Wafer level package utilizing laser-activated dielectric material

1. A method of forming a wafer level package comprising:

attaching a laser-activated dielectric material to an integrated circuit substrate, the integrated circuit substrate comprising terminals on a first surface thereof; and

laser activating and ablating the laser-activated dielectric material with a laser to form laser-ablated artifacts in the laser-activated dielectric material and simultaneously to form an electrically conductive laser-activated layer lining the laser-ablated artifacts.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the laser-activated dielectric material is an organometallic doped dielectric material.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the organometallic doped dielectric material comprises a dielectric material doped with an organometallic compound.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the dielectric material is selected from the group consisting of mold compound, prepreg, film, thermoset dielectric material, and thermoplastic dielectric material.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein the organometallic compound comprises an organic compound that includes a metal.

6. The method of claim 3 wherein the organometallic compound is separable into metal seeds and organic residuals by laser-ablation.

7. The method of claim 3 wherein the organometallic compound comprises a palladium organometallic compound.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the palladium organometallic compound is selected from the group consisting of: (1) Bis-g-diketonate palladium complex (Pd[R1(CO)CH(CO)R2]2); (2) Tris(4,4′-(2,3 epoxypropoxy)dibenzylideneacetone)Pd(O)(1); (3) Bis(1-phenyl-1,3-butanedionato)Pd(2); and (4) Bis(1,3-diphenyl-1,3-propanedionato)Pd(2).

9. The method of claim 3 wherein laser energy from the laser produces a chemical reduction reaction of the organometallic compound thus producing the laser-activated layer lining the laser-ablated artifacts.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the laser-activated dielectric material is molded on the integrated circuit substrate.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the laser-ablated artifacts comprise laser-ablated via openings extending through the laser-activated dielectric material to the terminals, the terminals being exposed through the laser-ablated via openings.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the laser-ablated artifacts comprise laser-ablated channels extending partially into the laser-activated dielectric material, the laser-activated dielectric material remaining between the channels and the integrated circuit substrate.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the laser-ablated artifacts comprise laser-ablated land openings extending partially into the laser-activated dielectric material, the laser-activated dielectric material remaining between the laser-ablated land openings and the integrated circuit substrate.

14. The method of claim 1 further comprising filling the laser-ablated artifacts with an electrically conductive filler material to form an embedded circuit pattern within the laser-activated dielectric material.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the filling is performed using an electroless plating process in which the filler material is selectively plated on the laser-activated layer.

16. The method of claim 14 further comprising forming a passivation layer on the laser-activated dielectric material.

17. The method of claim 14 further comprising forming interconnection balls electrically connected to the embedded circuit pattern.

18. The method of claim 1 wherein the laser-activated dielectric material comprises a dielectric material doped with a laser-activated compound, the laser-activated compound becoming electrically conductive when laser-activated.

19. A method of forming a wafer level package comprising:

attaching a laser-activated dielectric material to an integrated circuit substrate to form an assembly, the integrated circuit substrate comprising a plurality of electronic components comprising terminals on first surfaces thereof;

laser activating and ablating the laser-activated dielectric material with a laser to form laser-ablated artifacts in the laser-activated dielectric material and simultaneously to form an electrically conductive laser-activated layer lining the laser-ablated artifacts; and

filling the laser-ablated artifacts using an electroless plating process in which an electrically conductive filler material is selectively plated on the laser-activated layer to form an embedded circuit pattern within the laser-activated dielectric material.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising singulating the assembly to form the wafer level package.

21. A wafer level package comprising:

an electronic component comprising a first surface having terminals thereon;

a laser-activated dielectric material attached to the first surface;

laser-ablated artifacts in the laser-activated dielectric material, the laser-ablated artifacts being lined with a laser-activated layer formed from the laser-activated dielectric material, wherein the laser-ablated artifacts comprise laser-ablated via openings exposing the terminals; and

an embedded circuit pattern within the laser-ablated artifacts and being electrically connected to the terminals.

22. An assembly comprising:

an integrated circuit substrate comprising a plurality of electronic components, the electronic components comprising first surfaces having terminals thereon;

a laser-activated dielectric material attached to the integrated circuit substrate;

laser-ablated artifacts in the laser-activated dielectric material, the laser-ablated artifacts being lined with a laser-activated layer formed from the laser-activated dielectric material, wherein the laser-ablated artifacts comprise laser-ablated via openings exposing the terminals; and

embedded circuit patterns within the laser-ablated artifacts and being electrically connected to the terminals, the embedded circuit patterns comprising electrically conductive traces, lands and vias.

23. A method of forming a wafer level package comprising:

molding a laser-activated dielectric material to an electronic component, the electronic component comprising terminals on a first surface thereof; and

laser activating and ablating the laser-activated dielectric material with a laser to form laser-ablated artifacts in the laser-activated dielectric material and simultaneously to form an electrically conductive laser-activated layer lining the laser-ablated artifacts, wherein the laser-ablated artifacts comprise:

laser-ablated via openings extending through the laser-activated dielectric material to the terminals, the terminals being exposed through the laser-ablated via openings; and

laser-ablated channels extending partially into the laser-activated dielectric material, the laser-activated dielectric material remaining between the channels and the electronic component.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein the laser-activated dielectric material comprises a dielectric material doped with a laser-activated compound, the laser-activated compound becoming electrically conductive when laser-activated.

25. The method of claim 23 further comprising filling the laser-ablated artifacts with an electrically conductive filler material using an electroless plating process in which the filler material is selectively plated on the laser-activated layer to form an embedded circuit pattern within the laser-activated dielectric material.