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US 10,319,686 B2Granted
Radiation-hard electronic device and method for protecting an electronic device from ionizing radiation
AssigneeSTMicroelectronics S.r.l.
InventorIgnazio Bruno Mirabella
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A radiation-hard electronic device including a package structure, a semiconductor chip in a cavity within the package structure, an integrated circuit in the semiconductor chip, and structures for protection from radiation for protecting the integrated circuit from ionizing radiation. The structures for protection from radiation include a protective layer of gel, which occupies at least in part the cavity and coats the semiconductor chip.
Claims18
A radiation-hard electronic device, comprising:
- a package structure;
- a semiconductor chip in a cavity within the package structure and including a first face, a second face opposite the first face, and sides extending between the first and second faces, the semiconductor chip further including:
- a first semiconductor layer and a second semiconductor layer separated and insulated from one another by a dielectric layer;
- and
- trench-insulation structures which extend through the entire second semiconductor layer from the first face as far as the dielectric layer;
- an integrated circuit in the semiconductor chip;
- and
- a first radiation protection structure of a single protective layer of gel which occupies at least in part the cavity and coats the first face and sides of the semiconductor chip to protect the semiconductor chip from ionizing radiation, the single protective layer of gel being the only layer in the radiation-hard electronic device to significantly attenuate the energy of particles of ionizing radiation incident on the semiconductor chip.
5 more elements
A system, comprising:
- a control unit;
- and
- an electronic device coupled to the control unit, wherein at least one between the control unit and the electronic device is protected from radiation through a structure including,
- a package structure including a substrate and a cover with a cavity formed between the substrate and the cover, the substrate having a surface exposed in the cavity;
- a semiconductor chip including a lower surface attached to the surface of the substrate exposed in the cavity, and including a free surface opposite the lower surface and a plurality of side surfaces extending between the lower and free surfaces, the free surface being exposed in the cavity;
- an integrated circuit formed in the semiconductor chip;
- and
- a radiation protection structure of a silicone gel coating in the cavity and surrounding the free and side surfaces of the semiconductor chip but not the lower surface attached to the surface of the substrate, the silicone gel coating being in the cavity between the free surface of the semiconductor chip and the cover of the package structure, and the silicone gel coating being the only coating in the radiation protection structure configured to reduce drift currents generated in the semiconductor chip in response to particles of ionizing radiation incident on the silicone gel coating and semiconductor chip.
5 more elements
A method, comprising:
- bonding a first surface of a semiconductor chip to a substrate, the semiconductor chip including a second surface opposite the first surface and side surfaces extending between the first and second surfaces;
- forming a package structure on the bonded semiconductor chip and substrate, the package including a cavity and the second surface of the semiconductor chip being exposed within the cavity;
- and
- coating the second and side surfaces of the semiconductor chip in the cavity with a layer of silicone gel configured to protect the semiconductor chip from ionizing radiation, the layer of silicone gel being the only layer in the package structure configured to protect the semiconductor chip from ionizing radiation.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.