IP Library Granted Patent US 12,417,991
Granted Patent B2
US 12,417,991 · App. 18/150,949 · Granted Sep 16, 2025

Chip stack structure with conductive plug and method for forming the same

Inventors: Chuei-Tang Wang (Taichung, TW); Tso-Jung Chang (Taoyuan, TW); Shih-Ping Lin (Taichung, TW); Jeng-Shien Hsieh (Kaohsiung, TW); Chih-Peng Lin (Hsinchu County, TW); Chieh-Yen Chen (Taipei, TW); Chen-Hua Yu (Hsinchu, TW)
Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
H01L24/08H01L24/80H01L2224/08145H01L2224/80895H01L2224/80896
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 12,417,991
App. No.
18/150,949
Granted
Sep 16, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A chip stack structure is provided. The chip stack structure includes a first chip including a first substrate and a first interconnect structure over the first substrate. The chip stack structure includes a second chip over and bonded to the first chip. The second chip has a second interconnect structure and a second substrate over the second interconnect structure. The chip stack structure includes an insulating layer over the second interconnect structure and surrounding the second substrate. The chip stack structure includes a conductive plug penetrating through the insulating layer to the second interconnect structure.

Claims (42)

1. A chip stack structure, comprising:

a first chip comprising a first substrate and a first interconnect structure over the first substrate, wherein the first interconnect structure comprises a first dielectric layer and a first bonding pad embedded in the first dielectric layer;

a second chip over and bonded to the first chip, wherein the second chip has a second interconnect structure and a second substrate over the second interconnect structure, the second interconnect structure is wider than the second substrate, the second interconnect structure comprises a second dielectric layer and a second bonding pad embedded in the second dielectric layer, the first bonding pad is in direct contact with the second bonding pad, and the first dielectric layer is in direct contact with the second dielectric layer;

an insulating layer over the second interconnect structure and surrounding the second substrate; and

a conductive plug penetrating through the insulating layer to the second interconnect structure.

2. The chip stack structure as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the second interconnect structure comprises a wiring layer embedded in the second dielectric layer, and the conductive plug is in direct contact with the wiring layer.

3. The chip stack structure as claimed in claim 2 , wherein a first surface of the wiring layer is exposed by the second dielectric layer, and the conductive plug is in direct contact with the first surface of the wiring layer.

4. The chip stack structure as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the first surface of the wiring layer is substantially level with a second surface of the second dielectric layer under the second substrate.

5. The chip stack structure as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the insulating layer extends into the second interconnect structure.

6. The chip stack structure as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the conductive plug extends into the second interconnect structure.

7. The chip stack structure as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the first surface of the wiring layer is lower than a second surface of the second substrate, and the second surface faces the second interconnect structure.

8. The chip stack structure as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the conductive plug extends into the second dielectric layer.

9. The chip stack structure as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first interconnect structure further comprises a third bonding pad embedded in the first dielectric layer, and the conductive plug further penetrates through the second interconnect structure to the third bonding pad.

10. The chip stack structure as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first interconnect structure further comprises a wiring layer in the first dielectric layer, and the conductive plug further penetrates through the second interconnect structure and extends into the first dielectric layer to be connected to the wiring layer.

11. The chip stack structure as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a width of the conductive plug decreases toward the first chip.

12. A chip stack structure, comprising:

a first chip comprising a first substrate and a first interconnect structure over the first substrate, wherein the first interconnect structure comprises a first dielectric layer and a first bonding pad embedded in the first dielectric layer;

a second chip over and bonded to the first chip, wherein the second chip has a second interconnect structure and a second substrate over the second interconnect structure, the second interconnect structure comprises a second dielectric layer and a second bonding pad embedded in the second dielectric layer, the first bonding pad is in direct contact with the second bonding pad, and the first dielectric layer is in direct contact with the second dielectric layer;

an insulating layer over the first chip and surrounding the second chip; and

a conductive plug penetrating through the insulating layer to the first interconnect structure, wherein a first surface of the second substrate, a second surface of the insulating layer, and a third surface of the conductive plug are substantially level with each other.

13. The chip stack structure as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the conductive plug comprises a seed layer and a conductive pillar over the seed layer, and a first sidewall of the seed layer is substantially aligned with a second sidewall of the conductive pillar.

14. A method for forming a chip stack structure, comprising:

providing a first semiconductor structure comprising a first substrate structure and a first interconnect structure over the first substrate structure, wherein the first interconnect structure comprises a first dielectric layer and a first bonding pad embedded in the first dielectric layer;

bonding a second semiconductor structure to the first semiconductor structure, wherein the second semiconductor structure comprises a second interconnect structure and a second substrate structure over the second interconnect structure, the second interconnect structure comprises a second dielectric layer and a second bonding pad embedded in the second dielectric layer, the second bonding pad is bonded to the first bonding pad, and the second dielectric layer is bonded to the first dielectric layer;

partially removing the second substrate structure to form a trench passing through the second substrate structure, wherein a portion of the second substrate structure remains over the second interconnect structure after the partially removing of the second substrate structure, and the trench surrounds the portion;

forming an insulating layer in the trench in the second substrate structure; and

forming a conductive plug in the trench, wherein the conductive plug passes through the insulating layer.

15. The method for forming the chip stack structure as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the second interconnect structure comprises a wiring layer embedded in the second dielectric layer, a surface of the wiring layer is exposed by the trench, and the conductive plug is in direct contact with the surface of the wiring layer.

16. The method for forming the chip stack structure as claimed in claim 15 , wherein the partially removing of the second substrate structure further comprises:

partially removing the second dielectric layer, wherein the trench extends into the second dielectric layer, and the insulating layer and the conductive plug are partially in the second dielectric layer.

17. The method for forming the chip stack structure as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the forming of the conductive plug in the trench comprises:

partially removing the insulating layer and the second dielectric layer to form a through hole passing through the insulating layer and extending into the second dielectric layer and partially exposing a wiring layer of the second interconnect structure; and

forming the conductive plug in the through hole.

18. The method for forming the chip stack structure as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the forming of the conductive plug in the trench comprises:

partially removing the insulating layer and the second dielectric layer to form a through hole passing through the insulating layer and the second dielectric layer and partially exposing a third bonding pad of the first interconnect structure; and

forming the conductive plug in the through hole.

19. The method for forming the chip stack structure as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the forming of the conductive plug in the trench comprises:

partially removing the insulating layer, the second dielectric layer, and the first dielectric layer to form a through hole passing through the insulating layer and the second dielectric layer and extending into the first dielectric layer and partially exposing a wiring layer of the first interconnect structure; and

forming the conductive plug in the through hole.

20. The method for forming the chip stack structure as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the forming of the insulating layer in the trench in the second substrate structure and the forming of the conductive plug in the trench comprise:

forming the conductive plug in the trench; and

after forming the conductive plug in the trench, forming the insulating layer in the trench in the second substrate structure.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 6, 2023
From: WANG, CHUEI-TANG; CHANG, TSO-JUNG; LIN, SHIH-PING; HSIEH, JENG-SHIEN; LIN, CHIH-PENG; CHEN, CHIEH-YEN; YU, CHEN-HUA
To: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
Reel/Frame 062297/0653 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 63433261 · Dec 16, 2022
Related Publication 20240203918A1 · Jun 20, 2024
References Cited (32)
US 8993380B2 · Hou et al. · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 9281254B2 · Yu et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 9299649B2 · Chiu et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 9372206B2 · Wu et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 9425126B2 · Kuo et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 9443783B2 · Lin et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 9461018B1 · Tsai et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 9496189B2 · Yu et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 9666502B2 · Chen et al. · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 9735131B2 · Su et al. · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 10950599B1 · Or-Bach · 2021 [cited by examiner]
US 11482440B2 · Or-Bach · 2022 [cited by examiner]
US 20140264862A1 · Tsai · 2014 [cited by examiner]
US 20170133336A1 · Oliver · 2017 [cited by examiner]
US 20190057903A1 · Or-Bach · 2019 [cited by examiner]
US 20190148347A1 · Jeng et al. · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 20200243487A1 · Or-Bach · 2020 [cited by examiner]
US 20200328186A1 · Liu · 2020 [cited by examiner]
US 20210020596A1 · Yi · 2021 [cited by examiner]
US 20210043557A1 · Lee · 2021 [cited by examiner]
US 20210225813A1 · Chen · 2021 [cited by examiner]
US 20210257357A1 · Or-Bach · 2021 [cited by examiner]
US 20210305200A1 · Lin · 2021 [cited by examiner]
US 20210375721A1 · Chen · 2021 [cited by examiner]
US 20220278074A1 · Chen · 2022 [cited by examiner]
US 20220367407A1 · Lin · 2022 [cited by examiner]
US 20230041344A1 · Or-Bach · 2023 [cited by examiner]
US 20230104210A1 · Or-Bach · 2023 [cited by examiner]
US 20240128150A1 · Tong · 2024 [cited by examiner]
TW 201919194A · 2019 [cited by applicant]
TW 202232609A · 2022 [cited by applicant]
TW 202232707A · 2022 [cited by applicant]
Cited By (1)
US 12,652,810