Proximity sensor with integrated ALS

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11828875-B2
Application number	US-202117551001-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 14, 2021
Priority date	Nov 20, 2017
Publication date	Nov 28, 2023
Grant date	Nov 28, 2023

Abstract

A semiconductor package that is a proximity sensor includes a light transmitting die, a light receiving die, an ambient light sensor, a cap, and a substrate. The light receiving die and the light transmitting die are coupled to the substrate. The cap is coupled to the substrate forming a first chamber around the light transmitting die and a second chamber around the light receiving die. The cap further includes a recess with contact pads. The ambient light sensor is mounted within the recess of the cap and coupled to the contact pads. The cap includes electrical traces that are coupled to the contact pads within the recess coupling the ambient light sensor to the substrate. By utilizing a cap with a recess containing contact pads, a proximity sensor can be formed in a single semiconductor package all while maintaining a compact size and reducing the manufacturing costs of proximity sensors.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A device, comprising:
a substrate;
a cap coupled to the substrate, the cap having a recess within the cap;
an electrical contact of the cap at the recess and exposed by the recess; and
an electrical trace extending through the cap, the electrical trace coupled to the electrical contact.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the cap further includes:
a barrier structure;
a first cavity on a first side of the barrier structure, the first cavity partially delimited by the barrier structure; and
a second cavity on a second side of the barrier structure opposite to the first side, the second cavity partially delimited by the barrier structure.

3. The device of claim 2 , further comprising a die on the substrate and present within the first cavity and the second cavity.

4. The device of claim 3 , wherein the barrier structure is on the die.

5. The device of claim 4 , wherein the die includes a light receiving portion spaced from the barrier structure and present within the first cavity.

6. The device of claim 5 , wherein the cap includes an opening overlapping the light receiving portion.

7. The device of claim 2 , further comprising:
a first die on the substrate, the first die present within the first cavity and the second cavity, the first die including a light receiving portion within the first cavity; and
a second die on the substrate, the second die present within the second cavity, the second die including a light emitting portion within the second cavity.

8. The device of claim 7 , wherein:
the cap further includes:
a first opening overlapping the light receiving portion of the first die; and
a second opening overlapping the light emitting portion of the second die; and

the recess within the cap is between the first opening and the second opening.

9. The device of claim 1 , wherein a die is present within the recess and is coupled to the electrical contact in the recess.

10. The device of claim 9 , wherein the die is an ambient light sensor.

11. A device, comprising:
a substrate;
a first die on the substrate;
a cap coupled to the substrate, the cap having a first side, a second side opposite to the first side, and a recess that extends into the first side of the cap and terminates within the cap before reaching the second side of the cap;
one or more contact pads at the recess and exposed by the recess; and
a second die within the recess and coupled to the one or more contact pad.

12. The device of claim 11 , the cap further including:
a barrier structure;
a first cavity on a first side of the barrier structure and delimited by the barrier structure; and
a second cavity on a second side of the barrier structure opposite to the first side of the barrier structure, the second cavity delimited by the barrier structure.

13. The device of claim 12 , wherein the first die is present in the first cavity and the second cavity.

14. The device of claim 12 , further comprising a third die present in the second cavity.

15. The device of claim 14 , wherein:
the first die is configured to receive light;
the second die is configured to emit light; and
the third die is configured to receive light.

16. The device of claim 14 , wherein:
the second die is configured to emit light to be reflected off an object external to the cap;
the first die is configured to receive light reflected off the object external to the cap; and
the third die is configured to receive ambient light from an environment external to the cap.

17. A device, comprising:
a substrate;
a first die on the substrate;
a second die on the substrate;
a cap coupled to the substrate, the cap having a recess, a first side, and a second side opposite to the first side, the recess extends into the first side and terminates within the cap before reaching the second side;
a plurality of contact pads at the recess and exposed by the recess;
a third die within the recess; and
a conductive wire coupling the third die to a respective one of the plurality of contact pads.

18. The device of claim 17 , wherein the cap further includes a plurality of sidewalls and a barrier structure between the plurality of sidewalls.

19. The device of claim 18 , wherein the recess overlaps and is aligned with the barrier structure.

20. The device of claim 19 , further comprising:
a first cavity delimited by the cap, the substrate, and the first die; and
a second cavity delimited by the cap, the substrate, and the first die, and
wherein the first die is present within the first cavity and the second cavity, and the second die is present within the second cavity.

Assignees

• St Microelectronics Pte Ltd

Inventors

• Gani David

Classifications

• G01S7/4808 Primary

  Evaluating distance, position or velocity data · CPC title

• G01J1/4204

  with determination of ambient light (solar light G01J2001/4266) · CPC title

• G01S7/4813 Primary

  Housing arrangements · CPC title

• G01S7/4814

  of transmitters alone · CPC title

• G01S7/4816

  of receivers alone · CPC title