Packaged semiconductor devices and methods of packaging semiconductor devices

1. A method of packaging a semiconductor device, the method comprising:

disposing a sacrificial layer over an integrated circuit die, the integrated circuit having a surface area extending from a first outermost edge of the integrated circuit to a second outermost edge of the integrated circuit, the sacrificial layer covering the surface area;

coupling the integrated circuit die to a carrier;

disposing a molding compound around the integrated circuit die;

removing the sacrificial layer; and

forming an interconnect structure over the integrated circuit die and the molding compound.

2. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising coupling a plurality of conductors to the interconnect structure.

3. The method according to claim 2 , wherein disposing the molding compound comprises disposing a first molding compound, and wherein the method further comprises disposing a second molding compound around the plurality of conductors.

4. The method according to claim 3 , wherein disposing the second molding compound comprises disposing a liquid molding compound (LMC).

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein forming the interconnect structure comprises forming a redistribution layer (RDL) or a post-passivation interconnect (PPI) structure.

6. A method of packaging a semiconductor device, the method comprising:

disposing a sacrificial layer over a wafer including a plurality of integrated circuit dies;

singulating the plurality of integrated circuit dies;

coupling the plurality of integrated circuit dies to a carrier;

disposing a molding compound around the plurality of integrated circuit dies, the molding compound having a first surface that is co-planar with a second surface of the sacrificial layer;

removing the carrier;

removing the sacrificial layer to form a step between the first surface of the molding compound and respective first surfaces of the integrated circuit dies; and

forming an interconnect structure over the plurality of integrated circuit dies and the molding compound.

7. The method according to claim 6 , further comprising singulating the interconnect structure and the molding compound to form a plurality of packaged semiconductor devices, each of the plurality of packaged semiconductor devices including one of the plurality of integrated circuit dies.

8. The method according to claim 6 , further comprising singulating the interconnect structure and the molding compound to form a plurality of packaged semiconductor devices, each of the plurality of packaged semiconductor devices including two or more of the plurality of integrated circuit dies.

9. The method according to claim 6 , further comprising forming a plurality of through-vias in the molding compound.

10. The method according to claim 6 , wherein disposing the sacrificial layer comprises disposing a material selected from the group consisting essentially of a photoresist material, an organic material, a polymer material, and combinations thereof.

11. The method according to claim 6 , wherein disposing the sacrificial layer comprises disposing a material layer having a thickness of about 1 μm to about 10 μm.

12. A method of packaging a semiconductor device, the method comprising:

forming a first integrated circuit with a sacrificial layer formed atop a major surface thereof;

forming a second integrated circuit with a sacrificial layer formed atop a major surface thereof;

placing the first integrated circuit and the second integrated circuit on a carrier substrate with each respective major surface facing the carrier substrate;

encapsulating the first integrated circuit and the second integrated circuit with a molding compound;

removing the carrier substrate;

removing the sacrificial layer over the first integrated circuit to form a structure wherein a topmost surface of the molding compound is above a topmost surface of the first integrated circuit and wherein the topmost surface of the molding compound is above a topmost surface of the second integrated circuit; and

forming an interconnect structure that extends above the first integrated circuit, above the molding compound and above second integrated circuit, wherein the interconnect structure extends below the topmost surface of the molding compound.

13. The method according to claim 12 , wherein the step of forming a first integrated circuit with a sacrificial layer formed atop a major surface thereof includes depositing atop the first integrated circuit a material selected from the group consisting a photoresist material, an organic material, a polymer material, and combinations thereof.

14. The method according to claim 12 , wherein the first integrated circuit and the second integrated circuit are both singulated from a common wafer.

15. The method according to claim 12 , further comprising coupling a plurality of conductors to the interconnect structure.

16. The method according to claim 15 , further comprising disposing a second molding compound around the plurality of conductors.

17. The method according to claim 12 , wherein the step of placing the first integrated circuit and the second integrated circuit on a carrier substrate includes bonding the first integrated circuit and the second integrated circuit to a foil carrier using a die attach film.

18. The method according to claim 12 , further comprising singulating the interconnect structure and the molding compound to form a plurality of packaged semiconductor devices, each of the plurality of packaged semiconductor devices including a plurality of integrated circuit dies.

19. The method according to claim 12 , further comprising singulating the interconnect structure and the molding compound to form a plurality of packaged semiconductor devices, each of the plurality of packaged semiconductor devices including two or more integrated circuit dies.

20. The method according to claim 12 , further comprising forming a plurality of through-vias in the molding compound.