Integrated circuit package

This invention relates to integrated circuit packages, and more particularly to a versatile package to accommodate a family of different large-scale integrated circuits with small variations in connection patterns for different integrated circuits in the family.

Large-scale integrated circuits are commonly mounted in central position on connector boards that include multiple connection pads or finger pads positioned about the periphery of the integrated circuits. Connection pads on the integrated circuit are then conventionally wire bonded or otherwise connected to the finger pads on the connector board that then expands out the area over which multiple connections to the assembly can be formed. Typical connector boards include multiple levels of interconnects between finger pads on one surface (that are wire bonded to connection pads on the integrated circuit), and solder pads on the opposite surface. Each particular configuration of integrated circuit commonly requires a particular configuration of connector board to complete the electrical conductivity from a connection pad on the integrated circuit to a corresponding solder pad on the underside of the connector board. Numerous different integrated circuit types require numerous different connector boards to assure that wire bond connections between connection pads or an integrated circuit and finger pads on the connector board generally correspond in physical arrays to avoid crossing and overlapping wire bonds therebetween by uninsulated wires. In addition, even families of similar integrated circuit types that are distinguished, for example, by processing speeds, or memory capacity, or the like, frequently differ in interconnect patterns only by additional ground (V ss ) connections and power (V dd ) connections in addition to signal connections into and out of the integrated circuit. These requirements promote high inventories of connector boards of dedicated designs that frequently differ only in power and ground connections.

Conventional connector boards have been developed which incorporate a ground ring on a connector board disposed about the perimeter of the integrated circuit die. This facilitates making ground connections to connection pads on the die at random locations around the ground ring that avoid overlapping or crossing bond wires. Similarly, power conductors have been positioned on connector boards typically at locations along the sides of the die intermediate, the ground ring and finger pads on the connector board. In this way, power connections can be conveniently made via wire bonds between a connection pad on the die and random locations along the power conductors that avoid overlapping or crossing bond wires. However, such connector boards commonly incorporate specific interconnections between ground ring, power conductors, and the corresponding solder pads with concomitant dedication of the connector board to specific integrated circuit types.

In accordance with the present invention, a connector board of versatile design and layout permits wide variations in interconnect patterns to accommodate a wide variety of different types of integrated circuits mounted thereon. Specifically, undedicated vias or through-connections are provided between solder pads on an underside surface of a connector board and finger pads for wire bond connections to the integrated circuit die mounted on the upper side surface of the connector board. In addition, a plurality of unconnected ground and power conductors are successively spaced about and out from the central mounting region for an integrated circuit die on a connector board. Optional connections of these unconnected or electrically floating conductors to finger pads and associated vias can accommodate multiple patterns of different circuit connections and multiple different voltage supplies associated with different types of integrated circuits.

FIG. 1 is a top view of a portion of an assembled connector board with attached integrated circuit die and wire bonded connections; and

FIG. 2 is a partial, pictorial cross-sectional view of a connector board of FIG. 1 .

Referring now to FIG. 1, there is shown a top view of a portion of an assembled connector board 9 with attached integrated circuit die 11 and wire bond connections 13 between individual connection pads 15 , 17 arrayed on the die 11 in one or more peripheral rows, and the individual connection pads, or finger pads 19 on the connector board 9 . Each finger pad 19 is connected via individual conductors 29 to sites on the upper side of the connector board at which vias or through-connections 30 pass from the upper surface to one or other intermediate or lower-most planes of conductors, as later described herein. The upper, lower, and intermediate planes of conductors are thereby electrically connected to solder pads on the lower-most plane that are arranged typically in orderly or regular patterns of 3 - 6 successively-spaced peripheral rows along each edge of the connector board 9 .

In accordance with the present invention, a plural number of peripheral conductors 21 , 23 , 25 are disposed on the upper surface of the connector board 9 about the periphery of the die 11 and intermediate the boundary of the die and the locus of inner edges of the finger pads 19 . These peripheral conductors are not connected anywhere or to any vias within the connector board 9 , and may be considered as being unconnected, or electrically ‘floating’. Preferably, the inner-most peripheral conductor 25 may be selected to serve as a ground connection, and one or more additional peripheral conductors 21 , 23 may be selected to provide electrical power, for example, at different voltage levels of 2.5 and 3.3 volts, or the like. In this way power (V dd ) and ground (V ss ) connections may be made to selected connection pads 15 , 17 on the die 9 from the peripheral conductors at random locations thereon that avoid crossings or overlaps of the uninsulated bond wires 13 . In addition, one or more of the finger pads 19 on the connector board 9 may be connected to selected ones of the peripheral conductors 21 , 23 , 25 at random locations thereon that avoid crossings or overlaps of the uninsulated bond wires 13 . Also, it is possible to connect a peripheral conductor 21 , 23 , 25 at several locations thereon to individual finger pads 19 on the connector board 9 in order to reduce the current density in any one circuit of bond wire 13 , finger pad 19 , conductor 29 , via 30 , and solder pad. Also, multiple peripheral conductors 21 , 23 thus connected to separate electrical supplies permit greater versatility of integrated circuit designs for assembly on a connector board 9 of common design that conveniently accommodates multiple types of integrated circuits 11 . Numerous other bond wires 13 may connect directly between selected connection pads 15 , 17 on the die 11 and finger pads 19 on the connector board 9 to transfer signals or to supply individual power or ground connections.

FIG. 2 is a cross section view of the package illustrated in FIG. 1 . As shown in FIG. 2, each of a plurality of vias 30 connects a respective one of the finger pads 19 with one of the solder pads 37 (only one of which is shown for clarity) located along the bottom of the package. Each of the solder pads 37 are electrically connected to one of a plurality of solder balls 39 (only one of which is shown for clarity). The associated vias 30 form connections between upper-layer conductors and intermediate-layer or lower-layer conductors 35 with solder pads 37 connected thereto, and between lower layer conductors 35 and intermediate layer conductors 31 , 33 . In this way, upper layer conductors such as ground and power conductors 25 , 23 , 21 , and finger pads 19 with individual conductors 29 connected thereto may be selectively connected to solder pads 37 through vias 30 and intermediate layers 31 , 33 in a manner that is specific to the particular connector board 9 . Bond wires may then be connected at assembly time to selected upper layer conductors and to connection pads 15 , 17 on the die 11 in various patterns that promote the versatility of one specific connector board 9 being capable of establishing connections to many different types of integrated circuit chips 11 . Solder balls 39 disposed on solder pads 37 then facilitate electrical and physical connections to external circuitry using conventional reflow soldering techniques.

Therefore, the connector board assembly according to the present invention provides selectable connections to floating power and ground conductors at time of assembly for more versatile application of fewer specific connector boards to form electrical connections to numerous different types of integrated circuit chips.