This application claims priority from Korean Patent Application No. 10-2022-0165054 filed on Nov. 30, 2022 in the Korean Intellectual Property Office and Korean Patent Application No. 10-2023-0002262 filed on Jan. 6, 2023 in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, and all the benefits accruing therefrom under 35 U.S.C. 119, the contents of each of which in its entirety are herein incorporated by reference.
The present disclosure relates to semiconductor packages and/or methods of fabricating the same.
Semiconductor packages are being developed to efficiently fabricate semiconductor chips having more diverse functions and high reliability. In addition, in order to mount more semiconductor chips in the same area, a stacked semiconductor package in which a plurality of semiconductor chips are stacked has been proposed. For example, a package-in-package (PIP) type semiconductor package or a package-on-package (POP) type semiconductor package may be used.
On the other hand, when many semiconductor chips are mounted in one semiconductor package in this way, defects such as void traps may occur during a molding process of the semiconductor package.
Accordingly, research into a technology capable of preventing unfilled molding members and occurrence of void trap defects during a molding process for the semiconductor package in which many semiconductor chips are mounted is being conducted.
Some example embodiments of the present disclosure provide semiconductor packages with improved product reliability.
Some example embodiments of the present disclosure also provide methods of fabricating a semiconductor package with improved product reliability.
However, example embodiments of the present disclosure are not restricted to those set forth herein. The above and other aspects of the present disclosure will become more apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art to which the present disclosure pertains by referencing the detailed description of the present disclosure given below.
According to an example embodiment of the present disclosure, a semiconductor package includes a first package substrate including a first area, a first semiconductor chip on the first area, a second package substrate on an upper surface of the first semiconductor chip, the second package substrate including a second area and a first hole penetrating through the second area, a second semiconductor chip on the second area, a connection member electrically connecting the first package substrate and the second package substrate, a connection member being between the first package substrate and the second package substrate, and a mold film covering the second semiconductor chip on the second package substrate, filling the first hole, and covering the first semiconductor chip and the connection member on the first package substrate.
According to an example embodiment of the present disclosure, a semiconductor package includes a first package substrate, an upper pad exposed from an upper surface of the first package substrate, a first semiconductor chip on the upper surface of the first package substrate, a second package substrate on an upper surface of the first semiconductor chip and spaced apart from the upper surface of the first semiconductor chip, a lower pad exposed from a lower surface of the second package substrate, a second semiconductor chip on an upper surface of the second package substrate, a connection member electrically connecting the first package substrate and the second package substrate, the connection member being in direct contact with the upper pad and the lower pad, and a mold film covering the first semiconductor chip and the connection member on the first package substrate and covering the second semiconductor chip on the second package substrate, wherein the first package substrate includes a first hole penetrating through the first package substrate in a first direction, the second package substrate includes a second hole penetrating through the second package substrate in the first direction, the first hole overlaps the first semiconductor chip in plan view, and the second hole overlaps the second semiconductor chip in plan view.
According to an example embodiment of the present disclosure, a method of fabricating a semiconductor package includes forming a first hole penetrating through a first package substrate in a first direction, mounting a first semiconductor chip on an upper surface of the first package substrate so as to overlap the first hole in plan view, forming a connection member on the upper surface of the first package substrate, forming a second hole penetrating through a second package substrate in the first direction, disposing the second package substrate on an upper surface of the first semiconductor chip so that an upper end of the connection member is in direct contact with a lower pad exposed from a lower surface of the second package substrate, mounting a second semiconductor chip on an upper surface of the second package substrate so as to overlap the second hole in plan view, and forming a mold film covering the first semiconductor chip and the connection member on the first package substrate and covering the second semiconductor chip on the second package substrate.
It should be noted that the effects of the present disclosure are not limited to those described above, and other effects of the present disclosure will be apparent from the following description.
The above and other aspects and features of the present disclosure will become more apparent by describing in detail some example embodiments thereof with reference to the attached drawings, in which:
Hereinafter, semiconductor packages and/or methods of fabricating the same according to some example embodiments will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
As used herein, expressions such as “at least one of,” when preceding a list of elements, modify the entire list of elements and do not modify the individual elements of the list. Thus, for example, both “at least one of A, B, or C” and “at least one of A, B, and C” mean either A, B, C or any combination thereof. Likewise, A and/or B means A, B, or A and B.
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The first package substrate 100 may be a substrate for a package. For example, the first package substrate 100 may be a printed circuit board (PCB) or a ceramic substrate. In some example embodiments, the first package substrate 100 may also be a substrate for a wafer level package (WLP) manufactured at a wafer level. The first package substrate 100 may have a single layer or multiple layers. The first package substrate 100 may include a lower surface and an upper surface that are opposite to each other in a first direction Z. In the following description, lower and upper surfaces of components (e.g., the first package substrate 100 and the first semiconductor chip 110) included in the semiconductor package may be based on the first direction Z.
The first package substrate 100 may include a first lower pad 102, an upper pad 101, a first chip pad 104, and a first wiring pattern 103. The first lower pad 102 may be exposed from the lower surface of the first package substrate 100. Each of the upper pad 101 and the first chip pad 104 may be exposed from the upper surface of the first package substrate 100. Each of the first lower pad 102, the upper pad 101, and the first chip pad 104 may include, at least one of, for example, aluminum (Al), copper (Cu), nickel (Ni), tungsten (W), platinum (Pt), gold (Au), and a combination thereof, but is not limited thereto.
Each of the first lower pad 102, the upper pad 101, and the first chip pad 104 may be connected to the first wiring pattern 103, which is an electrical circuit formed in the first package substrate 100. That is, each of the first lower pad 102, the upper pad 101, and the first chip pad 104 is a portion (pattern or pad) to which the first wiring pattern 103 of the first package substrate 100 is connected to the outside.
In some example embodiments, a connection terminal 130 may be formed on the lower surface of the first package substrate 100. The connection terminal 130 may be used to electrically connect the first package substrate 100 and an external device. For example, the connection terminal 130 may be in contact with the first lower pad 102 of the first package substrate 100. Accordingly, the connection terminal 130 may provide an electrical signal from the external device to the first package substrate 100 or may provide an electrical signal from the first package substrate 100 to an external device.
The connection terminal 130 may be, for example, a spherical, hemispherical, or elliptical bump, a solder ball, or under bump metallurgy (UBM), but is not limited thereto. The connection terminal 130 may include, for example, tin (Sn), indium (In), bismuth (Bi), antimony (Sb), copper (Cu), silver (Ag), zinc (Zn), lead (Pb), or a combination thereof, but is not limited thereto.
The first semiconductor chip 110 may be mounted on the first package substrate 100. As an example, the first semiconductor chip 110 may be mounted on the upper surface of the first package substrate 100. It is illustrated in
The first semiconductor chip 110 may be an integrated circuit (IC) in which hundreds to millions of semiconductor elements are integrated into a single chip. For example, the first semiconductor chip 110 may be memory chips such as volatile memory (e.g., DRAM) or non-volatile memory (e.g., ROM or flash memory), application Processor (AP) chips such as Central Processing Unit (CPU), Graphic Processing Unit (GPU), Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA), digital signal processor, encryption processor, microprocessor, or microcontroller, and logic chips such as analog-digital converters (ADCs) or application-specific ICs (ASICs), but is not limited thereto. In addition, the first semiconductor chip 110 may also be configured by combining the above-mentioned elements.
In some example embodiments, a first chip bump group 120 may be formed between the first package substrate 100 and the first semiconductor chip 110. For example, the first chip bump group 120 may be formed between the upper surface of the first package substrate 100 and the lower surface of the first semiconductor chip 110. The first chip bump group 120 may include a plurality of bumps. The first chip bump group 120 may electrically connect the first package substrate 100 and the first semiconductor chip 110. For example, the first semiconductor chip 110 may be mounted on the first package substrate 100 by a flip chip bonding method.
For example, each of the plurality of bumps included in the first chip bump group 120 may include a first pillar layer 121 and a first solder layer 122. The first pillar layer 121 may be a post-shaped structure protruding from the lower surface of the first semiconductor chip 110. In addition, the first pillar layer 121 may be electrically connected to the first semiconductor chip 110. The first pillar layer 121 may include, for example, copper (Cu), a copper alloy, nickel (Ni), a nickel alloy, palladium (Pd), platinum (Pt), gold (Au), cobalt (Co), or a combination thereof, but is not limited thereto.
The first solder layer 122 may electrically connect the first pillar layer 121 and the first package substrate 100 to each other. For example, the first solder layer 122 may be in contact with the first chip pad 104 of the first package substrate 100. The first solder layer 122 may have, for example, a spherical, hemispherical, or ellipsoidal structure. The first solder layer 122 may include, for example, tin (Sn), indium (In), bismuth (Bi), antimony (Sb), copper (Cu), silver (Ag), zinc (Zn), lead (Pb), or a combination thereof, but is not limited thereto.
The second package substrate 200 may be disposed on the upper surface of the first semiconductor chip 110. The second package substrate 200 may include a lower surface and an upper surface that are opposite to each other in a first direction Z. The upper surface of the first semiconductor chip 110 and the lower surface of the second package substrate 200 may be spaced apart from each other in the first direction Z perpendicular to the upper surface of the first semiconductor chip 110. The second package substrate 200 may be a substrate for a package. For example, the second package substrate 200 may be a printed circuit board (PCB) or a ceramic substrate. In some example embodiments, the second package substrate 200 may be a substrate for a wafer level package (WLP) manufactured at a wafer level. The second package substrate 200 may have a single layer or multiple layers. In some other example embodiments, the second package substrate 200 may be an interposer.
The second package substrate 200 may include a second lower pad 202, a second chip pad 204, and a second wiring pattern 203. The second lower pad 202 may be exposed from the lower surface of the second package substrate 200. The second chip pad 204 may be exposed from the upper surface of the second package substrate 200. Each of the second lower pad 202 and the second chip pad 204 may include, at least one of, for example, aluminum (Al), copper (Cu), nickel (Ni), tungsten (W), platinum (Pt), gold (Au), or a combination thereof, but is not limited thereto.
Each of the second lower pad 202 and the second chip pad 204 may be connected to the second wiring pattern 203, which is an electrical circuit formed in the second package substrate 200. That is, each of the second lower pad 202 and the second chip pad 204 is a portion (pattern or pad) to which the second wiring pattern 203 of the second package substrate 200 is connected to the outside.
The second semiconductor chip 210 may be mounted on the second package substrate 200. As an example, the second semiconductor chip 210 may be mounted on the upper surface of the second package substrate 200. For example, the second semiconductor chip 210 may be mounted on a second area A2 of the upper surface of the second package substrate 200. The second area A2 may be an area of the upper surface of the second package substrate 200 overlapping the second semiconductor chip 210 in a vertical view (e.g., in the first direction Z perpendicular to the upper surface of the second package substrate 200).
It is illustrated in
The second semiconductor chip 210 may be an integrated circuit (IC) in which hundreds to millions of semiconductor elements are integrated into a single chip. For example, the second semiconductor chip 210 may be memory chips such as volatile memory (e.g., DRAM) or non-volatile memory (e.g., ROM or flash memory), application Processor (AP) chips such as Central Processing Unit (CPU), Graphic Processing Unit (GPU), Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA), digital signal processor, encryption processor, microprocessor, or microcontroller, and logic chips such as analog-digital converters (ADCs) or application-specific ICs (ASICs), but is not limited thereto. In addition, the second semiconductor chip 210 may also be configured by combining the above-mentioned elements. In some example embodiments, both the first semiconductor chip 110 and the second semiconductor chip 210 may be volatile memories (e.g., DRAM).
In some example embodiments, as illustrated in
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In some example embodiments, a second chip bump group 220 may be formed between the second package substrate 200 and the second semiconductor chip 210. For example, the second chip bump group 220 may be formed between the upper surface of the second package substrate 200 and the lower surface of the second semiconductor chip 210. The second chip bump group 220 may include a plurality of bumps. The second chip bump group 220 may electrically connect the second package substrate 200 and the second semiconductor chip 210. For example, the second semiconductor chip 210 may be mounted on the second package substrate 200 by a flip chip bonding method.
For example, each of the plurality of bumps included in the second chip bump group 220 may include a second pillar layer 221 and a second solder layer 222. The second pillar layer 221 may be a post-shaped structure protruding from the lower surface of the second semiconductor chip 210. In addition, the second pillar layer 221 may be electrically connected to the second semiconductor chip 210. The second pillar layer 221 may include, for example, copper (Cu), a copper alloy, nickel (Ni), a nickel alloy, palladium (Pd), platinum (Pt), gold (Au), cobalt (Co), or a combination thereof, but is not limited thereto.
The second solder layer 222 may electrically connect the second pillar layer 221 and the second package substrate 200 to each other. For example, the second solder layer 222 may be in contact with the second chip pad 204 of the second package substrate 200. The second solder layer 222 may have, for example, a spherical, hemispherical, or ellipsoidal structure. The second solder layer 222 may include, for example, tin (Sn), indium (In), bismuth (Bi), antimony (Sb), copper (Cu), silver (Ag), zinc (Zn), lead (Pb), or a combination thereof, but is not limited thereto.
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A connection member 300A may be formed between the first package substrate 100 and the second package substrate 200. The connection member 300A may electrically connect the first package substrate 100 and the second package substrate 200 to each other. For example, a lower end of the connection member 300A may be in direct contact with the upper pad 101 of the first package substrate 100, and an upper end of the connection member 300A may be in direct contact with the second lower pad 202 of the second package substrate 200. As described above, the semiconductor package according to some example embodiments may have a structure in which the second package substrate 200 is directly stacked on the first package substrate 100 through the connection member 300A.
The connection member 300A may have, for example, a cylindrical post shape, but is not limited thereto. The connection member 300A may include, for example, tin (Sn), indium (In), bismuth (Bi), antimony (Sb), copper (Cu), silver (Ag), zinc (Zn), lead (Pb), or a combination thereof, but is not limited thereto. The connection member 300A may be disposed at a side of the first semiconductor chip 110. For example, a plurality of connection members 300A may be disposed to surround the first semiconductor chip 110 in plan view.
A mold film 400 may be disposed on the upper surface of the first package substrate 100 and the upper surface of the second package substrate 200. The mold film 400 may cover the first package substrate 100, the first semiconductor chip 110, and the connection member 300A, and may cover the second package substrate 200 and the second semiconductor chip 210. For example, the connection member 300A may penetrate through the mold film 400 and connect the first package substrate 100 and the second package substrate 200 to each other. The mold film 400 may fill a space between the lower surface of the first semiconductor chip 110 and the upper surface of the first package substrate 100 and may cover the first chip bump group 120. The mold film 400 may fill a space between the lower surface of the second semiconductor chip 210 and the upper surface of the second package substrate 200 and may cover the second chip bump group 220. In addition, the mold film 400 may be formed to fill the second hole 200H.
As described above, in the semiconductor package in which the first semiconductor chip 110 on the first package substrate 100 and the second semiconductor chip 210 on the second package substrate 200 are vertically stacked as illustrated in
The mold film 400 may include, for example, an insulating polymer material such as an epoxy molding compound (EMC), but is not limited thereto. The mold film 400 may include a thermosetting resin such as an epoxy resin, a thermoplastic resin such as a polyimide resin, or a resin having a reinforcing material such as filler included in the thermosetting resin and the thermoplastic resin, for example, Ajinomoto Build-up Film (ABF), FR-4, Bismaleimide Triazine (BT) resin, etc.
As the filler, one or more materials selected from the group consisting of silica (SiO2), alumina (Al2O3), silicon carbide (SiC), barium sulfate (BaSO4), talc, clay, mica powders, aluminum hydroxide (Al(OH)3), magnesium hydroxide (Mg(OH)2), calcium carbonate (CaCO3), magnesium carbonate (MgCO3), magnesium oxide (MgO), boron nitride (BN), aluminum borate (AlBO3), barium titanate (BaTiO3), and calcium zirconate (CaZrO3) may be used. However, the material of the filler is not limited thereto, and may also include a metal material and/or an organic material.
In the semiconductor package illustrated in
Referring to
A length of the first hole 100H in the second direction X may be shorter than a length of the first semiconductor chip 110 in the second direction X. In addition, a length of the first hole 100H in the third direction Y may be shorter than a length of the first semiconductor chip 110 in the third direction Y.
The first chip bump group 120 may include first chip bumps CB1 disposed on one side S1 of the first hole 100H and second chip bumps CB2 disposed on another side S2 of the first hole 100H. The number of first chip bumps CB1 and second chip bumps CB2 is plural, respectively, and the plurality of first chip bumps CB1 and the plurality of second chip bumps CB2 may be disposed along the third direction Y with the first hole 100H interposed therebetween. As such, the first hole 100H may be disposed between the first chip bumps CB1 and the second chip bumps CB2 in the first area A1.
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In addition, by making a molding material constituting the mold film 400 flow on the upper surfaces of the first semiconductor chip 110 and the first package substrate 100 through the second hole 200H formed in the second package substrate 200, the encapsulation process of forming the mold film 400 in a semiconductor package in which a plurality of package substrates and a plurality of semiconductor chips are vertically stacked may be performed at once (in one step).
In addition, by directly connecting the package substrates 100 and 200 through the connection member 300A in the semiconductor package in which the plurality of package substrates and the plurality of semiconductor chips are vertically stacked, heat dissipation characteristics and electrical characteristics (e.g., power consumption characteristics or electrical connection speed characteristics) of the semiconductor package may be improved.
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Various example embodiments of the first holes 100Ha, 100Hb, and 100Hc described with reference to
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For example, the circuit element 140 may be disposed in an area between the first lower pad 102 and the upper pad 101 and/or in an area between the first lower pad 102 and the first chip pad 104.
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The molding material introduced into the semiconductor package may pass through the second hole 200H and flow to the upper surfaces of the first semiconductor chip 110 and the first package substrate 100. Accordingly, the integrally formed mold film 400 may cover the first package substrate 100, the first semiconductor chip 110, and the connection member 300A, and may cover the second package substrate 200 and the second semiconductor chip 210 at the same time. In addition, the mold film 400 may fill a space between the lower surface of the first semiconductor chip 110 and the upper surface of the first package substrate 100, cover the first chip bump group 120, fill a space between the lower surface of the second semiconductor chip 210 and the upper surface of the second package substrate 200, and cover the second chip bump group 220. In addition, the mold film 400 may be formed to fill both first hole 100H and the second hole 200H.
As described above, because voids formed in the mold film 400 are easily discharged through the first hole 100H formed in the first package substrate 100 and the second hole 200H formed in the second package substrate 200, product reliability of the semiconductor package may be improved.
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Some example embodiments of the present disclosure have been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto and may be implemented in various different forms. It will be understood that the present disclosure can be implemented in other specific forms without changing the technical spirit or gist of the present disclosure. Therefore, it should be understood that the example embodiments set forth herein are illustrative in all respects and not limiting.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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10-2022-0165054 | Nov 2022 | KR | national |
10-2023-0002262 | Jan 2023 | KR | national |