Patents by Inventor Steven A. Atherton

Steven A. Atherton 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: 11887924
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a chip scale package (CSP) comprising: a first set of CSP contact balls or bumps; a second set of CSP contact balls or bumps; and a channel routing region, the channel routing region being devoid of any CSP contact balls or bumps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: Cirrus Logic Inc.
    Inventors: Craig McAdam, Jonathan Taylor, Douglas Macfarlane, John Kerr, James Munger, John Pavelka, Steven A. Atherton
  • Publication number: 20230088252
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a chip scale package (CSP) comprising: a first set of CSP contact balls or bumps; a second set of CSP contact balls or bumps; and a channel routing region, the channel routing region being devoid of any CSP contact balls or bumps.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 23, 2022
    Publication date: March 23, 2023
    Applicant: Cirrus Logic International Semiconductor Ltd.
    Inventors: Craig MCADAM, Jonathan TAYLOR, Douglas MACFARLANE, John KERR, James MUNGER, John PAVELKA, Steven A. ATHERTON
  • Patent number: 11562952
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a chip scale package (CSP) comprising: a first set of CSP contact balls or bumps; a second set of CSP contact balls or bumps; and a channel routing region, the channel routing region being devoid of any CSP contact balls or bumps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignee: Cirrus Logic, Inc.
    Inventors: Craig McAdam, Jonathan Taylor, Douglas Macfarlane, John Kerr, James Munger, John Pavelka, Steven A. Atherton
  • Publication number: 20220285299
    Abstract: A semiconductor die may be coupled to a printed circuit board using a solder ball. The semiconductor die comprises a redistribution layer formed above a semiconductor chip, a polymer layer formed on the redistribution layer, and an Under Bump Metallurgy (UBM) layer formed on the polymer layer. The polymer layer comprises a plurality of vias, which electrically couple the UBM layer to the redistribution layer. The entire UBM layer may be deposited with a continuously flat upper surface for coupling to the solder ball. The plurality of vias may be positioned such that they are centered on a point that is not central to the UBM layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 19, 2022
    Publication date: September 8, 2022
    Applicant: Cirrus Logic International Semiconductor Ltd.
    Inventors: Yaoyu PANG, Steven A. ATHERTON
  • Publication number: 20220246514
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a chip scale package (CSP) comprising: a first set of CSP contact balls or bumps; a second set of CSP contact balls or bumps; and a channel routing region, the channel routing region being devoid of any CSP contact balls or bumps.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2021
    Publication date: August 4, 2022
    Applicant: Cirrus Logic International Semiconductor Ltd.
    Inventors: Craig MCADAM, Jonathan TAYLOR, Douglas MACFARLANE, John KERR, James MUNGER, John PAVELKA, Steven A. ATHERTON
  • Patent number: 11373968
    Abstract: A semiconductor die may be coupled to a printed circuit board using a solder ball. The semiconductor die comprises a redistribution layer formed above a semiconductor chip, a polymer layer formed on the redistribution layer, and an Under Bump Metallurgy (UBM) layer formed on the polymer layer. The polymer layer comprises a plurality of vias, which electrically couple the UBM layer to the redistribution layer. The entire UBM layer may be deposited with a continuously flat upper surface for coupling to the solder ball. The plurality of vias may be positioned such that they are centered on a point that is not central to the UBM layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: Cirrus Logic, Inc.
    Inventors: Yaoyu Pang, Steven A. Atherton
  • Publication number: 20200343206
    Abstract: A semiconductor die may be coupled to a printed circuit board using a solder ball. The semiconductor die comprises a redistribution layer formed above a semiconductor chip, a polymer layer formed on the redistribution layer, and an Under Bump Metallurgy (UBM) layer formed on the polymer layer. The polymer layer comprises a plurality of vias, which electrically couple the UBM layer to the redistribution layer. The entire UBM layer may be deposited with a continuously flat upper surface for coupling to the solder ball. The plurality of vias may be positioned such that they are centered on a point that is not central to the UBM layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2020
    Publication date: October 29, 2020
    Applicant: Cirrus Logic International Semiconductor Ltd.
    Inventors: Yaoyu PANG, Steven A. ATHERTON
  • Patent number: 10049988
    Abstract: A method for forming a semiconductor device package substrate including a fiducial mark is provided. The method of forming the package substrate includes forming a dielectric layer over a lower portion of the package substrate. A metal layer is formed over a fiducial region of the package substrate. The metal layer is etched to form a first signal line in the fiducial region. A passivation layer is formed over the first signal line. The passivation layer is etched over the first signal line to form a fiducial mark.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2018
    Assignee: NXP USA, INC.
    Inventor: Steven A. Atherton
  • Publication number: 20170179038
    Abstract: A method for forming a semiconductor device package substrate including a fiducial mark is provided. The method of forming the package substrate includes forming a dielectric layer over a lower portion of the package substrate. A metal layer is formed over a fiducial region of the package substrate. The metal layer is etched to form a first signal line in the fiducial region. A passivation layer is formed over the first signal line. The passivation layer is etched over the first signal line to form a fiducial mark.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2017
    Publication date: June 22, 2017
    Inventor: STEVEN ATHERTON
  • Patent number: 9627255
    Abstract: A method for forming a semiconductor device package substrate including a fiducial mark is provided. The method of forming the package substrate includes forming a dielectric layer over a lower portion of the package substrate. A metal layer is formed over a fiducial region of the package substrate. The metal layer is etched to form a first signal line in the fiducial region. A passivation layer is formed over the first signal line. The passivation layer is etched over the first signal line to form a fiducial mark.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: NXP USA, INC.
    Inventor: Steven A. Atherton
  • Patent number: 9377504
    Abstract: A circuit device mounted on a substrate includes a detection circuit that monitors a characteristic of a return signal to determine an integrity of various interconnects of the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2016
    Assignee: FREESCALE SEMICONDUCTOR, INC.
    Inventors: Stanley A. Cejka, Steven A. Atherton, William J. Downey, James C. Golab, Brian D. Young
  • Publication number: 20150276854
    Abstract: A circuit device mounted on a substrate includes a detection circuit that monitors a characteristic of a return signal to determine an integrity of various interconnects of the device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2014
    Publication date: October 1, 2015
    Applicant: FREESCALE SEMICONDUCTOR, INC.
    Inventors: Stanley A. Cejka, Steven A. Atherton, William J. Downey, James C. Gobab, Brian D. Young