Patents Assigned to Aptos Corporation
  • Patent number: 7208344
    Abstract: A method of forming a semiconductor package including placing a semiconductor chip in cavities of a semiconductor chip carrier substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2007
    Assignee: Aptos Corporation
    Inventor: Chi Shen Ho
  • Patent number: 7078272
    Abstract: A method of making a microelectronic device comprising: making a device B comprising providing a structure having a first bond pad, depositing a first electrically conductive material having a first reflow temperature over the first bond pad, and depositing a second electrically conductive material having a second reflow temperature over the first electrically conductive material, and wherein the second reflow temperature is less than the first reflow temperature, and heating the device to a temperature sufficient to reflow the second electrically conductive material but not the first electrically conductive material so that the second electrically conductive material encapsulates the first electrically conductive material to provide a first bump for making electrical connection to device B.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2006
    Assignee: Aptos Corporation
    Inventors: Chi-Shen Ho, Chang-Ming Lin
  • Patent number: 7008867
    Abstract: A method for forming a copper bump for flip chip bonding having improved oxidation resistance and thermal stability including providing a copper column having a thickness of at least about 40 microns overlying a metallurgy including an uppermost copper metal layer and a lowermost titanium layer the lowermost titanium layer in contact with an exposed copper bonding pad portion surrounded by a passivation layer; and, selectively depositing at least one protective metal layer over the copper column according to an electrolytic deposition process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2006
    Assignee: Aptos Corporation
    Inventor: Kuo Lung Lei
  • Patent number: 6913946
    Abstract: A method of making a semiconductor device comprising: providing a semiconductor substrate having a plurality of discrete devices formed therein, and a plurality of metal layers and support layers, the support layers comprising an uppermost support layer and other support layers, and wherein each metal layer has an associated support layer having at least a portion underlying the metal layer, and wherein the plurality of metal layers includes an uppermost metal layer including a sealing pad having an opening therethrough, and a passivation layer having at least one opening therein exposing a portion of the sealing pad including the opening therethrough, and the uppermost support layer having a portion exposed through the opening in the sealing pad; exposing the uppermost support layer to an etching material through the opening in the sealing pad and etching away the support layers; and sealing the opening in the sealing pad.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2005
    Assignee: Aptos Corporation
    Inventor: Charles Lin
  • Patent number: 6846360
    Abstract: An apparatus and method which is suitable for the bubble-free application of a resin to a substrate. The apparatus typically includes an airtight chamber which receives the substrate and a resin dispenser for dispensing the liquid resin onto the substrate. After a vacuum pressure is induced in the chamber, the resin is dispensed onto the substrate. Accordingly, air is substantially incapable of becoming trapped between the resin and the substrate and forming air bubbles during subsequent processing of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2005
    Assignee: Aptos Corporation
    Inventor: Dino Lei
  • Publication number: 20040256719
    Abstract: A wafer level, chip scale package suitable for a MEMS type device employs a solder bead between a protective cap and the chip substrate to hermetically seal active areas of the chip. Solder is electroplated onto a metallized layer on the cap through a photoresist mask that is subsequently removed to leave a solder bead patterned to completely surround the active chip areas. The cap is mounted on the chip substrate using a spacer to hold the cap and the substrate in spaced relationship while the cap is welded to the chip substrate using the solder bead. The spacer is subsequently removed, preferably during dicing of a wafer on which the chips are formed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2003
    Publication date: December 23, 2004
    Applicant: Aptos Corporation
    Inventor: Kuo Lung Lei
  • Publication number: 20040253801
    Abstract: A method of making a semiconductor device comprising: providing a semiconductor substrate having a plurality of discrete devices formed therein, and a plurality of metal layers and support layers, the support layers comprising an uppermost support layer and other support layers, and wherein each metal layer has an associated support layer having at least a portion underlying the metal layer, and wherein the plurality of metal layers includes an uppermost metal layer including a sealing pad having an opening therethrough, and a passivation layer having at least one opening therein exposing a portion of the sealing pad including the opening therethrough, and the uppermost support layer having a portion exposed through the opening in the sealing pad; exposing the uppermost support layer to an etching material through the opening in the sealing pad and etching away the support layers; and sealing the opening in the sealing pad.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2003
    Publication date: December 16, 2004
    Applicant: Aptos Corporation
    Inventor: Charles Lin
  • Patent number: 6784089
    Abstract: A method of making an electrical contact bump electrical contact structure on a substrate comprising: providing a substrate having a bond pad, and a passivation layer overlying a portion for the substrate and wherein the passivation layer includes an opening therein exposing a portion of the bond pad, and wherein the passivation layer has a raised portion overlying the bond pad; forming an under bump metallurgy over at least the exposed portion of the bond pad and over at least a portion of the raised portion of the passivation layer overlying the bond pad; forming a sacrificial blanket having an opening therein that in cross-section has an inverted T-shape over the substrate so that the opening in the sacrificial blanket is aligned with the bond pad; and depositing an electrically conductive material into the opening in the sacrificial blanket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2004
    Assignee: Aptos Corporation
    Inventors: Kuolung Lei, Tony Shen, Susana Samoranos, Te-Sung Wu, Tsing-Chow Wang
  • Publication number: 20040166661
    Abstract: A method for forming a copper bump for flip chip bonding having improved oxidation resistance and thermal stability including providing a copper column having a thickness of at least about 40 microns overlying a metallurgy including an uppermost copper metal layer and a lowermost titanium layer the lowermost titanium layer in contact with an exposed copper bonding pad portion surrounded by a passivation layer; and, selectively depositing at least one protective metal layer over the copper column according to an electrolytic deposition process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2003
    Publication date: August 26, 2004
    Applicant: Aptos Corporation
    Inventor: Kuo Lung Lei
  • Publication number: 20040166662
    Abstract: A method of forming a wafer level chip scale package including forming a trench through the semiconductor wafer at a location between two adjacent to chip portions and forming a backside under bump metallurgy connection to an under bump metallurgy on the front face of the semiconductor wafer for each chip portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2003
    Publication date: August 26, 2004
    Applicant: Aptos Corporation
    Inventor: Kuo-Lung Lei
  • Publication number: 20040134420
    Abstract: An apparatus and method which is suitable for the bubble-free application of a resin to a substrate. The apparatus typically includes an airtight chamber which receives the substrate and a resin dispenser for dispensing the liquid resin onto the substrate. After a vacuum pressure is induced in the chamber, the resin is dispensed onto the substrate. Accordingly, air is substantially incapable of becoming trapped between the resin and the substrate and forming air bubbles during subsequent processing of the substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 13, 2003
    Publication date: July 15, 2004
    Applicant: Aptos Corporation
    Inventor: Kuolung Lei
  • Publication number: 20040137707
    Abstract: A method of making an electrical contact bump electrical contact structure on a substrate comprising: providing a substrate having a bond pad, and a passivation layer overlying a portion of the substrate and wherein the passivation layer includes an opening therein exposing a portion of the bond pad, and wherein the passivation layer has a raised portion overlying the bond pad; forming an under bump metallurgy over at least the exposed portion of the bond pad and over at least a portion of the raised portion of the passivation layer overlying the bond pad; forming a sacrificial blanket having an opening therein that in cross-section has an inverted T-shape over the substrate so that the opening in the sacrificial blanket is aligned with the bond pad; and depositing an electrically conductive material into the opening in the sacrificial blanket.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 13, 2003
    Publication date: July 15, 2004
    Applicant: Aptos Corporation
    Inventors: Kuolung Lei, Tony Shen, Susana Samoranos, Te-Sung Wu, Tsing-Chow Wang
  • Patent number: 6674173
    Abstract: A semiconductor die package design incorporating at least a pair of functional semiconductor dies. The input/output pads locations on one of the dies (the daughter die) are located at the near mirror image of the original die (mother die). The package architecture includes two dies back-to-back or stacked dies back-to-back, therefore a plurality of input/output interconnections can be formed. The package increases density and performance by twofold or more compared to a regular package containing only one die with the same footprint. At least one additional pin can be dedicated as the chip select pin for the daughter die or multiple dies. The other pins can be shared with the mother die.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2004
    Assignee: Aptos Corporation
    Inventor: Tsing-Chow Wang
  • Patent number: 6635585
    Abstract: Within a method for forming a patterned polyimide layer, there is first provided a substrate. There is then formed over the substrate a blanket polyamic acid layer. There is then formed upon the blanket polyamic acid layer a patterned photoresist layer. There is then hardened the patterned photoresist layer to form a hardened patterned photoresist layer. There is then patterned, while employing the hardened patterned photoresist layer as an etch mask layer, the blanket polyamic acid layer to form a patterned polyamic acid layer. Finally, there is then thermally annealed the patterned polyamic acid layer to form a patterned polyimide layer. By employing as an etch mask when forming from the blanket polyamic acid layers the patterned polyamic acid layer the hardened patterned photoresist layer, rather than an unhardened patterned photoresist layer, the patterned polyamic acid layer, and consequently also the patterned polyimide layer, are formed with enhanced dimensional control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2003
    Assignee: Aptos Corporation
    Inventors: Nguyen Khe, Tsing-Chow Wang
  • Patent number: 6544878
    Abstract: Within both a method for fabricating a microelectronic fabrication, and the microelectronic fabrication fabricated employing the method, there is first provided a substrate. Within the method, there is then formed over the substrate a patterned bond pad layer. There is then formed over the patterned bond pad layer a barrier layer comprising: (1) a first titanium-tungsten alloy layer; (2) a titanium-tungsten alloy nitride layer formed upon the first titanium-tungsten alloy layer; and (3) a second titanium-tungsten alloy layer formed upon the titanium-tungsten alloy nitride layer. Finally, there is then formed upon the barrier layer a seed layer which comprises a titanium layer formed upon the barrier layer. The method contemplates a microelectronic fabrication fabricated employing the method. The barrier layer provides enhanced barrier properties within the microelectronic fabrication within which is formed the barrier layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2003
    Assignee: Aptos Corporation
    Inventor: Tsing-Chow Wang
  • Publication number: 20030049924
    Abstract: Within both a method for fabricating a microelectronic fabrication, and the microelectronic fabrication fabricated employing the method, there is first provided a substrate. Within the method, there is then formed over the substrate a patterned bond pad layer. There is then formed over the patterned bond pad layer a barrier layer comprising: (1) a first titanium-tungsten alloy layer; (2) a titanium-tungsten alloy nitride layer formed upon the first titanium-tungsten alloy layer; and (3) a second titanium-tungsten alloy layer formed upon the titanium-tungsten alloy nitride layer. The method contemplates a microelectronic fabrication fabricated employing the method. The barrier layer provides enhanced barrier properties within the microelectronic fabrication within which is formed the barrier layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 3, 2001
    Publication date: March 13, 2003
    Applicant: Aptos Corporation
    Inventor: Tsing-Chow Wang
  • Patent number: 6448171
    Abstract: Within a method for fabricating a microelectronic fabrication, and a microelectronic fabrication fabricated employing the method, there is first provided a substrate. Within the method, there is then formed over the substrate a patterned bond pad layer. There is also formed over the substrate a patterned passivation layer which passivates a series of edges of the patterned bond pad layer while leaving exposed a central portion of the patterned bond pad layer, where the patterned passivation layer has a series of protrusions within the patterned passivation layer over the series of edges of the patterned bond pad layer. There is then formed over the central portion of the patterned bond pad layer and bridging over the series of protrusions of the patterned passivation layer a first terminal electrode layer having an upper surface which is concave. Finally, there is then formed over the first terminal electrode layer a second terminal electrode layer having an upper surface which is other than concave.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2002
    Assignee: Aptos Corporation
    Inventors: Tsing-Chow Wang, Te-Sung Wu
  • Patent number: 6424037
    Abstract: Within a method for forming a solder interconnection structure for use within a microelectronic fabrication, there is first provided a substrate having formed thereover a bond pad. There is then formed upon the bond pad a first solder interconnection layer. There is then formed over the first solder interconnection layer an annular solder non-wettable copper oxide layer which does not cover an upper dome portion of the first solder interconnection layer. There is then formed over the upper dome portion of the first solder interconnection layer and not upon the annular solder non-wettable copper oxide layer a second solder interconnection layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2002
    Assignee: Aptos Corporation
    Inventors: Chung W Ho, Tsing-Chow Wang
  • Patent number: 6362087
    Abstract: Within a method for fabricating a microelectronic fabrication there is first provided a substrate. There is then formed over the substrate a patterned bond pad layer. There is also formed over the substrate and in electrical communication with the patterned bond pad layer a patterned redistribution layer, wherein the patterned redistribution layer is formed employing a plating method. The method is particularly economical for fabricating the microelectronic fabrication.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2002
    Assignee: Aptos Corporation
    Inventors: Tsing-Chow Wang, Te-Sung Wu, Erh-Kong Chieh
  • Publication number: 20020025599
    Abstract: Within a method for forming a solder interconnection structure for use within a microelectronic fabrication, there is first provided a substrate having formed thereover a bond pad. There is then formed upon the bond pad a first solder interconnection layer. There is then formed over the first solder interconnection layer an annular solder non-wettable copper oxide layer which does not cover an upper dome portion of the first solder interconnection layer. There is then formed over the upper dome portion of the first solder interconnection layer and not upon the annular solder non-wettable copper oxide layer a second solder interconnection layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2001
    Publication date: February 28, 2002
    Applicant: Aptos Corporation
    Inventors: Chung W. Ho, Tsing-Chow Wang