ELECTRONIC DEVICES INCLUDING DEVICE PACKAGES HAVING A PORT HOLE WITH A SPARK ARREST SHOULDER AND RELATED METHODS
An electronic device may include a device that communicates with the environment of the user, which may include acoustic, radio, optical, etc., information. The device is mounted on a first side of a multi-layer substrate in a device package. To provide communicative access to the environment, the device is mounted on a first opening of a port hole that extends through the multi-layer substrate. The port hole includes a second opening in a first substrate layer on a second side of the multi-layer substrate, where the second opening is wider than a third opening in a second substrate layer, to form a shoulder region that is exposed through the second opening and on which a conductive layer coupled to a reference voltage can provide a spark arrestor to protect the device from damage due to electric sparks entering from the environment.
1 . A package comprising:
a multi-layer substrate;
a port hole through the multi-layer substrate and comprising a first opening on a first side of the multi-layer substrate and a second opening on a second side of the multi-layer substrate, opposite to the first side; and
a device disposed on the first opening of the port hole and having a first voltage; and
a spark arrestor comprising a first conductive layer of the multi-layer substrate disposed inside the port hole and coupled to a reference voltage.
2 . The package of claim 1 , wherein:
the multi-layer substrate comprises:
a first substrate layer on the second side of the multi-layer substrate; and
a second substrate layer between the first substrate layer and the first side of the multi-layer substrate;
the second opening of the port hole through the first substrate layer is wider in a first direction than a third opening of the port hole through the second substrate layer;
a shoulder region of the second substrate layer is exposed through the second opening from the second side of the multi-layer substrate; and
the first conductive layer is disposed in the shoulder region of the second substrate layer.
3 . The package of claim 2 , wherein:
the second substrate layer further comprises a first dielectric layer between the first conductive layer and the first side of the multi-layer substrate; and
the first substrate layer further comprises a second conductive layer and a second dielectric layer between the second conductive layer and the second substrate layer.
4 . The package of claim 3 , the multi-layer substrate comprising at least a third substrate layer comprising a third conductive layer and a third dielectric layer between the second substrate layer and the first side of the multi-layer substrate.
5 . The package of claim 2 , wherein:
the second opening of the port hole is wider in a second direction than the third opening of the port hole; and
the second direction is orthogonal to the first direction.
6 . The package of claim 5 , wherein an axis of the port hole is orthogonal to the first direction and the second direction.
7 . The package of claim 2 , wherein each of the second opening and the third opening of the port hole comprises one of a round opening and a polygonal opening.
8 . The package of claim 2 , further comprising:
a package substrate coupled to the second side of the multi-layer substrate; and
a hole through the package substrate;
wherein a longitudinal axis of the hole through the package substrate extends along a longitudinal axis of the hole through the multi-layer substrate.
9 . The package of claim 8 , further comprising:
an acoustic seal disposed around the second opening between the first substrate layer and the package substrate;
wherein the device comprises an acoustic device.
10 . The package of claim 9 , wherein the acoustic seal comprises a metal layer coupled to the reference voltage.
11 . The package of claim 1 , wherein the device comprises an electromechanical device.
12 . The package of claim 1 , wherein the device comprises an environmental sensor.
13 . The package of claim 2 , wherein the shoulder region extends around an entire perimeter of the third opening.
14 . The package of claim 2 , wherein the first conductive layer extends continuously around an entire perimeter of the third opening.
15 . The package of claim 2 , wherein the first conductive layer comprises a plurality of portions disposed around the shoulder region and each of the plurality of portions is coupled to the reference voltage.
16 . The package of claim 1 integrated into a device selected from the group consisting of: a set-top box; an entertainment unit; a navigation device; a communications device; a fixed location data unit; a mobile location data unit; a global positioning system (GPS) device; a mobile phone; a cellular phone; a smartphone; a session initiation protocol (SIP) phone; a tablet; a phablet; a server; a computer; a portable computer; a mobile computing device; a wearable computing device; a desktop computer; a personal digital assistant (PDA); a monitor; a computer monitor; a television; a tuner; a radio; a satellite radio; a music player; a digital music player; a portable music player; a digital video player; a video player; a digital video disc (DVD) player; a portable digital video player; an automobile; a vehicle component; an avionics system; a drone; and a multicopter.
17 . An electronic device comprising:
a device package comprising:
a multi-layer substrate;
a port hole through the multi-layer substrate and comprising a first opening on a first side of the multi-layer substrate and a second opening on a second side of the multi-layer substrate, opposite to the first side;
a device disposed on the first opening of the port hole and having a first voltage;
an integrated circuit coupled to the device; and
a spark arrestor comprising a first conductive layer of the multi-layer substrate disposed inside the port hole and coupled to a reference voltage.
18 . The electronic device of claim 17 , wherein:
the multi-layer substrate comprises:
a first substrate layer on the second side of the multi-layer substrate; and
a second substrate layer between the first substrate layer and the first side of the multi-layer substrate;
a second opening of the port hole through the first substrate layer is wider in a first direction than a third opening of the port hole through the second substrate layer;
a shoulder region of the second substrate layer is exposed through the second opening from the second side of the multi-layer substrate; and
the second substrate layer comprises a first conductive layer in the shoulder region coupled to the reference voltage.
19 . The electronic device of claim 18 , further comprising:
a package substrate coupled to the second side of the multi-layer substrate; and
a hole through the package substrate;
wherein a longitudinal axis of the hole through the package substrate extends along a longitudinal axis of the hole through the multi-layer substrate.
20 . A method of forming a package comprising:
forming a multi-layer substrate;
forming a port hole through the multi-layer substrate and comprising a first opening on a first side of the multi-layer substrate and a second opening on a second side of the multi-layer substrate, opposite to the first side;
disposing a device having a first voltage on the first opening of the port hole; and
forming a spark arrestor inside the port hole comprising a first conductive layer of the multi-layer substrate coupled to a reference voltage.