Abstract: A semiconductor chip carrying integrated circuits has lead lines terminating in conductive terminal pads exposed to the exterior through openings in a passivation layer. The pads include pedestals or bumps extending up from them. Each of the pedestals includes a thin metallic adhesion layer deposited on the pad. A thick metallic layer of aluminum or an alloy of aluminum is deposited upon said thin metallic adhesion layer. The thick metallic layer includes at least one metal selected from the group consisting of aluminum, aluminum plus a small percentage of Cu, Ni, Si, or Fe. Several other alternative metals can be added to aluminum to form an alloy. The thick metallic layer forms the bulk of the height of the pedestal. An adhesion layer is deposited on the bump of aluminum composed of a thin film of titanium or chromium. A barrier layer is deposited on the adhesion layer composed of copper, nickel, platinum, palladium or cobalt.

Abstract: A chemical solder is described that includes an organometallic which thermally degrades within a predetermined temperature range to a metal and volatile compounds. The solder also includes a polymeric matrix that decomposes within the same temperature range to volatile fractions, thereby leaving only the metal.A method for bonding first and second bodies is disclosed wherein a chemical solder, as above-described, is disposed between the first and second bodies and heat is applied to elevate the solder to the predetermined temperature range to thermally degrade the organometallic compound and to decompose the polymeric matrix. The remaining metal bonds the first and second bodies.

Abstract: A one-shot whose period is a fraction or multiple of the VCO period in a clock recovery circuit. In a clock recovery circuit using PLL, the one-shot is coupled to the PLL in order to enable/disable the phase detector for cases when the data stream does not consist of uniformly spaced pulses. Without a one-shot, the phase detector in the PLL generates a large error signal whenever a clock pulse occurs without a data pulse. During the times when the phase detector is enabled, a phase comparison is made between the next data edge and the next clock edge. When this comparison is completed, the phase detector is disabled again. In order for the PLL to average out the effects of noise and jitter, the phase detector is enabled one half clock period before the data edge. By doing this, the data edge can shift up to one half clock period.

Abstract: A contact member for thermocompression bonding in integrated circuit packaging has on a conductor end a uniform texture deformable layer with a hardness value in the range of that of soft gold which is approximately 90 on the Knoop scale and with a rough surface morphology having ridges with approximately 1 micrometer modulation frequency and a depth between ridges of from 1/4 to 1/2 that of the average integrated circuit pad. The deformable layer is produced by plating gold in a strong electronegative plating bath within a range of 0.03 to 0.05 mA/sq.cm. current density. Plating apparatus, for plating different areas, with different electronegative conditions, with separatre independently powered anodes, is provided.

Abstract: A conductor attachment wherein each conductor is mounted on a dielectric tape and has an attachment portion that is supported by the tape to an adjacent location a uniform distance from the bonding location and that contacts on a level with the plane of the underside of the tape. One conductor supporting tape has portions of the tape that extend into a central contacting area opening to contact locations at contacting pads in rows remote from the edge. Another supporting tape has window openings at the contacting locations. The conductor ends are brought into the level of the underside of the tape by a manufacturing rolling operation between an elastomer surface roller and a solid backing roller.

Abstract: The present invention comprises the use of a copper/nickel containing alloy composition or application of a protective nickel alloy coating to copper current-carrying leads to prevent electrolytic migration between tape automated bonding (TAB) package leads.

Abstract: A hitch feeder for a TAB tape is described which comprises: a stationary jas assembly having opposing jaws for gripping edges of the tape when closed, and not gripping the edges when open; a movable gripping assembly which includes a lower movable gripper positioned below the tape and an upper movable gripper positioned above the tape. The lower and upper movable grippers may be moved both towards and away from the tape, each said movable gripper gripping the tape when moved towards it and releasing the tape when moved away from it. Both grippers are physically clear of any features on the tape when moved away from it. A tape feeder is provided for reciprocally moving the movable gripper assembly along the tape length, both towards and away from the stationary jaw assembly.

Abstract: The present invention comprises the use of a copper/nickel containing alloy composition or application of a protective nickel alloy coating to copper current-carrying leads to prevent electrolytic migration between tape automated bonding (TAB) package leads.

Abstract: A contact member for thermocompression bonding in integrated circuit packaging has on a conductor end a uniform texture deformable layer with a hardness value in the range of that of soft gold which is approximately 90 on the Knoop scale and with a rough surface morphology having ridges with approximately 1 micrometer modulation frequency and a depth between ridges of from 1/4 to 1/2 that of the average integrated circuit pad. The deformable layer is produced by plating gold in a strong electronegative plating bath within a range of 0.03 to 0.05 mA/sq.cm. current density. Plating apparatus, for plating different areas, with different electronegative conditions, with separate independently powered anodes, is provided.

Abstract: A three dimensional chip package comprising a plurality of semiconductor substrates, each having at least one semiconductor electronic device mounted thereon; wherein at least a subset of said plurality substrates are physically joined to form an enclosure within which each substrate has at least one electrical contact location to another substrate; and further wherein at least one cooling channel is provided within said enclosure into which a cooling fluid may be introduced.

Abstract: An asynchronous serial data receiver for receiving a stream of data bits, characterized by a plurality of shift registers (54) into which samples corresponding to points within said data bit stream are read, different shift registers (54) holding a different set of said samples, said points being separated by most one half of a data bit period, and a decoder (60-90) responsive to said samples held in said shift registers (54) for recognizing points of known phase within said data assessed relative to which samples which corresponding to points within said data bits may be identified for reading. The invention provides a high speed serial receiver which is particularly suitable for use within disc drives and data storage and retrieval systems in general. The serial data receiver of the present invention does not require a clock synchronized with the incoming data.

Abstract: A TAB package is described which includes a flexible dielectric film with an outer edge, back and front faces and an aperture therein. The front face, as is conventional, is provided with a plurality of beam leads, which leads extend into the aperture and connect to a semiconductor chip. Thermally conductive body means is provided which has a well formed therein, the well defined by a lip comprising the outer rim of the body means. The back face of the semiconductor chip is thermally connected to the thermally conductive body means and the flexible dielectric film is formed to conform to the surface of the well and to extend over its rim whereby the beam leads also conform to the well and rim structure. The beam leads are thereby made available for electrical connection in the vicinity of the rim. Means are also provided for attaching the outer edge of the film to the thermally conductive body means so as to enable flexure of the film in the event of differential expansion or contraction at connection points.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for fluxlessly solder bonding a solder mound to a solder wettable surface. A heated gas, preferably a reducing or non-reactive gas, is directed at a solid solder mound. Gas is heated to a temperature sufficient to melt solder mound. The heated gas is directed at the molten solder mound at a momentum sufficient to disperse an oxide layer at the surface of the molten solder mound. Dispersing the oxide layer permits the molten solder to wet the solder wettable surface. The molten solder is cooled to form a solder bond.

Abstract: Apparatus for automatically adjusting the orientation of a first surface of a first body to be against a second surface of a second body when said first surface is pressed against said second surface. The apparatus includes a means for movably mounting the first body to a support which permits rotation of the first surface so that when the first surface is pressed against the second surface, the first surface rotates with respect to the support resulting in the first surface being against the second surface.

Abstract: An integrated circuit device package in which integrated circuit devices are mounted with active faces placed facing each other to form a double-device structure. Input/output terminals on the active faces of each device can be electrically interconnected by placing an interconnection means between the chips to electrically interconnect input/output terminals on the active faces of the first and second device. Beam leads, each having an inner and outer lead bond site, project outwardly from between the devices where each of the inner lead bond site is solderlessly bonded between conducting patterns on each device bonded. A series of double-device structures can be formed on a tape having a plurality of sets of beam lead patterns thereon. Each beam lead of each set having an inner and outer lead bond site, projects outwardly from between the double-device structure, the inner lead bond site being solderlessly bonded between conducting patterns on each device.

Abstract: This invention employs a carrier upon which a thin conductive film has been applied. The conductive film is of a metallic material which exhibits a surface energy such that it is not readily wetted by solder. A patterned mask is disposed on the conductive film, with the mask having openings which expose selected areas of the conductive film. Solder is deposited in the mask openings and is weakly adherent to the exposed areas of the conductive film. The carrier is then disposed over and in registration with conductive land areas of a circuit carrier, such that the solder in the mask openings is aligned with the land areas of the circuit carrier. Subsequently, the carrier and circuit land areas are brought into contact, heated, the solder bonded to the lands, and the carrier is lifted away for subsequent reuse.In another species of the invention, a thin film layer of solder is directly deposited on and weakly adherent to a flexible base layer.