Microelectronic package electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11147197-B2
Application number	US-201916659459-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 21, 2019
Priority date	Oct 21, 2019
Publication date	Oct 12, 2021
Grant date	Oct 12, 2021

Abstract

Embodiments may relate to a material to provide electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection in an electrical device. The material may include first and second electrically-conductive carbon allotropes. The material may further include an electrically-conductive polymer that is chemically bonded to the first and second electrically-conductive carbon allotropes such that an electrical signal may pass between the first and second electrically-conductive carbon allotropes. Other embodiments may be described or claimed.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A material to provide electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection in an electrical device, wherein the material comprises:
a first electrically-conductive carbon allotrope having a first functional group;
a second electrically-conductive carbon allotrope having a second functional group; and
a first electrically-conductive polymer that is chemically bonded to the first functional group and the second functional group such that an electrical signal may pass between the first and second electrically-conductive carbon allotropes.

2. The material of claim 1 , wherein the first electrically-conductive carbon allotrope is a carbon nanoribbon.

3. The material of claim 1 , wherein the first electrically-conductive polymer is polythiophene.

4. The material of claim 1 , wherein the first electrically-conductive carbon allotrope is graphene.

5. The material of claim 1 , wherein the first electrically-conductive polymer is polyacetylene or polyaniline.

6. The material of claim 1 , wherein the material further includes a non-conductive polymer matrix.

7. The material of claim 6 , wherein the non-conductive polymer matrix is bonded to the first electrically-conductive carbon allotrope by a second electrically-conductive polymer.

8. The material of claim 1 , wherein the non-conductive polymer matrix includes epoxy, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer, or polyimide.

9. The material of claim 1 , wherein the material is non-conductive when a voltage below a threshold voltage is applied to the material, and the material is conductive when a voltage at or above the threshold voltage is applied to the material.

10. The material of claim 9 , wherein the threshold voltage is based on a material used for the first electrically-conductive carbon allotrope, a material used for the second electrically-conductive carbon allotrope, and a material used for the first electrically-conductive polymer.

11. A microelectronic package for use in an electronic device, wherein the microelectronic package comprises:
a signal path electrically positioned between, and coupled to, a die and a voltage input;
a ground signal path electrically positioned between, and coupled to, a connection to ground and the signal path; and
an electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection material coupled to the ground signal path, wherein the ESD protection material includes a first electrically-conductive carbon allotrope having a first functional group, a second electrically-conductive carbon allotrope having a second functional group, and an electrically-conductive polymer that chemically bonds with the first functional group and the second functional group such that the first and second electrically-conductive carbon allotropes are chemically bonded to one another within a non-conductive material.

12. The microelectronic package of claim 11 , wherein the ESD protection material is electrically positioned between the signal path and the connection to ground.

13. The microelectronic package of claim 11 , wherein the voltage input is to provide an input voltage, and wherein the ESD protection material is electrically-conductive when the input voltage is at or above a voltage threshold.

14. The microelectronic package of claim 11 , wherein the voltage input is to provide an input voltage, and wherein the ESD protection material is electrically non-conductive when the input voltage is below a voltage threshold.

15. The microelectronic package of claim 11 , wherein the first and second electrically-conductive carbon allotropes are carbon nanotubes.

16. The microelectronic package of claim 11 , wherein the electrically-conductive polymer is poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT), or PEDOT/poly(styrene sulphonate) (PSS).

17. A method of forming a microelectronic package for use in an electronic device, wherein the method comprises:
identifying, in a substrate of the microelectronic package, a ground path that electrically couples a signal path and a ground connection; and
positioning, in the ground path between the signal path and the ground connection, an electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection material that includes:
two electrically-conductive carbon allotropes that are electrically coupled with one another by a first electrically-conductive polymer that is chemically functionalized with the electrically-conductive carbon allotropes; and
a non-conductive polymer matrix that is chemically functionalized with the electrically-conductive carbon allotropes by a second electrically-conductive polymer.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein positioning the ESD protection material in the ground path includes stencil printing, spray depositing, or ink-jet printing the ESD protection material to the substrate.

19. The method of claim 17 , wherein the electrically-conductive carbon allotropes are carbon fibers.

20. The method of claim 17 , wherein the first electrically-conductive polymer is polypyrrole.

Assignees

• Intel Corp

Inventors

• Strong Veronica Aleman
• Swan Johanna M
• Aleksov Aleksandar
• Elsherbini Adel A
• Eid Feras

Classifications

• H10W70/60

  Insulating or insulated package substrates; Interposers; Redistribution layers (leadframes H10W70/40) · CPC title

• H10W70/098

  Applying pastes or inks, e.g. screen printing (H10W70/095 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H10W42/60

  protecting against electrostatic charges or discharges, e.g. Faraday shields (integrated devices comprising arrangements for electrical protection H10D89/60) · CPC title

• H10W70/664

  Carbon-based materials, e.g. fullerenes · CPC title

• C08G61/126 Primary

  with a five-membered ring containing one sulfur atom in the ring · CPC title