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US 2023/0411380 A1Published application
Method and apparatus for integrating spark gap into semiconductor packaging
OwnerJohn Othniel McDonaldinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention is a spark gap protection capable of integrating into multiple layer semiconductor substrate packaging. The initial gap in the spark gap is solid and it can be converted into air, meaning gaseous, and the air gap is achieved by having the gap initially be filled with a solid and then running a voltage through the spark gap so that the gap explodes and the solid is replaced by an air cavity.
Claims17
A spark gap apparatus comprising;
- a first electrode and a second electrode forming an electrode pair that is encapsulated in a semiconductor packaging epoxy plastic with glass bead filling and operationally spaced to form a gap between the first electrode and the second electrode that is 12 microns or less apart;
- where the first electrode electrically connects to a ground and the second electrode electrically connects to an input/output, and
- the spark gap is embedded in a multi-layer epoxy plastic substrate suitable for integrated circuit packaging.
The method of making a spark gap apparatus comprising;
- taking a spark gap apparatus comprising;
- at least one first electrode and at least one second electrode forming at least one electrode pair that is encapsulated in a semiconductor packaging epoxy plastic with glass bead filling and operationally spaced to form a gap between the first electrode and the second electrode that is 12 microns or less apart;
- where the first electrode electrically connects to a ground and the second electrode electrically connects to an input/output, and
- the gap is filled with the semiconductor packaging epoxy plastic;
- creating an initial electrostatic discharge between the first electrode and the second electrode so that the semiconductor packaging epoxy plastic which fills the gap combusts and forms a combusted cavity gap reaching the first electrode and the second electrode.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.