Abstract: A chip structure, a wafer structure and a method for manufacturing the same are provided in the present disclosure. A first chip and a second chip are bonded by bonding layers of a dielectric material. Top wiring layers are led out through bonding via holes from a back surface of a bonded chip. The bonding via holes are used for bonding and are surrounded by the bonding layers. A top wiring layer of a third chip is led out through bonding pads formed in a bonding layer. The bonding via holes are aligned with and bonded to the bonding pads to achieve bonding of the three chips. The top wiring layer of the third chip is led out from the back surface of the third chip through a lead-out pad.

Abstract: A semiconductor device and a method for manufacturing the same. When a pattern for etching is formed through photolithography after forming a photoresist layer on an adhesion layer, a sub-resolution auxiliary pattern of the mask is above the non-lead-out region, and an exposable pattern of the mask is above a lead-out region. In the photolithography, a first partial exposure region exposed partially in depth is formed in the photoresist layer corresponding to the sub-resolution auxiliary pattern, and an exposed pattern that is exposed completely is formed in the photoresist layer corresponding to the exposable pattern. After anisotropic etching on the adhesion layer through the photoresist layer, both an opening running through a partial thickness of the adhesion layer and a via hole running through the adhesion layer are formed. The opening balances a load in planarization during a process of filling the via hole.

Abstract: An oscillator including two sequentially connected pulse generation circuits is disclosed. Each pulse generation circuit includes a charge/discharge circuit and a switch circuit and outputs a first or second signal depending on an input signal. The switch circuit controls the charge/discharge circuit so that the latter is charged when the input signal is at a first level and discharged when the input signal is at a second level higher than the first level. When the input signal is at the first level, the first signal is at the first level and the second signal is at the second level. When the input signal is at the second level, the first signal is at the second level and the second signal is at the first level. Upon completion of discharge of the charge/discharge circuit, the first signal changes to the first level and the second signal changes to the second level.

Abstract: A bonding structure and a method for manufacturing the same. First edge trimming is performed from the bonding surface of an n-th wafer in bonding the n-th wafer and an (n?1)th wafer, and a width of the first edge trimming is Wn. As n increases, the width of the first edge trimming is gradually increased. In the trimming, a portion that is not even at the edge of the n-th wafer can be removed. The bonding surface of the n-th wafer faces the bonding surface of the (n?1)-th wafer, so as to bond the n-th wafer and the (n?1)-th wafer. Afterwards the substrate of the n-th wafer is thinned, so as to form the (n?1)-th wafer stack. There is a reduced possibility that a gap exists between the bonding interfaces of the wafers, a bonding strength between the wafers is improved, and a risk of cracking is reduced.

Abstract: A multi-wafer stacking structure is disclosed. In which a first interconnection layer is electrically connected to a second metal layer and a first metal layer via a first opening, a second interconnection layer is electrically connected to the first interconnection layer via a second opening, a third interconnection layer is electrically connected to a third metal layer via a third opening, and the second interconnection layer is electrically connected to the third interconnection layer. It is unnecessary to reserve a bonding lead space between wafers, a silicon substrate is eliminated, and the multi-wafer stacking thickness is reduced while multi-wafer interconnection is realized, so that the overall device thickness is reduced after multi-wafer stacked package. Moreover, there is no need of leads, so as to eliminate design processing of a silicon substrate and a plurality of shared bonding pads on the silicon substrate.

Abstract: A wafer structure, a method for manufacturing the wafer structure, and a chip structure are provided. In a case that two wafers are bonded together, an opening extending through a substrate of one of the wafers is formed at a back surface of the wafer, and a concave-convex structure is formed in the dielectric layer under the opening. At least one of concave portions of the concave-convex structure extends to expose the interconnection layer of the wafer structure. A pad is formed on the concave-convex structure by filling the concave-convex structure, and the pad has the same concave-convex arrangement as the concave-convex structure. In this way, the pad has a concave-convex surface, such that a contact surface area of the pad is effectively increased without increasing a floor space of the pad.

Abstract: A bonding structure and a method for manufacturing the bonding structure are provided. Multiple chips arranged in an array are formed on a surface of a wafer. Each of the chips includes a device structure, an interconnect structure electrically connected to the device structure, and a first package pad layer electrically connected to the interconnect structure. The first package pad layer is arranged at an edge region of the chip. A chip stack is obtained after bonding and cutting the multiple wafers, and the first package pad layer at the edge region of the chip is exposed.

Abstract: The invention discloses a method for improving bonding of dangling bonds of silicon atoms. A surface of a wafer is oxidized to form a silicon oxide layer. The upper surface of the silicon oxide layer has a dangling bond. A dielectric layer is disposed on the upper surface of the silicon oxide layer, which is then subjected to an oxygen-enriched oxidation treatment at a preset first temperature. A protective layer is disposed on the upper surface of the dielectric layer. The wafer is then subjected to an annealing treatment. By passing oxidizing gas through the surface of the protective layer, oxygen ions in the oxidizing gas penetrate the dielectric layer to reach wafer surface. After high-temperature annealing treatment, the unsaturated bonds of the silicon atoms are bonded to the oxygen ions on the wafer surface, thereby improving the bonding of the dangling bonds on the wafer surface.

Abstract: A semiconductor wafer, a bonding structure, and a wafer bonding method are provided. In the semiconductor wafer, a bonding pad which is electrically connected to the interconnection structure is formed in the top cover layer, and a bonding alignment mark formed by a point array is disposed in the top cover layer. In this way, the bonding alignment mark is disposed in the top cover layer, and the top cover layer is not covered by another material layer, thereby facilitating recognition of the alignment pattern by the bonding device and increasing the alignment window in bonding process. Moreover, the bonding alignment mark is formed by a point array, thereby facilitating integration of the process for forming the bonding alignment mark with the bonding hole process and avoiding defects such as the dishing phenomenon in the manufacturing process.

Abstract: A semiconductor device and a manufacturing method thereof are disclosed. In which a uniform metal layer is formed above the second metal layer of the second wafer, the uniform metal layer is electrically connected to the second metal layer, and the uniform metal layer and the first metal layer are made of the same material. The uniform metal layer and the first metal layer simultaneously exposed by the subsequently formed TSV hole are made of the same material, the degree of over-etching is relatively easy to control in the etching process, and cross contamination of cleaning agents in the cleaning process can be avoided. In addition, when the interconnection layer is electrically connected to the first metal layer and the uniform metal layer, since the uniform metal layer and the first metal layer are made of the same material, the interconnection layer has better contact performance with the two.

Abstract: A sense amplifier for a flash memory is disclosed which includes a pre-charging circuit, a first capacitor, a first inverter, and a first transmission gate connected in parallel with the first inverter, the pre-charging circuit is connectable to a reference voltage node, and is able to pre-charge a word line, of the flash memory, via the reference voltage node, a potential of the reference voltage node remains unchanged after the pre-charging is completed; a potential of the reference voltage node is adjustable according to a state of the flash memory until an output voltage of the first inverter changes; the first capacitor has a first end connected to the reference voltage node, a second end connected to an input of the first inverter and a first end of the first transmission gate; an output of the first inverter is connected to a second end of the first transmission gate.

Abstract: A method for relieving a hole defect of a gate is disclosed, which includes: providing a substrate; forming a polysilicon layer over the substrate; forming a sacrificial oxide layer over a surface, that faces away from the substrate, of the polysilicon layer; forming a patterned photoresist layer over the sacrificial oxide layer; performing ion implantation by using the patterned photoresist layer as a mask; removing the patterned photoresist layer and the sacrificial oxide layer. In the method, before ion implantation, an oxide layer is formed over the surface of the gate, and is used to reduce affinity of the polysilicon and the photoresist layer. Afterwards, the floating gate is cleaned for many times, and hydrofluoric acid of an appropriate amount is added, so as to completely remove the photoresist layer and other residues while cleaning off the sacrificial oxide layer.

Abstract: A multi-wafer stacking structure and a fabrication method thereof are disclosed. A first dielectric layer and a second dielectric layer are bonded to each other, a first interconnection layer is electrically connected with a second metal layer and a first metal layer via a first opening; a third dielectric layer and an insulating layer are bonded to each other, and a second interconnection layer is electrically connected with a third metal layer and the first interconnection layer via a second opening. Reservation of a pressure welding lead space among wafers is not needed, a silicon substrate is omitted, multi-wafer stacking thickness is reduced while interconnection of multiple pieces of wafers is realized, and therefore, the overall thickness of the device after multi-wafer stacking and packaging is reduced, packaging density is increased, and the requirement of thinning of the semiconductor products is met.

Abstract: A defect relieving method for a floating gate is disclosed, which includes: providing a front-end structure, including an active region, a gate oxide layer on the active region, a mask layer on the gate oxide layer, a plurality of trenches penetrating through the mask layer, the gate oxide layer, and at least part of the active region, and a filler that is filled in the trenches; performing a first etching process to remove a first thickness of the mask layer between adjacent ones of the trenches; performing a second etching process to remove a remaining thickness of the mask layer between the adjacent trenches, and reducing a width of a portion of the filler that exceeds a top surface of the gate oxide layer, thereby an opening is formed; and filling the opening with a floating gate. The method increases the diameter of the opening, thus avoiding occurrence of voids.

Abstract: A manufacturing method of a semiconductor device is disclosed, including: providing a first wafer and a second wafer that are bonded, a back surface of the first substrate of the first wafer is provided with a passivation layer; performing a photolithography and etching process to form a first opening; forming a hard mask layer, the hard mask layer covers at least a sidewall surface of the first opening; performing an etching process to form a second opening; performing a photolithography and etching process to form a third opening; and forming an interconnection layer. A back surface of a first substrate is provided with a passivation layer, after a first opening is formed, a hard mask layer is formed on a sidewall surface of the first opening, and a maskless etching process is performed to form a second opening, thereby simplifying the process, eliminating one photomask and reducing the production cost.

Abstract: A charge pump drive circuit is disclosed. The charge pump drive circuit provides a switch signal to a charge pump which provides a memory with a read voltage and a read current. The charge pump drive circuit includes a read drive circuit and a standby drive circuit. The read drive circuit is powered by a first power supply and provides the charge pump with a switch signal when the memory is in an active reading state. The standby drive circuit is powered by a second power supply and provides the charge pump with a switch signal when the memory is in a read standby state. The first power supply provides a voltage level ranging from 1.6 V to 3.8 V, and the second power supply provides a voltage level of 1.5 V.

Abstract: A multi-layer chip and a fabrication method thereof are disclosed. The method includes: bonding a first chip having a first metal layer to a second chip having a second metal layer; forming a first metal contact in the second chip, the first metal contact connecting to the second metal layer; depositing oxide on the second chip to form a first oxide layer; bonding the first oxide layer and a second oxide layer of a third chip; and forming a second metal contact penetrating through the first oxide layer and the second oxide layer for connecting the first metal contact with a third metal layer in the third chip via the second metal contact.

Abstract: A local X-decoder for a memory system including a decoding unit configured to generate a word line signal to a memory cell of a memory array of the memory system; and a voltage clamping transistor coupled to the decoding unit, and configured to reduce a voltage difference across a global word line signal and the word line signal by an amount of a threshold voltage of the voltage clamping transistor.

Abstract: A band-gap reference circuit including a charge pump circuit and a reference circuit is disclosed. The charge pump circuit is powered by a supply voltage and thereby outputs a regulating voltage which is higher than the supply voltage and powers the reference circuit such that the reference circuit outputs a band-gap reference voltage. Powering the reference circuit with the regulating voltage that is made higher than the supply voltage by the charge pump circuit enables 1) normal operation of the band-gap reference circuit at the supply voltage that is lower than a lowest voltage required by the band-gap reference circuit; and 2) minimization (almost elimination) of fluctuations in the regulating voltage output from the charge pump circuit and hence a stable and more accurate band-gap reference voltage output from the band-gap reference circuit.

Abstract: A method for programming an electrically programmable fuse is disclosed. As conductive medium of the electrically programmable fuse exhibits different physical changes under different conditions, the conductive medium is changed from an initial physical state to a first physical state by using a first programming condition to program the electrically programmable fuse from a low resistance state to a medium resistance state, and the conductive medium is changed from the initial physical state or the first physical state to a second physical state by using a second programming condition to program the electrically programmable fuse from the low resistance state or the medium resistance state to a high resistance state. Transitions of three information storage states are achieved through two different programming conditions, so that the information storage density and chip area utilization rate of an electrically programmable fuse device can be significantly improved, and chip size reduction is facilitated.