BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to semiconductor package structures, and, more particularly, to a sensor-type package structure.

2. Description of Related Art

Nowadays, as people are paying more and more attention on privacy protection, many high-end electronic products are equipped with user identification systems to improve data security. Therefore, research and development of identification systems are becoming increasingly important in electronic industries.

Generally, biological identification systems can identify physiological features such as fingerprints, pupils, faces and voiceprints, or identify behavioral features such as signatures or voices. Physiological feature identification systems have advantages of uniqueness, high security and convenience and therefore are widely accepted by consumers.

Further, as high-end electronic products are developed toward the trend of high integration, they are usually equipped with physiological feature identification devices such as fingerprint identification devices or face identification devices. Currently, fingerprint identification devices are the most widely used devices since such devices facilitate to meet the miniaturization requirement of electronic products. Fingerprint identification devices are divided into optical fingerprint identification devices that can optically scan fingerprint patterns and silicon fingerprint identification devices that can detect faint electrical charges in fingerprint patterns.

FIG. 1is a schematic cross-sectional view of a conventional fingerprint sensing package structure1. A plurality of through silicon vias (TSVs)12are formed corresponding in position to a plurality of electrode pads100that are disposed at an edge of a chip body10. The TSVs12are formed by a dry etching process. A conductive layer14is formed in the TSVs12and extends to a lower side of the chip body10. An insulating layer13is further formed on the conductive layer14to prevent a leakage from occurring between the TSVs12. A portion of the conductive layer14is exposed from the insulating layer13to serve as electrical contacts. A solder material15is bonded to the electrical contacts.

However, since the TSVs12are positioned at the edge of the chip body10and the edge of the chip body10has a small thickness, cracking may occur to the TSVs12.

Further, the dry etching process for forming the TSVs12and the process for forming the insulating layer13in the TSVs12complicate the fabrication process, increase the fabrication time and adversely affect the product yield.

Therefore, there is a need to provide a package structure and a fabrication method thereof so as to overcome the above-described drawbacks.

SUMMARY

In view of the above-described drawbacks, the present disclosure provides a package structure and a method for fabricating the same so as to reduce the fabrication cost, shorten the fabrication time and improve the product yield.

The package structure according to the present disclosure comprises: a carrier; an electronic component disposed on the carrier and having a sensing surface; at least one conductive element disposed on the carrier; an encapsulant formed on the carrier to encapsulate the electronic component and the conductive element, wherein the sensing surface of the electronic component and a portion of a surface of the conductive element are exposed from the encapsulant; and a conductive layer formed on the encapsulant and electrically connecting the conductive element and the electronic component.

The method for fabricating a package structure according to the present disclosure comprises the steps of: disposing at least one conductive element and an electronic component having a sensing surface on a carrier; forming on the carrier an encapsulant that encapsulates the electronic component and the conductive element, wherein the sensing surface of the electronic component and a portion of a surface of the conductive element are exposed from the encapsulant; and forming on the encapsulant a conductive layer that electrically connects the conductive element and the electronic component.

In an embodiment, the carrier is a circuit board or a lead frame.

In an embodiment, the electronic component is a fingerprint identification chip.

In an embodiment, the conductive element is a loop-type bonding wire or a wire segment.

In an embodiment, the conductive element is electrically connected to the carrier.

In an embodiment, an opening is formed in the encapsulant to expose the portion of the surface of the conductive element.

In an embodiment, the electronic component, the conductive element and the encapsulant are disposed on one side of the carrier, and a plurality of conductive pads are formed on the other opposite side of the carrier.

Therefore, since the conventional TSV is replaced with the conductive element, the present disclosure fabricates the package structure through current packaging processes, dispensing with the conventional TSV-related processes. As such, the present disclosure reduces the fabrication cost, shortens the fabrication time and improves the product yield.

