Abstract: Microelectronic imagers, methods for packaging microelectronic imagers, and methods for forming electrically conductive through-wafer interconnects in microelectronic imagers are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a microelectronic imaging die can include a microelectronic substrate, an integrated circuit, and an image sensor electrically coupled to the integrated circuit. A bond-pad is carried by the substrate and electrically coupled to the integrated circuit. An electrically conductive through-wafer interconnect extends partially through the substrate and is in contact with the bond-pad.

Abstract: Methods for making semiconductor devices are disclosed herein. A method configured in accordance with a particular embodiment includes forming one or more openings in a front side of the semiconductor device and forming sacrificial plugs in the openings that partially fill the openings. The method further includes further filling the partially filled openings with a conductive material, where individual sacrificial plugs are generally between the conductive material and a substrate of the semiconductor device. The sacrificial plugs are exposed at a backside of the semiconductor device. Contact regions can be formed at the backside by removing the sacrificial plugs.

Abstract: Methods for fabricating semiconductor devices, such as complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) imagers, include fabricating transistors and other low-elevation features on an active surface of a fabrication substrate, and fabricating contact plugs, conductive lines, external contacts, and other higher-elevation features on the back side of the fabrication substrate. Semiconductor devices with transistors on the active surface and contact plugs that extend through the substrate are also disclosed, as are electronic devices including such semiconductor devices.

Abstract: An interconnect assembly includes a bond pad and an interconnect structure configured to electrically couple an electronic structure to the bond pad. The interconnect structure physically contacts areas of the bond pad that are located outside of a probe contact area that may have been damaged during testing. Insulating material covers the probe contact area and defines openings spaced apart from the probe contact area. The interconnect structure extends through the openings to contact the bond pad.

Abstract: A through-wafer interconnect for imager, memory and other integrated circuit applications is disclosed, thereby eliminating the need for wire bonding, making devices incorporating such interconnects stackable and enabling wafer level packaging for imager devices. Further, a smaller and more reliable die package is achieved and circuit parasitics (e.g., L and R) are reduced due to the reduced signal path lengths.

Abstract: Semiconductor substrates with unitary vias and via terminals, and associated systems and methods are disclosed. A representative method in accordance with a particular embodiment includes forming a blind via in a semiconductor substrate, applying a protective layer to a sidewall surface of the via, and forming a terminal opening by selectively removing substrate material from an end surface of the via, while protecting from removal substrate material against which the protective coating is applied. The method can further include disposing a conductive material in both the via and the terminal opening to form an electrically conductive terminal that is unitary with conductive material in the via. Substrate material adjacent to the terminal can then be removed to expose the terminal, which can then be connected to a conductive structure external to the substrate.

Abstract: A through-wafer interconnect for imager, memory and other integrated circuit applications is disclosed, thereby eliminating the need for wire bonding, making devices incorporating such interconnects stackable and enabling wafer level packaging for imager devices. Further, a smaller and more reliable die package is achieved and circuit parasitics (e.g., L and R) are reduced due to the reduced signal path lengths.

Abstract: A method of processing a substrate includes physically contacting an exposed conductive electrode of an electrostatic carrier with a conductor to electrostatically bond a substrate to the electrostatic carrier. The conductor is removed from physically contacting the exposed conductive electrode. Dielectric material is applied over the conductive electrode. The substrate is treated while it is electrostatically bonded to the electrostatic carrier. In one embodiment, a conductor is forced through dielectric material that is received over a conductive electrode of an electrostatic carrier to physically contact the conductor with the conductive electrode to electrostatically bond a substrate to the electrostatic carrier. After removing the conductor from the dielectric material, the substrate is treated while it is electrostatically bonded to the electrostatic carrier. Electrostatic carriers for retaining substrates for processing, and such assemblies, are also disclosed.

Abstract: The invention includes methods of determining x-y spatial orientation of a semiconductor substrate comprising an integrated circuit, methods of positioning a semiconductor substrate comprising an integrated circuit, methods of processing a semiconductor substrate, and semiconductor devices. In one implementation, a method of determining x-y spatial orientation of a semiconductor substrate comprising an integrated circuit includes providing a semiconductor substrate comprising at least one integrated circuit die. The semiconductor substrate comprises a circuit side, a backside, and a plurality of conductive vias extending from the circuit side to the backside. The plurality of conductive vias on the semiconductor substrate backside is examined to determine location of portions of at least two of the plurality of conductive vias on the semiconductor substrate backside. From the determined location, x-y spatial orientation of the semiconductor substrate is determined.

Abstract: A through-wafer interconnect for imager, memory and other integrated circuit applications is disclosed, thereby eliminating the need for wire bonding, making devices incorporating such interconnects stackable and enabling wafer level packaging for imager devices. Further, a smaller and more reliable die package is achieved and circuit parasitics (e.g., L and R) are reduced due to the reduced signal path lengths.

Abstract: A method of processing a substrate includes physically contacting an exposed conductive electrode of an electrostatic carrier with a conductor to electrostatically bond a substrate to the electrostatic carrier. The conductor is removed from physically contacting the exposed conductive electrode. Dielectric material is applied over the conductive electrode. The substrate is treated while it is electrostatically bonded to the electrostatic carrier. In one embodiment, a conductor is forced through dielectric material that is received over a conductive electrode of an electrostatic carrier to physically contact the conductor with the conductive electrode to electrostatically bond a substrate to the electrostatic carrier. After removing the conductor from the dielectric material, the substrate is treated while it is electrostatically bonded to the electrostatic carrier. Electrostatic carriers for retaining substrates for processing, and such assemblies, are also disclosed.

Abstract: Some embodiments include interconnect regions. The regions may contain, along a cross section, a closed-shape interior region having an electrically conductive material therein, a first dielectric material configured as a liner extending entirely around a lateral periphery of the interior region, and at least two dielectric projections joining to the dielectric material liner and being laterally outward of the interior region. The dielectric projections may have an outer dielectric ring surrounding an inner dielectric region. The outer ring may consist of the first dielectric material and the inner dielectric region may be a composition different from a composition of the first dielectric material, and in some embodiments the composition within the inner dielectric region may be gaseous.

Abstract: Pass-through 3D interconnects and microelectronic dies and systems of stacked dies that include such interconnects to disable electrical connections are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a system of stacked dies includes a first microelectronic die having a backside, an interconnect extending through the first die to the backside, an integrated circuit electrically coupled to the interconnect, and a first electrostatic discharge (ESD) device electrically isolated from the interconnect. A second microelectronic die has a front side coupled to the backside of the first die, a metal contact at the front side electrically coupled to the interconnect, and a second ESD device electrically coupled to the metal contact. In another embodiment, the first die further includes a substrate carrying the integrated circuit and the first ESD device, and the interconnect is positioned in the substrate to disable an electrical connection between the first ESD device and the interconnect.

Abstract: Semiconductor devices are described that have a metal interconnect extending vertically through a portion of the device to the back side of a semiconductor substrate. A top region of the metal interconnect is located vertically below a horizontal plane containing a metal routing layer. Method of fabricating the semiconductor device can include etching a via into a semiconductor substrate, filling the via with a metal material, forming a metal routing layer subsequent to filling the via, and removing a portion of a bottom of the semiconductor substrate to expose a bottom region of the metal filled via.

Abstract: Some embodiments include interconnect regions. The regions may contain, along a cross section, a closed-shape interior region having an electrically conductive material therein, a first dielectric material configured as a liner extending entirely around a lateral periphery of the interior region, and at least two dielectric projections joining to the dielectric material liner and being laterally outward of the interior region. The dielectric projections may have an outer dielectric ring surrounding an inner dielectric region. The outer ring may consist of the first dielectric material and the inner dielectric region may be a composition different from a composition of the first dielectric material, and in some embodiments the composition within the inner dielectric region may be gaseous.

Abstract: Pass-through 3D interconnects and microelectronic dies and systems of stacked dies that include such interconnects to disable electrical connections are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a system of stacked dies includes a first microelectronic die having a backside, an interconnect extending through the first die to the backside, an integrated circuit electrically coupled to the interconnect, and a first electrostatic discharge (ESD) device electrically isolated from the interconnect. A second microelectronic die has a front side coupled to the backside of the first die, a metal contact at the front side electrically coupled to the interconnect, and a second ESD device electrically coupled to the metal contact. In another embodiment, the first die further includes a substrate carrying the integrated circuit and the first ESD device, and the interconnect is positioned in the substrate to disable an electrical connection between the first ESD device and the interconnect.

Abstract: Methods of forming a conductive via may include forming a blind via hole partially through a substrate, forming an aluminum film on surfaces of the substrate, removing a first portion of the aluminum film from some surfaces, selectively depositing conductive material onto a second portion of the aluminum film, and exposing the blind via hole through a back side of the substrate. Methods of fabricating a conductive via may include forming at least one via hole through at least one unplated bond pad, forming a first adhesive over at least one surface of the at least one via hole, forming a dielectric over the first adhesive, forming a base layer over the dielectric and the at least one unplated bond pad, and plating nickel onto the base layer.

Abstract: Microelectronic devices with through-silicon vias and associated methods of manufacturing such devices. One embodiment of a method for forming tungsten through-silicon vias comprising forming an opening having a sidewall such that the opening extends through at least a portion of a substrate on which microelectronic structures have been formed. The method can further include lining the sidewall with a dielectric material, depositing tungsten on the dielectric material such that a cavity extends through at least a portion of the tungsten, and filling the cavity with a polysilicon material.

Abstract: Methods for forming conductive vias include forming one or more via holes in a substrate. The via holes may be formed with a single mask, with protective layers, bond pads, or other features of the substrate acting as hard masks in the event that a photomask is removed during etching processes. The via holes may be configured to facilitate adhesion of a dielectric coating that includes a low-K dielectric material to the surfaces thereof. A barrier layer may be formed over surfaces of each via hole. A base layer, which may comprise a seed material, may be formed to facilitate the subsequent, selective deposition of conductive material over the surfaces of the via hole. The resulting semiconductor devices, intermediate structures, and assemblies and electronic devices that include the semiconductor devices that result from these methods are also disclosed.

Abstract: Some embodiments include interconnect regions. The regions may contain, along a cross section, a closed-shape interior region having an electrically conductive material therein, a first dielectric material configured as a liner extending entirely around a lateral periphery of the interior region, and at least two dielectric projections joining to the dielectric material liner and being laterally outward of the interior region. The dielectric projections may have an outer dielectric ring surrounding an inner dielectric region. The outer ring may consist of the first dielectric material and the inner dielectric region may be a composition different from a composition of the first dielectric material, and in some embodiments the composition within the inner dielectric region may be gaseous.