IP Library Granted Patent US 12,205,910
Granted Patent B2
US 12,205,910 · App. 18/141,621 · Granted Jan 21, 2025

Integrated circuit bond pad with multi-material toothed structure

Inventors: Justin Sato (West Linn, OR); Bomy Chen (Newark, CA); Yaojian Leng (Portland, OR); Gerald Marsico (Monument, CO); Julius Kovats (Manitou Springs, CO)
Assignee: Microchip Technology Incorporated
H01L24/05H01L24/03H01L24/08H01L24/89H01L2224/0361H01L2224/05557H01L2224/05578H01L2224/05639H01L2224/05724H01L2224/05839H01L2224/08225H01L2224/80895
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,205,910
App. No.
18/141,621
Granted
Jan 21, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

An integrated circuit device may include a multi-material toothed bond pad including (a) an array of vertically-extending teeth formed from a first material, e.g., aluminum, and (b) a fill material, e.g., silver, at least partially filling voids between the array of teeth. The teeth may be formed by depositing and etching aluminum or other suitable material, and the fill material may be deposited over the array of teeth and extending down into the voids between the teeth, and etched to expose top surfaces of the teeth. The array of teeth may collectively define an abrasive structure. The multi-material toothed bond pad may be bonded to another bond pad, e.g., using an ultrasonic or thermosonic bonding process, during which the abrasive teeth may abrade, break, or remove unwanted native oxide layers formed on the respective bond pad surfaces, to thereby create a direct and/or eutectic bonding between the bond pads.

Claims (41)

1. A method of forming a multi-material toothed bond pad, the method comprising:

forming a layer of a first material;

etching the layer of the first material to define (a) a plurality of vertically-extending teeth formed from the first material and (b) open spaces between the plurality of vertically-extending teeth;

depositing a layer of the second material over the plurality of vertically-extending teeth and extending down into the open spaces between the plurality of vertically-extending teeth; and

removing portions of the second material over the plurality of vertically-extending teeth to expose upper surfaces of the plurality of vertically-extending teeth.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein removing a portion of the second material over the plurality of vertically-extending teeth to expose upper surfaces of the plurality of vertically-extending teeth comprises etching portions of the second material over the plurality of vertically-extending teeth to expose upper surfaces of the plurality of vertically-extending teeth.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first material comprises aluminum, and the second material comprises silver.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising performing a roughening process to increase a surface roughness of the plurality of vertically-extending teeth.

5. A bonding method, comprising:

providing a first integrated circuit (IC) device including a first IC device bond pad comprising:

a plurality of oxidized teeth, each oxidized tooth comprising a vertically-extending tooth formed from a first material and a first oxide layer formed on the vertically-extending tooth; and

a second material arranged in spaces between the plurality of oxidized teeth, the second material being different than the first material;

wherein the plurality of oxidized teeth define an abrasive structure; and

performing a bonding process to bond the first IC device of the first IC device to a second IC device bond pad of a second IC device, the second IC device bond pad having a second oxide layer formed thereon;

wherein during the bonding process, the abrasive structure defined by the plurality of oxidized teeth of the bond pad of the first IC device interacts with the second oxide layer formed on the second IC device bond pad to abrade, break, or remove the first oxide layer formed on the vertically-extending teeth and the second oxide layer formed on the second IC device bond pad.

6. The bonding method of claim 5 , wherein the bonding process includes applying ultrasonic energy to at least one of the first IC device bond pad and the second IC device bond pad.

7. The bonding method of claim 5 , wherein the bonding process includes using a thermosonic device to apply ultrasonic energy and heat to at least one of the first IC device bond pad and the second IC device bond pad.

8. The bonding method of claim 5 , wherein the bonding process causes a eutectic bonding between the first IC device bond pad and second IC device bond pad.

9. The bonding method of claim 5 , wherein the bonding process causes a eutectic bonding between (a) the first material forming the vertically-extending teeth of the first IC device bond pad, (b) the second material arranged in spaces between the plurality of vertically-extending teeth, and (c) the second IC device bond pad.

10. The bonding method of claim 9 , wherein:

the first material comprises aluminum;

the second material comprises silver; and

the second IC device bond pad comprises aluminum.

11. The method of claim 1 , comprising forming silicon nodules on the vertically-extending teeth.

12. The method of claim 1 , comprising forming an oxide layer on respective ones of the plurality of vertically-extending teeth.

13. The method of claim 1 , comprising forming an oxide layer on exposed upper surfaces of the plurality of vertically-extending teeth, so that respective vertically-extending teeth include (a) respective side surfaces covered by the second material and (b) respective upper surfaces uncovered by the second material and covered by the oxide layer.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first material comprises aluminum, and the second material comprises silver.

15. A method of forming a multi-material toothed bond pad, the method comprising:

forming a plurality of vertically-extending teeth formed from a first material;

depositing a second material between the plurality of vertically-extending teeth, wherein the second material is softer than the first material;

removing portions of the deposited second material to expose upper surfaces of the vertically-extending teeth; and

forming an oxide layer on the exposed upper surfaces of respective ones of the plurality of vertically-extending teeth.

16. The method of claim 15 , comprising performing a roughening process to increase a surface roughness of the plurality of vertically-extending teeth.

17. The method of Claim 15 , wherein respective vertically-extending teeth include (a) respective side surfaces covered by the second material and (b) respective upper surfaces uncovered by the second material and covered by the oxide layer.

18. The method of claim 15 , comprising forming silicon nodules on the vertically-extending teeth.

19. The method of claim 15 , wherein the first material comprises aluminum, and the second material comprises silver.

20. A method of forming a multi-material toothed bond pad, the method comprising:

forming a plurality of vertically-extending teeth formed from a first material;

depositing a second material between the plurality of vertically-extending teeth, wherein the second material is softer than the first material; and

forming an oxide layer on respective ones of the plurality of vertically-extending teeth;

wherein respective vertically-extending teeth include (a) respective side surfaces covered by the second material and (b) respective upper surfaces uncovered by the second material and covered by the oxide layer.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 1, 2023
From: SATO, JUSTIN; CHEN, BOMY; LENG, YAOJIAN; MARSICO, GERALD; KOVATS, JULIUS
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED
Reel/Frame 063493/0979 →
Continuity (3)
Division 17163645 · Feb 1, 2021
Provisional Application 63064958 · Aug 13, 2020
Related Publication 20230260938A1 · Aug 17, 2023
References Cited (21)
US 6045026A · Hembree et al. · 2000 [cited by applicant]
US 6610601B2 · Li et al. · 2003 [cited by applicant]
US 20050048697A1 · Uang et al. · 2005 [cited by applicant]
US 20070193682A1 · Sasaoka et al. · 2007 [cited by applicant]
US 20080224327A1 · Suh · 2008 [cited by examiner]
US 20090072385A1 · Alley et al. · 2009 [cited by applicant]
US 20100283148A1 · Tsai et al. · 2010 [cited by applicant]
US 20110254154A1 · Topacio et al. · 2011 [cited by applicant]
US 20120119359A1 · Im · 2012 [cited by examiner]
US 20130241083A1 · Yu et al. · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 20200251248A1 · Yamazaki · 2020 [cited by examiner]
EP 1978559A2 · 2008 [cited by applicant]
WO 2007123778A1 · 2007 [cited by applicant]
Jansen, Henri et al., “A Survey on the Reactive Ion Etching of Silicon in Microtechnology,” Journal of Micromechanics and Microengineering, 15 pages, 1996. [cited by applicant]
Ji, Hongjun et al., “Microstructure and Reliability of Hybrid Interconnects by Au Stud Bump with Sn—0.7Cu Solder for Flip Chip Power Device Packaging,” Microelectronics Reliability, vol. 66, pp. 134-142, Oct. 10, 2016. [cited by applicant]
Fu, Shao-Wei et al., “Direct Silver to Aluminum Solid-State Bonding Processes,” Materials Science and Engineering, vol. 176, pp. 160-166, Mar. 4, 2018. [cited by applicant]
Zhang, Liang et al., “Materials, Processing and Reliability of Low Temperature Bonding in 3D Chip Stacking,” Journal of Alloys and Compounds, 750, pp. 980-995, Apr. 7, 2018. [cited by applicant]
Media ATN “Flip Chip Bump Technology: Au Stud,” Alter Technology Group, URL: https://wpo-altertechnology.com/flip-chip-bump-technology-au-stud/, 5 pages, Retrieved Feb. 24, 2021. [cited by applicant]
Carey, James E. et al., “IR Detectors: Black silicon sees further into the IR,” URL: https://www.laserfocusworld.com/detectors-imaging/article/16565915/ir-detectors-black-silicon-sees-further-into-the-ir, 11 pages, Retr… [cited by applicant]
Partial International Search Report and Invitation to Pay Additional Fees, Application No. PCT/US2021/018154, 13 pages, Jul. 8, 2021. [cited by applicant]
International Search Report and Written Opinion, Application No. PCT/US2021/018154, 25 pages, Aug. 30, 2021. [cited by applicant]