Abstract: A multilayer micro circuit module, and the method of manufacturing same, comprises a number of green sheets of ceramic material which are sintered before any other fabrication steps are undertaken. The sintered sheets are then formed with registration holes and via, and an electrically conductive pattern formed of a noble metal or copper is deposited onto one or both major surfaces of each sintered sheets. The sintered sheets are stacked one on top of the other to form a stack whose exterior surface is coated with a sealing material such as solder or glass and then fired at a temperature less than the melting point of a metal forming the conductive patterns so that the interior of the stack including the conductive patterns is substantially isolated from contaminants.

Abstract: A stacked package of semiconductor package units and a stacking method thereof through direct connection between leads to effectively stack a number of semiconductor packages are provided, in which a lead deformation process of straightening leads of an upper semiconductor package is performed to form a stacked package, and predetermined leads of the semiconductor packages above a lower semiconductor package being a conventional standard semiconductor package are directly connected, considering an external and internal electrical connection state of a package. The semiconductor packages are used for forming a stacked package through directly connecting predetermined leads of the semiconductor packages, in which a connection state between a CS lead of an operation select-function for activating the operation of a predetermined semiconductor package and any one NC lead of a number of NC leads which are not connected is changed externally and internally in a package.

Abstract: An improved and new process for fabricating a planarized dual damascene contact hole and trench structure, wherein the contact holes have tapered sidewalls, has been developed. The dual damascene contact hole and trench are formed in a three layer insulator structure, in which the middle layer is a doped silicon oxide having a lower reflow temperature than the undoped silicon oxide layers forming the top and bottom layers. The contact holes are etched through the doped silicon oxide layer and the bottom undoped silicon oxide layer. The trenches are etched through the top undoped silicon oxide layer. After etching tapered sidewalls are formed at the contact holes by reflow of the doped silicon oxide through which the holes are etched.

Abstract: A method and system for providing specialized contacts for electronic information on a smart card or other device in the pattern of a source identifier, such that a machine may contact and read the information upon placement of the card in the machine. The contact points for reading information on the card are formed by etching a substrate attached to the logic element of the smart card. The etching allows both the foreground and the background of an image, in two selected colors, to be included within the contact area of the smart card, with the foreground constituting the conductor and the background the substrate. Additionally, the present invention provides electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection for a semiconductor circuit within the smart card without changing the appearance or method of forming the contact points.

Abstract: A method of power electronic packaging includes a practicable and reliable method of fabricating power circuit modules and associated connections that are compatible with the standard top layer metalization of commercially available power devices. A planar single- or multi-layer membrane structure is attached to a carrier frame, and a via pattern is formed in the membrane. Power devices are aligned and attached to the planar membrane structure; a top layer interconnect structure is formed by metalizing the vias and the film; and a circuit is formed by patterning a deposited metal layer. The carrier frame is removed, and upper and lower thermal base plate sub-assemblies are attached to the power device-on-membrane structure. The planar device-on-membrane structure accommodates different types of power devices having variations in thickness. The thermal base plate sub-assemblies may include integral, high-performance heat exchangers for providing a low thermal resistance path to the ambient.

Abstract: A high density leaded ball-grid array package for packaging an integrated-circuit die includes a laminated substrate formed of a non-conductive layer sandwiched between first and second conductive trace patterns. A leadframe is directly attached onto the first conductive trace pattern of the laminated substrate by a non-conductive adhesive so that the open portion thereof overlies a central region of the laminated substrate. An integrated-circuit die is mounted in the central region of the laminated substrate. Bonding wires are interconnected between bonding pads formed on the integrated-circuit die and bonding fingers formed on the leadframe. A plastic material is molded over the top surface of the die, bonding fingers and bonding wires. A solder mask is applied on the second conductive trace pattern so as to form selective solderable areas. Finally, solder balls are attached to the selective solderable areas.

Abstract: A method for forming an electronic device includes the steps of forming a first insulating layer on a substrate, forming a patterned conductive layer on the first insulating layer, and forming a second insulating layer on the first insulating layer and on the patterned conductive layer. A contact hole is formed through the first and second insulating layers exposing a portion of the substrate and a portion of the patterned conductive layer so that sidewalls of the contact hole including the exposed portion of the patterned conductive layer have a smooth profile through the first and second insulating layers. An insulating spacer is then formed on the contact hole sidewalls having the smooth profile.

Abstract: An electrical structure, and associated method of fabrication, for reducing thermally induced strain in a conductive structure that couples a first substrate to a second substrate. The first substrate may include a chip or a module. The second substrate may include a chip carrier or a circuit card. Thus, the present invention encompasses such coupling as chip to chip carrier, chip to circuit card, and module to circuit card. The conductive structure includes a first conductive body and a second conductive body. The first conductive body is attached to the first substrate and the second conductive body is attached to the second substrate. The first conductive body may include a solder bump, while the second conductive body may include a eutectic alloy, such as a eutectic alloy lead and tin. Alternatively, the second conductive body may include a non-eutectic alloy whose melting point is below the melting point of the first conductive body.

Abstract: Wire bond pad and solder ball or controlled collapse chip connections C4 are combined on a planar surface of a an integrated circuit device to provide a die. Known good die (KGD) testing is optionally performed using wire bond connections or stress tolerant solder ball connections. The KGD testing is conducted after the integrated circuit dies are diced from a wafer. Solder ball or C4 array connections which withstand thermal stress are used to KGD test the die prior to final use of the wire bond pad connections to an end use device. Alternatively, wire bond pads are used to test the die while maintaining the solder ball or C4 array in a pristine condition for bonding to a final end product device. Both testing with the solder ball C4 array contacts and with the wire bond connections provides metallurgical connections for the KGD test. The solder ball or C4 array is connected to the wire bond pads and either connection can be used to burn-in test the die.

Abstract: Post-process deposition of selected material onto MEMS devices is facilitated by photolithographically incorporating deposition shields during the device fabrication process. Subsequently, simple sputtering or evaporating deposition machines can be used to selectively deposit desired materials onto the MEMS devices.

Abstract: An alternative to conventional SOI and dielectric filled trenches for electrical isolation of integrated circuits is disclosed. This has been achieved by using proton bombardment to form semi-insulating regions. For all embodiments, the process of the invention begins only after the integrated circuit has been fully formed. In a first embodiment, protons bombard the entire back surface of the wafer thereby forming a substrate of semi-insulating material (resistivity greater than 105 ohm cm) on which the active and passive components rest. In the second embodiment, isolation trenches are formed by bombarding from the top surface through a contact mask formed by means of LIGA or similar technology. The third embodiment is a combination of the first two wherein both isolation regions and the semi-insulating substrate are formed.

Abstract: A method for growing a crystalline layer that includes a first material on a growth surface of a crystalline substrate of a second material, wherein the first material and the second material have different lattice constants. A buried layer is generated in the substrate such that the buried layer isolates a layer of the substrate that includes the growth surface from the remainder of the substrate. The first material is then deposited on the growth surface at a growth temperature. The isolated layer of the substrate has a thickness that is less than the thickness at which defects are caused in the crystalline lattice of the second material by the first material crystallizing thereon. The buried layer is sufficiently malleable at the growth temperature to allow the deformation of the lattice of the isolated layer without deforming the remainder of the substrate. The present invention may be utilized for growing III-V semiconducting material layers on silicon substrates.

Abstract: This invention provides a planarization method that solves the microscratch problem caused by chemical-mechanical polishing. This method comprises the following steps: providing a substrate with semiconductor devices, forming a SRO oxide on the substrate, forming a SOG layer on the SRO layer, performing a curing process, performing an implantation process during the curing process, forming an oxide layer on the SRO oxide, and planarizing the oxide layer by CMP. Another SOG layer is formed on the planarized oxide layer, a curing process is performed on the second SOG layer, and a cap oxide layer is formed on the second SOG layer to adjust the thickness of the dielectric layer. This invention can solve conventional problems such as microscratching and metal bridges.

Abstract: A tungsten or other metal layer is chemical vapor deposited using a source gas containing tungsten, a reducing gas and a nitrogen-containing gas. The nitrogen-containing gas can act as a surface roughness reducing gas that reduces the roughness of the tungsten layer compared to a tungsten layer that is chemical vapor deposited using the source gas containing tungsten and the reducing gas, but without using the surface roughness reducing gas. Viewed in another way, the nitrogen-containing gas acts as a growth rate controlling gas that produces uniform growth of the tungsten layer in a plurality of directions compared to a tungsten layer that is deposited using the source gas containing tungsten and the reducing gas, but without using the growth rate controlling gas.

Abstract: A method for assembling electronic devices by moving particles (12) on an adhesive sheet (35) having a plurality of adhesive areas (30), comprising the steps of loading the particles (12) onto the adhesive sheet (35) and transferring kinetic energy from a mechanical device (39) to the particles (12) for moving the particles (12) is disclosed. The adhesive sheet (35) may be composed of an adhesive coating (22) laminated to a film (24). The particles (12) may be composed of a variety of materials, including minerals and compounds such as solder or polymers.

Abstract: A method for selectively metallizing one or more through-holes, other openings (such as slots), or edges of an electronic circuit package comprising the steps of forming a layer of seeding solution on a drilled surface of a substrate of interest exposing this layer to light of appropriate wavelength, through a mask that does not completely cover the through-holes or openings and thereby results in the formation of metal seed on regions of the substrate surface corresponding to the regions of the layer of seeding solution exposed to light; removing the unexposed regions of the layer of seeding solution by subjecting the exposed and unexposed regions of the layer of seeding solution to an alkaline solution. Thereafter, additional metal is deposited, e.g., plated, onto the metal seed using conventional techniques. Significantly, this method does not involve the use of a photoresist, or of a corresponding chemical developer or photoresist stripper.

Abstract: An integrated circuit die or chip may be positioned within an integrated circuit package by providing a spacer connected to the die and extending upwardly therefrom. When the die is overmolded, the spacer contacts the mold and spaces the die with respect to the mold. By forming the spacer using conventional wire bonding techniques, no additional process steps are necessary in forming the spacer and no additional parts are needed. The spacer wire bonds may be formed with wires which extend upwardly above the remaining wires, protecting the remaining wires from being contacted by the mold or from being positioned too close to the upper surface of the resulting molded package.

Abstract: A method to achieve a very low effective dielectric constant in high performance back end of the line chip interconnect wiring and the resulting multilayer structure are disclosed. The process involves fabricating the multilayer interconnect wiring structure by methods and materials currently known in the state of the art of semiconductor processing; removing the intralevel dielectric between the adjacent metal features by a suitable etching process; applying a thin passivation coating over the exposed etched structure; annealing the etched structure to remove plasma damage; laminating an insulating cover layer to the top surface of the passivated metal features; optionally depositing an insulating environmental barrier layer on top of the cover layer; etching vias in the environmental barrier layer, cover layer and the thin passivation layer for terminal pad contacts; and completing the device by fabricating terminal input/output pads.

Abstract: Grooves are formed in a surface of a wafer, on which surface semiconductor elements are formed, along dicing lines on the wafer by means of a dicing blade. The grooves are deeper than a thickness of a finished chip. Alternatively, grooves are formed in a surface of a wafer, on which surface semiconductor elements are formed, along chip parting lines on the wafer by etching. Like the grooves described above, the grooves are deeper than a thickness of a finished chip. A holding member is attached on the surface of the wafer on which the semiconductor elements are formed. The bottom surface of the wafer is lapped and polished to the thickness of the finished chip, thereby dividing the wafer into chips. When the wafer is divided into the chips, the lapping and polishing is continued until the thickness of the wafer becomes equal to the thickness of the finished chip, even after the wafer has been divided into the chips by the lapping and polishing.

Abstract: A method for depositing materials on a surface, having the following steps: a) obtaining a surface having at least feature thereon, the surface and the feature having a layer of first material deposited thereon, the first material not filling substantially all of the feature; b) depositing a layer of a second material on the first material, wherein the melting point of the second material is less than that of the first material, and wherein the first material is soluble in the second material at a temperature less than the melting point of the first material; and c) heating the surface to a first temperature of at least equal to the melting point of the second material and at most equal to the melting point of the first material, wherein substantially all of the via is filled with the first material.