This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from the prior Japanese Patent Applications No. 2023-150146, filed on Sep. 15, 2023, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
Embodiments relate to a semiconductor device.
A semiconductor device in which a semiconductor memory chip and a semiconductor controller chip are built has been known.
In general, according to one embodiment, a semiconductor device comprises: an interposer substrate including a plurality of wiring layers inside; a first semiconductor chip disposed on the interposer substrate; and a power circuit configured to transform externally supplied voltage and supply the transformed voltage to the first semiconductor chip. The power circuit includes: an inductor constituted by a plurality of coil patterns respectively formed in at least two of the plurality of wiring layers of the interpose substrate; and a capacitor.
Embodiments will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. To facilitate the understanding of descriptions, identical constituent components in the drawings are denoted by the same reference sign whenever possible, and duplicate description thereof is omitted.
A semiconductor device of a first embodiment will be described below. The semiconductor device of the present embodiment is a semiconductor package including a NAND flash memory chip. The semiconductor device of the present embodiment is, for example, a universal flash storage (UFS) device configured to be mounted on a smartphone.
The substrate 3 is, for example, a printed circuit board (PCB). The semiconductor device 1 can be mounted on a surface 30 of the substrate 3. In the following descriptions, a direction orthogonal to the surface 30 of the substrate 3 is referred to as a Z direction. In addition, axial directions orthogonal to the Z direction and orthogonal to each other are referred to as an X direction and a Y direction. The Z direction is an example of a first direction.
The semiconductor device 1 includes an interposer substrate 50, a controller chip 51, a plurality of memory chips 52, one or more spacers 53, and a sealing member 54. The semiconductor device 1 is a semiconductor package in which the controller chip 51, the plurality of memory chips 52, and the like are integrally sealed by the sealing member 54.
The interposer substrate 50 is disposed between the substrate 3 and the controller chip 51. The interposer substrate 50 includes a multi-layer structure 500 and a plurality of external terminals 501. The interposer substrate 50 is used to establish electrical conduction among the substrate 3, the controller chip 51, and the memory chips 52.
The multi-layer structure 500 includes a plurality of insulating layers, a plurality of wiring layers, and a via. The multi-layer structure 500 has a structure in which the insulating and wiring layers are alternately stacked in the Z direction. The multi-layer structure 500 of the present embodiment includes four wiring layers. The plurality of wiring layers are electrically connected to each other through the via penetrating one or more of the plurality of insulating layers in the Z direction. The insulating layers are formed of an insulation material such as resin that contains glass. The wiring layers and the via are formed of a conductive material such as copper (Cu).
The multi-layer structure 500 has a bottom surface 500a. The bottom surface 500a faces the substrate 3. The plurality of external terminals 501 are provided on the bottom surface 500a. The plurality of external terminals 501 are electrically connected to at least one of the plurality of wiring layers formed inside the multi-layer structure 500 through electrodes formed on the bottom surface 500a. The external terminals 501 are protruding terminals formed of solder balls, solder plating, or the like. A bottom part of each of the plurality of external terminals 501 contacts an electrode provided on the substrate 3. Accordingly, circuits inside the substrate 3 are electrically connected to the wiring layers inside the multi-layer structure 500.
The multi-layer structure 500 has an upper surface 500b. The upper surface 500b faces the controller chip 51. The upper surface 500b contacts a plurality of external terminals 510 formed on the controller chip 51. The upper surface 500b is provided with a plurality of electrodes that the plurality of external terminals 510 of the controller chip 51 respectively contact. The controller chip 51 is electrically connected to circuits inside the substrate 3 through the external terminals 510, the electrodes formed on the upper surface 500b, the wiring layers formed inside the multi-layer structure 500, the electrodes formed on the bottom surface 500a, the external terminals 501, and electrodes provided on the substrate 3.
In the following description, the bottom surface 500a of the multi-layer structure 500 is also referred to as the bottom surface 500a of the interposer substrate 50, and the upper surface 500b of the multi-layer structure 500 is also referred to as the upper surface 500b of the interposer substrate 50. In the present embodiment, the upper surface 500b of the interposer substrate 50 corresponds to a principal surface of the interposer substrate 50.
The controller chip 51 includes the plurality of external terminals 510. The controller chip 51 is, for example, a system-on-a-chip (SoC) or an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC). The controller chip 51 may be any other integrated circuit (IC) or circuit. The controller chip 51 is an example of a first semiconductor chip.
The plurality of memory chips 52 are disposed as a stack above the controller chip 51. The memory chips 52 are disposed apart from the upper surface 500b of the interposer substrate 50 in the Z direction. The disposition of the controller chip 51 and the memory chips 52 is exemplary and optionally changeable.
As illustrated in
As illustrated in
The sealing member 54 is formed of, for example, synthesis resin. The sealing member 54 seals the controller chip 51, the plurality of memory chips 52, the plurality of bonding wires 55, and the spacers 53.
The semiconductor device 1 of the present embodiment further includes a power circuit 9 illustrated in
A specific configuration of the power circuit 9 will be described below. As illustrated in
The power device 82 is built in the controller chip 51. The power device 82 includes a control circuit 820 and two switching elements 821 and 822.
The two switching elements 821 and 822 are, for example, N-channel MOS transistors. The source terminal of the switching element 821 and the drain terminal of the switching element 822 are connected to each other. Accordingly, the two switching elements 821 and 822 are electrically connected in series to each other. Externally supplied voltage Vcc is applied to the drain terminal of the switching element 821. The external voltage Vcc is supplied from the substrate 3 to the controller chip 51 through the external terminals 501, the wiring layers of the interposer substrate 50, and the external terminals 510, which are illustrated in
As illustrated in
As illustrated in
As illustrated in
As illustrated in
The voltage Vcc is applied to the first end part 801a of the coil pattern 801 when the switching element 821 illustrated in
As illustrated in
(a1) Part of the wiring layers of the interposer substrate 50, which functions as wiring for electrically connecting the external terminals 501 on the bottom surface 500a of the interposer substrate 50 to the controller chip 51.
(a2) Part of the wiring layers of the interposer substrate 50, which functions as wiring for electrically connecting the controller chip 51 to the memory chips 52.
(a3) Part where the bonding wires 55 connecting the interposer substrate 50 to the memory chips 52 are disposed.
In this manner, when the coil patterns 801 to 804 are disposed at positions different from the wiring areas A11 and A12 in the interposer substrate 50, it is possible to easily avoid interference of the coil patterns 801 to 804 with various wires.
The capacitor 81 illustrated in
As illustrated in
As described above, the semiconductor device 1 of the present embodiment includes the interposer substrate 50, the controller chip 51, and the power circuit 9. The interposer substrate 50 includes the plurality of wiring layers inside. The controller chip 51 is disposed on the interposer substrate 50. The power circuit 9 transforms the external voltage Vcc and supplies the transformed voltage to the controller chip 51. The power circuit 9 includes the inductor 80 and the capacitor 81. The inductor 80 is constituted by the plurality of coil patterns 801 to 804 respectively formed in the plurality of wiring layers of the interposer substrate 50.
With this configuration, the inductor 80 can be disposed inside the interposer substrate 50, and thus the semiconductor device 1 can be downsized as compared to a case where a component corresponding to the inductor 80 is disposed, for example, on the upper surface 500b of the interposer substrate 50.
Four wiring layers are formed in the interposer substrate 50. The coil patterns 801 to 804 are formed in the four wiring layers, respectively. As illustrated in
With this configuration, higher magnetic coupling can be achieved with the coil patterns 801 to 804. Accordingly, high inductance can be obtained with a small area.
The inductance is proportional to the square of the number of turns of coil patterns included in the inductor 80. Consideration of the inductance requested for the inductor 80 in the power circuit 9 indicates that it is useful to form four or more wiring layers in the interposer substrate 50 and form four or more coil patterns (in other words, four or more turns).
The controller chip 51 includes the switching elements 821 and 822 of the power circuit 9 and the control circuit 820 configured to control the switching elements 821 and 822.
With this configuration, the structure of the semiconductor device 1 can be simplified as compared to a case where the switching elements 821 and 822 and the control circuit 820 are provided separately from the controller chip 51.
As illustrated in
With this configuration, it is possible to avoid interference of wires connected to the controller chip 51, which are formed in the interposer substrate 50, with the coil patterns 801 to 804.
As illustrated in
With this configuration, when current flows through the coil patterns 801 to 804, the directions of magnetic fluxes formed with the coil patterns 801 to 804 are identical to one another, and thus higher magnetic coupling can be formed with the coil patterns 801 to 804. Accordingly, high inductance can be achieved.
A modification of the semiconductor device 1 of the first embodiment will be described below.
As illustrated in
In the inductor 80 of the present modification, when the switching element 821 is turned on and the voltage Vcc is applied to the outer end part 801c of the coil pattern 801, current flowing through the coil patterns 801 to 804 in the anticlockwise direction around the axis line m10 increases as illustrated with arrows I in
With this configuration, the directions of magnetic fluxes formed with the coil patterns 801 to 804 are identical to one another, and thus higher magnetic coupling can be formed with the coil patterns 801 to 804. Accordingly, performance of the inductor 80 can be improved.
A semiconductor device of a second embodiment will be described below. The following description will be mainly made on differences from the semiconductor device 1 of the first embodiment.
As illustrated in
The power source IC 56 of the present embodiment is provided separately from the controller chip 51 and includes the switching elements 821 and 822 and the control circuit 820.
With this configuration, it is possible to manufacture the power source IC 56 through a process suitable for the power circuit 9, and thus it is possible to improve characteristics of the power circuit 9 and reduce manufacturing cost thereof.
A semiconductor device of a third embodiment will be described below. The following description will be mainly made on differences from the semiconductor device 1 of the first embodiment.
The power device 82 further includes two switching elements 823 and 824 connected in series to each other. The switching elements 823 and 824 are connected to the second inductor 83. The switching elements 823 and 824 have configurations identical or similar to those of the switching elements 821 and 822, and thus detailed description thereof is omitted. The switching elements 823 and 824 are controlled by the control circuit 820.
As illustrated in
A capacitor 81a corresponding to the first inductor 80 as well as a capacitor 81b corresponding to the second inductor 83 are provided on the upper surface 500b of the interposer substrate 50. In the following description, the capacitor 81a is referred to as a first capacitor 81a, and the capacitor 81b is referred to as a second capacitor 81b. As illustrated in
Note that, in the circuit diagram of the power circuit 9 illustrated in
The control circuit 820 operates the switching elements 821 and 822, which are connected to the first inductor 80, and the switching elements 823 and 824, which are connected to the second inductor 83, in an interleaved manner by operating the switching elements 821 and 822 and the switching elements 823 and 824 with phases shifted from each other by 180°. The switching elements 821 and 822 are examples of a first switching element. The switching elements 823 and 824 are examples of a second switching element.
The plurality of inductors 80 and 83 are formed in the interposer substrate 50. The first inductor 80 is displaced relative to the controller chip 51 in the X1 direction. The second inductor 83 is displaced relative to the first inductor 80 in the X2 direction that is opposite the X1 direction beyond the controller chip 51.
With this configuration, variation of output voltage can be reduced through 2-interleave operation. Moreover, characteristic degradation due to magnetic coupling can be reduced since the inductors 80 and 83 are apart from each other.
The present disclosure is not limited to the above-described specific examples.
For example, coil patterns constituting the inductor 80 do not need to be formed in all of the four wiring layers of the interposer substrate 50 but may be formed, for example, only in three of the wiring layers.
Although
Although the interposer substrate 50 of each embodiment includes four wiring layers, the number of wiring layers included in the interposer substrate 50 is optionally changeable. In addition, the number of coil patterns constituting the inductor 80 is optionally changeable in accordance with the number of wiring layers. For example, in a case where four or more wiring layers are formed in the interposer substrate 50, the inductor 80 may be constituted by four or more coil patterns formed in the four or more wiring layers, respectively, of the interposer substrate 50.
While certain embodiments have been described, these embodiments have been presented by way of example only, and are not intended to limit the scope of the inventions. Indeed, the novel devices and methods described herein may be embodied in a variety of other forms; furthermore, various omissions, substitutions and changes in the form of the embodiments described herein may be made without departing from the spirit of the inventions. The accompanying claims and their equivalents are intended to cover such forms or modification as would fall within the scope and spirit of the inventions.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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2023-150146 | Sep 2023 | JP | national |