Backside ground plane for integrated circuit
An integrated circuit (IC) device includes a die having an integrated passive device (IPD) layer. The integrated circuit device also includes a substrate supporting the die, a molding compound surrounding the die. The integrated circuit device further includes a backside conductive layer on a surface of the die that is distal from the IPD layer. The integrated circuit device also includes vias coupling the backside conductive layer to a ground plane through the molding compound.
1. An integrated circuit (IC) device, comprising:
a die including an integrated passive device (IPD) layer;
a substrate supporting the die;
a molding compound surrounding the die;
a backside conductive layer on a surface of the die that is distal from the IPD layer; and
a plurality of vias coupling the backside conductive layer to a ground plane through the molding compound, in which the ground plane is on a backside of the molding compound.
2. The IC device of claim 1 , in which the IPD layer comprises inductors and capacitors.
3. The IC device of claim 1 , in which the ground plane comprises a shielding layer surrounding a portion of the molding compound and the substrate.
4. The IC device of claim 3 , in which the shielding layer is arranged to cover sidewalls of the substrate.
5. The IC device of claim 1 , in which the ground plane is distal from the IPD layer.
6. The IC device of claim 1 , further comprising solder balls on a front side of the die for electrically coupling the substrate to the die.
7. The IC device of claim 1 , integrated into a radio frequency (RF) front end module, the RF front end module incorporated into at least one of a music player, a video player, an entertainment unit, a navigation device, a communications device, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a fixed location data unit, a mobile phone, and a portable computer.
8. A method of fabricating an integrated circuit (IC) device, comprising:
plating a backside conductive layer on a backside of a die including an integrated passive device (IPD) layer;
attaching a front side of the die to a packaging substrate;
spreading a molding material on the packaging substrate to surround the die with a molding compound;
exposing the backside conductive layer on the die through the molding compound; and
depositing a conductive material on the molding compound, the conductive material contacting the backside conductive layer on the die and providing a ground plane for the IPD layer, in which the ground plane is on a backside of the molding compound.
9. The method of claim 8 , in which the exposing comprises drilling through the molding material.
10. The method of claim 8 , in which the depositing comprises conformally coating the molding compound.
11. The method of claim 8 , in which the conductive material is arranged to cover sidewalls of the packaging substrate.
12. The method of claim 8 , in which the IPD layer comprises inductors and capacitors.
13. The method of claim 8 , in which the ground plane comprises a shielding layer surrounding a portion of the die and the packaging substrate.
14. The method of claim 8 , further comprising integrating the IC device into a radio frequency (RF) front end module, the RF front end module incorporated into at least one of a music player, a video player, an entertainment unit, a navigation device, a communications device, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a fixed location data unit, a mobile phone, and a portable computer.
15. An integrated circuit (IC) device, comprising:
a die including an integrated passive device (IPD) layer;
a substrate supporting the die;
a molding compound surrounding the die;
a backside conductive layer on a surface of the die that is distal from the IPD layer; and
means for coupling the backside conductive layer to a ground plane, in which the ground plane is on a backside of the molding compound.
16. The IC device of claim 15 , integrated into a radio frequency (RF) front end module, the RF front end module incorporated into at least one of a music player, a video player, an entertainment unit, a navigation device, a communications device, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a fixed location data unit, a mobile phone, and a portable computer.
17. A radio frequency (RF) front end module, comprising:
a filter, comprising a die including an integrated passive device (IPD) layer, a substrate supporting the die, a molding compound surrounding the die, a backside conductive layer on a surface of the die that is distal from the IPD layer, and a plurality of vias coupling the backside conductive layer to a ground plane, in which the ground plane is on a backside of the molding compound;
a diplexer coupled to the filter; and
an antenna coupled to an output of the diplexer.
18. The RF front end module of claim 17 , in which the IPD layer comprises inductors and capacitors.
19. The RF front end module of claim 17 , incorporated into at least one of a music player, a video player, an entertainment unit, a navigation device, a communications device, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a fixed location data unit, a mobile phone, and a portable computer.