Patents by Inventor Eric Beyne

Eric Beyne 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: 20140151848
    Abstract: The disclosed technology relates generally to a semiconductor device package comprising a metal-insulator-metal capacitor (MIMCAP). In one aspect, the MIMCAP is formed between a first and second metallization layers in a stack of metallization layers, e.g., copper metallization layers formed by single damascene processes. The MIMCAP comprises a bottom plate formed in the first metallization layer, a first conductive layer on and in electrical contact with the bottom plate, a dielectric layer on and in contact with the first conductive layer, a second conductive layer on and in contact with the dielectric layer, and a top plate formed in the second metallization layer, on and in electrical contact with the second metal plate. The electrical contacts to the bottom and top plates of the MIMCAP formed in the first and second metallization layer are thereby established without forming separate vias between the plates and the metallization layers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 27, 2013
    Publication date: June 5, 2014
    Applicant: IMEC
    Inventors: Mikael Detalle, Eric Beyne
  • Patent number: 8742590
    Abstract: A method is provided for forming at least one TSV interconnect structure surrounded by at least one isolating trench-like structure having at least one airgap. The method comprises at least the steps of providing a substrate having a first main surface and producing simultaneous at least one a TSV hole and a trench-like structure surrounding the TSV hole and separated by remaining substrate material. The method also comprises thereafter depositing a dielectric liner in order to smoothen the sidewalls of the etched TSV hole and to pinch-off the opening of the trench-like structure at the first main surface of the substrate in order to create at least one airgap in said trench-like structure and depositing a conductive material in said TSV hole in order to create a TSV interconnect. A corresponding substrate is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: IMEC
    Inventor: Eric Beyne
  • Patent number: 8735182
    Abstract: A method for detecting embedded voids present in a structure formed in or on a semiconductor substrate is described. The method includes performing a processing step P1 for forming the structure; measuring the mass M1 of the substrate; performing thermal treatment; measuring the mass M2 of the substrate; calculating the mass difference between the mass of the substrate measured before and after the performed thermal treatment; and deducing the presence of embedded voids in the structure by comparing the mass difference with a pre-determined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: IMEC
    Inventors: Leonardus Leunissen, Sandip Halder, Eric Beyne
  • Patent number: 8647920
    Abstract: Ultra-low capacitance interconnect structures, preferably Through Silicon Via (TSV) interconnects and methods for fabricating said interconnects are disclosed. The fabrication method comprises the steps of providing a substrate having a first main surface, producing at least one hollow trench-like structure therein from the first main surface, said trench-like structure surrounding an inner pillar structure of substrate material, depositing a dielectric liner which pinches off said hollow trench-like structure at the first main surface such that an airgap is created in the center of hollow trench-like structure and further creating a TSV hole and filling it at least partly with conductive material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2014
    Assignee: IMEC VZW
    Inventors: Deniz Sabuncuoglu Tezcan, Yann Civale, Eric Beyne
  • Patent number: 8536047
    Abstract: A device and a method for realizing reliable electrical contacts at low temperature and low pressure between conducting materials on, for example, different substrates are disclosed. In one aspect, a rough and brittle intermetallic layer is formed on a conducting material on a first substrate. A soft solder material layer on the other substrate is used for contacting the brittle and rough intermetallic layer that will break. As the solder material is relatively soft, contact between the broken intermetallic layer and the solder material can be realized over a large portion of the surface area. At that stage, a second intermetallic layer is formed between the solder material and the first intermetallic layer realizing electrical contact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: IMEC
    Inventors: Wenqi Zhang, Eric Beyne
  • Publication number: 20130237055
    Abstract: According to a method of redistributing a functional element of the present invention, an insulating resin layer is supplied onto a functional element wafer such as an LSI. A portion to be a via hole on an electrode pad of the functional element is filled with a sacrificial layer. The top of the sacrificial layer filled in the via hole is exposed from the insulating layer by grinding or polishing. Therefore, it is possible to prevent breakage of a brittle material such as a low-k material in the functional element, which would be caused by transmission of shearing stress when a conventional pillar or a conventional gold projecting electrode is used. The reliability, the yield, and the level of flatness can be improved by forming an interconnection conductive layer after the flattening process of grinding or polishing. Accordingly, a fine conductive interconnection can be formed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 10, 2011
    Publication date: September 12, 2013
    Applicants: IMEC, NEC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takuo Funaya, Francois Iker, Eric Beyne
  • Patent number: 8493736
    Abstract: The present disclosure is related to a device for cooling the surface of a semiconductor device such as an integrated circuit or the like, the cooling device comprising a plurality of channels (3?) which are non-parallel to the surface to be cooled, each channel comprising a plurality of separate electrodes (5) or equivalent conducting areas arranged along the length of each channel, the device further comprising or being connectable to means for applying a voltage to the electrodes or conducting areas in each channel according to a sequence, the sequence being such that a droplet (6) of cooling liquid in a channel may be moved from one electrode to the next, thereby transporting the droplet from the top of the channel to the bottom, from where the droplet impinges on the surface to be cooled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Assignee: IMEC
    Inventors: Herman Oprins, Bart Vandevelde, Paolo Fiorini, Eric Beyne, Joeri De Vos, Bivragh Majeed
  • Patent number: 8450825
    Abstract: A semiconductor package is disclosed. In one aspect, the package includes a base frame and a wiring substrate mounted on the base frame. The base frame has two pieces made of a material with respectively a first and a second coefficient of thermal expansion and connected to each other via resilient connecting structures. The wiring substrate has electric wiring tracks providing the electric connection between first and second bond pads, provided for being electrically connected to bond pads on respectively a die and a printed wiring board. The electrical wiring tracks have flexible parts provided to expand and contract along with the resilient connecting structures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2013
    Assignees: IMEC, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Universiteit Gent
    Inventors: Paresh Limaye, Jan Vanfleteren, Eric Beyne
  • Patent number: 8440504
    Abstract: The present invention is related to a method for aligning and bonding a first element (1) and a second element (2), comprising: obtaining a first element (1) having at least one protrusion, the protrusion having a base portion (12) made of a first material and an upper portion (13) made of a second, deformable material, different from the first material; obtaining a second element (2) having a first main surface and second main surface (8) and at least one through-hole between the first and second main surface; placing the first and second element onto each other; receiving in the through-hole of the second element (2) the protrusion of the first element (1), the protrusion being arranged and constructed so as to extend from an opening of the through-hole in the first main surface to a position beyond an opening of the through-hole in the second main surface (8); deforming the deformable portion (13) of the protrusion, such that the deformed portion mechanically fixes the second element (2) on the first el
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2013
    Assignee: IMEC
    Inventors: Philippe Soussan, Wouter Ruythooren, Eric Beyne, Koen De Munck
  • Publication number: 20120315712
    Abstract: A method for detecting embedded voids present in a structure formed in or on a semiconductor substrate is described. The method includes performing a processing step P1 for forming the structure; measuring the mass M1 of the substrate; performing thermal treatment; measuring the mass M2 of the substrate; calculating the mass difference between the mass of the substrate measured before and after the performed thermal treatment; and deducing the presence of embedded voids in the structure by comparing the mass difference with a pre-determined value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2012
    Publication date: December 13, 2012
    Applicant: IMEC
    Inventors: Leonardus Leunissen, Sandip Halder, Eric Beyne
  • Publication number: 20120280381
    Abstract: A semiconductor device is described advantageously making use of the interposer principle. The semiconductor device comprises at least one semiconductor die, a window substrate being an inorganic substrate comprising at least one window-shaped cavity for mounting the at least one semiconductor die, the window substrate having interconnect structures. Furthermore, the at least one semiconductor die is positioned inside the at least one cavity and is connected to the interconnect structures, providing connections to another level of assembly or packaging of the semiconductor device. The invention also relates to a method of manufacturing such a semiconductor device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2010
    Publication date: November 8, 2012
    Applicant: IMEC
    Inventors: Eric Beyne, Paresh Limaye
  • Publication number: 20120209100
    Abstract: A method is disclosed for packaging a device, e.g., for bio-medical applications. In one aspect, the method includes obtaining a component on a substrate and separating the component and a first part of the substrate from a second part of the substrate using at least one physical process inducing at least one sloped side wall on the first part of the substrate. The method also includes providing an encapsulation for the chip. The resulting packaged chip advantageously has a good step coverage resulting in a good hermeticity, less sharp edges resulting in a reduced risk of damaging or infection after implantation and has a relatively small packaged volume compared to conventional big box packaging techniques.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2011
    Publication date: August 16, 2012
    Applicant: IMEC
    Inventors: Maria OP DE BEECK, Eric Beyne, Philippe Soussan
  • Publication number: 20120139127
    Abstract: A method is provided for forming at least one TSV interconnect structure surrounded by at least one isolating trench-like structure having at least one airgap. The method comprises at least the steps of providing a substrate having a first main surface and producing simultaneous at least one a TSV hole and a trench-like structure surrounding the TSV hole and separated by remaining substrate material. The method also comprises thereafter depositing a dielectric liner in order to smoothen the sidewalls of the etched TSV hole and to pinch-off the opening of the trench-like structure at the first main surface of the substrate in order to create at least one airgap in said trench-like structure and depositing a conductive material in said TSV hole in order to create a TSV interconnect. A corresponding substrate is also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2011
    Publication date: June 7, 2012
    Applicant: IMEC
    Inventor: Eric Beyne
  • Publication number: 20120013022
    Abstract: Ultra-low capacitance interconnect structures, preferably Through Silicon Via (TSV) interconnects and methods for fabricating said interconnects are disclosed. The fabrication method comprises the steps of providing a substrate having a first main surface, producing at least one hollow trench-like structure therein from the first main surface, said trench-like structure surrounding an inner pillar structure of substrate material, depositing a dielectric liner which pinches off said hollow trench-like structure at the first main surface such that an airgap is created in the center of hollow trench-like structure and further creating a TSV hole and filling it at least partly with conductive material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2011
    Publication date: January 19, 2012
    Applicant: IMEC
    Inventors: Deniz Sabuncuoglu Tezcan, Yann Civale, Eric Beyne
  • Publication number: 20110304987
    Abstract: The present disclosure is related to a device for cooling the surface of a semiconductor device such as an integrated circuit or the like, the cooling device comprising a plurality of channels (3?) which are non-parallel to the surface to be cooled, each channel comprising a plurality of separate electrodes (5) or equivalent conducting areas arranged along the length of each channel, the device further comprising or being connectable to means for applying a voltage to the electrodes or conducting areas in each channel according to a sequence, the sequence being such that a droplet (6) of cooling liquid in a channel may be moved from one electrode to the next, thereby transporting the droplet from the top of the channel to the bottom, from where the droplet impinges on the surface to be cooled.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2011
    Publication date: December 15, 2011
    Applicant: IMEC
    Inventors: Herman Oprins, Bart Vandevelde, Paolo Fiorini, Eric Beyne, Joeri De Vos, Bivragh Majeed
  • Publication number: 20110233792
    Abstract: A device and a method for realizing reliable electrical contacts at low temperature and low pressure between conducting materials on, for example, different substrates are disclosed. In one aspect, a rough and brittle intermetallic layer is formed on a conducting material on a first substrate. A soft solder material layer on the other substrate is used for contacting the brittle and rough intermetallic layer that will break. As the solder material is relatively soft, contact between the broken intermetallic layer and the solder material can be realized over a large portion of the surface area. At that stage, a second intermetallic layer is formed between the solder material and the first intermetallic layer realizing electrical contact.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2011
    Publication date: September 29, 2011
    Applicant: IMEC
    Inventors: Wenqi Zhang, Eric Beyne
  • Publication number: 20110089572
    Abstract: A method of fabricating through substrate vias is disclosed. In one aspect, vias are etched from the backside of the substrate down to shallow trench isolation (STI) or the pre-metal dielectric stack (PMD). Extra contacts between metal 1 contact pads and the through-wafer vias are fabricated for realizing the contact between the through wafer vias and the back-end-of-line of the semiconductor chips.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2010
    Publication date: April 21, 2011
    Applicant: IMEC
    Inventors: Deniz Sabuncuoglu Tezcan, Yann Civale, Bart Swinnen, Eric Beyne
  • Publication number: 20110086507
    Abstract: A method for providing an oxide layer on a semiconductor substrate is disclosed. In one aspect, the method includes obtaining a semiconductor substrate. The substrate may have a three-dimensional structure, which may comprise at least one hole. The method may also include forming an oxide layer on the substrate, for example, on the three-dimensional structure, by anodizing the substrate in an acidic electrolyte solution.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 18, 2010
    Publication date: April 14, 2011
    Applicant: IMEC
    Inventors: Philippe Soussan, Eric Beyne, Philippe Muller
  • Publication number: 20110037179
    Abstract: A semiconductor package is disclosed. In one aspect, the package includes a base frame and a wiring substrate mounted on the base frame. The base frame has two pieces made of a material with respectively a first and a second coefficient of thermal expansion and connected to each other via resilient connecting structures. The wiring substrate has electric wiring tracks providing the electric connection between first and second bond pads, provided for being electrically connected to bond pads on respectively a die and a printed wiring board. The electrical wiring tracks have flexible parts provided to expand and contract along with the resilient connecting structures.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2010
    Publication date: February 17, 2011
    Applicants: IMEC, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, UNIVERSITEIT GENT
    Inventors: Paresh Limaye, Jan Vanfleteren, Eric Beyne
  • Publication number: 20110027967
    Abstract: A method for insertion bonding and a device thus obtained are disclosed. In one aspect, the device includes a first substrate having a front main surface and at least one protrusion at the front main surface. The device includes a second substrate having a front main surface and at least one hole extending from the front main surface into the second substrate. The protrusion of the first substrate is inserted into the hole of the second substrate. The hole is formed in a shape wherein the width is reduced in the depth direction and wherein the width of at least a part of the hole is smaller than the width of the protrusion at the location of the metal portion thereof. The protrusion is deformed during insertion thereof in the hole to provide a bond between the part of the hole and the metal portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 7, 2010
    Publication date: February 3, 2011
    Applicants: IMEC, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven
    Inventors: Eric Beyne, Paresh Limaye