Optoelectronic semiconductor component

This Nonprovisional application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. 119(a) on patent application Ser. No(s). 93204267 filed in Taiwan, Republic of China on Mar. 19, 2004, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an optoelectronic semiconductor component, and particularly to an SMT-type (surface mounted technology-type) optoelectronic semiconductor component for illumination that can be applied as a backlight source or a light interceptor.

2. Description of the Prior Art

LED (Light Emitting Diode) is a kind of solid-state illuminant that is small-scale and has high lighting efficiency. It has a long lifespan and high stability. LED is adopted as various types of light sources, such as a light source for a monitor, a backlight board, a traffic signal, emergency exits, or decorative illumination, because LED is a kind of semiconductor component.

Similar optoelectronic semiconductor modules have been disclosed, as in U.S. Pat. No. D478877 (shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 ) which has been issued on Aug. 26, 2003 and R.O.C. patent number 315528 (shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 ) which has been issued on Sep. 11, 1997. The above-mentioned patents disclose a kind of radiation-emitting or radiation-receiving semiconductor module, which has one or more emitting or receiving semiconductor chip fixed on a chip carrier of a lead frame. A portion on which the semiconductor chip fixed is of a plane-type or formed as a nest. An inner surface of the nest is designed as a reflecting curved surface for emitting or receiving light. The semiconductor chip and at least one part of the chip carrier are encircled by an encapsulation body. The encapsulation body defines a reflecting curved surface for emitting or receiving light, thereby forming an optoelectronic semiconductor module.

The above-mentioned prior arts have some problems, which are described as follows:

1. In U.S. Pat. No. D4778877S of the prior art, an optoelectronic semiconductor module 80 includes a chip carrier 82 formed by a lead frame. The chip carrier 82 lacks a chip central position mark, so a chip 84 cannot be fixed accurately and results in the semiconductor chip 84 emitting disproportionately. Moreover, an encapsulation body 86 is a polyhedron and has an asymmetrical structure, so that it is effected easily by outside forces. For example, when the semiconductor chip 84 is illuminated, the encapsulation body 86 is heated and the resulting stress is not equalized easily, which will deform an optical reflection curved surface 88 and the radiating light of the semiconductor chip 84 will not be well-proportioned.

2. In R.O.C. patent number 315528 of the prior art, an optoelectronic semiconductor module 90 includes a chip carrier 92 , an independent link-part 94 , and an encapsulation body 96 encircling the chip carrier 92 and the independent link-part 94 . The chip carrier 92 and the independent link-part 94 respectively extend under the encapsulation body 96 to form outer electric contacts 97 , 98 . Such a structure cannot make the light direction parallel to the PCB, thus limiting the use thereof.

Therefore, the optoelectronic semiconductor module of the prior art still has some inconvenience and disadvantages to be improved.

The present invention provides an optoelectronic semiconductor component that has an improved encapsulation body for resisting the influence of outer forces and further lowering total strain, in particular the deformation of an optical reflection curved-surface. Therefore, the curvature precision of the optical reflection curved-surface is increased, the illumination efficiency of the semiconductor chip is enhanced, and emission is uniform.

The present invention further provides an optoelectronic semiconductor component that fixes the chip accurately, so that the semiconductor chip emits uniformly and increases the combinative ability of the chip with the chip carrier of lead frame, therefore enhancing the reliability of the optoelectronic semiconductor component.

The present invention provides an optoelectronic semiconductor component, which comprises a lead frame, at least one radiation-emitting/or radiation-receiving semiconductor chip, an encapsulation body, an optical window part, and a pair of outside connecting parts. The lead frame has a chip carrier and an independent link-part. The chip carrier is formed with a central position mark thereon and defined as an inner electrical contact. The independent link-part is another inner electrical contact. The semiconductor chip is secured on the chip carrier and is electrically connected with the chip carrier and the independent link-part via leads, respectively. The encapsulation body is formed with an axial-symmetrical arc section, which is centered on the semiconductor chip. An inner surface of the encapsulation body encircles a part of the chip carrier and the independent link-part to define an annular ellipsoid. The optical window part is formed in a concave portion of the annular ellipsoid and is filled with a material for transforming optical characteristic of emitted/or received light from the semiconductor chip. The pair of outside connecting parts respectively extends from the chip carrier and the independent link-part, and is exposed by the encapsulation body as outer contacts; thereby resisting the influence of external force, reducing total strain, and increasing the curvature precision of the optical-reflecting curved surface to enhance the emitting efficiency of the semiconductor chip and solve the light loss of such kind illumination structure.

The invention will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an optoelectronic semiconductor module of the first prior art;

FIG. 2 is a front view of the optoelectronic semiconductor module of the first prior art;

FIG. 3 is a top view of an optoelectronic semiconductor module of the second prior art;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the optoelectronic semiconductor module of the second prior art;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an optoelectronic semiconductor component according to the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a front view of the optoelectronic semiconductor component according to the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a top view of the optoelectronic semiconductor component according to the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a bottom view of the optoelectronic semiconductor component according to the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a rear view of the optoelectronic semiconductor component according to the present invention;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the optoelectronic semiconductor component assembled on a PCB according to the present invention;

FIG. 11 is a front view of the optoelectronic semiconductor component of second embodiment according to the present invention;

FIG. 12 is a side view of the optoelectronic semiconductor component of second embodiment according to the present invention;

FIG. 13 , is a front view of the optoelectronic semiconductor component of third embodiment according to the present invention; and

FIG. 14 is a side view of the optoelectronic semiconductor component of third embodiment according to the present invention assembled on a PCB.

Referring to FIGS. 5 to 9 , an optoelectronic semiconductor component of the present invention is illustrated respectively in different views. The optoelectronic semiconductor component 1 has a semiconductor chip 11 , a lead frame ( 12 , 13 ), an encapsulation body 14 , an optical window part 16 , and a pair of fixing portions 17 , 18 .

The semiconductor chip 11 can be one or more in number. The semiconductor chip 11 can be a radiation-emitting or a radiation-receiving semiconductor chip. The emitting semiconductor chip can be used as a light source, and the receiving semiconductor chip can be used as a light interceptor.

The lead frame has a chip carrier 12 , and an independent link-part 13 . The semiconductor chip 11 is secured on the chip carrier 12 . The semiconductor chip 11 is electrically connected with the chip carrier 12 and the independent link-part 13 via leads 112 , 114 , respectively. The chip carrier 12 is formed with a central position mark 122 on a top surface thereof. The central position mark 122 is defined as an inner electrical contact, and assists in the semiconductor chip 11 being fixed accurately at a center of the chip carrier 12 . Therefore, the semiconductor chip emits uniform light. The independent link-part 13 is another inner electrical contact. The central position mark 122 is concave from a top surface thereof and is shaped as a “+”. The central position mark 22 can be a circle, a square, a triangular, a cross, a right-angle, or a combination of above-mentioned shapes. To increase illumination efficiency, a surface of the chip carrier 12 is further coated with a material for enhancing reflection.

The encapsulation body 14 is an annular shell, and is formed with an axial-symmetrical arc section centered on the semiconductor chip 11 . An inner surface of the encapsulation body 14 encircles a part of the chip carrier 12 and the independent link-part 13 to define an annular ellipsoid 15 . The annular ellipsoid 15 has an optical focus of the central position mark 122 . The annular ellipsoid 15 of the encapsulation body 14 is made of a highly reflective material and forms a smooth curved surface. Alternatively, the annular ellipsoid 15 of the encapsulation body 14 is coated with a material for enhancing reflection and forms a smooth curved surface. With the encapsulation body 14 , the deformation according to such a structure is more proportional and will not result in a deformation of the optical reflection curved-surface. The semiconductor chip 11 still maintains uniform emission.

The optical window part 16 is formed in a concave portion of the encapsulation body 14 , which is a hollow part of the annular ellipsoid 15 . The optical window part 16 is filled with a material for transforming the optical characteristics of light emitted from the semiconductor chip 11 . The material for transforming the optical characteristics of light emitted from the semiconductor chip 11 can be epoxy resin or silica gel, and consists of fluorescent material, light-mixed material or pigment. For example, when a fluorescent material is added, it absorbs light emitted from the semiconductor chip and radiates another wavelength light.

The pair of fixing portions 17 , 18 extend outwardly from two sides of the encapsulation body 14 . The fixing portions 17 , 18 are generally L-shaped, and each has a horizontal portion 172 , 182 parallel to the light emission direction. The optoelectronic semiconductor component 1 further has a pair of outside connecting parts 174 , 184 respectively extending from the chip carrier 12 and the independent link-part 13 . The pair of outside connecting parts 174 , 184 are respectively disposed beneath the horizontal portions 172 , 182 to be exposed by the encapsulation body 14 as outer contacts, thereby forming the surface mounted technology component 1 .

FIG. 10 illustrates a perspective view of the optoelectronic semiconductor component assembled on a PCB. The outside connecting parts 174 , 184 are formed on the bottom of the horizontal portions 172 , 182 of the fixing portions 17 , 18 . The optoelectronic semiconductor component 1 is thereby soldered on a PCB 2 parallel to the radiation direction. The present invention is thus easily used as a backlight.

FIG. 11 illustrates a front view of the optoelectronic semiconductor component of second embodiment according to the present invention. The optoelectronic semiconductor component 1 a can be mounted with more than one semiconductor chips 11 , 11 a with different function. For example, mounting with two LED semiconductor chips to meet the requirement of better illumination and enhance the reliability of the LED semiconductor chips, or mounting with another one diode-protective chip to protect the semiconductor chip 11 from excessive current, such as a Zener diode. The Zener diode can adjust working voltage and has function of stabilizing circuit. The optoelectronic semiconductor component 1 a is formed with two central position marks 122 , 123 on the chip carrier 12 to orientate the semiconductor chips 11 , 11 a . The semiconductor chips 11 , 11 a are parallel or series connection via the leads 112 , 113 , 114 .

FIG. 12 illustrates a side view of the optoelectronic semiconductor component of second embodiment according to the present invention. The fixing portions of the optoelectronic semiconductor component could be extending from the independent link-part 13 and the chip carrier 12 and bended as outer electric contacts. In this embodiment, the optoelectronic semiconductor component 1 a has a pair of fixing portions 17 a , 18 a that are formed into different shape from the first embodiment. The fixing portions 17 a , 18 a are extending along the encapsulation body 14 downwardly and outwardly. From the front view, the fixing portions 17 a , 18 a are generally L-shaped and have horizontal portions 172 a , 182 a.

FIG. 13 , 14 illustrate a front view of the optoelectronic semiconductor component of third embodiment according to the present invention, and a side view of the optoelectronic semiconductor component assembled on a PCB. The fixing portions 17 a , 18 a of the optoelectronic semiconductor component 1 a are formed into slab-shape that are extending outside the encapsulation body 14 and perpendicular to the emission direction. The optoelectronic semiconductor component 1 a therefore can be soldered on PCB 2 vertically.

The geometric structure of the outer electric contacts of the present invention can reduce the contact resist and increase the heat-conductive factor to enhance the emitting efficiency of the semiconductor chip and solve the light loss of such kind illumination structure.

A summary of the characteristics and advantages of the optoelectronic semiconductor component is given as follows.

The encapsulation body 14 of the present invention is an arc with an axial-symmetrical section along inner and outer edges thereof, so that it can resist the influence of outer forces and further lower total strain. Therefore, the curvature precision of the optical reflection curved-surface is increased, illumination efficiency of the semiconductor chip is enhanced, and emission is uniform. Especially when applied as a backlight, the present invention can prevent light loss in illumination structures. The present invention provides the chip carrier 12 , which is formed with a central position mark 122 , so that the semiconductor chip 11 emits uniformly and increases the combinative ability of the chip 11 with the chip carrier 12 of the lead frame, therefore enhancing the reliability of the optoelectronic semiconductor component.

Although the present invention has been described with reference to the preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to the details thereof. Various substitutions and modifications have suggested in the foregoing description, and other will occur to those of ordinary skill in the art. Therefore, all such substitutions and modifications are intended to be embraced within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.