Abstract:
In a microelectronic component having conductive vias (114) passing through a substrate (104) and protruding above the substrate, conductive features (120E.A, 120E.B) are provided above the substrate that wrap around the conductive vias' protrusions (114') to form capacitors, electromagnetic shields, and possibly other elements. Other features and embodiments are also provided.
Abstract:
An integrated circuit (IC) package includes a first substrate having a backside surface and a top surface with a cavity disposed therein. The cavity has a floor defining a front side surface. A plurality of first electroconductive contacts are disposed on the front side surface, and a plurality of second electroconductive contacts are disposed on the back side surface. A plurality of first electroconductive elements penetrate through the first substrate and couple selected ones of the first and second electroconductive contacts to each other. A first die containing an IC is electroconductively coupled to corresponding ones of the first electroconductive contacts. A second substrate has a bottom surface that is sealingly attached to the top surface of the first substrate, and a dielectric material is disposed in the cavity so as to encapsulate the first die.
Abstract:
Two microelectronic components (110, 120), e.g. a die and an interposer, are bonded to each other. One of the components' contact pads (110C) include metal, and the other component has silicon (410) which reacts with the metal to form metal silicide (504). Then a hole (510) is made through one of the components to reach the metal silicide and possibly even the unreacted metal (110C) of the other component. The hole is filled with a conductor (130), possibly metal, to provide a conductive via that can be electrically coupled to contact pads (120C.B) attachable to other circuit elements or microelectronic components, e.g. to a printed circuit board.
Abstract:
An apparatus relates generally to a three-dimensional stacked integrated circuit. In such an apparatus, the three-dimensional stacked integrated circuit has at least a first die and a second die interconnected to one another using die-to-die interconnects. A substrate of the first die has at least one thermal via structure extending from a lower surface of the substrate toward a well of the substrate without extending to the well and without extending through the substrate. A first end of the at least one thermal via structure is at least sufficiently proximate to the well of the substrate for conduction of heat away therefrom. The substrate has at least one through substrate via structure extending from the lower surface of the substrate to an upper surface of the substrate. A second end of the at least one thermal via structure is coupled to at least one through die via structure of the second die for thermal conductivity.
Abstract:
Capacitive coupling of integrated circuit die components and other conductive areas is provided. Each component to be coupled has a surface that includes at least one conductive area, such as a metal pad or plate. An ultrathin layer of dielectric is formed on at least one surface to be coupled. When the two components, e.g., one from each die, are permanently contacted together, the ultrathin layer of dielectric remains between the two surfaces, forming a capacitor or capacitive interface between the conductive areas of each respective component. The ultrathin layer of dielectric may be composed of multiple layers of various dielectrics, but in one implementation, the overall thickness is less than approximately 50 nanometers. The capacitance per unit area of the capacitive interface formed depends on the particular dielectric constants κ of the dielectric materials employed in the ultrathin layer and their respective thicknesses. Electrical and grounding connections can be made at the edge of the coupled stack.
Abstract:
An assembly with modules (110, 1310) containing integrated circuits and attached to a wiring substrate (120) is reinforced by one or more reinforcement frames (410) attached to the wiring substrate. The modules are located in openings (e.g. cavities and/or through-holes 414) in the reinforcement frame. Other features are also provided.
Abstract:
A combined interposer (120) includes multiple constituent interposers (120.i), each with its own substrate (120.iS) and with a circuit layer (e.g. redistribution layer) on top and/or bottom of the substrate. The top circuit layers can be part of a common circuit layer (120R.T) which can interconnect different interposers. Likewise, the bottom circuit layers can be part of a common circuit layer (120R.B). The constituent interposer substrates (120. iS) are initially part of a common wafer, and the common top circuit layer is fabricated before separation of the constituent interposer substrates from the wafer. Use of separated substrates reduces stress compared to use of a single large substrate. Other features are also provided.
Abstract:
Die (110) and/or undiced wafers and/or multichip modules (MCMs) are attached on top of an interposer (120) or some other structure (e.g. another integrated circuit) and are covered by an encapsulant (160). Then the interposer is thinned from below. Before encapsulation, a layer (410) more rigid than the encapsulant is formed on the interposer around the die to reduce or eliminate interposer dishing between the die when the interposer is thinned by a mechanical process (e.g. CMP). Other features are also provided.
Abstract:
To reduce warpage in at least one area of a wafer, a stress/warpage management layer (810) is formed to over-balance and change the direction of the existing warpage. For example, if the middle of the area was bulging up relative to the area's boundary, the middle of the area may become bulging downward, or vice versa. Then the stress/warpage management layer is processed to reduce the over-balancing. For example, the stress/management layer can be debonded from the wafer at selected locations, or recesses can be formed in the layer, or phase changes can be induced in the layer. In other embodiments, this layer is tantalum-aluminum that may or may not over-balance the warpage; this layer is believed to reduce warpage due to crystal-phase-dependent stresses which dynamically adjust to temperature changes so as to reduce the warpage (possibly keeping the wafer flat through thermal cycling). Other features are also provided.
Abstract:
A mask is formed over a first conductive portion of a conductive layer to expose a second conductive portion of the conductive layer. An electrolytic process is performed to remove conductive material from a first region and a second region of the second conductive portion. The second region is aligned with the mask relative to an electric field applied by the electrolytic process. The second region separates the first region of the second conductive portion from the first conductive portion. The electrolytic process is concentrated relative to the second region such that removal occurs at a relatively higher rate in the second region than in the first region.