Semiconductor dies with recesses, associated leadframes, and associated systems and methods

Abstract

Semiconductor dies with recesses, associated leadframes, and associated systems and methods are disclosed. A semiconductor system in accordance with one embodiment includes a semiconductor die having a first surface and a second surface facing opposite from the first surface, with the first surface having a die recess. The system can further include a support paddle carrying the semiconductor die, with at least part of the support paddle being received in the die recess. In particular embodiments, the support paddle can form a portion of a leadframe. In other particular embodiments, the support paddle can include a paddle surface that faces toward the semiconductor die and has an opening extending through the paddle surface and through the support paddle.

1 . A semiconductor system, comprising:
 a semiconductor die having a first surface and a second surface facing opposite from the first surface, the first surface having a die recess; and   a support paddle carrying the semiconductor die, the support paddle being at least partially received in the die recess.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1  wherein:
 the semiconductor die is a first semiconductor die, and the die recess is one of two elongated die recesses extending along opposing edges of the first surface;   the support paddle includes two spaced apart paddle portions, one received in each of the two die recesses, with each paddle portion being flush with or recessed from the first surface of the semiconductor die external to the die recesses;   the first semiconductor die has bond sites accessible from the second surface; and   the system further comprises:
 a second semiconductor die stacked relative to the first semiconductor die, the second semiconductor die having a first surface facing toward the first semiconductor die, a second surface facing away from the first surface, and two elongated die recesses extending along opposing edges of the first surface of the second semiconductor die; and 
 wire bonds received in the recesses of the second semiconductor die and connected to the bond sites of the first semiconductor die. 
   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the support paddle has a first surface generally flush with or recessed from the first surface of the semiconductor die external to the recess, and wherein the support paddle has a second surface facing opposite the first surface of the support paddle and toward the semiconductor die. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the semiconductor die includes multiple recesses, and wherein the support paddle includes multiple portions received in individual recesses. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4  wherein the semiconductor die includes a first elongated recess positioned along a first edge of the semiconductor die and a second elongated recess positioned along a second recess of the semiconductor die. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5  wherein the support paddle includes a first elongated portion received in the first recess and a second elongated portion received in the second recess. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 5  wherein the support paddle includes first and second spaced apart portions received in the first recess, and third and fourth spaced-apart portions received in the second recess. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the semiconductor die includes a contiguous recess adjacent a periphery of the semiconductor die, and wherein the support paddle includes a contiguous, generally frame-shaped support surface having a central opening and being received in the contiguous recess of the semiconductor die. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising an encapsulant disposed around at least a portion of the semiconductor die and at least a portion of the support paddle. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the semiconductor die includes multiple die bond sites, and wherein the system further comprises multiple leadfingers having leadfinger bond sites, with individual leadfinger bond sites connected to corresponding die bond sites via wire bonds, wherein the leadfingers and the support paddle have a generally identical composition. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the semiconductor die is a first semiconductor die having first semiconductor die bond sites, wherein the die recess is a first die recess, and wherein the system further comprises:
 a second semiconductor die stacked relative to the first semiconductor die, the second semiconductor die having a first surface and a second surface facing opposite from the first surface, the first surface of the second semiconductor die having a second die recess; and   a plurality of leadfingers having leadfinger bond sites, with individual leadfinger bond sites connected to corresponding die bond sites of the first semiconductor die via wirebonds that are received in the second die recesses of the second semiconductor die.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a computing device having at least one of a processor, a memory and an input/output device, and wherein the semiconductor die and the support paddle are included as a component of at least one of the processor, the memory, and the input/output device. 
     
     
         13 . A semiconductor system, comprising:
 a leadframe that includes:
 a frame member; 
 a plurality of leadfingers connected to and extending inwardly from the frame member; and 
 a support paddle positioned inwardly from the leadfingers, the support paddle having:
 a first paddle portion connected to and positioned inwardly from the frame member, the first paddle portion having a first support surface positioned to carry a semiconductor die; and 
 a second paddle portion connected to and positioned inwardly from the frame member, the second paddle portion being spaced apart from the first paddle portion and having a second paddle support surface spaced apart from and discontinuous with the first paddle support surface and positioned to carry the semiconductor die. 
 
   
     
     
         14 . The semiconductor system of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 a third paddle portion connected to and positioned inwardly from the frame member, the third paddle portion being spaced apart from the first and second paddle portions and having a third paddle support surface spaced apart from the first and second paddle support surfaces and positioned to carry the semiconductor die; and   a fourth paddle portion connected to and positioned inwardly from the frame member, the fourth paddle portion being spaced apart from the first, second and third paddle portions and having a fourth paddle support surface spaced apart from the first, second and third paddle support surfaces and positioned to carry the semiconductor die.   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14  wherein the first, second, third and fourth paddle support surfaces are generally co-planar. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 14  wherein a diagonal line between the first and third paddle support surfaces bisects a diagonal line between the second and fourth paddle support surfaces. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 13  wherein the first and second paddle portions are elongated along generally parallel axes. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 13  wherein the first and second paddle portions are elongated along generally parallel axes, spaced apart from each other by an opening. 
     
     
         19 . A semiconductor leadframe, comprising:
 a frame member;   a plurality of leadfingers connected to and extending inwardly from the frame member; and   a support paddle positioned inwardly from the leadfingers, the support paddle having a paddle surface positioned to carry a semiconductor die, the support paddle having an opening extending from the paddle surface through the support paddle.   
     
     
         20 . The leadframe of  claim 19  wherein the paddle surface includes a single, continuous surface that encloses the opening. 
     
     
         21 . The leadframe of  claim 19  wherein the paddle surface includes multiple spaced apart paddle surface portions positioned outwardly from the opening. 
     
     
         22 . The leadframe of  claim 21  wherein the wherein the paddle surface includes first and second spaced apart paddle surface portions positioned on opposite sides of the opening. 
     
     
         23 . The leadframe of  claim 21  wherein the paddle surface includes first, second, third and fourth spaced apart paddle surface portions positioned around and outwardly from the opening. 
     
     
         24 . A semiconductor system, comprising:
 a semiconductor die having multiple bond sites;   a support paddle having a paddle surface carrying the semiconductor die, the support paddle having an opening extending from the paddle surface through the support paddle;   a plurality of leadfingers positioned outwardly from the support paddle; and   conductive connectors coupled between the leadfingers and the bond sites.   
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 24  wherein the paddle surface includes a first portion on one side of the opening carrying the semiconductor die toward a first edge of the semiconductor die, and a second portion on an opposite side of the opening carrying the semiconductor die toward a second edge of the semiconductor die opposite the first edge of the semiconductor die. 
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 25  wherein the first and second portions of the paddle surface are spaced apart from each other and elongated along generally parallel axes. 
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 26  wherein the paddle surface includes first, second, third and fourth spaced apart portions positioned around and outwardly from the opening, with each of the portions carrying the semiconductor die toward one of four corners of the semiconductor die. 
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 24  wherein the paddle surface has a generally frame-type shape around the opening. 
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 24 , further comprising an encapsulant disposed at least partially around the semiconductor die, the support paddle, the leadfingers and the conductive connectors. 
     
     
         30 . A method for manufacturing a semiconductor system, comprising:
 receiving at least part of a support paddle in a recess of a semiconductor die, the semiconductor die having a first surface with the recess and a second surface facing opposite from the first surface; and   attaching the support paddle to the semiconductor die with the support paddle in the recess.   
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30  wherein the support paddle is a portion of a leadframe having a frame portion and a plurality of leadfingers extending from the frame portion, and wherein the method further comprises:
 positioning the leadfingers proximate to the semiconductor die as the support paddle is received in the recess;   electrically connecting the leadfingers with bond sites of the semiconductor die using wirebonds;   disposing an encapsulant around the semiconductor die and the leadframe; and   removing the frame portion of the leadframe.   
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 30  wherein receiving at least part of the support paddle in the recess of the semiconductor die includes receiving the support paddle with an outwardly facing surface of the support paddle flush with or recessed from the first surface of the semiconductor die adjacent to the recess. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 30  wherein the recess is a first recess and wherein receiving at least part of the support paddle includes receiving a first portion of the support paddle in the first recess and wherein the method further comprises receiving a second portion of the support paddle in a second recess spaced apart from the first recess. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 30  wherein the recess extends around a periphery of the semiconductor die, and wherein the support paddle has a support surface with a generally frame-type shape disposed around a central opening, and wherein the method further comprises positioning a central portion of the semiconductor die in the central opening of the support paddle. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 30  wherein the recess includes at least one recess at four spaced apart corners of the semiconductor die, and wherein receiving at least part of the support paddle in the recess includes receiving four spaced apart paddle surfaces of support paddle in individual portions of the at least one recess at the four spaced apart corners of the semiconductor die. 
     
     
         36 . A method for manufacturing a semiconductor system, comprising:
 positioning a semiconductor die proximate to a leadframe, the leadframe having a frame member, a plurality of leadfingers connected to and extending inwardly from the frame member, and a support paddle positioned inwardly from the leadfingers, the support paddle having a paddle surface and an opening extending from the paddle surface through the support paddle;   attaching the support paddle to the semiconductor die with the opening facing directly toward the semiconductor die;   electrically connecting the semiconductor die to the leadfingers; and   separating the frame member from the leadfingers and the support paddle.   
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 36  wherein the semiconductor die includes recesses facing toward the support paddle, and where the method further comprises positioning the support paddle in the recesses of the semiconductor die, and wherein attaching the support paddle includes attaching the support paddle to surfaces of the semiconductor die in the recesses. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 36  wherein attaching the support paddle to the semiconductor die includes attaching multiple spaced apart paddle surfaces of the support paddle to corresponding portions of the semiconductor die.