Stereolithographic methods for fabricating hermetic semiconductor device packages and semiconductor devices including stereolithographically fabricated hermetic packages

Abstract

A stereolithographically fabricated, substantially hermetic package surrounds at least a portion of a semiconductor die so as to substantially hermetically seal the same. Stereolithographic processes may be used to fabricate at least a portion of the substantially hermetic package from thermoplastic glass, other types of glass, ceramics, or metals. The substantially hermetic package may be used with semiconductor device assemblies or with bare or minimally packaged semiconductor dice, including dice that have yet to be singulated from a wafer. The stereolithographic method may include use of a machine vision system including at least one camera operably associated with a computer controlling a stereolithographic application of material so that the system may recognize the position, orientation, and features of a semiconductor device assembly, semiconductor die, or other substrate on which the substantially hermetic package is to be fabricated.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method for substantially hermetically packaging at least one semiconductor device, comprising: 
 forming a layer of unconsolidated hermetic packaging material adjacent to a surface of the at least one semiconductor device;    at least partially consolidating said hermetic packaging material in selected regions of said layer; and    repeating said forming and said at least partially consolidating until all surfaces of the at least one semiconductor device are surrounded by at least partially consolidated hermetic packaging material.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said forming is effected adjacent to a surface of an assembly of at least one semiconductor die and at least one carrier substrate.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said forming is effected adjacent to a surface of an assembly of at least one semiconductor die and at least one lead frame.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said forming is effected adjacent to a surface of at least one substantially bare semiconductor die.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein said forming is effected adjacent to a surface of a fabrication substrate bearing a plurality of substantially bare semiconductor devices.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein said forming and said at least partially consolidating are effected on a first side of said fabrication substrate, said at least partially consolidated hermetic packaging material substantially covering said first side of said fabrication substrate.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising inverting said fabrication substrate and removing material of said fabrication substrate between adjacent semiconductor devices at least down to said at least partially consolidated hermetic packaging material, said at least partially consolidated hermetic packaging material maintaining positions of said adjacent semiconductor devices.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein said removing comprises sawing said fabrication substrate along streets located between said adjacent semiconductor devices.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein said removing comprises etching said fabrication substrate along streets located between said adjacent semiconductor devices.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein said repeating said forming and said at least partially consolidating comprises disposing said at least partially consolidated hermetic packaging material between said adjacent semiconductor devices and on an active surface of each of said semiconductor dice to form a plurality of substantially hermetically packaged semiconductor devices.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising singulating at least some of said plurality of substantially hermetically packaged semiconductor devices.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising exposing at least one bond pad on said active surface of at least one of said plurality of substantially hermetically packaged semiconductor devices.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein said exposing comprises etching a region of said at least partially consolidated hermetic packaging material located above said at least one bond pad.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising fabricating at least one conductive trace on said substantially hermetic package and in communication with said at least one bond pad.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said forming comprises forming a layer comprising particulate thermoplastic glass.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein said at least partially consolidating comprises sintering particles of said thermoplastic glass in said selected regions.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein said sintering comprises employing a laser to secure adjacent particles of said thermoplastic glass in said selected regions.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said at least partially consolidating comprises employing a laser to secure adjacent particles of said hermetic packaging material in said selected regions.  
     
     
         19 . A method for fabricating at least a portion of a package configured to substantially hermetically seal at least one semiconductor device, comprising: 
 forming a layer of unconsolidated hermetic packaging material;    at least partially consolidating said hermetic packaging material of said layer in selected regions; and    repeating said forming and said at least partially consolidating.    
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein said forming said layer of unconsolidated hermetic packaging material comprises forming a layer of a particulate hermetic packaging material.  
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein said forming said layer of unconsolidated hermetic packaging material comprises forming a layer of particulate thermoplastic glass.  
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein said at least partially consolidating comprises sintering particles of said thermoplastic glass in said selected regions.  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein said sintering comprises employing a laser to secure adjacent particles of said thermoplastic glass in said selected regions.  
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein said at least partially consolidating comprises employing a laser to secure adjacent particles of said hermetic packaging material in said selected regions.  
     
     
         25 . A method for substantially hermetically packaging at least one semiconductor die, comprising: 
 forming at least one layer of substantially unconsolidated hermetic packaging material;    at least partially consolidating hermetic packaging material located in selected regions of said at least one layer to form at least one package layer;    disposing a first side of the at least one semiconductor die adjacent one of said at least one layer of substantially unconsolidated hermetic packaging material and said at least one package layer;    forming at least another layer of unconsolidated hermetic packaging material adjacent at least one of a peripheral edge of the at least one semiconductor die and a second side of the at least one semiconductor die, said at least another layer being disposed adjacent said at least one package layer;    at least partially consolidating hermetic packaging material located in selected regions of said at least another layer to form at least another package layer.