Through-substrate interconnect structures and assemblies
Through-substrate interconnect structures and assemblies are disclosed. A substrate includes at least one via passing therethrough. The via may have an enlarged central portion, and one or more end portions which taper to smaller end surfaces. The one or more via end portions may be trapezoidal in shape. The one or more via end portions may have a rounded, i.e., frustoconical, shape. The shape is conducive to improved solder ball/bump attachment, and enables forming vias of very small diameter and pitch.
This application is a divisional of application Ser. No. 11/138,544, filed May 26, 2005, pending, which claims the benefit of Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/606,355, filed Aug. 31, 2004.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to methods for forming conductive vias and electrical contact terminals for substrates, such as semiconductor wafers or other bulk substrates or portions thereof, for use as contact cards, test carriers, package interposers and other substrates, and the like, and the resulting structures and assemblies.
2. State of the Art
Semiconductor wafers and portions thereof are used for substrates for contact cards, test carriers, package substrates, and for other purposes. Typically, the portion of such a substrate has circuits formed on one or both sides for the mounting of one or more semiconductor dice thereon, for making electrical contact to active circuitry of semiconductor dice of a wafer to be tested, and for other purposes. Some portions of substrates, including semiconductor wafers, may have vias extending therethrough filled with conductive material for forming interconnects (commonly known as a through wafer interconnect, or TWI) for connecting circuitry on one side of a portion of the semiconductor wafer to circuitry on the other side thereof, or to external circuitry.
As used herein, a “via” refers to a hole or aperture having conductive material or a conductive member therein which extends through a substrate. The via may be used for electrically connecting a semiconductor device, a component, apparatus, or circuitry on one side of the substrate to a semiconductor device, a component, apparatus, or circuitry on the other side of the substrate. A via may typically be formed in a variety of substrates for a variety of uses, such as interposers for single die packages, interconnects for multi-die packages, and contact probe cards for temporarily connecting semiconductor dice to a test apparatus, for example. For example, a test apparatus is typically configured for temporary simultaneous connection of bond pads of a semiconductor die on a full or partial wafer to the test apparatus. A pattern of conductive vias passing through a substrate employed as a test interposer are designed on one side to match the bond pad patterns of the semiconductor dice on the wafer or portion of a wafer, and on the other side to be connected to the test apparatus.
Where a via is to be formed through a semiconductive material such as silicon, a prior method for constructing a via includes a first or precursor hole being typically formed by a so-called “trepan” process, whereby a very small router or drill is rotated while being moved radially to create the precursor hole. The precursor hole is larger in diameter than the desired completed via to be formed. Following precursor hole formation, an insulation (dielectric) layer is formed in the hole by either forming a thin silicon oxide layer on the hole's surface by exposure to an oxidizing atmosphere or by coating the hole with a insulative polymeric material after oxidizing the hole. When a polymeric insulative material coating is desired, a suitable polymer such as Parylene™ resin may be vapor deposited over the substrate including within each precursor hole while applying a negative pressure, i.e., vacuum, to the opposite end of the hole. Oxidation of the hole surfaces is required because adhesion of polymer to silicon is relatively poor while adhesion to the oxide is much improved. The insulative polymeric material is drawn into each primary hole to fill the hole. The polymer is then cured, and a small diameter via hole is drilled (by percussion drill or laser) or otherwise formed in the hardened insulative polymeric material. The via hole is then filled with a conductive material, typically a metal, metal alloy, or metal-containing material to provide a conductive path between the opposed surfaces of the substrate. The conductive material of the via is insulated from the substrate itself by the insulative polymeric material. In this method of forming vias, dense spacing of vias is difficult to achieve.
Another prior art method for forming vias in a semiconductor substrate is illustrated in drawing
As illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 5,166,097 to Tanielian, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,063,177 to Geller et al., and in U.S. Pat. No. 6,400,172 to Akram et al., the cross-sectional shape of the feedthrough 10 and via 16 is generally that of an hour-glass, with the greatest cross-sectional dimension(s) located at the wafer surfaces. Illustrated in drawing
Illustrated in drawing
In this type of via-to-bump connection, the bumps/balls 20 are susceptible to cracking, particularly at the corners 26 of the via 16. Such cracking leads to break-off of solder from the via 16 due to failure of the via-to-bump adhesion. Without the application of a passivation layer 36 on the surface of the substrate, shorting failures are likely to occur.
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,355,181 to McQuarrie et al., a method is disclosed for making deep trenches having enlarged bottoms or bases. The method comprises applying a mask layer over a substrate, forming a hole in the mask layer and high energy plasma etching anisotropically to a desired depth. A protecting layer is then applied over the hole surfaces and mask layer. Selected portions of the protecting layer are removed from the base surface, and the base is etched to a desired shape.
It is desirable that the aforementioned disadvantages of the prior art be minimized.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention comprises methods for forming conductive vias, herein also known as through-wafer interconnects (TWIs), in substrates and resulting structures and assemblies.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those of skill in the art through consideration of the ensuing detailed description of the invention, the accompanying drawings, and the appended claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGSIn the drawings, which depict exemplary embodiments of various features of the present invention, and in which various elements are not necessarily to scale:
In the present invention, semiconductor wafers or portions thereof and substrates and components in which vias are to be formed are identified herein as “substrates” regardless of the purpose of the via or material of construction of the substrate or via. Thus, for example, the term “substrate” is used in reference to semiconductor wafers, semiconductor wafer portions, other bulk semiconductor substrates, semiconductor devices, interposers, probe test cards, and the like. The invention will be illustrated as applied to construction of a silicon, wafer-scale test card, and methods of making such vias in a wide variety of components are described, as well as the resulting components so made and associated structures and assemblies. The vias made by methods of the present invention have via ends which may be configured to have projecting ends comprising mesas or pillars of reduced size, flared or enlarged ends, or a combination thereof.
One exemplary embodiment of the method of the invention may be generally described as comprising (a) providing a semiconductor substrate with a mask layer of oxide or nitride on one or both major surfaces, (b) laser-drilling a precursor aperture completely through the substrate and mask layers, to provide a heat-affected zone of substrate material shielded by the overlying mask layer on one or both sides of the substrate, (c) subjecting the precursor aperture to shape etching, to remove the heat-affected material, leaving an aperture having an enlarged portion in the center of the substrate, tapering to at least one smaller aperture opening, and having a generally square cross-section, (d) lining the etched aperture with a passivation material, (e) filling the passivated aperture with a conductive via material to produce the conductive via, and (f) thinning the substrate on one or both sides to expose via end(s) having a generally trapezoidal shape. Optionally, an additional rounding etch act following the shaping etch rounds the corners of the shape-etched aperture, producing a via end with a frustoconical shape. The substrate may be thinned by etching, by a mechanical abrasion process or a chemical-mechanical polishing or planarization (CMP) process to expose the via end (contactor end or stud) to a desired standoff distance.
Optionally, the precursor hole may be formed by anisotropic etching from one or both surfaces of the substrate.
The shape etching may be conducted with a tetramethyl ammonium hydroxide (TMAH) solution, which results in a distinctive undercut of the opening in the mask layer. The precise shape of a resulting via end varies, depending upon laser strength and duration as well as etch strength and duration, and other factors.
The shaped aperture, or shaped-and-rounded aperture is filled with a conductive material which may comprise a metal, metal powder, a metal or alloy powder, a flowable conductive photopolymer, a thermoplastic conductive resin, resin-covered particulate metal material, or other suitable material which may be used to form a solid conductive via. The shaped aperture or shaped-and-rounded aperture may be filled with the conductive material or first coating the aperture walls with a metal, followed by filling of the aperture.
The method of the invention may be used to form via hole or aperture diameters of conventional size, i.e. about 17 μm to about 150 μm, as well as much smaller via holes or apertures applicable to enhanced miniaturization of the future. The via holes or apertures are formed to produce trapezoidal or frustoconical via ends which may be directly attached to bond pads or optionally to solder bumps/balls.
The method of the invention provides substantial advantages. First, very small diameter vias may be formed in a dense pattern in a semiconductor substrate. The vias may be rapidly and precisely formed. The shape of the via ends of the via holes or apertures is enhanced to enable direct attachment to small, finely pitched bond pads. If the via ends are employed with solder balls/bumps, the danger of ball cracking, solder shorts, etc. is much reduced in comparison to the state of the art. Inasmuch as a non-conductive layer may girdle the via ends, and solder wetting and bonding areas do not generally overlie the bare substrate, further passivation of the substrate area surrounding the vias is typically unnecessary.
The invention will be illustrated as applied to construction of a silicon wafer-scale test card having vias and methods of making such vias in a wide variety of components are described, as well as the resulting components so made. The vias made by methods of the present invention have via ends which may be configured as projecting or protruding ends comprising mesas or pillars of reduced size.
In the present invention, methods are illustrated for forming conductive TWIs (also known as vias and feedthroughs) in substrates of semiconductor material with improved configurations of their ends or contacts. As illustrated in drawing
Use of the methods of the invention enables small via diameter and pitch, i.e. spacing. Small via spacing may be achieved with high precision (accuracy) and with small feature dimensions, i.e. resolution with high repeatability. The end shape(s) of the vias 70 enables use of solder balls/bumps 56 thereon without the cracking problems with acute angled ends. Smaller solder connections may be used for permanent connections than is possible in the state of the art. Alternatively, the via ends 52 and/or 54 may be directly contacted with a bond pad 46 or other metallization, or bonded thereto, without using intervening solder balls/bumps 56. Thus, the sizes of bond pads 46 may be significantly reduced, i.e., reduced to 5×5 microns or even as small as 2×2 microns, and the size of solder balls, if used, may be correspondingly reduced.
Generally illustrated in drawing
Referring to drawing
As illustrated in
In an alternative embodiment of the invention, an act (see
Whether the precursor aperture 80A is formed by laser ablation or etching, the next major act, illustrated in drawing
A preferred method of using a shaping etch comprises the application of tetramethyl ammonium hydroxide (TMAH) as a 9:1 ratio of TMAH solution to deionized (DI) water. The TMAH solution is available as a six percent (6%) solution of TMAH in propylene glycol, which may be used without damage to wafer circuitry, as it does not degrade metallization. The etchant is applied by submersion of substrate 60 into a heated wet process tank full of the aforementioned TMAH and DI water solution. The cross-section of the shaped aperture 80B so formed is generally square (see
A shaped aperture 80B may alternatively be formed by a variation of a method for forming enlarged aperture regions of a deep trench or hole. As described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,355,181 to McQuarrie, a masked substrate is etched using a fluorine-containing etchant gas or vapor in the absence of a plasma through an opening in the mask to a desired depth with a base. A layer of protecting material is applied to the base and surfaces of the hole and mask, then removed from the base of the hole. Further etching is conducted to enlarge the hole in the region of the base. This method may be used to selectively shape an aperture to a configuration of this invention. The disclosure of the U.S. Pat. No. 6,355,181 to McQuarrie is incorporated herein by reference.
Where a via end 52, 54 is to have a discrete conductive element in the form of a solder ball/bump 56 bonded thereto, producing stress points at comers 83, the shaped aperture 80B may be subjected to a further rounding-etch act, producing a more circular via 70 and virtually eliminating the comers. As illustrated in drawing
In the next act illustrated in drawing
As illustrated in drawing
Any appropriate method for filling a narrow aperture with the particular material 100 may be used. In one example, illustrated in drawing
The latter approach is especially suitable for probe cards, where the second via end 54 is to be generally coplanar with the second surface 64, as the bottom aperture opening 77B may be closed off with a conductive plate, not shown. A conductive metal filler material 100, such as copper, is then electroplated from a solution entering top aperture opening 77A upwardly from the bottom to fill passivated aperture 80D.
Where the conductive material 100 is solder, dip or wave soldering may be employed to fill the passivated aperture 80D. Further, a solder ball may be placed over each passivated aperture 80D, heated to reflow and then drawn, as by a vacuum or by capillary action if passivated aperture 80D is lined with a solder-wettable material, into apertures 80D. Alternatively, a solder paste may be stenciled or squeegeed into the apertures 80D followed by heating to reflow the solder and drive off organics and cooling to solidify the solder alloy. Illustrated in drawing
Turning now to drawing
Following via formation and substrate thinning, one or both of exposed, protruding via ends 52, 54 may be coated with a metal overlay 102 such as copper, silver, gold, tungsten or nickel. Typically, nickel may be used to coat a via end 52, 54 to be contacted with solder or a via end 52, 54 comprising solder. A copper via end 52, 54 may, for example, be plated with gold. Such a coating of via end 52 is illustrated in drawing
As illustrated in drawing
As illustrated in drawing
The methods of the invention may be used to produce via end configurations which are non-uniform, that is, one via end 52 differs from the opposite via end 54 in shape, size, standoff distance, composition or other configuration variable. Illustrated in drawing
The substrate surface 64 may alternatively be left unthinned, so that via ends 54 remain substantially within the substrate 60, separated therefrom by passivation layer 92. As shown in
It is important to note that the various configurations of via ends 52 and 54 may be utilized in any combination in a substrate 60 to achieve a desirable connection result.
Illustrated in drawing
Illustrated in drawing
Illustrated in drawing
Illustrated in drawing
A further variation of single package interconnect or interposer 50′″ is illustrated in drawing
Another use of TWIs or vias 70 of the invention is illustrated in drawing
Illustrated in drawing
Other applications of an interconnect or interposer are contemplated, by use of variations in via end configurations, die orientation, numbers of dice, and the like.
The methods presented herein enable a small via aperture diameter to be formed, with a small pitch (spacing), high precision alignment and high resolution of features. Solder connections may be readily formed at dimensions smaller than currently used. It is believed that the invention enables the use of die bond pads as small as about 2×2 microns.
Although the foregoing description contains many specifics, these should not be construed as limiting the scope of the present invention, but merely as providing illustrations of some of the presently preferred embodiments. Similarly, other embodiments of the invention may be devised which do not depart from the spirit or scope of the present invention. Moreover, features from different embodiments of the invention may be employed in combination. The scope of the invention is, therefore, indicated and limited only by the appended claims and their legal equivalents, rather than by the foregoing description. All additions, deletions, and modifications to the invention, as disclosed herein, which fall within the meaning and scope of the claims are to be embraced thereby.
Claims
1. A through-wafer interconnect comprising a conductive via member passing through a wafer between a first surface and a second, opposing surface, the via member having a first exposed end and a second exposed end, the first end comprising one of a trapezoid shape and a frustoconical shape and the second end comprising one of a shape flaring out as it becomes more distal from the second surface and a post shape having a substantially constant lateral extent.
2. A through-wafer interconnect comprising a conductive via member passing through a wafer between a first surface and a second, opposing surface, the wafer being thinned from an initial thickness to expose a first end of the via member as one of a trapezoid shape and a frusto-conical shape, and the second surface of the wafer exposing only an end surface of a second end of the via member comprising one of a shape flaring out as it approaches the second surface and a post shape having a substantially constant lateral extent.
3. A through-wafer interconnect comprising a conductive via member passing through a wafer having a first surface and a second, opposing surface, the conductive via member having a first exposed end and a second exposed end, the first exposed end and the second exposed end each comprising one of a trapezoid shape and a frustoconical shape.
4. A via-containing member, comprising:
- a substrate having a first surface and a second, opposing surface;
- a pattern of vias in the substrate, each via passing through the substrate and having a first end and a second, opposing end, wherein the vias comprise: a first end having at least one of a trapezoidal shape and a frustoconical shape and extending outwardly from one of the first surface and the second, opposing surface; and a second via end having at least one of a flared-out shape and a post shape having a substantially constant lateral extent.
5. The via-containing member in accordance with claim 4, wherein the second via end having at least one of the flared-out shape and post shape extends outwardly from another of the first surface and the second, opposing surface.
6. A via-containing member comprising:
- a substrate having first and second opposing surfaces; and
- a pattern of vias on the substrate, each via passing through the substrate between a first end and an opposing second end, the first end and the second, opposing end each having one of a trapezoidal shape and a frustoconical shape.
7. The via-containing member in accordance with claim 6, wherein the via-containing member comprises one of a wafer contact test card, a single die interposer, and a multi-die interconnect.
8. A semiconductor device assembly, comprising:
- at least one semiconductor die having a plurality of bond pads on an active surface thereof; and
- an interposer comprising a substrate having a plurality of conductive vias extending therethrough in alignment with bond pads of the plurality, the plurality of conductive vias each including a via end having a substantially flat end surface projecting from a substrate surface facing the at least one semiconductor die and in contact with a bond pad of the plurality, the via end tapering from a larger lateral extent proximate the substrate surface to a smaller lateral extent distal therefrom.
9. The semiconductor device assembly of claim 8, further including a dielectric material interposed between the active surface of the at least one semiconductor die and the surface of the substrate and surrounding the projecting via ends.
10. The semiconductor device assembly of claim 8, further including a metal overlay over at least the substantially flat end surface.
11. The semiconductor device assembly of claim 8, wherein ends of the plurality of vias opposite the projecting via ends lie substantially coplanar with another surface of the substrate, and further including:
- conductive traces extending laterally across the another surface from the substantially coplanar via ends; and
- discrete conductive elements disposed on distal ends of the conductive traces and projecting outwardly from the another surface.
12. The semiconductor device assembly of claim 11, further comprising a dielectric layer over the another surface and laterally surrounding the discrete conductive elements.
13. The semiconductor device assembly of claim 8, wherein the projecting via ends are in direct contact with the plurality of bond pads.
14. The semiconductor device assembly of claim 8, wherein the projecting via ends are in contact with the plurality of bond pads through intervening discrete conductive elements.
15. A semiconductor device assembly, comprising:
- at least one semiconductor die having a plurality of bond pads on an active surface thereof; and
- an interposer comprising a substrate having a plurality of conductive vias extending therethrough in alignment with bond pads of the plurality, the plurality of conductive vias each including a first via end having a substantially flat end surface projecting from a substrate surface opposite a substrate surface facing the at least one semiconductor die and tapering from a larger lateral extent proximate the substrate to a smaller lateral extent distal therefrom and a second via end substantially coplanar with the substrate surface facing the at least one semiconductor die and in contact with a bond pad of the plurality through a discrete conductive element projecting from the substrate.
16. The semiconductor device assembly of claim 15, further including a dielectric material interposed between the active surface of the at least one semiconductor die and the substrate and surrounding the discrete conductive elements.
17. The semiconductor device assembly of claim 15, further including:
- conductive traces extending laterally across the surface of the substrate facing the at least one semiconductor die from the substantially coplanar via ends; and
- wherein the discrete conductive elements lie at distal ends of the conductive traces.
18. A semiconductor device assembly, comprising:
- at least one semiconductor die having a plurality of bond pads on an active surface thereof; and
- at least another semiconductor die having a plurality of conductive vias extending therethrough in alignment with bond pads of the plurality of the at least one semiconductor die, the plurality of conductive vias each including a via end having a substantially flat end surface projecting from a surface of the at least another semiconductor die facing the at least one semiconductor die and in contact with a bond pad of the plurality, the via end tapering from a larger lateral extent proximate the surface of the at least another semiconductor die facing the at least one semiconductor die to a smaller lateral extent distal therefrom.
19. The semiconductor device assembly of claim 18, further including a dielectric material interposed between the active surface of the at least one semiconductor die and the at least another semiconductor die and surrounding the projecting via ends.
20. The semiconductor device assembly of claim 18, further including a metal overlay over at least the substantially flat end surface.
21. The semiconductor device assembly of claim 18, wherein ends of the plurality of vias opposite the projecting via ends lie substantially coplanar with another surface of the at least another semiconductor die, and further including:
- conductive traces extending laterally across the another surface from the substantially coplanar via ends; and
- discrete conductive elements disposed on distal ends of the conductive traces and projecting outwardly from the another surface.
22. The semiconductor device assembly of claim 21, further comprising a dielectric layer over the another surface and laterally surrounding the discrete conductive elements.
23. The semiconductor device assembly of claim 18, wherein the projecting via ends are in direct contact with the plurality of bond pads.
24. The semiconductor device assembly of claim 8, wherein the projecting via ends are in contact with the plurality of bond pads through intervening discrete conductive elements.
25. A semiconductor device assembly, comprising:
- at least one semiconductor die having a plurality of bond pads on an active surface thereof, and
- an interposer comprising a substrate having a plurality of conductive vias extending therethrough in alignment with bond pads of the plurality, the plurality of conductive vias each including a first via end having a substantially flat end surface projecting from a substrate surface facing the at least one semiconductor die and in contact with a bond pad of the plurality and a second via end projecting from a substrate surface facing away from the at least one semiconductor die, the first and second via ends tapering from a larger lateral extent proximate the substrate to a smaller lateral extent distal therefrom.
26. The semiconductor device assembly of claim 25, further including a dielectric material interposed between the active surface of the at least one semiconductor die and the surface of the substrate and surrounding the projecting first via ends.
27. The semiconductor device assembly of claim 25, further including a metal overlay over at least the substantially flat end surface.
28. The semiconductor device assembly of claim 25, wherein the second ends of the plurality of vias include discrete conductive elements disposed thereon.
29. The semiconductor device assembly of claim 25, wherein the at least one semiconductor die comprises a plurality of semiconductor dice mutually laterally adjacently disposed in substantially coplanar fashion over the substrate.
30. The semiconductor device assembly of claim 28, further comprising a dielectric layer over the another surface and laterally surrounding the discrete conductive elements.
31. The semiconductor device assembly of claim 25, wherein the projecting first via ends are in direct contact with the plurality of bond pads.
32. The semiconductor device assembly of claim 25, wherein the projecting first via ends are in contact with the plurality of bond pads through intervening discrete conductive elements.
33. The semiconductor device assembly of claim 25, wherein the substrate includes a recess therein facing the at least one semiconductor die and the at least one semiconductor die is aligned with the recess, and further including at least another semiconductor die having a plurality of bond pads on an active surface thereof superimposed over the at least one semiconductor die and in communication with the first via ends of vias of the plurality laterally adjacent the at least one semiconductor die and projecting at least beyond the active surface thereof.
34. The semiconductor device assembly of claim 33, wherein the substrate exhibits an increased thickness in a region surrounding the recess, and the vias of the plurality laterally adjacent the at least one semiconductor die extend through the region.
Type: Application
Filed: Mar 17, 2006
Publication Date: Aug 3, 2006
Inventors: Salman Akram (Boise, ID), Kyle Kirby (Boise, ID)
Application Number: 11/384,069
International Classification: H01L 23/48 (20060101);