Integrated Device Technology, Inc.

Robin H Hodge

Thomas H Templeton, Jr

According to the invention, a packaged integrated circuit includes a lid attached to a base to enclose a cavity, an integrated circuit chip or chips being attached to each of the lid and base within the cavity. Preferably, the chip or chips that generate the most heat during operation of the packaged integrated circuit are attached to the lid and the lid is made of a material having good thermal conductivity such as aluminum nitride. The chips attached to the base generate relatively little heat and so do not require a heat sink to be included in the base. The packaged integrated circuit is formed in a cavity-up configuration, thereby enabling connection pins or solder balls to be formed over the entire exterior surface of the base, increasing interconnection density. Additionally, attachment of chips to both the lid and the base allows an increased number of electronic functions to be included in one packaged integrated circuit. Further, the chip or chips attached to the lid can be tested before being committed to the base, thereby enabling defective chips to be discarded without having to discard the relatively expensive base.

Package integrated circuit having thermal enhancement and reduced

Packaged integrated circuit having thermal enhancement and reduced

A semiconductor die is temporarily enclosed in a package. The packaged die is then electrically tested and burned in. The tested die is then removed from the package. If the die performed acceptably during test and burn-in, the die is retained and either used in a production integrated circuit or sold as an unpackaged individual die. The method is simple, inexpensive, and provides semiconductor dice of high reliability (packaged die yields approach 100%). Existing test and production facilities, equipment and process flows may be used with, at most, minor changes to process a semiconductor die for any application. Semiconductor dice processed by the method are particularly useful for complex and/or costly packaging options, e.g., multichip modules, hybrid circuits or chip-on-board.

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Portola Valley, CA, United States of America

Robin H Hodge