Microelectronic package having direct contact heat spreader and method of manufacturing same

A die-heat spreader combination comprising:

• a die having an active surface and a backside;
• an encapsulant surrounding the die and substantially planar with the backside of the die;
• and
• a heat spreader body directly contacting and fixed to the backside of the die wherein the heat spreader body comprises a material selected from the group consisting of copper, a copper alloy, a copper laminate, a copper composite, aluminum and an aluminum alloy and wherein the heat spreader body including one of a barrier layer and a seed layer in direct contact with the backside of the die and the encapsulant surrounding the die.

A system comprising:

• a microelectronic assembly including:
• a microelectronic package comprising:
• a substrate;
• a die having an active surface and a backside and being bonded to the substrate at the active surface thereof;
• an encapsulant surrounding the die and substantially planar with the backside of the die;
• a heat spreader body directly contacting and fixed to the backside of the die wherein said heat spreader body has a thickness greater than about 0.2 mm and wherein the heat spreader body including one of a barrier layer and a seed layer in direct contact with the backside of the die and the encapsulant surrounding the die;
• and
• a main memory coupled to the microelectronic assembly.