Encapsulation cover for an electronic package and fabrication process

Abstract

An encapsulation cover for an electronic package includes a frontal wall with a through-passage extending between faces. The frontal wall includes an optical element that allows light to pass through the through-passage. A cover body and a metal insert that is embedded in the cover body, with the cover body being overmolded over the metal insert, defines at least part of the frontal wall.

1 . An encapsulation cover for an electronic package, comprising:
 a cover body;   a metal insert that is embedded in the cover body, the cover body being overmolded over the metal insert;   wherein the cover body and embedded metal insert form a frontal wall having a through-passage from a first face to a second face, the cover body further including a peripheral wall that protrudes from the second face of the frontal wall; and   an optical element located within the through-passage and configured to allow light to pass through the through-passage.   
     
     
         2 . The cover according to  claim 1 , wherein at least part of said metal insert extends through the peripheral wall. 
     
     
         3 . The cover according to  claim 1 , wherein said through-passage extends through said metal insert. 
     
     
         4 . The cover according to  claim 1 , wherein said metal insert at least partly surrounds said optical element. 
     
     
         5 . The cover according to  claim 1 , wherein said optical element is attached to said metal insert in the through-passage. 
     
     
         6 . The cover according to  claim 1 , wherein said through-passage extends at least partly through said cover body. 
     
     
         7 . The cover according to  claim 6 , wherein said cover body is at least partly overmolded around said optical element. 
     
     
         8 . The cover according to  claim 1 , wherein said through-passage at least partly extends through said cover body and said metal insert. 
     
     
         9 . The cover according to  claim 1 , wherein an edge of said metal insert at the through-passage is separated by a distance from said optical element, said cover body comprising a portion positioned between said optical element and said edge of the metal insert. 
     
     
         10 . The cover according to  claim 1 , wherein the metal insert has at least one face that is not covered by the cover body. 
     
     
         11 . The cover according to  claim 1 , wherein said cover body comprises a peripheral rim that surrounds the metal insert. 
     
     
         12 . The cover according to  claim 1 , wherein said cover body comprises at least one inner wall on the side of said peripheral wall. 
     
     
         13 . An electronic package, comprising:
 a substrate wafer;   an electronic component, including at least one of an optical sensor or an optical emitter, mounted on top of a face of the substrate wafer; and   an encapsulation cover mounted on said face of the substrate wafer so as to form a chamber in which the electronic component is located, wherein the encapsulation cover comprises:
 a cover body; 
 a metal insert that is embedded in the cover body, the cover body being overmolded over the metal insert; 
 wherein the cover body and embedded metal insert form a frontal wall having a through-passage from a first face to a second face, the cover body further including a peripheral wall that protrudes from the second face of the frontal wall and is mounted to said face of the substrate wafer; and 
 an optical element located within the through-passage and configured to allow light to pass through the through-passage; 
 wherein the frontal wall is positioned in front of the electronic component with the through-passage aligned with the optical sensor or an optical emitter of the electronic component. 
   
     
     
         14 . The electronic package according to  claim 13 , wherein at least part of said metal insert extends through the peripheral wall to be mounted to said face of the substrate wafer. 
     
     
         15 . The electronic package according to  claim 13 , wherein said through-passage extends through said metal insert. 
     
     
         16 . The electronic package according to  claim 13 , wherein said metal insert at least partly surrounds said optical element. 
     
     
         17 . The electronic package according to  claim 13 , wherein said optical element is attached to said metal insert in the through-passage. 
     
     
         18 . The electronic package according to  claim 13 , wherein said through-passage extends at least partly through said cover body. 
     
     
         19 . The electronic package according to  claim 18 , wherein said cover body is at least partly overmolded around said optical element. 
     
     
         20 . The electronic package according to  claim 13 , wherein said through-passage at least partly extends through said cover body and said metal insert. 
     
     
         21 . The electronic package according to  claim 13 , wherein an edge of said metal insert at the through-passage is separated by a distance from said optical element, said cover body comprising a portion positioned between said optical element and said edge of the metal insert. 
     
     
         22 . The electronic package according to  claim 13 , wherein the metal insert has at least one face that is not covered by the cover body. 
     
     
         23 . The electronic package according to  claim 13 , wherein said cover body comprises a peripheral rim that surrounds the metal insert. 
     
     
         24 . The electronic package according to  claim 13 , wherein said cover body comprises at least one inner wall on the side of said peripheral wall. 
     
     
         25 . A process for fabricating at least one encapsulation cover for an electronic package, comprising the following steps:
 placing, into a cavity defined between opposite faces of two parts of a mold, at least one optical element through which light is able to pass and at least one metal insert, the optical element and the metal insert making contact with a first face of the opposite faces of the mold and the optical element making contact with a second face of the opposite faces of the mold;   injecting a coating material into a remaining space of the cavity;   hardening the coating material to obtain a wall that is overmolded over said at least one optical element and said at least one metal insert, so as to produce at least one encapsulation cover including the at least one metal insert and the at least one optical element and in which said at least one optical element allows light to pass through from one face to another face of said wall; and   removing said produced encapsulation cover from the mold.   
     
     
         26 . The process according to  claim 25 , comprising a later step of cutting through said overmolded wall at a distance from said optical element and said metal insert. 
     
     
         27 . The process according to  claim 25 , comprising a prior step of mounting said at least one optical element in a through-passage in said at least one metal insert. 
     
     
         28 . The process according to  claim 25 , wherein the at least one optical element is placed in the cavity of the mold at a distance from the at least one metal insert. 
     
     
         29 . The process according to  claim 25 , wherein said at least one optical insert is placed in contact with said second face of the mold. 
     
     
         30 . An encapsulation cover for an electronic package, comprising:
 a cover body;   a metal insert that is embedded in the cover body, the cover body being overmolded over the metal insert;   wherein the cover body forms at least part of a frontal wall;   wherein the embedded metal insert includes opposed walls; and   a metal portion that extends between the opposed walls of the embedded metal insert parallel to a front surface of the frontal wall.   
     
     
         31 . The cover according to  claim 30 , wherein the metal portion includes a through-passage, and further comprising an optical element located within the through-passage and configured to allow light to pass through the through-passage. 
     
     
         32 . The cover according to  claim 31 , wherein said optical element is attached to said metal portion in the through-passage. 
     
     
         33 . The cover according to  claim 30 , wherein the cover body forms a peripheral wall and wherein the opposed walls of the embedded metal insert extend through the peripheral wall. 
     
     
         34 . The cover according to  claim 30 , the cover body being further overmolded over the metal portion. 
     
     
         35 . The cover according to  claim 30 , wherein the metal insert has at least one face that is not covered by the cover body.