IP Library Granted Patent US 10,381,330
Granted Patent B2
US 10,381,330 · App. 15/921,563 · Granted Aug 13, 2019

Sacrificial alignment ring and self-soldering vias for wafer bonding

Inventors: Justin Hiroki Sato (West Linn, OR); Bomy Chen (Newark, CA); Walter Lundy (Gilbert, AZ)
Assignee: Silicon Storage Technology, Inc.
H01L25/0657H01L24/05H01L24/16H01L24/81H01L25/50H01L2224/0217H01L2224/0219H01L2224/04042H01L2224/05091H01L2224/05124H01L2224/16502H01L2224/81143H01L2224/81805H01L2225/06513H01L2225/06555H01L2225/06593H01L2924/0105H01L2924/01029H01L2924/07025
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,381,330
App. No.
15/921,563
Granted
Aug 13, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method of bonding a first substrate to a second substrate, wherein the first substrate includes first electrical contacts on a top surface of the first substrate, and wherein the second substrate includes second electrical contacts on a bottom surface of the second substrate. The method includes forming a block of polyimide on the top surface of the first substrate, wherein the block of polyimide has a rounded upper corner, and vertically moving the top surface of the first substrate and the bottom surface of the second substrate toward each other until the first electrical contacts abut the second electrical contacts, wherein during the moving, the second substrate makes contact with the rounded upper corner of the polyimide causing the first and second substrates to move laterally relative to each other.

Claims (46)

1. A method of bonding a first substrate to a second substrate, wherein the first substrate includes first electrical contacts on a top surface of the first substrate, and wherein the second substrate includes second electrical contacts on a bottom surface of the second substrate, the method comprising:

forming a block of polyimide on the top surface of the first substrate, wherein the block of polyimide has a rounded upper corner; and

vertically moving the top surface of the first substrate and the bottom surface of the second substrate toward each other until the first electrical contacts abut the second electrical contacts, wherein during the vertical moving, the second substrate makes contact with the rounded upper corner of the polyimide causing the first and second substrates to move laterally relative to each other.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the polyimide block has a ring shape that encircles the first electrical contacts.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

forming a layer of inorganic material disposed between the polyimide block and the first substrate.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the inorganic material is one of oxide and nitride.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein each of the first electrical contacts includes Sn—Cu material.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the Sn—Cu material includes between 0.5% to 5% Cu as a percentage of overall composition.

7. The method of claim 5 , wherein each of the first electrical contacts further includes a metal block in contact with the Sn—Cu material.

8. The method of claim 5 , further comprising:

applying heat to the first and second electrical contacts so that a solder connection is formed between each of the first electrical contacts and one of the second electrical contacts.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

removing the polyimide block after the moving.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first substrate includes a third electrical contact on the top surface, the method further comprising:

forming an aluminum pad on the third electrical contact, wherein a portion of the polyimide block is directly on the aluminum pad; and

connecting a wire to the aluminum pad.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the forming of the polyimide block comprises:

forming a polyimide layer over the top surface of the first substrate;

exposing portions of the polyimide layer to light; and

removing the portions of the polyimide layer that were exposed to light.

12. A method of bonding a first substrate to a second substrate, wherein the first substrate includes first electrical contacts on a top surface of the first substrate, and wherein the second substrate includes second electrical contacts on a bottom surface of the second substrate, the method comprising:

forming a first material over the top surface of the first substrate and over the first electrical contacts;

forming vias extending through the first material to expose the first electrical contacts;

forming Sn—Cu material in the vias;

forming a layer of polyimide over the top surface of the first substrate;

selectively removing one or more portions of the layer of polyimide, leaving a block of the polyimide over the top surface of the first substrate, wherein the block of polyimide has a rounded upper corner; and

vertically moving the top surface of the first substrate and the bottom surface of the second substrate toward each other until the Sn—Cu material abuts the second electrical contacts, wherein during the vertical moving, the second substrate makes contact with the rounded upper corner of the polyimide causing the first and second substrates to move laterally relative to each other.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the polyimide block has a ring shape that encircles the first electrical contacts.

14. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:

forming a layer of inorganic material between the polyimide block and the first substrate.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the inorganic material is one of oxide and nitride.

16. The method of claim 12 , wherein the Sn—Cu material includes between 0.5% to 5% Cu as a percentage of overall composition.

17. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:

applying heat to the Sn—Cu material so that a solder connection is formed between the Sn—Cu material and the second electrical contacts.

18. The method of claim 12 , wherein the forming of the Sn—Cu material comprises:

forming discrete, alternating layers of Sn material and Cu material; and

annealing the alternating layers so that the Sn material layers alloys with the Cu material layers.

19. The method of claim 12 , wherein the forming of the Sn—Cu material comprises:

forming a layer of Sn—Cu alloy over the first material and in the vias; and

removing the layer of Sn—Cu alloy over the first material while leaving the Sn—Cu alloy in the vias.

20. The method of claim 12 , wherein the first substrate includes a third electrical contact on the top surface, the method further comprising:

forming an aluminum pad on the third electrical contact, wherein a portion of the polyimide block is directly on the aluminum pad; and

connecting a wire to the aluminum pad.

21. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:

removing the polyimide block after the moving.

Assignments (13)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 14, 2022
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 060894/0437 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 11, 2022
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 059363/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 10, 2022
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 059863/0400 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 9, 2022
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 059358/0335 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Feb 28, 2022
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 059263/0001 →
GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENT RIGHTS Recorded Nov 19, 2021
From: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 058214/0625 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 4, 2021
From: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 057935/0474 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Dec 24, 2020
From: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 055671/0612 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 5, 2020
From: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INC.; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 052856/0909 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 5, 2020
From: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INC.; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 053468/0705 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 30, 2020
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INC.; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 053466/0011 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Apr 24, 2020
From: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INC.; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 053311/0305 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 3, 2019
From: SATO, JUSTIN HIROKI; CHEN, BOMY; LUNDY, WALTER
To: SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.
Reel/Frame 048787/0144 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 62477963 · Mar 28, 2017
Related Publication 20180286836A1 · Oct 4, 2018