Abstract: An electronic component has a plurality of chips which are stacked one above the other and contact-connected to one another. To form this component, a first planar chip arrangement is provided with the functional chips spaced apart from one another in a grid and with a filling material in the spaces between the chips to form an insulating holding frame that fixes the chips, the frame has chip-dedicated contact-connecting elements that serve for the electrical contact-connection to another chip of another chip arrangement and each chip has dedicated electrically conductive strips. At least one additional planar chip arrangement is formed by the same method as the first planar chip arrangement and is then stacked on the first planar chip arrangement so that the two chip arrangements lie one above the other and the respective contact-connecting elements of the two chip arrangements are connected to one another for electrical chip-to-chip contact-connection.

Abstract: A process for producing a component module comprising a module carrier and a plurality of components with which contact is made on the latter, comprising the following steps:

Abstract: A process for producing a semiconductor chip having contact elements protruding on one chip side within the context of wafer level packaging, the chip side provided with the contact elements being coated with a covering compound forming a protective layer, from which the protruding contact element project.

Abstract: A semiconductor structure and a method for forming the semiconductor structure, including a semiconductor chip and a conductive layer disposed over a portion of the chip, the conductive layer having a portion that extends beyond an edge of the chip. The chip includes a device, which can be an integrated circuit or a micro-mechanical device. The structure can also include a front layer extending beyond the edge of the chip, the conductive layer being disposed on the front layer.

Abstract: A semiconductor structure includes a semiconductor substrate and a compliant interconnect element disposed on a first surface of the substrate. The compliant interconnect element defines a chamber between the first surface of the substrate and a surface of the compliant interconnect element. The compliant interconnect element can be a compliant layer. The compliant layer can be formed of a polymer, such as silicone. A conductive layer can be disposed on the compliant layer, in contact with a contact pad on the semiconductor substrate. A method for forming a semiconductor structure includes providing a semiconductor substrate and providing a compliant interconnect element on a first surface of the substrate, so that the compliant interconnect element defines a chamber between the compliant interconnect element and the first surface of the substrate.

Abstract: A method for forming printed re-routing for wafer level packaging, especially chip size packaging. The method includes forming a contact layer on a semiconductor die, forming a conductive redistribution structure on the contact layer, and etching the contact layer of the die by using the conductive redistribution structure as a self-aligning mask. The present method significantly decreases the complexity and costs for generating redistribution structures in wafer level packaging by discarding expensive processes for photolithography and plating. Furthermore, using the redistribution structures as a self-aligning mask improves alignment and reduces the number of processes required, leading to greater production optimization and efficiency.

Abstract: An integrated circuit (chip) with attachment elements for attaching of the chip on a carrier, the attachment elements being designed in a way such that they can enter into a releasable connection with corresponding attachment elements formed on the carrier. To keep the package size of the chips as small as possible, the attachment elements are arranged directly on the unpackaged chip.

Abstract: In a method for fabricating a silicon-on-insulation wafer having fully processed devices in its upper-most silicon layer, the wafer is reduced in thickness from a surface opposite to the device layer surface by performing a first etching step of etching the semiconductor substrate to the insulation layer, so that the insulation layer functions as an etch stop layer, and a second etching step of etching the insulation layer to the semiconductor device layer, so that the semiconductor device layer functions as an etch stop layer. The semiconductor device layer is then separated into individual chips for fabricating a three-dimensionally integrated circuit thereof.

Abstract: Circuitry using fuse and anti-fuse latches (62) for selecting the number of input/output channels (98, 109) after encapsulation is disclosed. The various embodiments allow conventional bond pads (14, 16, 18) to be used for initial selection of the number of input/output channels prior to encapsulation. However, by providing different selection signals (52, 54), the number of input/output channels may be changed by the user at any time after encapsulation. Other embodiments employ “enable” latch circuits (133,135) allow the initial selection by the users at any time after encapsulation, and then at least one more subsequent selection.

Abstract: A lowermost layer of control chips carries on it layers of memory chips. The memory chips are contacted via looped-through contacts that reach from one side of the other side of the memory chips and they are driven by the control chips that contain the test circuit for the memory chips.

Abstract: An electronic structure includes an electronic component, which is configured to be in electric contact with a base and has a mounting side configured for mounting onto the base. The structure also includes a raised elastic support positioned on the component and multiple contacts positioned on the component, with at least one contact also being positioned on the support.

Abstract: In a method for fabricating a silicon-on-insulation wafer having fully processed devices in its upper-most silicon layer, the wafer is reduced in thickness from a surface opposite to the device layer surface by performing a first etching step of etching the semiconductor substrate to the insulation layer, so that the insulation layer functions as an etch stop layer, and a second etching step of etching the insulation layer to the semiconductor device layer, so that the semiconductor device layer functions as an etch stop layer. The semiconductor device layer is then separated into individual chips for fabricating a three-dimensionally integrated circuit thereof.

Abstract: The present disclosure is a method for in situ monitoring of backside contamination on a semiconductor wafer (120) between processing steps which are performed in a multi-chamber tool (500). In a first form, a laser source (220) and a detector (210) are mounted on a robotic arm (110, 111), or within a semiconductor processing tool (500). The laser (220) and detector (210) move along with the robotic arm (110) as the robotic arm (110) shuffles the wafer (120) between processing carriers (610-650) and chambers (510-540). While in transit the backside of the semiconductor wafer (120) is scanned by a laser beam (221), whereby contamination is detected by a detector (210). The laser (220) and detector (210) then scan the backside of the wafer (120) while the robotic arm (110) is in transit and/or while the robotic arm (110) is stationary in the processing sequence.

Abstract: A semiconductor wafer contact system includes a sealed bladder (32) containing incompressible material. The sealed bladder (32) presses against a flexible circuit layer (28) including an array of electrical contacts (30). The bladder (32) forces the array of electrical contacts (30) against a corresponding array of device electrical contacts (12) on die (11) of a semiconductor wafer (10). The bladder (32) adapts in shape to compensate for die level and wafer level irregularities in contact height and non-parallelism. Additionally, bladder (32) ensures a constant force between membrane contacts (30) and die contacts (12), across the entire wafer (10).

Abstract: A semiconductor wafer contact system includes a base substrate (13) which has an array of raised supports (18). The array of raised supports (18) are distributed in a pattern corresponding to the pattern of electrical contacts (12) on the semiconductor wafer (10), to be contacted. In between the base substrate (13) and the wafer to be contacted (10) is a flexible circuit layer (14) including an array of electrical contacts (15) having the same pattern as the contacts (12) of the wafer and the raised supports (18). The raised supports (18) provide focused and localized force, pressing the membrane test contacts (15) against the wafer electrical contacts (12).

Abstract: A board (10) for testing an integrated circuit disposed on a semiconductor wafer. The board contains a plurality of substantially parallel signal layers (14) and power planes (16) that are supported and electrically isolated by a dielectric material (12). One or more constraint layers (18,20) are disposed in the dielectric material, and the constraint layers have a coefficient of thermal expansion of about 1-6 ppm/.degree.C. In a preferred embodiment, the dielectric material is a fluoropolymer with-a ceramic or silica filler, and the constraint layers are an iron-nickel alloy of about 30-40 percent nickel by weight. The board has thermal expansion characteristics substantially similar to silicon to ensure good contact to a silicon wafer during burn-in testing.

Abstract: A multiple output, vertical MOSFET device (11) with improved electrical performance and thermal dissipation is integrated with an additional semiconductor device or semiconductor circuit (18) on a single semiconductor substrate (34). The method of making the vertical MOSFET device (11) involves thinning the semiconductor substrate (34) after fabricating the vertical MOSFET device (11) and the semiconductor circuit (18) to reduce the vertical component of electrical and thermal resistance and to increase the thermal dissipation efficiency. Electrical performance is improved by thinning the semiconductor substrate (34) and by providing a low resistivity, patterned metal buried layer. Thermal management is enhanced by using flip chip bumps (24) to dissipate heat from a top surface (31) of the semiconductor substrate (34) and by using the patterned buried metal layer (26) to dissipate heat from a bottom surface (32) of the semiconductor substrate (34).

Abstract: A system and method for aligning a semiconductor device (10) to a fixture (11) is provided. A first physical alignment feature (12) on the semiconductor device (10) and a second physical alignment (24) on the fixture (11) mate to align and hold the semiconductor device (10) in place. In one embodiment the physical alignment features (12) and (24) are produced using standard photolithography techniques, resulting in precise alignment features. In another embodiment the physical alignment features (12) and (24) are designed and placed to control the direction the thermal expansion of the semiconductor device (10) relative to the fixture (11).

Abstract: A method for the fabrication of a trench isolation region (44) includes the deposition of first, second, and third oxidizable layers (28, 34, 42). The first oxidizable layer (28) is deposited to overlie the surface of a trench (12) formed in a semiconductor substrate (10). The first oxidizable layer (28) also fills a recess (26) formed in a masking layer (14), and resides adjacent to the upper surface of the trench (12). After oxidizing the first oxidizable layer (28), a second oxidizable layer (34) is deposited to fill the trench (12). A third oxidizable layer (42) is deposited to overlie the second oxidizable layer (34) and fills a remaining portion of the recess (26). An oxidation process is performed to oxidize oxidizable layer (42) and a portion of second oxidizable layer (34) to form a trench isolation region (44). In an alternative embodiment of the invention, a shallow isolation region (46) is formed in proximity to the trench isolation region ( 44).

Abstract: A reduction in defects and lateral encroachment is obtained by .[.utilizing a high pressure oxidation in conjunction with.]. an oxidizable layer conformally deposited over an oxidation mask. .[.The.]. .Iadd.In one embodiment, the .Iaddend.use of high pressure oxidation provides for the formation of LOCOS oxide without the formation of defects. Any native oxide present on the substrate surface is removed by using a ramped temperature deposition process to form oxidizable layer and/or a high temperature anneal is performed to remove the native oxide at the substrate surface. In this embodiment, any oxide which can act as a pipe for oxygen diffusion is removed. Therefore, nominal or no lateral encroachment is exhibited..Iadd.Alternately, lateral encroachment can be controlled by intentionally growing an oxide layer on the substrate surface. .Iaddend.