Heat spreader in integrated circuit package

1. An integrated circuit (IC) package comprising:

a package substrate;

an IC die mounted on the package substrate;

a wire bond electrically connecting the IC die and the package substrate and forming a loop extending to a maximum distance point above the IC die; and

a heat spreader mounted on the package substrate and comprising a hole through the heat spreader, the IC die and the wire bond being disposed substantially between the heat spreader and the package substrate, the hole being nearest the wire bond at the maximum distance point of the loop above the IC die and the maximum distance point of the loop of the wire bond extending into the hole of the heat spreader;

and wherein:

the loop of the wire bond extends between the maximum distance point above the IC die and a contact point on the package substrate;

the heat spreader comprises a first portion near the IC die, a second portion including the hole near the wire bond at the maximum distance point of the loop and a third portion near the wire bond between the maximum distance point of the loop and the contact point on the package substrate; and

the first portion of the heat spreader has a thickness wherein a bottom side of the first portion is below the maximum distance point of the loop of the wire bond and a top side of the first portion is above the maximum distance point of the loop of the wire bond.

2. The integrated circuit package as defined in claim 1 wherein:

the first portion of the heat spreader is spaced from the IC die by a minimized clearance distance.

3. The integrated circuit package as defined in claim 1 wherein:

the third portion of the heat spreader has a side substantially parallel to the wire bond between the maximum distance point of the loop and the contact point on the package substrate.

4. The integrated circuit package as defined in claim 1 further comprising:

a plurality of the wire bonds arranged in a plurality of groups;

and wherein the heat spreader further comprises a plurality of the holes arranged in accordance with and corresponding to the groups of the wire bonds, each hole being directly over the corresponding group of the wire bonds.

5. The integrated circuit package as defined in claim 3 wherein:

the third portion of the heat spreader attenuates electromagnetic interference (EMI) emission from the wire bond.

6. The integrated circuit package as defined in claim 4 wherein:

the IC die comprises a plurality of edges;

each hole of the heat spreader is arranged near and corresponds to one of the edges of the IC die;

each group of the wire bonds is arranged near and corresponds to one of the edges of the IC die; and

a portion of the wire bonds in each group extends to at most a maximum distance point above the IC die into the corresponding hole of the heat spreader.

7. A heat spreader for use in an integrated circuit (IC) package, the IC package also having an IC die, a package substrate and a wire bond forming a loop extending to a maximum distance point above the IC die,

the heat spreader comprising:

a portion near to the IC die for covering at least a portion of the IC die, the covering portion having a thickness wherein a bottom side of the covering portion is below the maximum distance point of the loop of the wire bond and a top side of the covering portion is above the maximum distance point of the loop of the wire bond upon mounting the heat spreader onto the package substrate;

a portion for mounting to the package substrate; and

an open portion having a hole through the heat spreader between the covering portion and the mounting portion, the hole providing a space into which the wire bond extends upon mounting the heat spreader onto the package substrate.

8. The heat spreader as defined in claim 7 wherein:

the covering portion has a side that is spaced from the IC die by a minimized clearance distance upon mounting the heat spreader onto the package substrate.

9. The heat spreader as defined in claim 7 further comprising:

an EMI attenuation portion adjacent the open portion and substantially parallel to a portion of the wire bond.

10. The heat spreader as defined in claim 7 further comprising:

a plurality of the holes in a plurality of the open portions arranged adjacent to the covering portion in accordance with and corresponding to edges of the IC die.

11. The heat spreader as defined in claim 9 wherein:

the wire bond forms a loop with a maximum height which, upon mounting the heat spreader onto the package substrate, extends into the hole in the open portion between the covering portion and the EMI attenuation portion.

12. The heat spreader as defined in claim 10 further comprising:

bridge portions separating adjacent open portions and connecting the covering portion to the EMI attenuation portion and the mounting portion;

and wherein:

the covering portion has a substantially rectangular shape to cover at least a central portion of the IC die; and

the holes in the open portions are arranged substantially parallel to the edges of the die and define the rectangular shape of the covering portion.

13. A heat spreader for use in an integrated circuit (IC) package, the IC package also having an IC die, a package substrate and a wire bond forming a loop extending to a maximum distance point above the IC die, the heat spreader comprising:

a means for covering at least a portion of the IC die, the covering means having a thickness wherein a bottom side of the covering means is below the maximum distance point of the loop of the wire bond and a top side of the covering means is above the maximum distance point of the loop of the wire bond upon mounting the heat spreader onto the package substrate;

a means for mounting to the package substrate; and between the covering means and the mounting means for, a means for providing a hole through the heat spreader into which the wire bond extends substantially between the covering means and the mounting means.

14. The heat spreader as defined in claim 13 further comprising:

a plurality of the hole providing means arranged adjacent to the covering means in accordance with and corresponding to edges of the IC die, each hole providing means forming an elongated opening in the heat spreader along a substantial portion of the corresponding edge of the IC die.

15. The heat spreader as defined in claim 13 further comprising:

a means adjacent the hole providing means for attenuating EMI emission from the wire bond, the EMI attenuating means being substantially parallel to a portion of the wire bond.