Die down ball grid array packages and method for making same

1. A method of forming a ball grid array (BGA) package, comprising:

(a) forming a cavity in a heat spreader, the cavity being configured to accommodate an IC die;

(b) coupling an integrated circuit (IC) die to the heat spreader in the cavity through an opening of a first substrate, the first substrate being coupled to the heat spreader and the opening of the first substrate extending through the first substrate, such that the cavity of the heat spreader is accessible through the opening, wherein the cavity has an opening that is smaller than the opening in the first substrate; and

(c) coupling a first surface of a second substrate to the IC die via a bump interconnect;

wherein the second surface of the second substrate has an array of contact pads configured to couple the second substrate to a board.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein step (b) comprises using a metal plate or a conductive material as the heat spreader.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein step (b) comprises attaching the IC die to the heat spreader using an adhesive material or an epoxy.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein step (b) comprises using one of a tape substrate, an organic substrate, a ceramic substrate, a glass substrate, or a polyimide tape substrate as the first substrate.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein step (b) comprises using a multi-layer substrate as the first substrate.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

(d) mounting the first and second substrates to a printed wire board (PWB).

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein step (d) comprises:

using an array of solder balls to perform the mounting of the first and second substrates to the PWB.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein step (d) comprises:

using an array of solder balls to perform the mounting of the first substrate to the PWB; and

using solder paste to perform the mounting of the second substrate to the PWB.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein step (c) comprises:

using a printed circuit on one of a stiff or flexible dielectric substrate as the second substrate.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein step (c) further comprises:

using one of bismaleimide triazine (BT) resin substrate, resin substrate, polyimide tape substrate, tape substrate, flame retardant type 4 (FR4) laminate substrate, ceramic substrate, or glass substrate as the dielectric substrate.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein step (c) comprises:

using a multi-layer substrate as the second substrate.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein step (c) comprises:

using an adhesive material to couple the first surface of the second substrate to the IC die.

13. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

(d) performing underfilling to secure the bump interconnect between the IC die and the second substrate.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:

(d) covering at least partially the heat spreader, the first and second substrates, and the IC die with an encapsulating material.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein step (c) comprises attaching the second substrate to the central portion of the IC die such that power can be delivered to and from the central portion of the IC die via the second substrate.

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein in step (c) the second substrate is attached to the IC die, on which a peripheral area of the IC die includes only input/output (I/O) devices.

17. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

(d) using a wire bond to attach the IC die to the heat spreader; and

(e) using at least one wire bond to attach the IC die to the first substrate.

18. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

(d) using a wire bond to attach the IC die to the heat spreader;

(e) using at least one wire bond to attach the IC die to the first substrate; and

(f) using a wire bond to attach the IC die to the second substrate.

19. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

using a wire bond to attach the second substrate to the heat spreader;

using at least one wire bond to attach the second substrate to the first substrate.

20. The method of claim 1 , wherein step (c) comprises:

using a metal substrate as the second substrate.

21. The method of claim 20 , further comprising:

forming a central opening in the metal substrate.

22. The method of claim 20 , wherein step (c) comprises:

using a copper plate as the metal substrate.

23. The method of claim 20 , wherein step (c) comprises:

forming a central portion of the metal substrate with a larger thickness than a peripheral portion.

24. The method of claim 20 , wherein step (c) comprises:

forming a step along a peripheral portion of the metal substrate;

using a wire bond to attach the IC die to the first substrate;

using a wire bond to attach the IC die to the step of the metal substrate;

using a wire bond to attach the IC die to the first substrate; and

using a wire bond to attach the step of the metal substrate to the heat spreader.

25. The method of claim 20 , wherein step (c) comprises:

forming a step along a peripheral portion of the metal substrate;

using a wire bond to attach the IC die to the heat spreader;

using a wire bond to attach the IC die to the first substrate; and

using a wire bond to attach the IC die to the step of the second substrate.

26. The method of claim 20 , wherein step (c) comprises:

forming a central opening in the metal substrate;

forming a first step along a peripheral portion of the metal substrate;

forming a second step along a second step proximate the central opening of the metal substrate;

using a wire bond to attach the IC die to the heat spreader;

using a wire bond to attach the IC die to the first substrate;

using a wire bond to attach the IC die to the second step of the metal substrate;

using a wire bond to attach the IC die to the first step on a first side of the central opening of the metal substrate; and

using a wire bond to attach the IC die to the first step on a second side of the central opening of the metal substrate.

27. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

(d) coupling the IC die to the heat spreader with a wirebond.