Electronic package and fabrication method thereof

An electronic package is provided, which includes: a substrate; at least an electronic element disposed on the substrate; an antenna structure disposed on the substrate; and an encapsulant formed on the substrate for encapsulating the electronic element and the antenna structure. Therein, the antenna structure has an extension portion and a plurality of support portions connected to the extension portion for supporting the extension portion over the substrate so as to save the surface area of the substrate, thereby meeting the miniaturization requirement of the electronic package.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to electronic packages, and more particularly, to an electronic package having an antenna structure.

2. Description of Related Art

Along with the rapid development of electronic industries, electronic products are developed towards multi-function and high electrical performance. Wireless communication technologies have been widely applied in various kinds of consumer electronic products for receiving or transmitting various wireless signals. To meet the miniaturization requirement of consumer electronic products, wireless communication modules are becoming lighter, thinner, shorter and smaller. For example, patch antennas have been widely applied in wireless communication modules of electronic products such as cell phones and personal digital assistants (PDAs) due to their advantages of small size, light weight and easy fabrication.

FIG. 1is a schematic perspective view of a wireless communication module. Referring toFIG. 1, the wireless communication module1has: a substrate10, a plurality of electronic elements11disposed on and electrically connected to the substrate10, an antenna structure12disposed on the substrate10, and an encapsulant13. The substrate10is a circuit board and has a rectangular shape. The antenna structure12is of a planar type. The antenna structure12has a main body120and a conductive wire121, and the main body120is electrically connected to the electronic elements11through the conductive wire121. The encapsulant13encapsulates the electronic elements11and a portion of the conductive wire121.

However, based on the characteristic of electromagnetic radiation between the planar-type antenna structure12and the electronic elements11and limitation of the size of the planar-type antenna structure12, the encapsulant13only covers the electronic elements11and exposes the main body120of the antenna structure12. Therefore, a mold that corresponds in size to the disposing area of the electronic elements11instead of the overall substrate10is needed in a molding process for forming the encapsulant13.

Further, the planar-type antenna structure12occupies a large surface area of the substrate10and hinders miniaturization of the wireless communication module1.

Therefore, there is a need to provide an electronic package and a fabrication method thereof so as to overcome the above-described drawbacks.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the above-described drawbacks, the present invention provides an electronic package, which comprises: a substrate; at least an electronic element disposed on the substrate; an antenna structure disposed on the substrate and having an extension portion and a plurality of support portions connected to the extension portion for supporting the extension portion over the substrate; and an encapsulant formed on the substrate for encapsulating the electronic element and the extension portion and the support portions of the antenna structure.

The present invention further provides a fabrication method of an electronic package, which comprises the steps of: providing a substrate having at least an electronic element disposed thereon; disposing an antenna structure on the substrate, wherein the antenna structure has an extension portion and a plurality of support portions connected to the extension portion for supporting the extension portion over the substrate; and forming an encapsulant on the substrate for encapsulating the electronic element and the extension portion and the support portions of the antenna structure.

In an embodiment, the substrate has a circuit electrically connected to the electronic element.

In an embodiment, the electronic element is an active element or a passive element.

In an embodiment, the antenna structure is made of a metal frame.

In an embodiment, the extension portion serves as a main body of the antenna structure.

In an embodiment, the extension portion has a bent shape, a circular shape or a C shape.

In an embodiment, the extension portion is located at a position higher than that of the electronic element.

In an embodiment, the support portions serve as input and ground terminals for electrically connecting the extension portion to the substrate.

In an embodiment, the extension portion surrounds the electronic element.

According to the present invention, the extension portion of the antenna structure is supported over the substrate by the support portions of the antenna structure, and the extension portion and the support portions of the antenna structure and the electronic element are encapsulated by the encapsulant. Therefore, the invention allows a mold having a size corresponding to the substrate to be used in a molding process for forming the encapsulant, thereby facilitating the molding process.

Further, since the extension portion can be supported by the support portions over a region of the substrate where the electronic element is disposed (i.e., where the encapsulant is to be formed), the invention avoids direct disposing of the extension portion on the substrate so as to save the surface area of the substrate. Therefore, compared with the prior art, the invention can effectively reduce the size of the substrate so as to meet the miniaturization requirement of the electronic package.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The following illustrative embodiments are provided to illustrate the disclosure of the present invention, these and other advantages and effects can be apparent to those in the art after reading this specification.

It should be noted that all the drawings are not intended to limit the present invention. Various modifications and variations can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Further, terms such as “on”, “first”, “second”, “a” etc. are merely for illustrative purposes and should not be construed to limit the scope of the present invention.

FIGS. 2A and 2Bare schematic perspective views showing a fabrication method of an electronic package2according to the present invention. In the present embodiment, the electronic package2is a SiP (system in package) wireless communication module.

Referring toFIG. 2A, a substrate20is provided, which has a plurality of electronic elements21disposed thereon. Then, an antenna structure22is disposed on and electrically connected to the substrate20.

In the present embodiment, the substrate20is a circuit board or a ceramic board and has a rectangular shape, and a circuit200is formed on the substrate20. Further, a circuit layer (not shown) can be formed inside the substrate20.

The electronic elements21can be active or passive elements. The electronic elements21are electrically connected to the circuit200.

The antenna structure22is made of a metal frame. The antenna structure22has an extension portion220and a plurality of support portions221vertically disposed on the substrate20for supporting the extension portion220over the substrate20. As such, the extension portion220is located at a position higher than that of the electronic elements21. Further, the extension portion220extends along side edges of the substrate20so as to surround the electronic elements21.

Furthermore, at least two support portions221are provided to serve as an input terminal and a ground terminal of the circuit200, and the extension portion220serves as a main body of the antenna structure22. The extension portion220can have an open shape, such as a C shape ofFIG. 2A. Alternatively, referring toFIG. 2A′, the extension portion220′ of the antenna structure22′ has an n shape. In other embodiments, the extension portion220can have a bent shape such as an L shape or a closed shape such as a circular shape.

Referring toFIG. 2B, an encapsulant23is formed on the substrate20to encapsulate the electronic elements21and the extension portion220and the support portions221of the antenna structure22.

In the present invention, a metal sheet is formed into the 3D antenna structure22and then the extension portion220of the antenna structure22is disposed over the substrate20and surrounds the electronic elements21so as to allow the extension portion220and the electronic elements21to be encapsulated by the encapsulant23through a molding process. Therefore, the invention allows a mold having a size corresponding to the substrate20to be used in the molding process so as to facilitate the fabrication process.

Further, the encapsulant23can stably fix the antenna structure22to a certain height, and the dielectric constant of the encapsulant23can reduce the required electrical length of the antenna structure.

In addition, since the extension portion220is supported by the support portions221over the substrate20, the antenna structure23can be disposed in the same region where the electronic elements21are disposed (i.e., where the encapsulant23is to be formed). As such, the invention avoids direct disposing of the extension portion220on the substrate20so as to save the surface area of the substrate20. Compared with the prior art, the present invention can reduce the size of the substrate20so as to meet the miniaturization requirement of the electronic package2.

Also, by disposing the extension portion220over the substrate20, a receiving space is formed between the extension portion220and the substrate20so as for other electrical structures to be disposed therein.

The invention further provides an electronic package2, which has: a substrate20, a plurality of electronic elements21disposed on the substrate20, and an antenna structure22,22′.

The substrate20has a circuit200.

The electronic elements21are active or passive elements and electrically connected to the circuit200.

The antenna structure22,22′ is made of a metal frame. The antenna structure22,22′ has an extension portion220,220′ and a plurality of support portions221,221′ vertically disposed on the substrate20for supporting the extension portion220,220′ over the substrate20. The extension portion220,220′ extends along side edges of the substrate20to surround the electronic elements21.

In the present embodiment, the extension portion220,220′ is located at a position higher than that of the electronic elements21.

In an embodiment, the extension portion220,220′ has a C shape, a bent shape or a circular shape.

The support portions221,221′ serve as input and ground terminals for electrically connecting the extension portion220,220′ to the circuit200or an inner circuit layer of the substrate20.

The electronic package2further has an encapsulant23formed on the substrate20for encapsulating the electronic elements21and the extension portion220,220′ and the support portions221,221′ of the antenna structure22,22′.

Therefore, the present invention provides a 3D antenna structure to replace the conventional planar type antenna structure. The 3D antenna structure can be disposed on the substrate in a region where the electronic elements are disposed to thereby facilitate the fabrication process and reduce the size of the substrate so as to meet the miniaturization requirement of the electronic package.

The above-described descriptions of the detailed embodiments are only to illustrate the preferred implementation according to the present invention, and it is not to limit the scope of the present invention. Accordingly, all modifications and variations completed by those with ordinary skill in the art should fall within the scope of present invention defined by the appended claims.