Package with mold-embedded inductor and method of fabrication therefor

A method of forming a semiconductor device package, the method comprising:

• providing a package substrate;
• forming first mold material over the package substrate;
• and
• forming an inductor having an inductor core that is embedded in the first mold material and having an inductor winding that is at least partially embedded in the first mold material, wherein the inductor core and at least a portion of the inductor winding are formed after forming the first mold material;
• forming winding cavities and a core cavity in the first mold material via laser ablation;
• while forming the winding cavities and the core cavity in the first mold material, activating first surfaces of the first mold material to form bulk conductive material via the laser ablation, wherein the first mold material comprises at least one laser-activatable additive configured to form the bulk conductive material in response to the laser ablation;
• forming winding traces in the winding cavities, the inductor winding comprising the winding traces, wherein the winding traces are laterally adjacent to the core cavity,
• forming conductive sidewalls in the core cavity, wherein forming the winding traces in the winding cavities and forming the conductive sidewalls in the core cavity are performed concurrently via electroless plating of the first surfaces of the first mold material activated via the laser ablation;
• forming the inductor core in the core cavity by forming magnetic material on the conductive sidewalls via electroless plating;
• forming second mold material over the first mold material, the winding traces, and the inductor core;
• and
• performing additional laser ablation of the second mold material to:
• form cavities in the second mold material that expose the winding traces;
• and
• form bulk conductive material in second surfaces of the second mold material via activation of at least one additional laser-activatable additive in the second mold material.