Mechanical support system for a thin package

Abstract

An electronic package includes an IC, such as a die, mounted onto one side of a thin interposer and a pin carrier mounted to an opposing side of the interposer. The pin carrier includes a cavity underneath the die. The cavity allows capacitors, or other electronic components, to be mounted against the interposer beneath the die. The cavity in the pin carrier is filled with an encapsulant to mechanically support the thin interposer in the area of the cavity during operation of an electronic system that includes the package.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method of fabricating an electronics package, the method comprising: 
 securing a die to one side of an interposer, the interposer being a tape having a thickness less than 1 mm;    securing a pin carrier to an opposing side of the interposer, the pin carrier including a cavity positioned against the interposer opposite to the die;    securing an electronic component to the interposer such that the electronic component is positioned within the cavity in the pin carrier;    substantially filling the cavity in the pin carrier with an encapsulant while not overflowing the cavity with the encapsulant such that the interposer is capable of withstanding a mechanical load generated by thermal elements and is incapable of withstanding the mechanical load without the encapsulant.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein securing the pin carrier to the interposer and securing the electronic component to the interposer are done substantially simultaneously.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein securing a die to one side of an interposer includes forming a C4 joint between the die and interposer.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein securing a die to one side of an interposer includes underfilling the C4 joint between the die and interposer with an epoxy.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein substantially filling the cavity in the pin carrier with an encapsulant includes filling the entire cavity with an encapsulant.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein substantially filling the cavity in the pin carrier with an encapsulant includes bonding the encapsulant to the pin carrier.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the electronic component is a capacitor such that securing an electronic component to the interposer includes securing the capacitor within the cavity in the pin carrier to minimize the inductive loop between the capacitor and the die.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein securing a pin carrier to an opposing side of the interposer includes attaching the pin carrier to the interposer using a ball grid array of solder balls.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein securing a pin carrier to an opposing side of the interposer includes substantially aligning a perimeter of the die with a perimeter of the cavity in the pin carrier.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein substantially aligning a perimeter of the die with a perimeter of the cavity in the pin carrier includes placing the die and the pin carrier on the interposer such that the die is substantially concentric with the cavity in the pin carrier.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein securing an electronic component to the interposer includes surface mounting the electronic component to the interposer.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein surface mounting the electronic component to the interposer includes surface mounting a capacitor to the interposer.  
     
     
         13 . A method of fabricating an electronics package, the method comprising: 
 securing a die to one side of an interposer;    securing a pin carrier to an opposing side of the interposer, the pin carrier including a cavity positioned against the interposer opposite to the die;    securing an electronic component to the interposer such that the electronic component is positioned within the cavity in the pin carrier;    substantially filling the cavity in the pin carrier with an encapsulant while not overflowing the cavity with the encapsulant such that the interposer is capable of withstanding a mechanical load generated by thermal elements.    
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the interposer is a tape having a thickness less than 1 mm such that the interposer is incapable of withstanding the mechanical load without the encapsulant.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein substantially filling the cavity in the pin carrier with an encapsulant includes filling the entire cavity with an encapsulant.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the electronic component is a capacitor such that securing an electronic component to the interposer includes securing the capacitor within the cavity in the pin carrier to minimize the inductive loop between the capacitor and the die.  
     
     
         17 . A method of fabricating an electronics package, the method comprising: 
 securing a die to one side of an interposer, the interposer being a tape having a thickness less than 1 mm;    securing a pin carrier to an opposing side of the interposer, the pin carrier including a cavity positioned against the interposer opposite to the die;    securing a capacitor to the interposer such that the capacitor is positioned within the cavity in the pin carrier to minimize the inductive loop between the capacitor and the die;    substantially filling the cavity in the pin carrier with an encapsulant while not overflowing the cavity with the encapsulant such that the interposer is capable of withstanding a mechanical load generated by thermal elements and is incapable of withstanding the mechanical load without the encapsulant.    
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein securing a capacitor to the interposer includes surface mounting the capacitor to the interposer.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein securing a pin carrier to an opposing side of the interposer includes attaching the pin carrier to the interposer using a ball grid array of solder balls.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the pin carrier and the capacitor are secured to the interposer substantially simultaneously.