The present invention relates generally to the packaging of image sensor package which manifests the structure robust and high reliability.
A solid-state image sensor device is a photo-electric conversion device for converting the optical signal of image into an electric signal. The Charge Coupled Device (CCD), CIS (Contact Image Sensor) and CMOS image sensors, among others, are examples of the solid-state image sensor device. Assemblies or packaging of image sensor package are well known to those skilled in the art.
Nowadays, the solid-state image sensor devices are employed in either the stationary apparatus or mobile apparatus. Among others, the stationary apparatus includes the camera module of desk-top personal computer (PC) and the mobile apparatus includes the camera module of portable personal computer or mobile phone. More recently, the camera modules are deployed in the field of private or public transportation tools.
Compared with other applications, the structure robust and high reliability are more demanding for the image sensor package while being used in high temperature, high humidity and dusty environment. The above mentioned conventional image sensor packages have been found not reliable in the transportation scenarios.
It is thus an object of the present invention to address the problems mentioned above to provide an image sensor package and method for improving the structure robust and reliability of the image sensor package.
The object of the present invention is accomplished by the following preferred embodiments.
In accordance with the preferred embodiment of present invention, an image sensor package is provided including a substrate; an image sensor; a plurality of bond wires for connecting the image sensor to the substrate at predetermined locations; a sensor housing on the substrate for substantially encompassing the image sensor, the sensor housing having a through-hole cavity defining an optical glass (IR filter) seat, and the sensor housing defining an edge surface thereof; an optical glass (or IR filter) on the optical glass (IR filter) seat; an encapsulation material for substantially encapsulating the edge surface of the sensor housing and a corresponding surface of the substrate adjacent the edge surface of the sensor housing.
In accordance with still the preferred embodiment of present invention, an image sensor package is provided including a substrate; an image sensor; a plurality of bond wires for connecting the image sensor to the substrate at predetermined locations; a sensor housing on the substrate for substantially encompassing the image sensor, the sensor housing having a through-hole cavity defining an optical glass (IR filter) seat, the sensor housing defining an upper surface and an edge surface thereof; an optical glass or IR filter on the optical glass (IR filter) seat; an encapsulation material for substantially encapsulating the upper surface and edge surface of the sensor housing, a corresponding surface of the substrate adjacent the edge surface of the sensor housing, and the side edge of the optical glass (or IR filter).
In accordance with still the preferred embodiment of present invention, an image sensor package is provided including a substrate; an image sensor; a plurality of bond wires for connecting the image sensor to the substrate at predetermined locations; a sensor housing on the substrate for substantially encompassing the image sensor, the sensor housing having a through-hole cavity defining an optical glass (IR filter) seat, and the sensor housing defining an edge surface thereof; an optical glass or IR filter on the optical glass (IR filter) seat; an encapsulation material for substantially encapsulating the edge surface of the sensor housing and a corresponding surface of the substrate adjacent the edge surface of the sensor housing; wherein the sensor housing is provided with a gas-exit allowing possible high temperature gas to exit; the encapsulation material forms an upper surface which is substantially aligned with a top surface of the sensor housing; the sensor housing defines a profile shape, the profile shape has at least a step-wise configuration for facilitating and accommodating flowing of the encapsulation material; the sensor housing has a bottom surface adhered to the substrate by an adhesive; and a slot, optionally, is provided on the bottom surface of the sensor housing for accommodating the adhesive.
In accordance with still the preferred embodiment of present invention, an image sensor package is provided including a substrate; an image sensor; a plurality of bond wires for connecting the image sensor to the substrate at predetermined locations; a sensor housing on the substrate for substantially encompassing the image sensor, the sensor housing having a through-hole cavity defining an optical glass (IR filter) seat, the sensor housing defining an upper surface and an edge surface thereof; an optical glass (IR filter) on the optical glass (IR filter) seat; an encapsulation material for substantially encapsulating the upper surface and edge surface of the sensor housing, a corresponding surface of the substrate adjacent the edge surface of the sensor housing, and the side edge of the optical glass (IR filter); wherein the sensor housing is provided with a gas-exit allowing possible high temperature gas to exit; the encapsulation material forms an upper surface which is substantially aligned with a top surface of the optical glass (IR filter) or lower than a top surface of the optical glass (IR filter); the sensor housing defines a profile shape, the profile shape has at least a step-wise configuration for facilitating and accommodating flowing of the encapsulation material; the sensor housing has a bottom surface adhered to the substrate by an adhesive; and a slot, optionally, is provided on the bottom surface of the sensor housing for accommodating the adhesive.
In accordance with still the preferred embodiment of present invention, a method for forming an image sensor package including an image sensor chip is provided including (a) providing a substrate and providing a sensor housing having a through-hole cavity defining an optical glass (IR filter) seat, the sensor housing defining an edge surface thereof; (b) mounting the sensor chip on said substrate; (c) wire-bonding the sensor chip to the substrate at predetermined locations by bond wires; (d) mounting an optical glass or IR filter onto the optical glass (IR filter) seat; (e) mounting the sensor housing together with the optical glass or IR filter on the substrate for substantially encompassing the sensor chip; (f) applying an encapsulation material for substantially encapsulating the edge surface of the sensor housing and a corresponding surface of the substrate adjacent the edge surface of the sensor housing.
In accordance with still the preferred embodiment of present invention, a method for forming an image sensor package including a sensor chip is provided including (a) providing a substrate and providing a sensor housing having a through-hole cavity defining an optical glass (IR filter) seat, the sensor housing defining an edge surface thereof; (b) mounting the sensor chip on said substrate; (c) wire-bonding the sensor chip to the substrate at predetermined locations by bond wires; (d) mounting an optical glass or IR filter onto the optical glass (IR filter) seat; (e) mounting the sensor housing together with the optical glass or IR filter on the substrate for substantially encompassing the sensor chip; (f) applying an encapsulation material for substantially encapsulating the upper surface and edge surface of the sensor housing, a corresponding surface of the substrate adjacent the edge surface of the sensor housing, and the side edge of the optical glass (IR filter).
The above mention object and features of the invention will more fully be appreciated from the following detailed description with accompanying drawings.
In accordance with one preferred embodiment of present invention, in the image sensor package 3 shown in
(a) providing a substrate 33 and providing a sensor housing 36 having a through-hole cavity defining an optical glass (IR filter) seat 30, the sensor housing 36 defining an edge surface 361 thereof;
(b) mounting the sensor chip 31 on said substrate 33;
(c) wire-bonding the sensor chip 31 to the substrate 33 at predetermined locations by bond wires 37;
(d) mounting an optical glass or IR filter 34 onto the optical glass (IR filter) seat 30;
(e) mounting the sensor housing 36 together with the optical glass or IR filter 34 on the substrate 33 for substantially encompassing the sensor chip 31;
(f) applying an encapsulation material 32 for substantially encapsulating the edge surface 361 of the sensor housing 36 and a corresponding surface 331 of the substrate adjacent the edge surface 361 of the sensor housing 36. In a preferred embodiment, during the step (e), an encapsulation material is substantially disposed over the bond wires 37. After the step (f), a ball mounting process may be performed resulting in the image sensor package of ball grid array (BGA) format shown in
In accordance with another preferred embodiment of present invention, in the image sensor package 4 shown in
(a) providing a substrate 43 and providing a sensor housing 46 having a through-hole cavity defining an optical glass (IR filter) seat 40, the sensor housing 46 defining an edge surface 463 thereof;
(b) mounting the sensor chip 41 on said substrate 43;
(c) wire-bonding the sensor chip 41 to the substrate 43 at predetermined locations by bond wires 47;
(d) mounting an optical glass (IR filter) 44 onto the optical glass (IR filter) seat 40;
(e) mounting the sensor housing 46 along with the optical glass (IR filter) 44 on the substrate 43 for substantially encompassing the sensor chip 41;
(f) applying an encapsulation material 42 for substantially encapsulating the upper surface 461 and edge surface 463 of the sensor housing 46, a corresponding surface 431 of the substrate adjacent the edge surface 463 of the sensor housing 46, and the side edge 441 of the optical glass (IR filter) 44. In a preferred embodiment, during the step (e), an encapsulation material is substantially disposed over the bond wires 47. In a preferred embodiment, the encapsulation material 42 forms an upper surface 421 which is substantially aligned with or lower than a top surface 443 of the optical glass (IR filter) 44.
Modifications or variations to the disclosed embodiments are still possible. For instance, in the preferred embodiment shown in
As all features disclosed above are deployed, the resultant image sensor package 6 is shown in
The above embodiments of the present invention have been described in details in terms of mixture of legal and technical languages while not mentioning some technical details well known in the art, e.g., curing steps. The more details of image sensor package of the invention can be further understood by following example in terms of real world technical languages.
The process flow of making the image sensor package of the present invention is disclosed in
The encapsulation material disclosed above is available from Henkel International Inc. (http://www.henkel.com), e.g. FP 4802 resins.
By the disclosed embodiments, it is found that the structural robust and reliability of the image sensor package is greatly improved while being used in severe environments.
The drawings and the foregoing description give examples of the present invention. The scope of the present invention, however, is by no means limited by these specific examples. Various variations, whether explicitly given in the specification or not, are possible. For instance, the optical glass may be substituted by the IR filter. The scope of the invention is only limited by the following claims and their equivalents.