IP Library Granted Patent US 11,450,575
Granted Patent B2
US 11,450,575 · App. 17/181,648 · Granted Sep 20, 2022

System and method for die crack detection in a CMOS bonded array

Inventors: Jayavel Pachamuthu (San Jose, CA); Kirubakaran Periyannan (Santa Clara, CA); Daniel Linnen (Naperville, IL)
Assignee: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
H01L22/12G01R31/312H01L22/14H01L22/34
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,450,575
App. No.
17/181,648
Granted
Sep 20, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

A system and method for die crack detection in a CMOS bonded array includes a capacitor that is formed in an edge seal, where one of the capacitor plates is in the edge seal portion of a first wafer, and the other capacitor plate is in the edge seal portion of a second wafer. A crack in the die can be detected by applying an alternating current waveform to a testing contact on the integrated circuit and monitoring for a shift in the alternating current waveform, as a crack would cause modulation in the capacitance.

Claims (41)

1. An integrated circuit comprising:

a first wafer comprising a plurality of memory dies; and

a second water comprising a plurality of control dies comprising control circuitry for the memory dies, wherein the first and second waters are bonded together at a bonding interface creating a plurality of bonded memory and control dies;

wherein each bonded memory and control die comprises:

a first edge seal portion on a memory-die-side of the bonding interface that comprises a first capacitor plate;

a second edge seal portion on a controller-die-side of the bonding interface that comprises a second capacitor plate, wherein the first and second capacitor plates are positioned on either side of the bonding interface to form a capacitor; and

a plurality of external testing contacts electrically coupled with one of the first and second capacitor plates to detect a discontinuity in the bonding interface between the memory die and the control die.

2. The integrated circuit of claim 1 , wherein the control circuitry comprises complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) circuitry.

3. The integrated circuit of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of external testing contacts are on the first wafer.

4. The integrated circuit of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of external testing contacts are on the second wafer.

5. The integrated circuit of claim 1 , wherein the first capacitor plate is formed by trench formation and metal fill in the first wafer.

6. The integrated circuit of claim 1 , wherein the second capacitor plate is formed by trench formation and metal fill in the second wafer.

7. A method for detecting a discontinuity in a bonding interface, the method comprising:

applying an alternating current waveform to a contact that is electrically coupled with a capacitor plate formed in an integrated circuit; and

detecting a bonding interface discontinuity by detecting a shift in the alternating current waveform;

wherein the integrated circuit comprises:

a first wafer comprising a plurality of memory dies; and

a second wafer comprising a plurality of control dies comprising control circuitry for the memory dies, wherein the first and second wafers are bonded together at a bonding interface creating a plurality of bonded memory and control dies;

wherein each bonded memory and control die comprises:

a first edge seal portion on a memory-die-side of the bonding interface that comprises a first capacitor plate;

a second edge seal portion on a controller-die-side of the bonding interface that comprises a second capacitor plate, wherein the first and second capacitor plates are positioned on either side of the bonding interface to form a capacitor; and

a plurality of external testing contacts electrically coupled with one of the first and second capacitor plates to detect a discontinuity in the bonding interface between the memory die and the control die.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the control circuitry comprises complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) circuitry.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the plurality of external testing contacts are on the first wafer.

10. The method of claim 7 , wherein the plurality of external testing contacts are on the second wafer.

11. The method of claim 7 , wherein the first and second capacitor plates are formed by trench formation and metal fill.

12. An integrated circuit comprising:

a first wafer comprising a plurality of memory dies; and

a second water comprising a plurality of control dies comprising control circuitry for the memory dies, wherein the first and second wafers are bonded together at a bonding interface creating a plurality of bonded memory and control dies;

wherein each bonded memory and control die comprises:

a first edge seal portion on a memory-die-side of the bonding interface that comprises a first capacitor plate;

a second edge seal portion on a controller-die-side of the bonding interface that comprises a second capacitor plate, wherein the first and second capacitor plates are positioned on either side of the bonding interface to form a capacitor; and

means for detecting a discontinuity in the bonding interface between the memory die and the control die.

13. The integrated circuit of claim 12 , wherein the means for detecting comprises a plurality of external testing contacts electrically coupled with one of the first and second capacitor plates.

14. The integrated circuit of claim 12 , wherein the first and second capacitor plates are formed by trench formation and metal fill.

15. The integrated circuit of claim 13 , wherein the plurality of external testing contacts are on the first wafer.

16. The integrated circuit of claim 13 , wherein the plurality of external testing contacts are on the second wafer.

17. The integrated circuit of claim 12 , wherein the memory dies comprise NAND dies and the control dies comprise complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) circuitry.

18. The integrated circuit of claim 1 , wherein the first and second capacitor plates are located in a gap that is formed in the first and second edge seal portions after the first and second wafers are bonded together.

19. The method of claim 7 , wherein the first and second capacitor plates are located in a gap that is formed in the first and second edge seal portions after the first and second wafers are bonded together.

20. The integrated circuit of claim 12 , Wherein the first and second capacitor plates are located in a gap that is formed in the first and second edge seal portions after the first and second wafers are bonded together.

Assignments (10)
PARTIAL RELEASE OF SECURITY INTERESTS Recorded Apr 25, 2025
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS AGENT
To: SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 071382/0001 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Apr 25, 2025
From: SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 071050/0001 →
PATENT COLLATERAL AGREEMENT Recorded Aug 23, 2024
From: SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS THE AGENT
Reel/Frame 068762/0494 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jun 27, 2024
From: SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
To: SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 067982/0032 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 29, 2024
From: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
To: SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 067567/0682 →
PATENT COLLATERAL AGREEMENT - DDTL LOAN AGREEMENT Recorded Aug 21, 2023
From: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 067045/0156 →
PATENT COLLATERAL AGREEMENT - A&R LOAN AGREEMENT Recorded Aug 21, 2023
From: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 064715/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST AT REEL 056285 FRAME 0292 Recorded Feb 8, 2022
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
To: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 058982/0001 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 19, 2021
From: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS AGENT
Reel/Frame 056285/0292 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 22, 2021
From: PACHAMUTHU, JAYAVEL; PERIYANNAN, KIRUBAKARAN; LINNEN, DANIEL
To: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 055356/0808 →
Cited By (1)
US 12,672,523