Abstract:
A chip level package utilizing a CGA is described. A semiconductor chip with pillars is molded in an encapsulant. Solder balls are added and connected to the chip pillars. The final package does not require a first level substrate or interposer and is able to be assembled to the next level as is.

Description:
RELATED PATENT APPLICATION 
     This application is related to Ser. No. 10/236,337, filing date Sep. 6, 2002, assigned to a common assignee. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates in general to the design and method of manufacture of packages for semiconductor chips, and the input, output (I/O), interconnections to the chips, and more specifically to a semiconductor package that incorporates a molding compound to encapsulate the semiconductor chip and allows the semiconductor chip to be interconnected to other devices without the use of a first level package or interposer. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     The following three U.S. patents and one U.S. patent application relate to semiconductor chip packaging designs. 
     U.S. Pat No. 5,596,227 issued Jan. 21, 1997, to H. Saito discloses a semiconductor chip wire bonded and molded to a printed circuit interposer containing BGA interconnects. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,969,426 issued Oct. 19, 1997, to S. Baba et. al. describes a semiconductor chip flip-chip bonded and molded on a printed circuit substrate containing BGA interconnects. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 6,166,433 issued Dec. 26, 2000, to A. Takashirna et. al. shows a semiconductor chip bonded on a FPC tape that contains a BGA. 
     U.S. Pat. Application Publication, U.S. 2002/0033412A1, published Mar. 21, 2002, by F. Tung describes the use of Cu copper pillars on semiconductor chips, and is assigned to the same assignee as the instant invention. 
     The advent of VLSI technology in the semiconductor field has resulted in the demand for high-density packaging. Semiconductor packaging traditionally has three levels of package. The first level, a single chip module (SCM) is made up of a semiconductor chip attached to a substrate. A substrate and chip assembly is usually molded in an encapsulant for environmental protection. The second level of package, usually a printed circuit card, mounts and interconnects the single chip modules and has a connector system to the third level package, usually a planar printed circuit board. 
     Elimination of a level of package has been a driving force in electronic system design in the recent past. This reduction in packaging levels would allow for closer spacing of semiconductor chips thereby reducing signal delay times. One design currently in use is direct chip attach (DCA). In this design chips are flip-chip mounted onto a substrate, usually ceramic, and the assembly sealed in an enclosure for environmental protection. The environmental protection is required to protect the semiconductor and interconnections against corrosive elements and mechanical disturbances. The inclusion of enclosures for environmental protection results in larger packages with larger distances between semiconductor chips and thereby longer signal delays. 
     Several interconnection technologies have been developed for use in DCA designs. TAB tape utilizes the periphery of the semiconductor chip as does fine pitch surface mount (FPT). Inherent in these designs is that the peripheral leads increase the space required by each semiconductor chip. Again this increase in chip spacing results in longer signal delays. 
     The ball grid array (BGA) technology is an area array interconnect design, wherein the front surface of the semiconductor chip is utilized for an array of solder spheres used to interconnect to the next level of package. This arrangement allows for the interconnects to remain within the area of the semiconductor chip. 
     As dimensions of semiconductor devices became smaller an additional demand on semiconductor chip interconnects has emerged. Alpha particles emitted from solder alloys have been shown to cause semiconductor devices to malfunction. Interconnections that contain solder alloys need to be physically spaced away from the semiconductor devices. One design approach is to include copper pillars on the surface of the semiconductor chips. This approach is disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Publication U.S. 2002/0033412A1 dated Mar. 21, 2002. The copper pillars are incorporated between the solder of the BGA and the surface of the semiconductor chip so as to reduce the effect of the alpha particles on the devices. 
     First level package designs need to address the following: 
     Allow for reliable interconnections to the chip surface and to the next level of package. 
     Protect the chip and the interconnects from chemical corrosion. 
     Protect the chip from physical and mechanical disturbances, (shock and vibrations.) 
     A present design that has been shown to be capable of addressing the above demands is shown in FIG. 1 (Prior Art). A semiconductor chip  10  that has a BGA 12 on the front surface is bonded onto an interposer  14  that has printed metallurgy to connect the chip I/Os to peripheral TAB connections  16 . The assembly is encapsulated in a plastic compound  18  for environmental protection. Although this design satisfies the criteria set above it has the disadvantage of increasing the area required by the semiconductor chip by 4x˜9x, due to the use of the interposer. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The main objective of the invention is to provide a package design for semiconductor chips that eliminates the need for a first level package. The package design should provide reliable interconnections to the chip and to the next level of package. In addition it needs to protect the semiconductor chip and the interconnections from the environment. 
     Another objective is for the invention to provide a method for manufacturing the semiconductor chip package in a reliable and efficient manner. 
     An additional objective is for the package to have a minimal impact on increasing the area required by the semiconductor chip. 
     The above objectives are achieved by the present invention by providing a design and method of manufacture for a semiconductor chip grid array (CGA) package. 
     An embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG.  2 B. The semiconductor chip  20  with conductive pillars  22  is fully encapsulated in a molding compound  26  that incorporates castellations  28  for better electrical isolation of the interconnects. A bottom view is shown in FIG.  2 A. The package has a fully encapsulated or molded semiconductor chip and provides a CGA for interconnect to the next level of package while eliminating the need for a substrate or interposer. 
     A manufacturing method for the semiconductor CGA package utilizes a copper lead frame tape that carries the semiconductor chips. The semiconductor chips include solderable pillars. The tape with the semiconductor chips mounted progresses through a molding process that forms a molded panel of a quantity of chips. The units are then separated from the tape and solder balls are mounted on the pillars. The units may be tested at this stage. The molded semiconductor CGA assemblies are then separated into single chip modules. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a conventional single chip module of the prior art. 
     FIG. 2A is a bottom view of a first embodiment of the CGA of the invention. 
     FIG. 2B is a cross-sectional view of a first embodiment of the CGA of the invention. 
     FIG. 3A is a bottom view of a second embodiment of the CGA of the invention. 
     FIG. 3B is a cross-sectional view of a second embodiment of the CGA of the invention. 
     FIG. 4A is a bottom view of a third embodiment of the CGA of the invention. 
     FIG. 4B is a cross-sectional view of a third embodiment of the CGA of the invention. 
     FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the etched lead frame tape of the invention. 
     FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of chips mounted on the lead frame tape of the invention. 
     FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the molded panel on the lead frame of the invention. 
     FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the molded panel of the invention after the lead frame has been removed. 
     FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the molded panel of the invention with the solder balls attached. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     The decrease in semiconductor device sizes has resulted in VLSI integrated circuit chips with a large number of circuits per chip. The increase in circuits per chip has resulted in increased demand for interconnections to the chip. In order to meet the demand for the higher number of interconnections the use of BGA interconnection technology is being used extensively. BGA or solder ball technology has shown it can provide the high interconnection density required by allowing for close spacing of the interconnects as well as utilizing the total area of the semiconductor chip. 
     The new micron sized devices have been shown to be susceptible to alpha particle emissions that cause significant errors. Lead and lead alloys emit small amounts of alpha particles. In order to minimize the deleterious effects of the alpha particles copper pillars have been used. See U.S. Patent Application Publication U.S. 2002/0033412A1 herein incorporated by reference. The pillars displace the lead based solder and move it to a distance from the semiconductor devices as to minimize the alpha particle effects. 
     The present invention discloses a package design and method of manufacture for semiconductor chips that utilize pillar interconnections. The present invention is shown in FIG.  2 B. The semiconductor chip  20  that includes solder tipped copper pillars  22  is molded in an opaque encapsulant  26  that surrounds the chip and the pillar. Lead-tin solder balls or solder paste  24  of different compositions are attached to the solder tip pillars and extend beyond the encapsulant for connection to the next level of package. The molded encapsulant  26  is fashioned to have a grid of castellations  28  that isolate each solder ball as shown in FIG.  2 A. 
     A second embodiment of the present invention utilizes a lead frame tape without any serrations, which results in a semiconductor chip package as shown in FIGS. 3B and 3A. 
     In a third embodiment of the present invention the lead frame tape is serrated in a manner, which delineates each individual semiconductor chip package with a castellation  28  as shown in FIGS. 4B and 4A. 
     The CGA module designs shown in FIGS. 2A-4B satisfy the demands of a first level package. Semiconductor chip  20  is molded in an encapsulant for environmental protection, the solder balls or solder paste of the CGA are properly positioned for the next level of assembly and reliably connected to the semiconductor chip pillars. 
     The method of manufacture of the CGA semiconductor module of the present invention and disclosed herein consists of the following steps: 
     In a first embodiment of the invention, a lead frame tape  32  shown in FIG. 5 is etched to provide castellations to be formed during the molding process. The lead frame tape is etched to allow for better mold compound flow. 
     Semiconductor chips  20  are attached to the lead frame tape  32  by soldering, as shown in FIG.  6 . As shown in FIG. 6, the lead frame tape openings  29  are offset from the chip pillars  22 . 
     The lead frame tape  32  with a multiplicity of semiconductor chips  20  is molded in an encapsulant  26 , shown in FIG.  7 . 
     Heat is applied to the lead frame tape in order to melt the solder connecting the chips to the lead frame tape. The lead frame tape is then removed as shown in FIG.  8 . 
     Solder is then introduced to the assembly and solder balls  24  are formed and connected to the semiconductor chip pillars  22 , FIG.  9 . 
     A dicing process is used to produce the individual modules containing one semiconductor chip and its CGA interconnects. 
     In the second embodiment of the invention, the same method of manufacture is used except that the lead frame tape  32  is not etched, with the resultant structure being shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B. 
     In the third embodiment of the invention, the same method of manufacture is used with the exception that the lead frame tape  32  is etched and serrated in such a manner as to delineate each individual semiconductor chip as shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B. 
     The present invention, the design and method of manufacture of a CGA semiconductor chip package has been shown to satisfy the demands placed on a semiconductor chip first level package. It protects the semiconductor and interconnects from environmental exposure and allows for use of a BGA interconnect to the next level of package. 
     Although the invention has been described and illustrated with reference to specific illustrative embodiments thereof, it is not intended that the invention be limited to those illustrative embodiments. Those skilled in the art will recognize that variations and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. It is therefore intended to include within the invention all such variations and modifications which fall within the scope of the appended claims and equivalents thereof.