Patents by Inventor Cornelia K. Tsang

Cornelia K. Tsang 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).

  • Patent number: 8617689
    Abstract: Bonding of substrates including metal-dielectric patterns on a surface with the metal raised above the dielectric, as well as related structures, are disclosed. One method includes providing a first substrate having a metal-dielectric pattern on a surface thereof; providing a second substrate having a metal-dielectric pattern on a surface thereof; performing a process resulting in the metal being raised above the dielectric; cleaning the metal; and bonding the first substrate to the second substrate. A related structure is also disclosed. The bonding of raised metal provides a strong bonding medium, and good electrical and thermal connections enabling creation of three dimensional integrated structures with enhanced functionality.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Kuan-Neng Chen, Bruce K. Furman, Sampath Purushothaman, David L. Rath, Anna W. Topol, Cornelia K. Tsang
  • Patent number: 8592932
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods are provided for high density packaging of semiconductor chips using silicon space transformer chip level package structures, which allow high density chip interconnection and/or integration of multiple chips or chip stacks high I/O interconnection and heterogeneous chip or function integration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Paul S. Andry, John M. Cotte, John U. Knickerbocker, Cornelia K. Tsang
  • Publication number: 20130307139
    Abstract: Bonding of substrates including metal-dielectric patterns on a surface with the metal raised above the dielectric, as well as related structures, are disclosed. One method includes providing a first substrate having a metal-dielectric pattern on a surface thereof; providing a second substrate having a metal-dielectric pattern on a surface thereof; performing a process resulting in the metal being raised above the dielectric; cleaning the metal; and bonding the first substrate to the second substrate. A related structure is also disclosed. The bonding of raised metal provides a strong bonding medium, and good electrical and thermal connections enabling creation of three dimensional integrated structures with enhanced functionality.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 10, 2012
    Publication date: November 21, 2013
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kuan-Neng Chen, Bruce K. Furman, Sampath Purushothaman, David L. Rath, Anna W. Topol, Cornelia K. Tsang
  • Patent number: 8564113
    Abstract: A back of a dielectric transparent handle substrate is coated with a blanket conductive film or a mesh of conductive wires. A semiconductor substrate is attached to the transparent handle substrate employing an adhesive layer. The semiconductor substrate is thinned in the bonded structure to form a stack of the transparent handle substrate and the semiconductor interposer. The thinned bonded structure may be loaded into a processing chamber and electrostatically chucked employing the blanket conductive film or the mesh of conductive wires. The semiconductor interposer may be bonded to a semiconductor chip or a packaging substrate employing C4 bonding or intermetallic alloy bonding. Illumination of ultraviolet radiation to the adhesive layer is enabled, for example, by removal of the blanket conductive film or through the mesh so that the transparent handle substrate may be detached. The semiconductor interposer may then be bonded to a packaging substrate or a semiconductor chip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Paul S. Andry, Edward C. Cooney, III, Edmund J. Sprogis, Anthony K. Stamper, Cornelia K. Tsang
  • Publication number: 20130244420
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a thermo-mechanically reliable copper TSV and a technique to form such TSV during BEOL processing. The TSV constitutes an annular trench which extends through the semiconductor substrate. The substrate defines the inner and outer sidewalls of the trench, which sidewalls are separated by a distance within the range of 5 to 10 microns. A conductive path comprising copper or a copper alloy extends within said trench from an upper surface of said first dielectric layer through said substrate. The substrate thickness can be 60 microns or less. A dielectric layer having interconnect metallization conductively connected to the conductive path is formed directly over said annular trench.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 9, 2013
    Publication date: September 19, 2013
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Paul S. Andry, Mukta G. Farooq, Robert Hannon, Subramanian S. Iyer, Emily R. Kinser, Cornelia K. Tsang, Richard P. Volant
  • Patent number: 8487425
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a thermo-mechanically reliable copper TSV and a technique to form such TSV during BEOL processing. The TSV constitutes an annular trench which extends through the semiconductor substrate. The substrate defines the inner and outer sidewalls of the trench, which sidewalls are separated by a distance within the range of 5 to 10 microns. A conductive path comprising copper or a copper alloy extends within said trench from an upper surface of said first dielectric layer through said substrate. The substrate thickness can be 60 microns or less. A dielectric layer having interconnect metallization conductively connected to the conductive path is formed directly over said annular trench.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Paul S Andry, Mukta G Farooq, Robert Hannon, Subramanian S Iyer, Emily R Kinser, Cornelia K Tsang, Richard P Volant
  • Patent number: 8440544
    Abstract: CMOS structures with a replacement substrate and methods of manufacture are disclosed herein. The method includes forming a device on a temporary substrate. The method further includes removing the temporary substrate. The method further includes bonding a permanent electrically insulative substrate to the device with a bonding structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2013
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Paul S. Andry, Edmund J. Sprogis, Cornelia K. Tsang
  • Publication number: 20130105981
    Abstract: Methods for bonding substrate surfaces, bonded substrate assemblies, and design structures for a bonded substrate assembly. Device structures of a product chip are formed using a first surface of a device substrate. A wiring layer of an interconnect structure for the device structures is formed on the product chip. The wiring layer is planarized. A temporary handle wafer is removably bonded to the planarized wiring layer. In response to removably bonding the temporary handle wafer to the planarized first wiring layer, a second surface of the device substrate, which is opposite to the first surface, is bonded to a final handle substrate. The temporary handle wafer is then removed from the assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2011
    Publication date: May 2, 2013
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Edward C. Cooney, III, James S. Dunn, Dale W. Martin, Charles F. Musante, BethAnn Rainey, Leathen Shi, Edmund J. Sprogis, Cornelia K. Tsang
  • Patent number: 8419895
    Abstract: A method for releasing a handler from a wafer, the wafer comprising an integrated circuit (IC) includes attaching the handler to the wafer using an adhesive comprising a polymer; performing edge processing to remove an excess portion of the adhesive from an edge of the handler and wafer; ablating the adhesive through the handler using a laser, wherein a wavelength of the laser is selected based on the transparency of the handler material; and separating the handler from the wafer. A system for releasing a handler from a wafer, the wafer comprising an IC includes a handler attached to a wafer using an adhesive comprising a polymer; an edge processing module, the edge processing module configured to remove an excess portion of the adhesive from the edge of the handler and wafer; and a laser, the laser configured to ablate the adhesive through the handler.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Bing Dang, John Knickerbocker, Aparna Prabhakar, Peter Sorce, Robert E. Trzcinski, Cornelia K. Tsang
  • Patent number: 8388782
    Abstract: A method for attaching a handler to a wafer, the wafer comprising an integrated circuit (IC), includes forming a layer of an adhesive on the wafer, the adhesive comprising a polyimide-based polymer configured to withstand processing at a temperature of over about 280° C.; and adhering a handler to the wafer using the layer of adhesive. A system for attaching a handler to a wafer, the wafer comprising IC, includes a layer of an adhesive located on the wafer, the adhesive comprising a polyimide-based polymer configured to withstand processing at a temperature of over about 280° C.; and a handler adhered to the wafer using the layer of adhesive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Paul S. Andry, Bing Dang, John Knickerbocker, Aparna Prahbakar, Peter J. Sorce, Robert E. Trzcinski, Cornelia K. Tsang
  • Patent number: 8354737
    Abstract: A semiconductor structure includes: at least one silicon surface wherein the surface can be a substrate, wafer or other device. The structure further includes at least one electronic circuit formed on each side of the at least one surface; and at least one conductive high aspect ratio through silicon via running through the at least one surface. Each through silicon via is fabricated from at least one etch step and includes: at least one thermal oxide dielectric for coating at least some of a sidewall of the through silicon via for a later etch stop in fabrication of the through silicon via.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2013
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Paul S Andry, John M Cotte, John Ulrich Knickerbocker, Cornelia K Tsang
  • Publication number: 20120326309
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a thermo-mechanically reliable copper TSV and a technique to form such TSV during BEOL processing. The TSV constitutes an annular trench which extends through the semiconductor substrate. The substrate defines the inner and outer sidewalls of the trench, which sidewalls are separated by a distance within the range of 5 to 10 microns. A conductive path comprising copper or a copper alloy extends within said trench from an upper surface of said first dielectric layer through said substrate. The substrate thickness can be 60 microns or less. A dielectric layer having interconnect metallization conductively connected to the conductive path is formed directly over said annular trench.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2011
    Publication date: December 27, 2012
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: PAUL S ANDRY, Mukta G. Farooq, Robert Hannon, Subramanian S. Iyer, Emily R. Kinser, Cornelia K. Tsang, Richard P. Volant
  • Patent number: 8298917
    Abstract: A method includes receiving at least one wafer having a front side and a backside, where the front side has a plurality of integrated circuit chips thereon. The backside of the wafer is thinned, a pattern of material is removed from the backside of the wafer to form a plurality of dicing trenches. Each of the dicing trenches are positioned opposite a location on the front side of the wafer that corresponds to edges of each of the plurality of chips. The dicing trenches are filled with a filler material and a dicing support is attached to a front side of the wafer. The filler material is removed from the dicing trenches, and a force is applied to the dicing support to separate each of the plurality of chips on the wafer from each other along the dicing trenches.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Paul S. Andry, Timothy H. Daubenspeck, Jeffrey P. Gambino, Edmund J. Sprogis, Cornelia K. Tsang
  • Publication number: 20120234902
    Abstract: A plurality of through-substrate holes is formed in each of at least one substrate. Each through-substrate hole extends from a top surface of the at least one substrate to the bottom surface of the at least one substrate. The at least one substrate is held by a stationary chuck or a rotating chuck. Vacuum suction is provided to a set of through-substrate holes among the plurality of through-substrate holes through a vacuum manifold attached to the bottom surface of the at least one substrate. An injection mold solder head located above the top surface of the at least one substrate injects a solder material into the set of through-substrate holes to form a plurality of through-substrate solders that extend from the top surface to the bottom surface of the at least one substrate. The vacuum suction prevents formation of air bubbles or incomplete filling in the plurality of through-substrate holes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2012
    Publication date: September 20, 2012
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: S. Jay Chey, David Danovitch, Peter A. Gruber, Cornelia K. Tsang
  • Patent number: 8263497
    Abstract: An assembly including a main wafer having a body with a front side and a back side and a plurality of blind electrical vias terminating above the back side, and a handler wafer, is obtained. A step includes exposing the blind electrical vias to various heights on the back side. Another step involves applying a first chemical mechanical polish process to the back side, to open any of the surrounding insulator adjacent the end regions of the cores remaining after the exposing step, and to co-planarize the via conductive cores, the surrounding insulator adjacent the side regions of the cores, and the body of the main wafer. Further steps include etching the back side to produce a uniform standoff height of each of the vias across the back side; depositing a dielectric across the back side; and applying a second chemical mechanical polish process to the back side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Paul S. Andry, John M. Cotte, Michael F. Lofaro, Edmund J. Sprogis, James A. Tornello, Cornelia K. Tsang
  • Patent number: 8242591
    Abstract: A back of a dielectric transparent handle substrate is coated with a blanket conductive film or a mesh of conductive wires. A semiconductor substrate is attached to the transparent handle substrate employing an adhesive layer. The semiconductor substrate is thinned in the bonded structure to form a stack of the transparent handle substrate and the semiconductor interposer. The thinned bonded structure may be loaded into a processing chamber and electrostatically chucked employing the blanket conductive film or the mesh of conductive wires. The semiconductor interposer may be bonded to a semiconductor chip or a packaging substrate employing C4 bonding or intermetallic alloy bonding. Illumination of ultraviolet radiation to the adhesive layer is enabled, for example, by removal of the blanket conductive film or through the mesh so that the transparent handle substrate may be detached. The semiconductor interposer may then be bonded to a packaging substrate or a semiconductor chip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Paul S. Andry, Edward C. Cooney, III, Edmund J. Sprogis, Anthony K. Stamper, Cornelia K. Tsang
  • Patent number: 8241995
    Abstract: Bonding of substrates including metal-dielectric patterns on a surface with the metal raised above the dielectric is disclosed. One method includes providing a first substrate having a metal-dielectric pattern on a surface thereof; providing a second substrate having a metal-dielectric pattern on a surface thereof; performing a process resulting in the metal being raised above the dielectric; cleaning the metal; and bonding the first substrate to the second substrate. A related structure is also disclosed. The bonding of raised metal provides a strong bonding medium, and good electrical and thermal connections enabling creation of three dimensional integrated structures with enhanced functionality.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Kuan-Neng Chen, Bruce K. Furman, Sampath Purushothaman, David L. Rath, Anna W. Topol, Cornelia K. Tsang
  • Publication number: 20120193790
    Abstract: A back of a dielectric transparent handle substrate is coated with a blanket conductive film or a mesh of conductive wires. A semiconductor substrate is attached to the transparent handle substrate employing an adhesive layer. The semiconductor substrate is thinned in the bonded structure to form a stack of the transparent handle substrate and the semiconductor interposer. The thinned bonded structure may be loaded into a processing chamber and electrostatically chucked employing the blanket conductive film or the mesh of conductive wires. The semiconductor interposer may be bonded to a semiconductor chip or a packaging substrate employing C4 bonding or intermetallic alloy bonding. Illumination of ultraviolet radiation to the adhesive layer is enabled, for example, by removal of the blanket conductive film or through the mesh so that the transparent handle substrate may be detached. The semiconductor interposer may then be bonded to a packaging substrate or a semiconductor chip.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 11, 2012
    Publication date: August 2, 2012
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Paul S. Andry, Edward C. Cooney, III, Edmund J. Sprogis, Anthony K. Stamper, Cornelia K. Tsang
  • Publication number: 20120181648
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods are provided for high density packaging of semiconductor chips using silicon space transformer chip level package structures, which allow high density chip interconnection and/or integration of multiple chips or chip stacks high I/O interconnection and heterogeneous chip or function integration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2012
    Publication date: July 19, 2012
    Inventors: PAUL S. ANDRY, John M. Cotte, John U. Knickerbocker, Cornelia K. Tsang
  • Patent number: 8198734
    Abstract: A silicon-on-insulator (SOI) structure is provided for forming through vias in a silicon wafer carrier structure without backside lithography. The SOI structure includes the silicon wafer carrier structure bonded to a silicon substrate structure with a layer of buried oxide and a layer of nitride separating these silicon structures. Vias are formed in the silicon carrier structure and through the oxide layer to the nitride layer and the walls of the via are passivated. The vias are filled with a filler material of either polysilicon or a conductive material. The substrate structure is then etched back to the nitride layer and the nitride layer is etched back to the filler material. Where the filler material is polysilicon, the polysilicon is etched away forming an open via to the top surface of the carrier wafer structure. The via is then backfilled with conductive material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Brent A. Anderson, Paul S. Andry, Edmund J. Sprogis, Cornelia K. Tsang