Patents by Inventor Bret K. Street

Bret K. Street has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20230343672
    Abstract: A semiconductor device assembly that includes carbon nanofibers (CNFs) for heat dissipation has a CNF layer. Molding compound encapsulates the CNF layer to form an encapsulated CNF layer. The molding compound extends between individual adjacent CNFs within the encapsulated CNF layer, and upper edges of at least a portion of individual CNFs within the encapsulated CNF layer are exposed along an upper surface of the encapsulated CNF layer. The upper surface of the CNF layer is removably attached to a bottom surface of a carrier wafer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2022
    Publication date: October 26, 2023
    Inventors: Wei Zhou, Bret K. Street, Amy R. Griffin
  • Publication number: 20230343673
    Abstract: A semiconductor device assembly that includes carbon nanofibers (CNFs) for heat dissipation has a CNF layer. Molding compound encapsulates the CNF layer to form an encapsulated CNF layer. The molding compound extends between individual adjacent CNFs within the encapsulated CNF layer, and upper edges of at least a portion of individual CNFs within the encapsulated CNF layer are exposed along an upper surface of the encapsulated CNF layer. The upper surface of the CNF layer is removably attached to a bottom surface of a carrier wafer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2022
    Publication date: October 26, 2023
    Inventors: Wei Zhou, Bret K. Street, Amy R. Griffin
  • Patent number: 11776926
    Abstract: Systems and methods for semiconductor devices having a substrate with bond pads, a die pair in a stacked configuration above the bond pads and having a first die having an oxide layer, a second die having an oxide layer attached to the first oxide layer, and conductive bonds electrically coupling the dies. Interconnects extend between the bond pads and the die pair, electrically coupling die pair to the substrate. The device may include a second die pair electrically coupled to: (1) the first die pair with secondary interconnects; and (2) the substrate with through-silicon vias extending through the first die pair. The top die of a die pair may be a thick die for use at the top of a pair stack. Pairs may be created by matching dies of a first silicon wafer to dies of a second silicon wafer, combination bonding the wafers, and dicing the die pairs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Kyle K. Kirby, Bret K. Street
  • Patent number: 11756844
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a substrate; a die attached over the substrate; and a metal enclosure continuously encircling a space and extending vertically between the substrate and the die.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Wei Zhou, Bret K. Street, Mark E. Tuttle
  • Publication number: 20230260876
    Abstract: A semiconductor device having monolithic conductive columns, and associated systems and methods, are disclosed herein. The semiconductor device can include a semiconductor substrate, a conductive pad, an opening, a non-conductive liner, and a plug of non-conductive material. The conductive pad may be at a surface of the semiconductor substrate. The opening may extend through the semiconductor substrate from the conductive pad to a second surface and define a side wall. The liner may coat the side wall and the plug may fill the opening. A second opening may be formed through the semiconductor device and the opening and a conductive material sintering therein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 11, 2022
    Publication date: August 17, 2023
    Inventors: Wei Zhou, Kyle K. Kirby, Bret K. Street, Kunal R. Parekh
  • Publication number: 20230260877
    Abstract: A semiconductor device having monolithic conductive cylinders, and associated systems and methods, are disclosed herein. The semiconductor device can include a semiconductor substrate, a conductive pad, an opening, and a top dielectric layer. The conductive pad may be at a first surface of the semiconductor substrate. The opening may be ring-shaped and extend through the semiconductor substrate from the conductive pad to a second surface and define a side wall. The liner may coat the side wall and the top dielectric layer may cover the second surface and may fill the opening. A second ring-shaped opening may be formed through the semiconductor device and the opening and a conductive material plated therein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 11, 2022
    Publication date: August 17, 2023
    Inventors: Wei Zhou, Kyle K. Kirby, Bret K. Street, Kunal R. Parekh
  • Publication number: 20230260875
    Abstract: A semiconductor device having monolithic conductive columns, and associated systems and methods, are disclosed herein. The semiconductor device can include a semiconductor substrate, a conductive pad, an opening, a non-conductive liner, and a plug of non-conductive material. The conductive pad may be at a surface of the semiconductor substrate. The opening may extend through the semiconductor substrate from the conductive pad to a second surface and define a side wall. The liner may coat the side wall and the plug may fill the opening. A second opening may be formed through the semiconductor device and the opening and a conductive material plated therein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 11, 2022
    Publication date: August 17, 2023
    Inventors: Wei Zhou, Kyle K. Kirby, Bret K. Street, Kunal R. Parekh
  • Publication number: 20230260964
    Abstract: A semiconductor device having monolithic conductive cylinders, and associated systems and methods, are disclosed herein. The semiconductor device can include a semiconductor substrate, a conductive pad, an opening, and a top dielectric layer. The conductive pad may be at a first surface of the semiconductor substrate. The opening may be ring-shaped and extend through the semiconductor substrate from the conductive pad to a second surface and define a side wall. The liner may coat the side wall and the top dielectric layer may cover the second surface and may fill the opening. A second ring-shaped opening may be formed through the semiconductor device and the opening and a conductive material plated therein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 1, 2022
    Publication date: August 17, 2023
    Inventors: Wei Zhou, Kyle K. Kirby, Bret K. Street, Kunal R. Parekh
  • Publication number: 20230238300
    Abstract: A semiconductor package can include a semiconductor die stack including a top die and one or more core dies below the top die. The semiconductor package can further include a metal heat sink plated on a top surface of the top die and have a plurality of side surfaces coplanar with corresponding ones of a plurality of sidewalls of the semiconductor die stack. A molding can surround the stack of semiconductor dies and the metal heat sink, the molding including a top surface coplanar with an exposed upper surface of the metal heat sink. The top surface of the molding and the exposed upper surface of the metal heat sink are both mechanically altered. For example, the metal heat sink and the molding can be simultaneously ground with a grinding disc and can show grinding marks as a result.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2022
    Publication date: July 27, 2023
    Inventors: Wei Zhou, Bret K. Street, Kyle K. Kirby
  • Publication number: 20230197669
    Abstract: A thermocompression bonding (TCB) apparatus can include a wall having a height measured in a first direction and configured to be positioned between a first pressing surface and a second pressing surface of a semiconductor bonding apparatus. The apparatus can include a cavity at least partially surrounded by the wall, the cavity sized to receive a semiconductor substrate and a stack of semiconductor dies positioned between the semiconductor substrate and the first pressing surface, the stack of semiconductor dies and semiconductor substrate having a combined unpressed stack height as measured in the first direction. In some embodiments, the unpressed stack height is greater than the height of the wall, and the wall is configured to be contacted by the first pressing surface to limit movement of the first pressing surface toward the second pressing surface during a semiconductor bonding process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 4, 2022
    Publication date: June 22, 2023
    Inventors: Wei Zhou, Bret K. Street, Benjamin L. McClain, Mark E. Tuttle
  • Patent number: 11658129
    Abstract: A semiconductor device assembly including a shape-memory element connected to at least one component of the semiconductor device assembly. The shape-memory element may be temperature activated or electrically activated. The shape-memory element is configured to move to reduce, minimize, or modify a warpage of a component of the assembly by moving to an initial shape. The shape-memory element may be applied to a surface of a component of the semiconductor device assembly or may be positioned within a component of the semiconductor device assembly such as a layer. The shape-memory element may be connected between two components of the semiconductor device assembly. A plurality of shape-memory elements may be used to reduce, minimize, and/or modify warpage of one or more components of a semiconductor device assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Bret K. Street
  • Publication number: 20230048311
    Abstract: Bond pads for semiconductor die assemblies, and associated methods and systems are disclosed. In one embodiment, a semiconductor die assembly includes a first semiconductor die including a first bond pad on a first side of the first semiconductor die. The semiconductor die assembly further includes a second semiconductor die including a second bond pad on a second side of the second semiconductor die. The first bond pad is aligned and bonded to the second bond pad at a bonding interface between the first and second bond pads, and at least one of the first and second bond pads include a first metal and a second metal different than the first metal. Further, the first metal is located at the bonding interface and the second metal has a first thickness corresponding to at least one-fourth of a second thickness of the first or second bond pad.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2022
    Publication date: February 16, 2023
    Inventors: Bharat Bhushan, Akshay N. Singh, Keizo Kawakita, Bret K. Street
  • Publication number: 20220375902
    Abstract: Disclosed is a microelectronic device assembly comprising a substrate having conductors exposed on a surface thereof. Two or more microelectronic devices are stacked on the substrate, each microelectronic device comprising an active surface having bond pads operably coupled to conductive traces extending over a dielectric material to via locations beyond at least one side of the stack, and vias extending through the dielectric materials at the via locations and comprising conductive material in contact with at least some of the conductive traces of each of the two or more electronic devices and extending to exposed conductors of the substrate. Methods of fabrication and related electronic systems are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 5, 2022
    Publication date: November 24, 2022
    Inventors: Owen R. Fay, Randon K. Richards, Aparna U. Limaye, Dong Soon Lim, Chan H. Yoo, Bret K. Street, Eiichi Nakano, Shijian Luo
  • Patent number: 11410963
    Abstract: A thermocompression bonding (TCB) apparatus can include a wall having a height measured in a first direction and configured to be positioned between a first pressing surface and a second pressing surface of a semiconductor bonding apparatus. The apparatus can include a cavity at least partially surrounded by the wall, the cavity sized to receive a semiconductor substrate and a stack of semiconductor dies positioned between the semiconductor substrate and the first pressing surface, the stack of semiconductor dies and semiconductor substrate having a combined unpressed stack height as measured in the first direction. In some embodiments, the unpressed stack height is greater than the height of the wall, and the wall is configured to be contacted by the first pressing surface to limit movement of the first pressing surface toward the second pressing surface during a semiconductor bonding process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Wei Zhou, Bret K. Street, Benjamin L. McClain, Mark E. Tuttle
  • Patent number: 11410962
    Abstract: A thermocompression bonding (TCB) apparatus can include a wall having a height measured in a first direction and configured to be positioned between a first pressing surface and a second pressing surface of a semiconductor bonding apparatus. The apparatus can include a cavity at least partially surrounded by the wall, the cavity sized to receive a semiconductor substrate and a stack of semiconductor dies positioned between the semiconductor substrate and the first pressing surface, the stack of semiconductor dies and semiconductor substrate having a combined unpressed stack height as measured in the first direction. In some embodiments, the unpressed stack height is greater than the height of the wall, and the wall is configured to be contacted by the first pressing surface to limit movement of the first pressing surface toward the second pressing surface during a semiconductor bonding process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Wei Zhou, Bret K. Street, Benjamin L. McClain, Mark E. Tuttle
  • Patent number: 11410973
    Abstract: Disclosed is a microelectronic device assembly comprising a substrate having conductors exposed on a surface thereof. Two or more microelectronic devices are stacked on the substrate, each microelectronic device comprising an active surface having bond pads operably coupled to conductive traces extending over a dielectric material to via locations beyond at least one side of the stack, and vias extending through the dielectric materials at the via locations and comprising conductive material in contact with at least some of the conductive traces of each of the two or more electronic devices and extending to exposed conductors of the substrate. Methods of fabrication and related electronic systems are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Owen R. Fay, Randon K. Richards, Aparna U. Limaye, Dong Soon Lim, Chan H. Yoo, Bret K. Street, Eiichi Nakano, Shijian Luo
  • Publication number: 20220246569
    Abstract: Systems and methods for semiconductor devices having a substrate with bond pads, a die pair in a stacked configuration above the bond pads and having a first die having an oxide layer, a second die having an oxide layer attached to the first oxide layer, and conductive bonds electrically coupling the dies. Interconnects extend between the bond pads and the die pair, electrically coupling die pair to the substrate. The device may include a second die pair electrically coupled to: (1) the first die pair with secondary interconnects; and (2) the substrate with through-silicon vias extending through the first die pair. The top die of a die pair may be a thick die for use at the top of a pair stack. Pairs may be created by matching dies of a first silicon wafer to dies of a second silicon wafer, combination bonding the wafers, and dicing the die pairs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 17, 2022
    Publication date: August 4, 2022
    Inventors: Kyle K. Kirby, Bret K. Street
  • Patent number: 11302653
    Abstract: A semiconductor device assembly that includes a substrate having a first side and a second side, the first side having at least one dummy pad and at least one electrical pad. The semiconductor device assembly includes a first semiconductor device having a first side and a second side and at least one electrical pillar extending from the second side. The electrical pillar is connected to the electrical pad via solder to form an electrical interconnect. The semiconductor device assembly includes at least one dummy pillar extending from the second side of the first semiconductor device and a liquid positioned between an end of the dummy pillar and the dummy pad. The surface tension of the liquid pulls the dummy pillar towards the dummy pad. The surface tension may reduce or minimize a warpage of the semiconductor device assembly and/or align the dummy pillar and the dummy pad.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Bret K. Street, Wei Zhou, Christopher J. Gambee, Jonathan S. Hacker, Shijian Luo
  • Publication number: 20220102308
    Abstract: Systems and methods for semiconductor devices having a substrate with bond pads, a die pair in a stacked configuration above the bond pads and having a first die having an oxide layer, a second die having an oxide layer attached to the first oxide layer, and conductive bonds electrically coupling the dies. Interconnects extend between the bond pads and the die pair, electrically coupling die pair to the substrate. The device may include a second die pair electrically coupled to: (1) the first die pair with secondary interconnects; and (2) the substrate with through-silicon vias extending through the first die pair. The top die of a die pair may be a thick die for use at the top of a pair stack. Pairs may be created by matching dies of a first silicon wafer to dies of a second silicon wafer, combination bonding the wafers, and dicing the die pairs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2020
    Publication date: March 31, 2022
    Inventors: Kyle K. Kirby, Bret K. Street
  • Patent number: 11289440
    Abstract: Systems and methods for semiconductor devices having a substrate with bond pads, a die pair in a stacked configuration above the bond pads and having a first die having an oxide layer, a second die having an oxide layer attached to the first oxide layer, and conductive bonds electrically coupling the dies. Interconnects extend between the bond pads and the die pair, electrically coupling die pair to the substrate. The device may include a second die pair electrically coupled to: (1) the first die pair with secondary interconnects; and (2) the substrate with through-silicon vias extending through the first die pair. The top die of a die pair may be a thick die for use at the top of a pair stack. Pairs may be created by matching dies of a first silicon wafer to dies of a second silicon wafer, combination bonding the wafers, and dicing the die pairs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Kyle K. Kirby, Bret K. Street