The present application generally relates to semiconductor technologies, and more particularly, to a heat spreader for use with a semiconductor device.
Semiconductor devices are commonly found in modern electronic products, which perform a wide range of functions, such as signal processing, high-speed calculations, transmitting and receiving electromagnetic signals, controlling electronic devices, and creating visual images for television displays. An integrated circuit can be fabricated within a semiconductor die. The semiconductor die can also be referred to as a chip, and the die can be a so-called “flip-chip”. A flip-chip has a surface that includes conductive protrusions, which can be referred to as “bumps”.
During operation, the integrated circuits in the semiconductor die can generate heat which requires a heat spreader to transfer from the die to a surrounding environment. A conventional heat spreader includes a foot portion and a slope sidewall portion for attaching the heat spreader onto a substrate where the semiconductor die is mounted, and thus a mounting space is required on the substrate for the foot portion and slope sidewall portion.
However, it is desired to mount more and more components on the substrate, such as a big semiconductor die and small discrete components. For example,
Therefore, a need exists for an improved heat spreader for use with a semiconductor device.
An objective of the present application is to provide a heat spreader for use with a semiconductor device, with an improved layout design of the semiconductor device.
According to one aspect of the present application, a heat spreader for use with a semiconductor device comprising a substrate and at least one semiconductor die mounted on the substrate is provided. The heat spreader comprises: a main body defining a space for receiving the at least one semiconductor die; and two foot supports extending downward from the main body and opposite to each other, each of the foot supports defining a slot at its inner surface, wherein the slots of the two foot supports are aligned with each other. When the heat spreader is mounted with the semiconductor device, the slots prevent the substrate from moving closer to or away from the main body.
According to another aspect of the present application, a semiconductor assembly is provided. The semiconductor assembly comprises: a semiconductor device comprising a substrate and at least one semiconductor die mounted on the substrate; and a heat spreader mounted with the semiconductor device. The heat spreader comprises: a main body defining a space for receiving the at least one semiconductor die; and two foot supports extending downward from the main body and opposite to each other, each of the foot supports defining a slot at its inner surface, wherein the slots of the two foot supports are aligned with each other. The slots prevent the substrate from moving closer to or away from the main body.
According to another aspect of the present application, A method for making a semiconductor assembly is provided. The method comprises: providing a semiconductor device, wherein the semiconductor device comprises a substrate and at least one semiconductor die mounted on the substrate; providing a heat spreader, wherein the heat spreader comprises a main body defining a space for receiving the at least one semiconductor die, and two foot supports extending downward from the main body and opposite to each other, each of the foot supports defining a slot at its inner surface, wherein the slots of the two foot supports are aligned with each other; and inserting the substrate into the slots, wherein the slots prevent the substrate from moving closer to or away from the main body.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only, and are not restrictive of the invention. Further, the accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.
The drawings referenced herein form a part of the specification. Features shown in the drawing illustrate only some embodiments of the application, and not of all embodiments of the application, unless the detailed description explicitly indicates otherwise, and readers of the specification should not make implications to the contrary.
The same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts.
The following detailed description of exemplary embodiments of the application refers to the accompanying drawings that form a part of the description. The drawings illustrate specific exemplary embodiments in which the application may be practiced. The detailed description, including the drawings, describes these embodiments in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the application. Those skilled in the art may further utilize other embodiments of the application, and make logical, mechanical, and other changes without departing from the spirit or scope of the application. Readers of the following detailed description should, therefore, not interpret the description in a limiting sense, and only the appended claims define the scope of the embodiment of the application.
In this application, the use of the singular includes the plural unless specifically stated otherwise. In this application, the use of “or” means “and/or” unless stated otherwise. Furthermore, the use of the term “including” as well as other forms such as “includes” and “included” is not limiting. In addition, terms such as “element” or “component” encompass both elements and components including one unit, and elements and components that include more than one subunit, unless specifically stated otherwise. Additionally, the section headings used herein are for organizational purposes only, and are not to be construed as limiting the subject matter described.
As used herein, spatially relative terms, such as “beneath”, “below”, “above”, “over”, “on”, “upper”, “lower”, “left”, “right”, “vertical”, “horizontal”, “side” and the like, may be used herein for ease of description to describe one element or feature's relationship to another element(s) or feature(s) as illustrated in the figures. The spatially relative terms are intended to encompass different orientations of the device in use or operation in addition to the orientation depicted in the figures. The device may be otherwise oriented (rotated 90 degrees or at other orientations) and the spatially relative descriptors used herein may likewise be interpreted accordingly. It should be understood that when an element is referred to as being “connected to” or “coupled to” another element, it may be directly connected to or coupled to the other element, or intervening elements may be present.
As shown in
The heat spreader 200 further includes two foot supports 205 extending downward from the main body 201, which are opposite to each other. As can be seen, the two foot supports 205 each define a slot 206 at its inner surface 207. The slots 206 respectively defined by the two foot supports 205 are aligned with each other, such that two opposite edges of a substrate of a semiconductor device can be received within the slots, respectively. For example, the substrate of the semiconductor device can slide into the slots 206. In some embodiments, the two slots define a plane which is substantially in parallel with the top cover 203. Still referring to
As shown in
As can be seen from
The two foot supports 205 are disposed on two opposite sides of the main body 201, leaving the other two sides of the main body 201 open. Accordingly, the substrate 403 can be inserted through an opening under the top cover 201 and further into the two slots 206 respectively defined by the two foot supports 205 of the heat spreader 200. The width of the slots 206 generally matches the thickness of the substrate 403 of the semiconductor device 400, therefore when the semiconductor device 400 is mounted within the heat spreader 200, the slots 206 defined by the two foot supports 205 of the heat spreader 200 can prevent the substrate 403 from moving closer to or away from the main body 201 of the heat spreader 200. That is, the movement of the substrate 403 along line BB is prevented by the engagement between the slots 206 and the substrate 403. In some embodiments, one or more fasteners may be further disposed on the heat spreader 200 and the substrate 403 to avoid the further movement between them. For example, two screw holes can be constructed on the bottom protrusion and the edge of the substrate 403, and therefore, when the two screw holes are aligned with each other, a screw or a bolt may be screwed into the two screw holes. Furthermore, although it is shown in
As can be seen from
As shown in
With the later filled thermally conductive layer 610, the semiconductor die 701 may not directly contact the top cover 603 when the semiconductor device 700 is inserted into the heat spreader 600. In this way, undesired damages to the surface of the semiconductor die 701 due to the friction between the semiconductor die 701 and the top cover 603 can be avoided during the assembling process of the semiconductor assembly 500, and the thermal performance of the semiconductor assembly may not be degraded.
As shown in
Different from the semiconductor assembly 300 shown in
As shown in
In some embodiments, the heat spreader 1200 may be made by a molding process. Accordingly, the heat spreader 1200 can be formed with various other shapes or structures.
As shown in
The method 1700 starts at a step 1702 of providing a semiconductor device is provided. The semiconductor device includes a substrate and at least one semiconductor die mounted on the substrate. The semiconductor device may have a structure similar as the semiconductor devices 100, 400, 1000, 1300 or 1600 as shown in
The method 1700 further includes a step 804 of providing a heat spreader. The heat spreader may include a main body defining a space for receiving the at least one semiconductor die; and two foot supports extending downward from the main body and opposite to each other, each of the foot supports defining a slot at its inner surface. The slots of the two foot supports are aligned with each other. In some embodiments, the heat spreader may have a structure similar as the heat spreader 200, 600, 900, 1200 or 1500 as shown in
The method 800 include a step 806: the substrate is inserted into the slots, wherein the slots prevent the substrate from moving closer to or away from the main body. Therefore, the semiconductor assembly is formed.
The discussion herein included numerous illustrative figures that showed various portions of a heat spreader for use with a semiconductor component and method of manufacturing thereof. For illustrative clarity, such figures did not show all aspects of each example assembly. Any of the example assemblies and/or methods provided herein may share any or all characteristics with any or all other assemblies and/or methods provided herein.
Various embodiments have been described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings. It will, however, be evident that various modifications and changes may be made thereto, and additional embodiments may be implemented, without departing from the broader scope of the invention as set forth in the claims that follow. Further, other embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art from consideration of the specification and practice of one or more embodiments of the invention disclosed herein. It is intended, therefore, that this application and the examples herein be considered as exemplary only, with a true scope and spirit of the invention being indicated by the following listing of exemplary claims.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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202210656135.8 | Jun 2022 | CN | national |