IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,733,540
Granted Patent B2
US 12,733,540 · App. 18/151,040 · Granted Sep 8, 2026

Integrated circuit packages, devices using the same, and methods of forming the same

Inventors: Wensen Hung (Zhubei City, TW); Tsung-Yu Chen (Hsinchu, TW)
Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
H10W76/60H10W40/10H10W40/70H10W42/121H10W90/00H10W72/252H10W72/352H10W72/354H10W74/15H10W90/724H10W90/734H10W90/736
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,733,540
App. No.
18/151,040
Granted
Sep 8, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

In an embodiment, a device includes: an integrated circuit package including: a package component; and a package stiffener attached to the package component; and a heat spreader attached to the integrated circuit package, a main portion of the heat spreader disposed above the package stiffener, a protruding portion of the heat spreader extending through the package stiffener; an elastic adhesive material between the main portion of the heat spreader and the package stiffener; and a thermal interface material between the protruding portion of the heat spreader and the package component, the thermal interface material different from the elastic adhesive material.

Claims (42)

1 . A method comprising:

receiving an integrated circuit package comprising a package component and a package stiffener attached to the package component, wherein an opening in the package stiffener exposes a portion of the package component;

dispensing a thermal interface material in the opening; and

adhering a main portion of a heat spreader to the package stiffener with a first elastic adhesive material, a protruding portion of the heat spreader disposed in the opening and contacting the thermal interface material, the first elastic adhesive material sealing the opening to form a first void around the protruding portion of the heat spreader, wherein the thermal interface material extends along a bottom surface of the protruding portion of the heat spreader, along a sidewall of the protruding portion of the heat spreader, along a top surface of the package component, and along a sidewall of the package stiffener.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

attaching the package component to a package substrate, the package component comprising a logic device and memory devices; and

adhering the package stiffener to the package component with a second elastic adhesive material, the second elastic adhesive material and the package stiffener overlapping the memory devices, the opening disposed above the logic device in a top-down view.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the second elastic adhesive material seals an area between the package substrate and the package stiffener to form a second void around the package component.

4 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

disposing a wicking layer in the opening, the thermal interface material dispensed on the wicking layer.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein dispensing the thermal interface material in the opening comprises dispensing a liquid metal in the opening.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the package component comprises integrated circuit devices, an encapsulant around the integrated circuit devices, and a dummy metallization on the encapsulant, the opening exposing the dummy metallization.

7 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

attaching the package component to a package substrate; and

adhering the package stiffener to the package component and the package substrate, the package stiffener comprising grooves facing the package substrate.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first elastic adhesive material comprises a phase-change material and a filler, the phase-change material being capable of changing from a solid to a viscous liquid.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the opening in the package stiffener has a width less than a width of the package component and greater than a width of a logic device of the package component.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the thermal interface material is different from the first elastic adhesive material.

11 . A method comprising:

forming an integrated circuit package by:

attaching a package component to a package substrate, the package component comprising a logic device and memory devices; and

attaching a package stiffener to the package component, the package stiffener overlapping the memory devices in a top-down view, the package stiffener comprising an opening disposed above the logic device in the top-down view;

after attaching the package stiffener to the package component, dispensing a thermal interface material in the opening; and

attaching a heat spreader to the integrated circuit package, the heat spreader comprising a main portion and a protruding portion, wherein attaching the heat spreader comprises inserting the protruding portion into the opening and disposing the main portion above the package stiffener, wherein the thermal interface material extends along a bottom surface of the protruding portion of the heat spreader, along a sidewall of the protruding portion of the heat spreader, along a top surface of the package component, and along a sidewall of the package stiffener.

12 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising:

before attaching the heat spreader to the integrated circuit package, disposing a wicking layer in the opening, the wicking layer comprising a patterned sheet capable of impeding flow of the thermal interface material.

13 . The method of claim 11 , wherein attaching the heat spreader to the integrated circuit package comprises:

applying an elastic adhesive material between the main portion of the heat spreader and the package stiffener, the elastic adhesive material sealing an area between the heat spreader and the package component to create a void around the protruding portion of the heat spreader.

14 . The method of claim 11 , wherein attaching the package stiffener to the package component comprises:

applying an elastic adhesive material between the package stiffener and the package component, the elastic adhesive material completely filling regions where the package stiffener overlaps with the package component.

15 . The method of claim 11 , wherein a width of the opening is less than a width of the package component and greater than a width of the logic device.

16 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the thermal interface material has a higher thermal conductivity than the package stiffener.

17 . A method comprising:

forming an integrated circuit package by:

forming a package component comprising an interposer and integrated circuit devices attached to the interposer;

attaching a package stiffener to the package component with an elastic adhesive material, the package stiffener comprising an opening disposed above the integrated circuit devices, the elastic adhesive material completely filling regions where the package stiffener overlaps with the package component;

dispensing a thermal interface material in the opening and on the integrated circuit devices, the thermal interface material and the elastic adhesive material being different material compositions; and

attaching a heat spreader to the integrated circuit package, the heat spreader comprising a main portion and a protruding portion, wherein attaching the heat spreader comprises inserting the protruding portion into the opening and disposing the main portion above the package stiffener, the protruding portion of the heat spreader being contacted to the thermal interface material.

18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the elastic adhesive material comprises a phase-change material and a filler, the phase-change material being capable of changing from a solid to a viscous liquid.

19 . The method of claim 17 , further comprising:

disposing a wicking layer in the opening and on the integrated circuit devices, wherein the thermal interface material is dispensed on the wicking layer, the wicking layer comprising a patterned sheet capable of impeding flow of the thermal interface material.

20 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the thermal interface material extends along a bottom surface of the protruding portion of the heat spreader, along a sidewall of the protruding portion of the heat spreader, along a top surface of the package component, and along a sidewall of the package stiffener.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 6, 2023
From: HUNG, WENSEN; CHEN, TSUNG-YU
To: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 062296/0954 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 63409451 · Sep 23, 2022
Related Publication 20240105530A1 · Mar 28, 2024
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