Heat sink attached to an electronic component in a packaged device

1. A method for forming a packaged electronic device, comprising:

providing a substrate comprising a lead and a pad, wherein:

the lead comprises:

a first end proximate to the pad;

a second end distal to the first end;

a lead top surface; and

a lead bottom surface opposite to the lead top surface; and

the pad comprises:

a pad top surface;

a pad bottom surface opposite to the pad top surface; and

a first width;

attaching a thermally conductive structure to the pad bottom surface, wherein:

the thermally conductive structure comprises:

a first top surface;

a first bottom surface opposite to the first top surface;

a first side surface; and

a second width;

attaching an electronic component to the pad top surface after the step of attaching the thermally conductive structure;

electrically coupling the electronic component to the lead adjacent the first end of the lead after the step of attaching the electronic component; and

forming a package body that encapsulates the electronic component and at least portions of the lead, the pad, and the thermally conductive structure, wherein:

the package body has a first major surface and a second major surface opposite to the first major surface;

the first bottom surface of the thermally conductive structure is exposed in the first major surface of the package body;

the second width is greater than the first width;

the first end of the lead does not laterally overlap the first top surface of the thermally conductive structure in a cross-sectional view;

the method further comprises bending the lead such that the second end resides within a first plane and the first end resides within a second plane, which is generally parallel to the first plane; and

the first plane is adjacent to the second major surface of the package body.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the method further comprises providing a conductive terminal on the lead top surface proximate to the first end of the lead; and

electrically coupling the electronic component to the lead comprises:

placing the pad and the thermally conductive structure within a heater structure such that the heater structure accommodates the thermally conductive structure and directly supports the lead proximate to the conductive terminal; and

thereafter attaching an interconnect structure to the conductive terminal and the electronic component.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising exposing outer surfaces of the thermally conductive structure to a roughening process prior to attaching the thermally conductive structure to the pad.

4. A method for forming a packaged electronic device, comprising:

providing a substrate comprising a lead and a pad, wherein:

the lead comprises:

a first end proximate to the pad;

a second end distal to the first end;

a lead top surface; and

a lead bottom surface opposite to the lead top surface; and

the pad comprises:

a pad top surface;

an opposing pad bottom surface; and

a first width;

attaching a thermally conductive structure to the pad, wherein:

the thermally conductive structure comprises:

a first top surface;

an opposing first bottom surface;

a first side surface; and

a second width greater than the first width;

attaching an electronic component to one of the thermally conductive structure or the pad after the step of attaching the thermally conductive structure to the pad;

electrically coupling the electronic component to the lead; and

forming a package body that encapsulates the electronic component and at least portions of the lead, the pad, and the thermally conductive structure, wherein:

the package body has a first major surface and a second major surface opposite to the first major surface;

one of the first bottom surface of the thermally conductive structure or the bottom surface of the pad is exposed in the first major surface of the package body;

the first side surface of the thermally conductive structure and the first end of the lead are laterally separated so that the first side surface and the first end do not overlap; and

electrically coupling the electronic component to the lead comprises:

placing the pad and thermally conductive structure within a support structure such that the support structure directly supports the lead and accommodates the thermally conductive structure; and

thereafter attaching an interconnect structure to the lead and the electronic component.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein:

attaching the thermally conductive structure comprises attaching the thermally conductive structure to the pad bottom surface; and

forming the package body comprises exposing the first bottom surface of the thermally conductive structure in the first major surface of the package body.

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein the second end of the lead is disposed closer to the first major surface of the package body than the second major surface of the package body.

7. The method of claim 4 , wherein the second end of the lead is disposed closer to the second major surface of the package body than the first major surface of the package body.

8. The method of claim 4 , wherein the first end and the second end of the lead reside within different planes that are generally parallel to the first top surface of the thermally conductive structure.

9. The method of claim 4 further comprising exposing outer surfaces of the thermally conductive structure to a roughening process prior to attaching the thermally conductive structure to the pad.

10. The method of claim 4 , wherein:

placing the pad and thermally conductive structure within the support structure comprises placing the pad and thermally conductive structure within a heater structure.

11. The method of claim 4 , wherein:

attaching the thermally conductive structure comprises attaching the thermally conductive structure to the pad top surface; and

forming the package body comprises exposing the pad bottom surface in the first major surface of the package body.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein:

attaching the thermally conductive structure comprises attaching a thermally conductive structure, wherein:

the thermally conductive structure comprises a recessed portion that encloses a portion of the pad; and

the pad bottom surface and end portions of the thermally conductive structure are exposed in the first major surface of the package body.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the thermally conductive structure is thicker than the pad.

14. A packaged electronic device comprising:

a substrate comprising a lead and a pad, wherein:

the lead comprises:

a first end proximate to the pad;

a second end distal to the first end;

a lead top surface; and

a lead bottom surface opposite to the lead top surface; and

the pad comprises:

a pad top surface;

an opposing pad bottom surface;

a pad side surface extending between the pad top surface and the pad bottom surface; and

a first width;

a thermally conductive structure, wherein:

the thermally conductive structure comprises:

a first top surface;

an opposing first bottom surface;

a recessed portion formed extending inward from the first bottom surface; and

a second width; and

the thermally conductive structure is attached to the pad such that:

the pad is disposed within the recessed portion; and

the thermally conductive structure is attached to the pad top surface and the pad side surface;

an electronic component coupled to the thermally conductive structure and electrically coupled to the lead; and

a package body encapsulating the electronic component and at least portions of the lead and the thermally conductive structure, wherein:

the package body has a first major surface and a second major surface opposite to the first major surface; and

the pad bottom surface and portions of the thermally conductive structure are exposed in the first major surface of the package body.