IP Library Granted Patent US 11,682,595
Granted Patent B2
US 11,682,595 · App. 17/181,675 · Granted Jun 20, 2023

System and method for warpage detection in a CMOS bonded array

Inventors: Kirubakaran Periyannan (Santa Clara, CA); Daniel Linnen (Naperville, IL); Jayavel Pachamuthu (San Jose, CA)
Assignee: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
H01L22/34G01B7/16H01L22/12H01L22/14
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,682,595
App. No.
17/181,675
Granted
Jun 20, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

A system and method for warpage detection in a CMOS bonded array includes a conductor positioned between bonded contact pads of first and second wafers. The conductor is connected to a continuity check circuit. If the continuity check circuit detects an interruption in conductivity of the conductor, such interruption is indicative of warpage in the first and/or second wafers. In one implementation, the conductor is a serpentine-shaped structure.

Claims (34)

1. An integrated circuit comprising:

a first wafer comprising a first plurality of contact pads;

a second wafer comprising a second plurality of contact pads, wherein at least some of the first plurality of contact pads are bonded to at least some of the second plurality of contact pads forming a plurality of pillars;

a conductor positioned in the first and second wafers and parallel to and offset from at least some of the plurality of pillars; and

a continuity check circuit electrically coupled with the conductor and configured to detect warpage in the first and/or second wafers by detecting an interruption in conductivity of the conductor.

2. The integrated circuit of claim 1 , wherein the first wafer comprises a memory array and the second wafer comprises peripheral circuitry for the memory array.

3. The integrated circuit of claim 2 , wherein the second wafer comprises a complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) wafer.

4. The integrated circuit of claim 1 , wherein the continuity check circuit is in the second wafer.

5. The integrated circuit of claim 1 , wherein the conductor runs through the first and second wafers and between at least some of the plurality of pillars in a serpentine shape.

6. The integrated circuit of claim 1 , wherein the conductor runs across at least one of a plurality of zones in the first and second wafers.

7. The integrated circuit of claim 6 , wherein the integrated circuit comprises at least one additional conductor electrically coupled with the continuity check circuit and running across at least one other zone of the plurality of zones.

8. The integrated circuit of claim 6 , wherein the plurality of zones comprise one or more of the following: a high-voltage zone, a wordline zone, a bitline zone, and a decode address zone.

9. The integrated circuit of claim 1 , wherein the conductor comprises a first portion formed in the first wafer and a second portion formed in the second wafer.

10. The integrated circuit of claim 9 , wherein the first and second portions comprise respective horizontal and vertical components, and wherein at least some of the vertical components are bonded together.

11. The integrated circuit of claim 10 , wherein the horizontal components comprise metal-filled trenches, and wherein the vertical components comprise metal-filled vertical interconnect access structures (vias).

12. An integrated circuit comprising:

a first wafer comprising a first plurality of electrical contacts;

a second wafer comprising a second plurality of electrical contacts, wherein at least some of the first plurality of electrical contacts are bonded to at least some of the second plurality of electrical contacts forming a plurality of pillars; and

means for detecting warpage in at least one of the first and second wafers, wherein the means for detecting warpage comprises a conductor that is parallel to and offset from at least some of the plurality of pillars.

13. The integrated circuit of claim 12 , wherein the means for detecting warpage further comprises a continuity check circuit.

14. The integrated circuit of claim 12 , wherein the conductor is serpentine shaped.

15. The integrated circuit of claim 12 , wherein the conductor comprises a first portion formed in the first wafer and a second portion formed in the second wafer.

16. The integrated circuit of claim 15 , wherein the first and second portions comprise respective horizontal and vertical components, wherein the horizontal components comprise metal-filled trenches, and wherein the vertical components comprise metal-filled vertical interconnect access structures (vias).

17. The integrated circuit of claim 12 , wherein the first wafer comprises a NAND memory wafer and the second wafer comprises a complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) wafer.

18. A method for detecting warpage comprising:

providing an integrated circuit comprising:

a first wafer comprising a first plurality of contact pads;

a second wafer comprising a second plurality of contact pads, wherein at least some of the first plurality of contact pads are bonded to at least some of the second plurality of contact pads forming a plurality of pillars;

a conductor positioned in the first and second wafers and parallel to and offset from at least some of the plurality of pillars; and

a continuity check circuit electrically coupled with the conductor;

applying current through the conductor; and

using the continuity check circuit electrically to detect warpage in the first and/or second wafers by detecting an interruption in conductivity of the conductor.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the first wafer comprises a memory array and the second wafer comprises a complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) wafer comprising peripheral circuitry for the memory array.

20. The method of claim 18 , wherein the conductor runs across at least one of a plurality of zones in the first and second wafers.

Assignments (10)
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Apr 25, 2025
From: SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 071050/0001 →
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 →
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: PERIYANNAN, KIRUBAKARAN; LINNEN, DANIEL; PACHAMUTHU, JAYAVEL
To: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 055356/0925 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 63082051 · Sep 23, 2020
Related Publication 20220093476A1 · Mar 24, 2022