Apple Inc.

Shankar S Pennathur

Yanfeng Chen

Meng Chi Lee

Lan H Hoang

Mandar Painaik

Sean Anthony Mayo

Scott L Gooch

Trevor J Ness

Phillip R Sommer

Shakti Singh Chauhan

Dennis R Pyper

Amir Salehi

Michael Eng

James H Foster

Deniz Teoman

Carlos A S Ribas

A portable electronic device packaged into a System-in-Package assembly is disclosed. The portable electronic device can include a substrate and a plurality of components mounted on the substrate and included in one or more subsystems. Interference between subsystems or from external sources can be reduced or eliminated by disposing an insulating layer over the components, forming narrow trenches between subsystems, and depositing one or more layers of a multi-layer thin film stack on the insulating layer and filling the trenches. In some examples, the multi-layer thin film stack can include an adhesion layer, a shielding layer, a protection layer, and a cosmetic layer. In some examples, the multi-layer thin film stack can include multi-functional layers such as a protection and cosmetic layer.

Multi-layer thin-film coatings for system-in-package assemblies in portable electronic devices

System-in-package structures and methods of assembly are described. In an embodiment, a system-in-package includes opposing circuit boards, each including mounted components overlapping the mounted components of the opposing circuit board. A gap between the opposing circuit boards may be filled with a molding material, that additionally encapsulates the overlapping mounted components. In some embodiments, the opposing circuit boards are stacked on one another using one or more interposers that may provide mechanical or electrical connection.

System-in-package including opposing circuit boards

Electrical components may be packaged using system-in-package configurations or other component packages. Integrated circuit dies and other electrical components may be soldered or otherwise mounted on printed circuits. A layer of encapsulant may be used to encapsulate the integrated circuits. A shielding layer may be formed on the encapsulant layer to shield the integrate circuits. The shielding layer may include a sputtered metal seed layer and an electroplated layer of magnetic material. The electroplated layer may be a magnetic material that has a high permeability such as permalloy or mu metal to provide magnetic shielding for the integrated circuits. Integrated circuits may be mounted on one or both sides of the printed circuit. A temporary carrier and sealant may be used to hold the encapsulated integrated circuits during electroplating.

System-in-package devices with magnetic shielding

A portable electronic device packaged into a System-in-Package assembly is disclosed. The portable electronic device can include a substrate and a plurality of components mounted on the substrate and included in one or more subsystems. Interference between subsystems or from external sources can be reduced or eliminated by disposing an insulating layer over the components, forming narrow trenches between subsystems, and conformally coating the insulating layer and trenches with a metal shielding layer. In some examples, trenches between subsystems can be formed using a laser source. In some examples, trenches between subsystems can have angled walls. In some examples, the metal shielding layer can be formed using at least one of electroplating, electroless plating, chemical vapor deposition, and physical vapor deposition.

Shielding structures for system-in-package assemblies in portable electronic devices

Readily modifiable and customizable, low-area overhead interconnect structures for forming connections between a system-in-a-package module and other components in an electronic device. One example may provide an interposer for providing an interconnection between a system-in-a-package module and other components in an electronic device. Another may provide a plurality of conductive pins or contacts to form interconnect paths between a module and other components.

Low-area overhead connectivity solutions to SIP module

A compact portable electronic device packaged into a System-in-Package assembly and thermal solutions for the device is disclosed. The compact portable electronic device can be assembled into a single package to reduce size and enhance form factor. Several tens or hundreds of components including multiple dies, passive components, mechanical or optical components can be packaged into a single system on a printed circuit board. One or more of the components can dissipate a lot of power resulting in the generation of excess heat. To remove the excess heat, the device can include one or more thermal solutions such as internal thermal plugs, heat spreaders, internal embedded heat sinks, and/or external heat sinks. In some examples, the thermal solutions can dissipate heat via conduction to the bottom of the substrate or via convection to the top of the system or a combination of both.

Thermal solutions for system-in-package assemblies in portable electronic devices

Electrical components may be soldered to a printed circuit. The printed circuit may have an edge with an opening. Printed circuit contacts in the opening may be configured to form electrical connections with mating contacts on a flexible printed circuit or other external structure. A tester may test the electrical components by conveying signals through the contacts. Following testing, the external structure may be removed from the opening. The opening may then be filled with dielectric to isolate the printed circuit contacts. A printed circuit may have traces that extend under a ground on a surface of the printed circuit, may have edge test points formed from contacts that are cut in half when removing portions of the printed circuit, or may have through-mold vias that are formed through encapsulant over the electrical components.

Printed circuits with sacrificial test structures

The described embodiments relate generally to electronic devices and more particularly to methods for selectively encapsulating circuit boards and other electronic components contained within electronic devices. A first encapsulation layer can be limited to specific regions of a circuit board using a variety of processes including molding, laser ablation, etching, milling, and the like. Secondary assembly steps can then take place in the regions where the encapsulation layer is removed. In some embodiments, secondary encapsulants having various thermal, electrical, and optical characteristics can fill openings left in the first encapsulation layer to aid in the operation of underlying components.

Methods for transparent encapsulation and selective encapsulation

Molding assemblies and methods for dual side package molding are described. In an embodiment, a molding compound is injected into a front cavity with a first actuator, and a molding compound is injected into a back cavity with a second actuator, with the first and second actuator assemblies being independently controlled. In an embodiment, the molding compound flows through a through-hole in a molding substrate from a front side of the molding substrate to a back side of the molding substrate, and into the back cavity.

Growing community of inventors

San Jose, CA, United States of America

Shankar S Pennathur