer-level package, is provided with: a stack of a first die and a second die, defining at least a first internal surface internal to the package and carrying at least an electrical contact pad, and at least a first external surface external to the package and defining a first outer face of the package; and a mold compound, at least in part coating the stack of the first and second dies and having a front surface defining at least part of a second outer face of the package, opposite to the first outer face. The MEMS device is further provided with: at least a vertical connection structure extending from the contact pad at the first internal surface towards the front surface of the mold compound; and at least an external connection element, electrically coupled to the vertical connection structure and exposed to the outside of the package, at the second outer face thereof.

Claims

1. A MEMS device package comprising: a stack of a first die and a second die defining a first internal surface internal to the package and a first external surface external to the package and defining a first outer face of the package; an electrical contact pad on the first internal surface; a mold compound coating at least a portion of the stack of the first and second dies and having a front surface defining at least part of a second outer face of the package opposite to the first outer face; a vertical connection structure on the contact pad, the vertical connection structure having a surface facing the first internal surface, the vertical connection structure extending towards the front surface of the mold compound, the vertical connection structure having a lateral face that is exposed at an outer lateral face of the package; and an external connection element at an end of the vertical connection structure at the front surface of the mold compound and exposed to the outside of the package at the second outer face.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the external connection element is made of an adhesive solderable material.

3. The device according to claim 2, wherein the vertical connection structure is made of the same adhesive solderable material as the external connection element.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein the vertical connection structure is made of a conductive material that is a different from a material of the external connection element.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein: the first die has a back surface below the second die and a front surface defining the first internal surface; and the vertical connection structure extends from the front surface of the first die to the front surface of the mold compound.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein the first die integrates a micromechanical sensing structure of the MEMS device, and the second die integrates an electronic circuit of the MEMS device operatively coupled to the micromechanical sensing structure and provides processed output signals at the electrical contact pad.

7. The device according to claim 1, wherein the vertical connection structure is one of: a monolithic column; a vertical wire; a stack of conductive elements.

8. The device according to claim 1, wherein the entire lateral face of the vertical connection structure is exposed at the outer lateral face of the package.

9. A process for manufacturing a MEMS device package, the process comprising: forming a stack of a first die and a second die, the stack defining a first internal surface and supporting an electrical contact pad and a first external surface that forms a first outer face of the package; coating at least a part of the stack and the first internal surface with a mold compound, the mold compound having lateral surfaces and a front surface, the front surface defining at least part of a second outer face of the package opposite to the first outer face; and forming a vertical connection structure and an external connection element, the vertical connection structure having a first surface in contact with the contact pad at the first internal surface, the external connection element having a second surface arranged at the front surface of the mold compound and electrically coupled to the vertical connection structure, the vertical connection structure including a lateral face that is exposed from the lateral surfaces of the mold compound.

10. The process according to claim 9, wherein forming the external connection element comprises forming the external connection element of an adhesive solderable material.

11. The process according to claim 9, wherein forming the vertical connection structure includes forming a hole through the mold compound and filling the hole with a first conductive material.

12. The process according to claim 9, wherein: forming the vertical connection structure includes forming a vertical wire or a stack of conductive elements on the first internal surface; and coating at least a part of the stack with the mold compound occurs after forming the vertical connection structure.

13. The process according to claim 9, wherein the second die has a front surface defining the first internal surface, and a rear surface defining the first external surface, the first die being attached on the second die at the front surface thereof; and wherein forming the vertical connection structure includes forming the vertical connection structure extending from the front surface of the second die up to the front surface of the mold compound.

14. The process according to claim 9, wherein forming the stack comprises coupling a back surface of the first die to the second die; and wherein forming the vertical connection structure includes forming the vertical connection structure extending from the front surface of the first die up to the front surface of the mold compound.

15. The process according to claim 9, wherein the lateral face of the vertical connection structure is coplanar with one of the lateral surfaces of the mold compound.

16. A package comprising: a first die coupled to a first surface of a second die, the second die having a second surface that forms an outer surface of the package; a contact pad on the first surface of the second die that is located outward from the first die; a mold compound on the first surface and along sides surfaces of the first die, the mold compound having a recess or opening that extends across a thickness of the mold compound; and a vertical connection structure located in the recess or opening of the mold compound and coupled to the contact pad, the vertical connection structure having a lateral surface that is exposed from the mold compound, a first surface that is in contact with the contact pad, and a second surface opposite the first surface.

17. The package according to claim 16, further comprising an external connection element on second surface of the vertical connection structure.

18. The package according to claim 17, wherein the second surface of the vertical connection structure is recessed below a surface of the mold compound.

19. The package according to claim 17, wherein at least one of the vertical connection structure and the external connection element is an adhesive solderable material.

20. The package according to claim 17, wherein the external connection element extends beyond the mold compound.

21. The package according to claim 16, wherein the vertical connection structure is located in an opening of the mold compound.

22. The package according to claim 16, wherein the lateral surface of the vertical connection structure is coplanar with a surface of the mold compound.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) For a better understanding of the present disclosure, preferred embodiments thereof are now described, purely by way of non-limiting example, with reference to the attached drawings, wherein:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a schematic cross section of a known MEMS sensor device, with an LGA package;

(3) FIGS. 2a-2d show schematic cross sections of a MEMS sensor device with a wafer-level package in subsequent steps of a manufacturing process, according to an embodiment of the present solution;

(4) FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the MEMS sensor device, at the end of the manufacturing process;

(5) FIGS. 4a-4c show schematic cross sections of a MEMS sensor device in subsequent steps of a manufacturing process, according to another embodiment of the present solution;

(6) FIGS. 5a-5c show schematic cross sections of a MEMS sensor device in subsequent steps of a manufacturing process, according to yet another embodiment of the present solution;

(7) FIGS. 6-11 show, in cross section, possible variations of the manufactured MEMS sensor device;

(8) FIGS. 12a-12c show schematic cross sections of a MEMS sensor device in subsequent steps of a manufacturing process, according to yet another embodiment of the present solution;

(9) FIG. 13 shows, in cross section, a possible variation of the manufactured MEMS sensor device;

(10) FIGS. 14a-14c show schematic cross sections of a MEMS sensor device in subsequent steps of a manufacturing process, according to yet another embodiment of the present solution;

(11) FIG. 15 shows, in cross section, a possible variation of the manufactured MEMS sensor device;

(12) FIGS. 16a-16d show schematic cross sections of a MEMS sensor device in subsequent steps of a manufacturing process, according to yet another embodiment of the present solution;

(13) FIG. 17 shows, in cross section, a possible variation of the manufactured MEMS sensor device;

(14) FIGS. 18a-18c show schematic cross sections of a MEMS sensor device in subsequent steps of a manufacturing process, according to yet another embodiment of the present solution; and

(15) FIG. 19 shows, in cross section, a possible variation of the manufactured MEMS sensor device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(16) As will be detailed in the following discussion, an aspect of the present solution envisages a wafer-level packaging of a first die and a second die of semiconductor material, without any substrate as the base of the package; in possible embodiments, the first and second dies are preferably coupled with a flip-chip connection, without bonding with electrical wires.

(17) In particular, vertical connection structures are envisaged through the thickness of a mold compound, coating at least in part the stack of first and second dies, reaching up to the external surface of the mold compound.

(18) Moreover, in order to provide electrical connections to the outside of the package, e.g., for soldering to an external printed circuit board, external electrical connection elements, e.g., in the form of lands, are envisaged at the external surface of the mold compound, connected to the vertical connection structures.

(19) According to a particular aspect of the present solution, the external electrical connection elements are made of an adhesive solderable material, which adheres to the vertical connection structures and/or the mold compound and also offer desired solderability properties.

(20) Various embodiments of the present solution will now be discussed in detail, in particular envisaging either a single material for the formation of the vertical connection structures and external electrical connection elements, or two different materials, a first material for the vertical connection structures and a second, different, material for the external electrical connection elements.

(21) A first embodiment of a manufacturing process according to the present solution is now discussed in more details, first with reference to FIG. 2a, which shows a pair of first dies 3 (same references are used to denote elements similar to those disclosed in connection with FIG. 1), which are attached adjacent one another on a same wafer 20, including semiconductor material, e.g., silicon. It will be clear, however that, at this stage of the manufacturing process, a plurality of first dies 3, each integrating a respective micromechanical structure S, are attached to the same wafer 20.

(22) The wafer 20 includes a structural layer 20′ and an active layer 20″, which integrates a number of ASIC circuits A, one for each first die 3. The wafer 20 is designed to be sawn, or singulated, at the end of the manufacturing process, in order to form a number of MEMS devices, each with a respective second die 4, coupled to a respective first die 3 as will be shown in the following, for example in FIGS. 2c and 2d.

(23) In particular, each first die 3 is attached to wafer 20 via the flip-chip technique, i.e., the front surface 3a of the first die 3 faces a respective front surface 20a of the wafer 20, which defines the active layer 20″ and at which the ASIC circuits A are integrated.

(24) Accordingly, electrical connection elements, e.g., in the form of conductive bumps 22, mechanically and electrically couple first pads 7 carried by the front surface 3a of the first die 3 to second pads 8 carried by the front surface 20a of the wafer 20 (as shown in FIG. 2a and the following Figures, a layer, e.g., a passivation layer, may be present at the front surface 3a of the first die 3, where the first pads 7 are not present). Conductive bumps 22 are embedded within adhesive layer 5, which is in this case interposed between the front surface 3a of the first die and the front surface 20a of the wafer 20.

(25) No electrical wires are therefore envisaged for electrical connection between the micromechanical structure S integrated within the first die 3 and the respective ASIC circuit A integrated within wafer 20.

(26) The front surface 20a of the wafer 20 moreover carries third pads 13, electrically coupled to the ASIC circuits A and designed for electrical connection to the outside of the package, in order to provide processed output signals; mold compound 16 coats the front surface 20a of the wafer 20, where not covered by the first dies 3.

(27) In this embodiment, mold compound 16 does not cover the back surface 3b of the same first dies 3, defined by respective structural layers 3′, but is flush therewith, so that the same back surface 3b is designed to define, together with the front surface 16a of the mold compound 16, a first external surface of the package. Analogously, the back surface of the wafer 20, defined by the respective structural layer 20′, defines a second external surface of the package, opposite to the first external surface along vertical direction z.

(28) As shown in FIG. 2b, a subsequent step of the manufacturing process envisages formation of holes 24, extending for the whole thickness of the mold compound 16, from front surface 16a thereof to the front surface 20a of the wafer, exposing the third pads 13. The holes may be referred to as blind holes in that the holes do not extend through the wafer 20 and the third pads 13.

(29) In particular, in this embodiment, each hole 24 exposes a pair of adjacent third pads 13 (each one electrically coupled to a respective ASIC circuit A, integrated within wafer 20, and coupled to a respective first die 3). Scribe lines 25, at which the wafer 20 is designed to be sawn to define the second dies 4, separate the two adjacent third pads 13 in each pair.

(30) The holes 24 may be formed via laser removal of material (e.g., laser drilling), or other techniques, such as etching techniques through a suitable masking layer.

(31) As shown in FIG. 2c, an electrical conductive material 26 is formed into the holes 24, e.g., via a dispensing process (so called “jetting”), a printing process with a suitable step to force the material into the hole, or any other suitable technique. Electrically conductive material 26 fills the holes 24, thus forming filled vias through the mold compound 16, which, in this embodiment, are recessed from the front surface 16a of the same mold compound 16.

(32) A subsequent step of the manufacturing process, as shown in FIG. 2d, envisages singulating the wafer 20, such as by sawing at the scribe lines 25, so as to define the second dies 4, and the stacking of a respective first die 3 on each of the same second dies 4.

(33) Moreover, the same sawing operation defines a plurality of wafer-level packages 28 of MEMS devices 29.

(34) In particular, in this embodiment, the same electrical conductive material 26 defines, within each hole 24, a vertical electrical connection structure 30 through the mold compound 16, and moreover an external electrical connection element 32, in the form of a land, in this case recessed from the front surface 16a of the same mold compound 16, accessible externally to the wafer-level package 28 in order to achieve electrical connection towards the second die 4(and/or the first die 3).

(35) FIG. 3 shows the singulated resulting MEMS device 29, provided with the wafer-level package 28, where an outer face 28a of the same wafer-level package 28 is defined together by the rear surface 3b of the first die 3 and the front surface 16a of the mold compound 16 (the external electrical connection element 32 being accessible from the same outer face 28a, recessed therefrom); and a further outer face 28b of the wafer-level package 28 is defined by the back surface 4b of the second die 4.

(36) Moreover, in this embodiment, the vertical connection structure 30 is exposed to the outside of the wafer-level package 28, at lateral side surfaces 28c thereof, which are otherwise defined together by the mold compound 16 and the second die 4.

(37) In more details, according to an aspect of the present solution, the electrical conductive material 26 is an adhesive solderable material, having one or more of the following properties: a desired adherence to the material of the mold compound 16, e.g., resin; a desired solderability, e.g., for connection to an external printed circuit board (here not shown) of an electronic apparatus integrating the MEMS device 29; desired reliability properties, for example even with temperature changes (in this case, the material being required to have low moisture adsorption and a coefficient of expansion compatible with the material of the same mold compound 16); and a low viscosity, in order to be able to flow within the holes 24 during the manufacturing process, possibly without air entrapment, thus reducing the risk of void formation (and the consequent decreased electrical connection properties). Depending on the particular applications, the electrical conductive material 26 may be required to have other properties; for example, aspects such as volume loss after curing could be relevant.

(38) A further embodiment of the present solution is now discussed with reference to FIGS. 4a-4c.

(39) In particular, this embodiment differs from the one discussed with reference to FIGS. 2a-2d in that each hole 24, see FIG. 4a, is designed to expose a single third pad 13 (instead of a pair of adjacent third pads 13); in other words, individual holes 24 are formed above each third pad 13.

(40) Accordingly, at the end of the manufacturing process, as shown in FIG. 4c, the vertical connection structure 30 in this case is not exposed to the outside of the wafer-level package 28, due to the remaining presence of the mold compound 16, which entirely defines, with the second die 4, the lateral side surface 28c of the wafer-level package 28.

(41) Indeed, in this case, as shown in the same FIG. 4c, sawing is performed through the mold compound 16 arranged between adjacent holes 24, at scribe lines 25.

(42) FIGS. 5a-5c relate to a still further embodiment of the present solution, which differs from the previously discussed embodiments in that holes 24 do not have a same diameter (or width) through the whole thickness of the mold compound 16.

(43) As shown in FIG. 5a, each hole 24 includes: a first portion 24a, extending from the front surface 20a of the wafer 20 (and in this case exposing a single third pad 13), having a first width W.sub.1; and a second portion 24b, fluidically coupled to the first portion 24a and extending up to the front surface 16a of the mold compound 16, having a second width W.sub.2, larger than the first width W.sub.1.

(44) As it will be clear for a person skilled in the technical field, the holes 24 in this case result from a different formation step, e.g., from a two-step drilling process or etching process.

(45) This solution may allow to better accommodate larger first dies 3, attached to the front surface 20a of the wafer 20, given a same overall size of the resulting wafer-level package 28.

(46) In this case, as shown in FIGS. 5b and 5c, after filling of the holes 24 with the electrical conductive material 26, the external electrical connection elements 32 have the corresponding second width W.sub.2, larger than the first width W.sub.1 of the vertical connection structure 30.

(47) FIGS. 6-8 show first variations of the resulting wafer-level package 28, respectively with respect to the embodiment of FIGS. 2d, 4c and 5c, wherein the external electrical connection elements 32, instead of being recessed from the front surface 16a of the mold compound 16, are embossed from the same front surface 16a (this variation resulting from a different filling of the holes 24). In other words, the external electrical connection elements 32 stand at a higher level with respect to the front surface 16a, with respect to the vertical direction z.

(48) FIGS. 9-11 show second variations of the wafer-level package 28, wherein the external electrical connection elements 32 again are embossed with respect to the front surface 16a of the mold compound 16; moreover, in this case, the same external electrical connection elements 32 have a different width, denoted with W.sub.3, larger than an underlying portion 30′ of the vertical connection structure 30, having a width W.sub.1 in the solutions of FIGS. 9 and 10, and a width W.sub.2 (see the previous discussion) in the solution of FIG. 11.

(49) As shown in FIGS. 12a-12c, still a further embodiment of the present solution may envisage formation of the vertical connection structures 30 and the external connection elements 32, using two different materials.

(50) In particular, after formation of the holes 24, as shown in FIG. 12a (in this example, one for each third pad 13), the same holes 24 are filled with a first conductive material, denoted with 26a in FIG. 12b, e.g., a conductive metal, a conductive resin, a first conductive adhesive material, or a plating material, in order to form the vertical connection structures 30.

(51) As shown in FIG. 12b, filling may be flush with the front surface 16a (as shown for the right structure of FIG. 12b) of the mold compound 16, or instead the first conductive material 26a may be recessed from the same front surface 16a (as shown for the left structure in the same FIG. 12b).

(52) Afterwards, as shown in FIG. 12c (showing the resulting MEMS device 29, after wafer singulation), the external connection elements 32 are formed, as lands on the previously formed vertical connection structures 30, using a second, different, electrical conductive material, here denoted with 26b.

(53) As previously discussed, the second conductive material 26b is an adhesive solderable material, having the previously discussed electrical and mechanical properties.

(54) Moreover, the external connection elements 32 may have a same width W.sub.1 as the underlying vertical connection structures 30, as shown in FIG. 12c, or a larger width, as shown in FIG. 13.

(55) A still further embodiment of the present solution is now discussed, first with reference to FIG. 14a, envisaging again use of two different conductive materials 26a, 26b for the formation of the vertical connection structures 30 and, respectively, of the external connection elements 32, and, moreover, an alternative solution for the formation of the same vertical connection structures 30.

(56) In detail, and as shown in the same FIG. 14a, after the first dies 3 have been attached to the front surface 20a of the wafer 20, but before the formation of the mold compound 16, the vertical connection structures 30 are formed extending along the vertical direction z, starting from the front surface 20a of the same wafer 20, and in particular coupled, each to a respective third pad 13.

(57) Formation of the vertical connection structures 30 may envisage known steps for manufacturing vertical wires (for example, as discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 8,772,152, or with any other known technique), or steps of vertically stacking a number of conductive bumps or pads or other conductive elements, of first conductive material 26a.

(58) FIG. 14a schematically shows the vertical connection structures 30 resulting from the various possible manufacturing steps.

(59) Afterwards, as shown in FIG. 14b, the mold compound 16 is formed, surrounding and coating the previously formed vertical connection structures 30 and covering the front surface 20a of the wafer 20, and, in this case, also the back surface 3b of the first dies 3.

(60) In particular, the manufacturing process may envisage either covering a top portion 30′ of the vertical connection structures 30, which is then exposed via a grinding step (or other step for removal of material) executed at the front surface 16a of the mold compound 16, or directly leaving exposed the top portion 30′ of the vertical connection structures 30 during molding of the mold compound 16. In both cases, at the end of the manufacturing steps, top portion 30′ of the vertical connection structures 30 is accessible at the front surface 16a of the mold compound 16.

(61) Afterwards, FIG. 14c (which already shows a singulated MEMS device 29), the external connection elements 32 are formed, coupled to the underlying vertical connections structures 30, as previously discussed in detail.

(62) In particular, the external connection elements 32 are in this example made of a second conductive material 26b, an adhesive solderable material, and may be flush with the front surface 16a of the mold compound 16, as shown in the same FIG. 14c, or instead be embossed with respect to the same front surface 16a, as shown in FIG. 15.

(63) Still a further embodiment of the present solution is now discussed, starting from FIG. 16a, which shows a pair of adjacent first dies 3 attached on the front surface 20a of the wafer 20, in this case with the back surface 3b of the first dies 3 facing the top surface 20a of the wafer 20; the mold compound 16, in this case, coats and entirely covers the front surface 3a of the same first dies 3.

(64) Moreover, electrical connections 35 are formed with electrical wires (shown schematically) between first pads 7 carried by the front surface 3a of the first dies 3 to second pads 8 carried by the front surface 20a of the wafer 20 (in order to electrically couple sensing structures S to electronic circuits A); further electrical wires 35 connect third pads 13 (designed to be electrically coupled to the outside of the package), in this case also carried by the front surface 3a of the first dies 3, and fourth pads 14 carried by the front surface 20a of the wafer 20.

(65) As shown in FIG. 16b, a subsequent step of the manufacturing process again envisages formation of the holes 24, formed through a thickness of the mold compound 16, starting, however, from the front surface 3a of the first dies 3 (in this case being a top surface of the stack of the same first dies 3 with the underlying wafer 20), up to the front surface 16a of the mold compound 16. Hole 24 thus expose the third pads 13 arranged on the front surface 3a of the first dies 3.

(66) Subsequently, as shown in FIG. 16c, the holes 24 are again filled with first conductive material 26a in order to form the vertical connection structures 30, which may be flush with or recessed from the front surface 16a, and are connected to the third pads 13.

(67) As shown in FIG. 16d (and in the variant of FIG. 17), external electrical connection elements 32 are formed at the front surface 16a of the mold compound 16, accessible from the outside of the package 28 of the resulting MEMS device 29.

(68) In this case, holes 24 are filled with first conductive material 26a forming the vertical connection structures 30, while the external electrical connection elements 32 are formed with the second, different, conductive material 26b (in particular, an adhesive solderable material); however, also in this case, use of a single conductive material 26, and adhesive solderable material, may be envisaged, as previously discussed in detail. Moreover, as shown in FIG. 17, also in this case, the external electrical connection elements 32 may have a different width, W.sub.3, than the vertical connection structures 30, W.sub.1.

(69) As shown starting from FIG. 18a, yet another embodiment of the present solution envisages formation of the vertical connection structures 30, again starting from the front surface 3a of the first dies 3 (also in this case being a top surface of the stack of the same first dies 3 with the underlying wafer 20), but in this case before molding of the mold compound 16.

(70) As previously discussed, vertical connection structures 30 may be formed as vertical wires, or stacked conductive bumps or pads, or using different, known, manufacturing steps.

(71) As shown in FIG. 18b, the mold compound 16 is then formed, coating and covering the first dies 3 and moreover the previously formed vertical connection structures 30, leaving exposed or covering a top portion 30′ thereof (in the latter case a grinding, or similar process step, being required to expose the same top portion 30′).

(72) Afterwards, the external electrical connection elements 32 are formed at the front surface 16a of the mold compound 16, connected to the underlying vertical connection structures 30, being flush with the front surface 16a (as shown in FIG. 18c), or being arranged above the same front surface 16a (as shown in FIG. 19), and also possibly having a different, larger, width W.sub.3 than the underlying vertical connections structures 30 (as shown in both FIGS. 18c and 19).

(73) The advantages of the discussed solution are clear from the foregoing description.

(74) In any case, it is once again emphasized that it allows to control the resulting size of the device package, in particular reducing a thickness, or vertical dimension thereof, at the same time providing a reliable and simple solution for the external electrical connections.

(75) Overall, costs and complexity of the manufacturing process are reduced with respect to known solutions.

(76) Moreover, the resulting structure is mechanical robust and allow to achieve desired electrical properties.

(77) The above advantages allow the use of the proposed MEMS device 29 even when stringent design requirements are to be met as regards occupation of space, in terms of area and thickness, e.g., in portable or mobile electronic devices, such as, for example, portable computers, laptops, notebooks (including ultra-thin notebooks), PDAs, tablets, phablets, smartphones or wearable devices.

(78) Finally, it is clear that modifications and variations may be made to what is described and illustrated herein, without thereby departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

(79) In particular, it is underlined that various different materials could be used for the formation of the discussed MEMS device 29, in particular for the formation of the vertical connection structures 30 and external electrical connection elements 32, depending on the application and the specific design requirements.

(80) In general, vertical connection structures 30 may be one of: a monolithic column; a vertical wire; a stack of conductive elements, again according to the specific design requirements (e.g., filling of the holes 24 with a monolithic column could lead to formation of voids and defects, while a stack of conductive elements could have less mechanical resistance).

(81) The various embodiments described above can be combined to provide further embodiments. These and other changes can be made to the embodiments in light of the above-detailed description. In general, in the following claims, the terms used should not be construed to limit the claims to the specific embodiments disclosed in the specification and the claims, but should be construed to include all possible embodiments along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled. Accordingly, the claims are not limited by the disclosure.