Staktek Group L.p.

Entorian Technologies LP

Staktek Corporation

Arrowsmith Shelburne, Inc.

Other

Enthorian Technologies, LP

James W Cady

David Roper

James Douglas Wehrly, Jr

James G Wilder

Jeff Buchle

Carmen D Burns

Russell Rapport

Jerry Mark Roane

Paul Goodwin

Julian Dowden

Julian Partridge

Jeffrey Alan Buchle

Phillip R Troetschel

Douglas Wehrly

John P Barr, Jr

Philip R Troetschel

A flex circuit is populated on one or both sides with plural integrated circuit die. In a preferred mode, the flex circuit is populated with flip-chip die. One side of the flex circuit has a connective facility implemented in a preferred mode with edge connector contacts. The flex circuit is disposed about a substrate to form a circuit module that may be inserted into an edge connector such as ones typically found on a computer board.

Die module system

The present invention provides a system and method that mounts integrated circuit devices onto substrates and a system and method for employing the method in stacked modules. The contact pads of a packaged integrated circuit device are substantially exposed. A solder paste that includes higher temperature solder paste alloy is applied to a substrate or to the integrated circuit device to be mounted. The integrated circuit device is positioned to contact the contacts of the substrate. Heat is applied to create high temperature joints between the contacts of the substrate and the integrated circuit device resulting in a device-substrate assembly with high temperature joints. The formed joints are less subject to re-melting in subsequent processing steps. The method may be employed in devising stacked module constructions such as those disclosed herein as preferred embodiments in accordance with the invention. Typically, the created joints are low in profile.

Low profile stacking system and method

A flexible circuit is populated on one or both sides and disposed about a substrate to create a circuit module. Along one of its edges, the flex circuit is connected to a connective facility such as a multiple pin connector while the flex circuit is disposed about a thermally-conductive form that provides structure to create a module with plural layers of circuitry in a single module. In preferred embodiments, the form is metallic and, in alternative preferred embodiments, the module circuitry is disposed within a housing. Preferred embodiments may be devised that present a compact flash module within a housing that may be connected to or into a system or product through a connective facility that is preferably a male or female socket connector while the housing is configured to mechanically adapt to an application environment.

Compact module system and method

The present invention stacks packaged integrated circuits into modules that conserve PWB or other board surface area. The present invention can be used to advantage with packages of a variety of sizes and configurations ranging from larger packaged base elements having many dozens of contacts to smaller packages such as, for example, die-sized packages such as DSBGA. In a preferred embodiment devised in accordance with the present invention, a base element CSP integrated circuit and a support element CSP integrated circuit are aggregated through a flex circuit having at least two conductive layers that are patterned to selectively connect the two CSP elements. A portion of the flex circuit connected to the support element is folded over the base element to dispose the support element above the base element while reducing the overall footprint. The flex circuit provides a thermal and electrical connection path between the module and an application environment such as a printed wiring board (PWB).

Integrated circuit stacking system

A circuit module shunts thermal energy into a chassis component or a part of the box of the computing application in which the module is employed. In one preferred mode, a flex circuit is populated along each of its first and second major sides with two ranks of ICs which are, preferably, array type (CSP) devices. Insertion contacts are disposed in two sets on the first side of the flex circuit typically between the two ranks of ICs along the first side of the IC. A substrate with first and second lateral sides provides a form for the module. That substrate is preferably comprised of metallic material and exhibits an edge about which the flex circuit is wrapped and an extension at the other extremity of the substrate that is thermally connected to a chassis component of the application, either directly or, preferably, through a thermal conduit such as a thermally conductive compliant material.

Module thermal management system and method

A flexible circuit has contacts for mounting in a socket or card edge connector. The flexible circuit includes integrated circuit devices mounted on both sides of the edge connector contacts. Preferably, the flexible circuit is wrapped about an edge of a rigid substrate and presents contacts on both sides of the substrate for mounting in a socket. Multiple flexible circuits may be overlaid with the same strategy. The flexible circuit may exhibit one or two or more conductive layers, and may have changes in the layered structure or have split layers.

Thin module system and method

A form standard provides a physical form that allows many of the varying package sizes found in the broad family of CSP packages to be used to advantage while employing a standard connective flex circuitry design that is disposed about the form. In a preferred embodiment, the form standard will be devised of heat transference material such as copper to improve thermal performance.

Flex-based circuit module

The present invention stacks integrated circuits (ICs) into modules that conserve PWB or other board surface area. In another aspect, the invention provides a lower capacitance memory expansion addressing system and method and preferably with the CSP stacked modules provided herein. In a preferred embodiment in accordance with the invention, a form standard provides a physical form that allows many of the varying package sizes found in the broad family of CSP packages to be used to advantage while employing a standard connective flex circuitry design. In a preferred embodiment, the form standard will be devised of heat transference material such as copper to improve thermal performance. In a preferred embodiment of the memory addressing system, a high speed switching system selects a data line associated with each level of a stacked module to reduce the loading effect upon data signals in memory access.

Memory expansion and integrated circuit stacking system and method

The present invention stacks integrated circuits (ICs) into modules that conserve PWB or other board surface area. In another aspect, the invention provides a lower capacitance memory expansion addressing system and method and preferably with the CSP stacked modules provided herein. In a preferred embodiment in accordance with the invention, a form standard provides a physical form that allows many of the varying package sizes found in the broad family of CSP packages to be used to advantage while employing a standard connective flex circuitry design. In a preferred embodiment, the form standard will be devised of heat transference material such as copper to improve thermal performance. In an alternative embodiment, the form standard may include a heat spreader portion with mounting feet. In a preferred embodiment of the memory addressing system, a high speed switching system selects a data line associated with each level of a stacked module to reduce the loading effect upon data signals in memory access.

Integrated circuit stacking system and method

The present invention stacks chip scale-packaged integrated circuits (CSPs) into modules that conserve PWB or other board surface area. In a two-high CSP stack or module devised in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, two CSPs are stacked, with one CSP disposed above the other. The two CSPs are connected with flex circuitry. A form standard is disposed between the flex circuitry and a CSP in the stack. The form standard can take many configurations and may be used where flex circuits are used to connect CSPs to one another in stacked modules having two or more constituent CSPs. For example, in stacked modules that include four CSPs, three form standards are employed in preferred embodiments, although fewer may be used. The form standard provides a thermally conductive physical form that allows many of the varying package sizes found in the broad family of CSP packages to be used to advantage while employing a standard connective flex circuitry design.

Stacking system and method

The present invention stacks packaged integrated circuits into modules that conserve PWB or other board surface area. The invention provides techniques and structures for aggregating chip scale-packaged integrated circuits (CSPs) or leaded packages with other CSPs or with monolithic or stacked leaded packages into modules that conserve PWB or other board surface area. The present invention can be used to advantage with packages of a variety of sizes and configurations ranging from larger packaged base elements having many dozens of contacts to smaller packages such as, for example, die-sized packages such as DSBGA. In a preferred embodiment devised in accordance with the present invention, a base element CSP and a support element CSP are aggregated through a flex circuit having at least two conductive layers that are patterned to selectively connect the two CSP elements. The flex circuit connects the ICs and provides a thermal and electrical connection path between the module and an application environment such as a printed wiring board (PWB).

The present invention stacks chip scale-packaged integrated circuits (CSPs) into modules that conserve PWB or other board surface area. In another aspect, the invention provides a lower capacitance memory expansion addressing system and method and preferably with the CSP stacked modules provided herein. In a preferred embodiment in accordance with the invention, a form standard is disposed between the flex circuitry and the IC package over which a portion of the flex circuitry is laid. The form standard provides a physical form that allows many of the varying package sizes found in the broad family of CSP packages to be used to advantage while employing a standard connective flex circuitry design. In a preferred embodiment, the form standard will be devised of heat transference material such as copper to improve thermal performance. In a preferred embodiment, a high speed switching system selects a data line associated with each level of a stacked module to reduce the loading effect upon data signals in memory access. This favorably changes the impedance characteristics exhibited by a DIMM board populated with stacked modules. In a preferred embodiment, FET multiplexers for example, under logic control select particular data lines associated with particular levels of stacked modules populated upon a DIMM for connection to a controlling chip set in a memory expansion system.

Memory expansion and chip scale stacking system and method

The present invention stacks integrated circuits into modules that conserve board surface area. In a two-high stack or module devised in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a pair of integrated circuits is stacked, with one integrated circuit above the other. The two integrated circuits are connected with a pair of flexible circuit structures. Each of the pair of flexible circuit structures is partially wrapped about a respective opposite lateral edge of the lower integrated circuit of the module. The flex circuit pair connects the upper and lower integrated circuits and provides a thermal and electrical path connection path between the module and its application environment. The module has a bailout pattern with a different pitch and/or supplemental module contacts devised to allow combined signaling to the integrated circuits through contacts having a desired ballout footprint. The present invention may be employed to advantage in numerous configurations and combinations of integrated circuits in modules provided for high-density memories or high capacity computing.

Growing community of inventors

Austin, TX, United States of America

James W Cady