Preventing shorting dendritic migration between electrodes
In a general aspect, an integrated circuit package includes a first electrode and a second electrode on a support substrate. The first electrode and the second electrode are configured to be electrically coupled to a voltage differential. A dendritic migration of a migratory species can develop under the voltage differential and a non-hermetic environment. The dendritic migration is interrupted by a floating electrical barrier mounted onto the support substrate between the first electrode and the second electrode. The electrical barrier includes a dam for preventing the metal migration. The dam has a height approximately equal to or greater than the largest dimension of a single atom of the migratory species. The first electrode and the second electrode can be mounted on the same side of the support substrate, or on two opposite sides of the support substrate.
1. An integrated circuit package, comprising:
a first electrode and a second electrode on a support substrate made of a non-electrically conductive material, wherein the first electrode and the second electrode are configured to be electrically coupled to a voltage differential; and
a floating electrical barrier comprising a dam made of an electrically conductive material mounted to the support substrate and located between the first electrode and the second electrode, the dam configured to prevent metal migration.
2. The integrated circuit package of claim 1 , wherein the metal migration comprises a movement of a migratory species from the first electrode, when exposed to a moisture layer and under the voltage differential, to the second electrode on a migration surface provided by the support substrate.
3. The integrated circuit package of claim 1 , wherein the dam has a height approximately equal to or greater than the largest dimension of a single atom of a migratory species of said metal.
4. The integrated circuit package of claim 3 , wherein the migratory species comprises silver.
5. The integrated circuit package of claim 1 , wherein the electrically conductive material for the dam comprises nickel.
6. The integrated circuit package of claim 5 , wherein the nickel is sintered nickel.
7. The integrated circuit package of claim 1 , wherein the dam is fabricated using a screen printing technique.
8. The integrated circuit package of claim 1 , wherein the dam has a height of a general material thickness produced with a screen printing technique and a width producing an insignificant change to an electrical characteristics of the first and the second electrodes.
9. The integrated circuit package of claim 1 , wherein the dam has a height of about 0.0125 mm and a width of about 0.05 mm.
10. The integrated circuit package of claim 1 , wherein the first electrode and the second electrode are on a same side of the support substrate.
11. The integrated circuit package of claim 1 , wherein the first electrode and the second electrode are on two opposite sides of the support substrate.
12. A semiconductor package, comprising:
a first electrode and a second electrode on an insulating support substrate, wherein the first electrode and the second electrode are configured to be electrically coupled to a voltage differential; and
a floating electrically conductive barrier mounted to the insulating support substrate and located between the first electrode and the second electrode, the electrically conductive barrier configured to prevent metal migration of a migratory species from the first electrode to the second electrode.
13. The semiconductor package of claim 12 , wherein the floating electrically conductive barrier is configured to prevent metal migration, when the semiconductor package is exposed to a moisture layer and under the voltage differential, on a migration surface provided by the insulating support substrate.
14. The semiconductor package of claim 13 , wherein the floating electrically conductive barrier comprises a dam having a cross sectional height approximately equal to or greater than the largest dimension of a single atom of the migratory species.
15. The semiconductor package of claim 13 , wherein the migratory species comprises silver.
16. The semiconductor package of claim 12 , wherein the floating electrically conductive barrier comprises nickel.
17. The semiconductor package of claim 16 , wherein the nickel is sintered nickel.
18. The semiconductor package of claim 12 , wherein the floating electrically conductive barrier has a height of a general material thickness produced with a screen printing technique and a width producing an insignificant change to an electrical characteristics of the first and the second electrodes.
19. The semiconductor package of claim 12 , wherein the first electrode and the second electrode are on a same side of the insulating support substrate.
20. The semiconductor package of claim 12 , wherein the first electrode and the second electrode are on two opposite sides of the insulating support substrate.