BACKGROUND

Technical Field

The present disclosure is directed to a package having a substrate and a cap coupled to the substrate with coupling features formed in the substrate.

Description of the Related Art

Packages often include a semiconductor die and a substrate that provides an interface between contacts on the substrate and the semiconductor die. The package can include encapsulant to secure elements of the package into a single discrete unit. Alternatively, packages may include a cap on the substrate enclosing the die in a chamber. The cap is coupled to the substrate by glue. The glue is usually applied to the substrate, and the cap is then placed on the glue. The glue is then allowed to harden and cure, coupling the cap to the substrate and protecting the die from an outside environment or external stresses or both.

Unfortunately, as a cap is placed on the glue that has been applied to the substrate to attach the cap, the substrate and the die become susceptible to glue overflow. The overflow of the glue can cover essential components on the substrate or the die necessary for the package to work at full capacity, such as covering a contact pad. The fragility of the packages greatly increases the difficulty of handling the packages during the manufacturing process. Not using glue increases the overall percentage of viable packages and semiconductor sensors from each manufacturing batch.

BRIEF SUMMARY

The present disclosure is directed to various packages that can be formed without glue by utilizing injection molding, compression molding, ultrasonic-plastic plastic welding, or any combination of formation techniques known to the semiconductor industry. These various embodiments of a package can measure various quantities such as pressure, temperature, speed, vibration, or any other quantity required. For example, the substrate can be drilled with through holes and etched with trenches to form channels for non-conductive coupling elements, the substrate may be formed having through holes and trenches to form channels for non-conductive coupling elements, or through holes and trenches may be formed in the substrate to form channels for non-conductive coupling elements or a non-conductive material. Non-conductive coupling elements may be a plastic, a polymer, a dielectric material, or any other insulating material that can be injected or compressed into the channels formed by the through holes and the trenches. The non-conductive coupling elements are then cured to form a locking mechanism within the substrate. At which point, a cap can be ultrasonic-plastic welded to the non-conductive coupling elements embedded, integrated, or located in the substrate to form an enclosed chamber to protect a die or dice coupled to the substrate.

According to one embodiment, the semiconductor package is constructed having a substrate, non-conductive coupling elements, and a cap. The substrate has a first surface, a second surface, a plurality of through holes, a plurality of first trenches, a plurality of second trenches, and a support region or a plurality of support regions. The through holes of the plurality of through holes pass through the substrate from the first surface to the second surface. The plurality of first trenches and the plurality of second trenches are formed in the first surface of the substrate. The first trenches of the plurality of first trenches are substantially parallel to each other and aligned with through holes of the plurality of through holes. The second trenches of the plurality of second trenches are transverse to the first trenches of the plurality of first trenches. The second trenches of the plurality of second trenches may overlap at least one of the through holes aligning the first trenches.

The non-conductive coupling elements have first portions having top surfaces that are substantially coplanar with the first surface of the substrate and extend into the substrate. Furthermore, the non-conductive coupling elements have a plurality of second portions that extend from the first portion through the substrate to the second surface of the substrate. The non-conductive coupling elements are formed or placed into the plurality of through holes, the plurality of first trenches, and the plurality of second trenches. The cap may have one chamber, two chambers, or any number of chambers and walls to protect any number of semiconductor dice or electronic devices from an outside environment, external stresses or both.

Furthermore, in an alternative embodiment the substrate has a first surface, a second surface, a plurality of first trenches, a plurality of second trenches, a plurality of through holes, a plurality of third trenches, a plurality of fourth trenches and a support region or a plurality of support regions. The through holes of the plurality of through holes pass through the substrate from the first surface to the second surface.

The plurality of first trenches and the plurality of second trenches are formed in the first surface of the substrate. The first trenches of the plurality of first trenches are substantially parallel to each other and are aligned with through holes of the plurality of through holes. The second trenches of the plurality of second trenches are transverse to the first trenches of the plurality of first trenches. The second trenches of the plurality of second trenches may overlap at least one of the through holes aligning the first trenches. The plurality of third trenches and the plurality of fourth trenches are formed in the second surface of the substrate. Each third trench of the plurality of third trenches is substantially parallel to the other third trenches, aligned with through holes of the plurality of through holes, and opposite to a respective first trench of the plurality of first trenches. Each fourth trench of the plurality of fourth trenches is transverse to the plurality of third trenches and opposite to a respective second trench of the plurality of second trenches. The fourth trenches of the plurality of fourth trenches may overlap at least one of the through holes aligning the third trenches.

The non-conductive coupling elements have first portions having top surfaces that are substantially coplanar with the first surface of the substrate and extend into the substrate. Additionally, the non-conductive coupling elements have third portions having bottom surfaces that are substantially coplanar with the second surface of the substrate and extend into the substrate. Furthermore, the non-conductive coupling elements have second portions that extend from the first portion of the non-conductive coupling elements through the substrate to the third portion of the non-conductive coupling elements. The non-conductive coupling elements are formed in, located in or fit into the plurality of through holes, the plurality of first trenches, the plurality of second trenches, the plurality of third trenches, and the plurality of fourth trenches. The cap may have one chamber, two chambers, or any number of chambers and walls to protect any number of semiconductor dice or electronic devices from an outside environment, external stresses, or both.

Finally, according to one embodiment, the semiconductor package is constructed having a substrate with a plurality of through holes and pluralities of trenches. A plurality of first trenches on the substrate is aligned with a number of through holes of the plurality of through holes, and the first trenches of the plurality of first trenches are substantially parallel with each other. A plurality of second trenches on the first surface of the substrate is formed. The second trenches of the plurality of second trenches are formed to be transverse to the first trenches of the plurality of first trenches. Two of the first trenches of the plurality of first trenches and two of the second trenches of the plurality of second trenches form a border that surrounds a support region on the substrate. A non-conductive material is formed in the through holes and trenches of the substrate to form a locking mechanism embedded or integrated within the substrate. The support region of the substrate is surrounded by the non-conductive material. A semiconductor die, dice, or electronic device(s) are attached and coupled to the support region of the substrate. A cap is then welded to the locking mechanism of the non-conductive material in the substrate to enclose and surround the semiconductor die, dice, or electronic device(s). The cap protects the die, dice, or electronic device(s) from an outside environment, external stresses or both. By welding the cap to the locking mechanism, glue is no longer needed to attach the cap to the substrate of the semiconductor sensor package and defects from glue overflow are avoided.

