Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
62 words
A semiconductor package comprising: a self-supporting metal foam thermally conductive sponge having a porous adhesion surface; a semiconductor die having bonding pads, said die being in thermal connection to said sponge; electrical interconnects extending from said bonding pads to output terminals; and an insulative encapsulant surrounding said die, said interconnects and extending into interstices of the porous adhesion surface of said sponge.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
62 words
A semiconductor package comprising: a self-supporting metal foam thermally conductive sponge having a porous adhesion surface; a semiconductor die having bonding pads, said die being in thermal connection to said sponge; electrical interconnects extending from said bonding pads to output terminals; and an insulative encapsulant surrounding said die, said interconnects and extending into interstices of the porous adhesion surface of said sponge.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
25 words
The package of claim 1 wherein said output terminals include a lead frame having lead frame fingers and wherein the electrical interconnects include bonding wires.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
34 words
The package of claim 1 further including a printed circuit board having circuitry metallization on a surface thereof and wherein said output terminals include a ball grid array extending from said printed circuit board.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
13 words
The package of claim 3 in which said electrical interconnects are bonding wires.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
21 words
The package of claim 3 in which said electrical interconnects are solder balls extending from said bonding pads to said metallization.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
34 words
The package of claim 3 wherein said printed circuit board includes a cavity, said die being positioned in said cavity and wherein after assembly said sponge and said encapsulant is sealed within said cavity.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
16 words
The package of claim 6 wherein said ball grid array surrounds said cavity and the encapsulant.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
51 words
The package of claim 1 wherein said output terminals include a lead frame having a die paddle, said paddle being positioned between said die and said sponge and wherein said die is attached to one surface of said paddle and said sponge is attached to an opposite surface of said paddle.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
86 words
A semiconductor package comprising: a die having a first surface and a second surface; a plurality of bonding pads on the first surface of the die; a thermally conductive sponge having a first surface and a second porous adhesion surface, the first surface of the thermally conductive sponge positioned in direct or indirect thermal contact with the second surface of the die; and an encapsulant which encapsulates the die, the bonding pads, and at least a portion of the thermally conductive sponge second porous adhesion surface.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
86 words
A semiconductor package comprising: a die having a first surface and a second surface; a plurality of bonding pads on the first surface of the die; a thermally conductive sponge having a first surface and a second porous adhesion surface, the first surface of the thermally conductive sponge positioned in direct or indirect thermal contact with the second surface of the die; and an encapsulant which encapsulates the die, the bonding pads, and at least a portion of the thermally conductive sponge second porous adhesion surface.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
81 words
The semiconductor package of claim 9 further comprising: a plurality of leads, each lead connected to one of the bonding pads at a bonding portion of the lead; and a die attach paddle having a first surface and a second surface, wherein the die is mounted on the first surface of the die attach paddle, the thermally conductive sponge is secured to the second surface of the die attach paddle, and the encapsulant additionally encapsulates the bonding portion of the leads.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
21 words
The semiconductor package of claim 10 wherein each lead is connected to one of the bonding pads with a bonding wire.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
12 words
The semiconductor package of claim 11 where the bonding wire is gold.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
26 words
The semiconductor package of claim 9 wherein the thermally conductive sponge has a range of thermal conductivity of from about 6 to about 20 watts/meter° C.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
17 words
The semiconductor package of claim 9 wherein the thermally conductive sponge is aluminum or an aluminum-based alloy.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
14 words
The semiconductor package of claim 14 wherein the thermally conductive sponge is foamed aluminum.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
19 words
The semiconductor package of claim 14 wherein a portion of the thermally conductive sponge adjacent the leads is anodized.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
94 words
The semiconductor package of claim 9 further comprising: a substrate having a first surface and a second surface, the first surface of the substrate electrically contacting the first surface of the die; a plurality of interconnection balls formed on the second surface of the substrate; and an electrically conductive pathway connecting each bonding pad to one of the interconnection balls, wherein the second surface of the die is mounted on the first surface of the thermally conductive sponge, and the encapsulant additionally encapsulates at least a portion of the first surface of the substrate.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
117 words
The semiconductor package of claim 9 further comprising: a substrate having a first surface, a second surface, and an aperture, the first surface of the substrate contacting the first surface of the thermally conductive sponge; a portion of the first surface of the thermally conductive sponge being located in the aperture in the substrate; and a plurality of interconnection balls formed on the second surface of the substrate, wherein the second surface of the die is mounted on an exposed portion of the first surface of the thermally conductive sponge, each bonding pad being electrically connected to one of the interconnection balls, and the encapsulant additionally encapsulates at least a portion of the substrate within the aperture.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
25 words
The semiconductor package of claim 18 wherein the thermally conductive sponge is sized to fit within the aperture in the substrate and is secured therein.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
17 words
The semiconductor package of claim 9 wherein the thermally conductive sponge is a self-supporting metal foam sponge.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
20 words
The semiconductor package of claim 10 wherein the die attach paddle and the leads are part of a lead frame.