Package including an underfill material in a portion of an area between the package and a substrate or another package

Embodiments include but are not limited to apparatuses and systems including semiconductor packages, e.g. memory packages, having a substrate or a first package, and a second package coupled to the substrate or the first package, wherein the second package includes at least one die and an underfill material disposed in a portion, but not an entirety, of an area between the package and the substrate or the first package. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.

BACKGROUND

Conventionally, a package is mounted to a substrate (or joined with another package) by reflowing solder bumps between the package and the substrate or other package, and then, an underfill is drawn by capillary action into the area between the package and the substrate or other package. More recently, no-flow underfill material has been applied directly to the substrate or other package, and then the package is pressed onto the underfill. In both scenarios, the entire area between the package and the substrate or other package is filled with underfill for solder joint reliability.

all arranged in accordance with various embodiments of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

This disclosure is generally drawn, inter alia, to a package including an underfill in a portion of an area between the package and a substrate or another package. Embodiments include, but are not limited to, methods, apparatuses, and systems. Other embodiments may also be disclosed and claimed.

The present disclosure recognizes that solder ball (sometimes referred to in the art as solder bumps or solder joints) pitches are becoming increasingly fine, and that underfill material is typically applied in an entirety of a space between a package and a substrate or another package, in a manner that fully encases the solder balls, in order to help improve solder joint reliability. In contravention to this practice, this disclosure is drawn to an apparatus comprising a substrate or a first package, and a second package coupled to the substrate or the first package, wherein the second package includes at least one die and an underfill material disposed in a portion, but not an entirety, of an area between the package and the substrate or the first package. In various embodiments, the underfill material may be selectively applied to solder joint areas that tend to be weak (under thermal cycling or drop test, for example). Such selective application of underfill material may reduce underfill material consumption relative to other methods, while still providing solder joint reliability.

FIG. 1illustrates an example apparatus100comprising a package102including an underfill material104in a portion, but not an entirety, of an area106between the package102and a substrate or another package108, arranged in accordance with at least some embodiments of the present disclosure. As illustrated, at least another portion of the area106between the package102and the substrate or another package108is substantially free of the underfill material104.

A plurality of solder joints110may couple the package102to the substrate or another package108. One or both of the package102and the substrate or another package108may include traces or pads112for routing signals. The underfill material104may be disposed around at least one of the plurality of solder joints110.

The underfill material104may be disposed in any portion or portions of the area106between the package102and the substrate or another package108. In various embodiments, the underfill material104may be disposed to a portion or portions of the area106that tend to exhibit solder joint failure. For example,FIG. 2illustrates the apparatus ofFIG. 1taken along line2-2, in which the underfill material104may be disposed between the substrate or another package108and at least one corner114of the package102. Although the depicted embodiment illustrates the underfill material104being at each of the four corners114of the package102, in some embodiments the underfill material104may be disposed at fewer than each of the four corners108of the package102. In various other embodiments, the underfill material104may be disposed along a periphery of the package102as illustrated inFIG. 3. Numerous other configurations are possible. For example, underfill material104may be disposed in a center of the package instead of or in addition to the corners114or the periphery of the package102.

The underfill material104may comprise any material suitable for the purpose, whether flow-type or no-flow type. Example underfill materials may include, for example, epoxy, silicone, or the like. In various embodiments, the underfill material104may comprises an epoxy flux material for which further application of flux may not be necessary. Other materials may be similarly suitable.

The package102may be any type of package typically coupled to a substrate or another package by solder joints. For example, various embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented for package-on-packages (PoP), multi-chip modules (MOM), or chip-scale packages (CSP).FIGS. 4-9illustrate various example apparatuses comprising a package including an underfill material in a portion of an area between the package and a substrate or another package.

FIG. 4illustrates a cross-sectional view of an example apparatus400comprising a package102including an underfill material104in a portion of an area106between the package102and a substrate108, arranged according to at least some embodiments described herein. A plurality of solder joints110may couple the package102to the substrate108. The package102may include at least one die116(two dies are illustrated) mounted on a carrier substrate120, and the at least one die116may be electrically coupled by wires118to conductive traces or pads112of the carrier substrate120. An encapsulant material122(sometimes referred to in the art as mold compound) may be formed over the at least one die116, forming the package102.

FIG. 5illustrates a cross-sectional view of an example PoP apparatus500comprising a package102including an underfill material104in a portion of an area106between the package102and another package108, arranged according to at least some embodiments described herein. A plurality of solder joints110may couple the package102to the other package108. The package102may include at least one die116(two dies are illustrated) mounted on a carrier substrate118, and the at least one die116may be electrically coupled by wires118to conductive traces or pads112of the carrier substrate120. An encapsulant material122may be formed over the at least one die116, forming the package102.

The other package108may include at least one die124mounted on a carrier substrate126, and the at least one die124may be electrically coupled by wires128to conductive traces or pads112of the carrier substrate126. An encapsulant material130may be formed over the at least one die124, forming the package108.

Although not illustrated, the apparatus500may be mounted onto another substrate or another package. In some embodiments, the apparatus500may be mounted to another substrate or another package via another plurality of solder joints132.

FIG. 6illustrates a cross-sectional view of an example apparatus600comprising a CSP package102including an underfill material104in a portion of an area106between the package102and a substrate108, arranged according to at least some embodiments described herein. The package102may include at least one die134and an optional redistribution layer136coupling the die134to the substrate108via a plurality of solder joints110.

FIG. 7illustrates a cross-sectional view of an example apparatus700comprising a CSP package102including an underfill material104in a portion of an area106between the package102and another package108, arranged according to at least some embodiments described herein. The package102may include at least one die116and an optional redistribution layer132coupling the die116to the other package108via a plurality of solder joints110.

The other package108may include at least one die124mounted on a carrier substrate126, and the at least one die124may be electrically coupled by wires128to conductive traces or pads112of the carrier substrate126. An encapsulant material130may be formed over the at least one die124, forming the package108.

Although not illustrated, the apparatus700may be mounted onto another substrate or another package. In some embodiments, the apparatus500may be mounted to another substrate or another package via another plurality of solder joints132.

FIG. 8illustrates a cross-sectional view of an example MOM apparatus800comprising a plurality of packages102including an underfill material104in a portion of an area106between each of the packages102and the substrate108, arranged according to at least some embodiments described herein. A plurality of solder joints110may couple the packages102to the substrate108. The packages102may each include at least one die116(two dies are illustrated) mounted on a carrier substrate118, and the at least one die116may be electrically coupled by wires118to conductive traces or pads112of the carrier substrate120. An encapsulant material122(sometimes referred to in the art as mold compound) may be formed over the at least one die116, forming the packages102. Although not illustrated, the apparatus800may be mounted onto another substrate or another package.

FIG. 9illustrates a cross-sectional view of another example MOM apparatus900comprising a plurality of CSP packages102including an underfill material104in a portion of an area106between each of the packages102and the substrate108, arranged according to at least some embodiments described herein. A plurality of solder joints110may couple the packages102to the substrate108. Each of the packages102may include at least one die116and an optional redistribution layer132coupling the dies116to the substrate108via a plurality of solder joints110. Although not illustrated, the apparatus900may be mounted onto another substrate or another package.

Although the MOM apparatuses800,900each include a plurality of the same form of packages102(e.g., package900includes a plurality of CSP packages), the present disclosure is not so limited. MOM apparatuses within the scope of the present disclosure may include various forms of packages.

The apparatuses ofFIGS. 1-9may be more clearly understood with reference toFIG. 10.FIG. 10is a flow diagram illustrating some of the operations associated with an example method of making an apparatus comprising a package including an underfill material in a portion of an area between the package and a substrate or another package, arranged in accordance with at least some embodiments of the present disclosure. It should be noted that although the method is illustrated as a series of sequential steps, the method is not necessarily order dependent. Moreover, methods within the scope of this disclosure may include more or fewer steps than that illustrated.

Turning now toFIG. 10, with continued reference to various elements of the apparatuses ofFIGS. 1-9, the method1000may include one or more functions, operations, or actions as is illustrated by block1002, block1004, and/or block1006. Processing for the method1000may start with block1002, “Deposit an underfill material on a first portion, but not an entirety, of a first surface of a package having a die.” In various embodiments, the underfill material may be deposited around at least one of a plurality of solder bumps disposed in between the package and the substrate or another package. The underfill material may be deposited on one or more corners of the package, the periphery of the package, or any other portion of the solder bump area of the package. The underfill material may be deposited in a manner such that at least another portion of the area between the package and the substrate is substantially free of the underfill material.

Any suitable method may be used for depositing the underfill material. For example, the underfill material may be deposited by screen printing, dispensing, or jetting the underfill material onto the first portion of the package. In various embodiments, the underfill material may be deposited by dipping the first portion of the package into the underfill material. The underfill material may be deposited before or after singulation of the packages from a substrate strip.

From block1002, method1000may proceed to block1004, “Place the package onto a substrate or another package such that the underfill material is disposed between the package and the substrate or another package.”

From block1004, method1000may proceed to block1006, “Heat the underfill material to cure the underfill material to couple the package to the substrate or another package.” In various embodiments, the underfill material may be cured substantially simultaneously with reflowing the plurality of solder bumps disposed between the package and the substrate or another package to form a corresponding plurality of solder joints.

In various applications, block1002may optionally be performed by a manufacturer of the package, and then the package having the underfill deposited thereon may be distributed to an OEM or system integrator to be joined with the package or another package at block1004.

FIGS. 11-14illustrate cross-sectional views of various stages of an apparatus comprising a package including an underfill material in a portion of an area between the package and a substrate or another package, manufactured with an example method, arranged according to at least some embodiments described herein.

As illustrated inFIG. 11, a package102is provided. The package102includes at least one die116(two dies are illustrated) mounted on a carrier substrate120, and the at least one die116may be electrically coupled by wires118to conductive traces or pads112of the carrier substrate120. A plurality of solder bumps110may be provided on the package102for mounting the package onto a substrate or another package.

An underfill material104may then be deposited onto a portion, but not an entirety, of the package102, as illustrated inFIG. 12. After depositing the underfill material104onto the package102, the package102may be placed onto a substrate or another package108such that the underfill material104is disposed between the package102and the substrate or another package108, as illustrated inFIG. 13. Then, the underfill material104may be heated to cure the underfill material104to couple the package102to the substrate or another package108. As discussed herein, in various applications, the underfill material104may be deposited onto the package102by a manufacturer of the package102, and then the package102having the underfill material104deposited thereon may be distributed to an OEM or system integrator to be joined with the package or another package108.

Embodiments of apparatuses described herein may be incorporated into various other apparatuses and systems, including but are not limited to various computing and/or consumer electronic devices/appliances, such as desktop or laptop computers, servers, set-top boxes, digital reorders, game consoles, personal digital assistants, mobile phones, digital media players, and digital cameras. A block diagram of an exemplary system1500is illustrated inFIG. 15. As illustrated, the system1500may include a memory device1502. In various embodiments, memory device1502may be a volatile or a non-volatile memory device. In various embodiments, memory device1502may be a NAND, NOR, or phase change non-volatile flash memory device. In various embodiments, memory device1502may include a memory apparatus comprising a package including an underfill material in a portion of an area between the package, and a substrate or another package (collectively,1504) to which the memory apparatus including the package is mounted or joined. In various embodiments, the another package may be another similar memory apparatus. In other words, memory device1502may be a multi-package device. Example memory apparatuses may include any one or more of the apparatuses100,400,500,600,700,800, or900described herein.

In various embodiments, memory device1502may be operatively coupled to a host logic device1506. In various embodiments, the host logic device1506may be mounted to the same substrate memory device1502is mounted. In other embodiments, memory device1502may be joined with host logic device1502. In various embodiments, the host logic device1506may be a microcontroller, a digital signal processor or a general purpose microprocessor. In various embodiments, the host logic device1506may include a processor core1508or a plurality of processor cores1508.

In various embodiments, the system1500may comprise a host logic device bus1510to operatively couple the memory device1502and the host logic device1506, including electrically coupling memory device1502and the host logic device1506. In various embodiments, host logic device bus1510may be disposed on a substrate to which both memory1502and host logic device1506are mounted.

In various embodiments, the system1500may further include communications interface(s)1514(coupled e.g., also to host logic device bus1510) to provide an interface for system1500to communicate over one or more networks and/or with any other suitable device. Communications interface(s)1514may include any suitable hardware and/or firmware. Communications interface(s)1514for one embodiment may include, for example, a network adapter, a wireless network adapter, a telephone modem, and/or a wireless modem. For wireless communications, communications interface(s)1514for one embodiment may use one or more antennas (not illustrated).

Various operations may be described as multiple discrete operations in turn, in a manner that may be helpful in understanding embodiments; however, the order of description should not be construed to imply that these operations are order-dependent. Also, embodiments may have fewer operations than described. A description of multiple discrete operations should not be construed to imply that all operations are necessary. Also, embodiments may have fewer operations than described. A description of multiple discrete operations should not be construed to imply that all operations are necessary.