Abstract: This invention relates to a novel optoelectronic chip with one or more optoelectronic devices, such as photodiodes, fabricated on a front side of a semiconductor wafer and contacts on a backside of the semiconductor wafer. The backside contacts can be contact bumps, which allow the optoelectronic chip to achieve the benefits of flip chip packaging without flipping the optoelectronic chip upside down with respect to a chip carrier. In an optical communication system, a photodiode chip can be backside bumped to a chip carrier or an electronic chip, allowing front side illumination of the photodiode chip. Front side illumination offers many benefits, including improved fiber alignment, reduced manufacturing time, and overall cost reduction.

Abstract: This invention relates to a novel optoelectronic chip with one or more optoelectronic devices, such as photodiodes, fabricated on a front side of a semiconductor wafer and contacts on a backside of the semiconductor wafer. The backside contacts can be contact bumps, which allow the optoelectronic chip to achieve the benefits of flip chip packaging without flipping the optoelectronic chip upside down with respect to a chip carrier. In an optical communication system, a photodiode chip can be backside bumped to a chip carrier or an electronic chip, allowing front side illumination of the photodiode chip. Front side illumination offers many benefits, including improved fiber alignment, reduced manufacturing time, and overall cost reduction.

Abstract: This invention relates to a novel optoelectronic chip with one or more optoelectronic devices, such as photodiodes, fabricated on a front side of a semiconductor wafer and contacts on a backside of the semiconductor wafer. The backside contacts can be contact bumps, which allow the optoelectronic chip to achieve the benefits of flip chip packaging without flipping the optoelectronic chip upside down with respect to a chip carrier. In an optical communication system, a photodiode chip can be backside bumped to a chip carrier or an electronic chip, allowing front side illumination of the photodiode chip. Front side illumination offers many benefits, including improved fiber alignment, reduced manufacturing time, and overall cost reduction.

Abstract: A via (26) is formed through a dielectric layer (8) separating two conductive layers (16,28) by establishing a laterally erodible mask (18) over the dielectric (8), with a window (24) over the desired via location. The mask (18) and exposed dielectric material (8) are eroded simultaneously, preferably by reactive ion etching, producing a via (26) through the dielectric (8) which expands laterally as vertical erosion proceeds. The erosion conditions, the materials for the mask (18) and dielectric (8), and the initial window (24) taper are selected so that the final via (26) is tapered at an angle of less than about 45.degree. to the lower metal layer (6), and preferably about 30.degree.-45.degree., to enable a generally uniform width for the upper metallization (28) in the via (26).