Arrangement for the protection of three-dimensional structures on wafers
View Patent ↗An electronic component includes a wafer and a number of bond pads disposed on the wafer. A number of functional 3-D structures are disposed on the wafer. Each functional 3-D structure includes a compliant base element. A number of reroute traces are electrically connected to one of the bond pads and extend onto a surface of one of the functional 3-D structures. A number of selected 3-D structures is disposed on the wafer to provide a mechanical reinforcement. At least some of the selected 3-D structures have a greater mechanical load-bearing capacity than some the functional 3-D structures.
1. An electronic component comprising:
a wafer;
a plurality of bond pads disposed on a surface of the wafer;
a plurality of functional 3-D structures disposed on the surface of the wafer, such that each bond pad is laterally spaced from the plurality of bond pads so that each bond pad is associated with a laterally-spaced one of the 3-D structures, each functional 3-D structure including a non-conductive compliant base element and having an upper surface spaced from the surface of the wafer;
a plurality of reroute traces, each reroute trace extending over the surface of the wafer between a bond pad and its associated 3-D structure such that each reroute trace is electrically connected to one of the bond pads and extends onto the upper surface of the associated laterally-spaced one of the functional 3-D structures so that the reroute trace provides an electrical connection between the bond pad and the upper surface of the associated functional 3-D structure; and
a plurality of selected 3-D structures disposed on the surface of the wafer to provide a mechanical reinforcement, wherein at least some of the selected 3-D structures have a greater mechanical load-bearing capacity than some of the functional 3-D structures.
2. The component of claim 1 wherein each reroute trace comprises a copper/nickel layer that is covered by a gold layer.
3. The component of claim 1 wherein the selected 3-D structures have a lower degree of compressibility than the functional 3-D structures.
4. The component of claim 1 wherein the selected 3-D structures have a greater height than the functional 3-D structures.
5. The component of claim 1 wherein each of the selected 3-D structures includes a compliant base element that has a greater volume than the compliant base element of the functional 3-D structures.
6. The component of claim 1 wherein the selected 3-D structures are arranged in a regularly distributed manner in an edge region of the wafer.
7. The component of claim 1 wherein the selected 3-D structures are arranged in a regularly distributed manner over the wafer.
8. The component of claim 1 wherein the selected 3-D structures are able to be electrically bonded.
9. The electronic component of claim 1 , wherein the compliant base element is formed from silicone.
10. The component of claim 1 wherein each of the selected 3-D structures is protected by a metal cap.
11. The component of claim 1 wherein each of the selected 3-D structures is surrounded by a metallic supporting ring.
12. The component of claim 1 wherein each of the other 3-D structures have a support structure formed upon a surface of the 3 -D structure.
13. The component of claim 12 wherein the support structure comprises a metal cap disposed over an entire upper surface of the other 3-D structures.
14. The component of claim 12 wherein the support structure comprises a metal ring formed along side surfaces of the other 3-D structures.
15. The component of claim 14 wherein the metal ring is not disposed on any portion of an upper surface of the other 3-D structures.
16. The component of claim 12 wherein the support structure is formed from the same material as the reroute traces.
17. The component of claim 12 wherein each reroute trace comprises a copper/nickel layer that is covered by a gold layer.
18. The component of claim 12 wherein the other 3-D structures have a lower degree of compressibility than the functional 3-D structures.
19. The component of claim 12 wherein the other 3-D structures have a greater height than the functional 3-D structures.
20. The component of claim 12 wherein each of the other 3-D structures includes a compliant base element that has a greater volume than the compliant base element of the functional 3-D structures.
21. The component of claim 12 wherein the other 3-D structures are arranged in a regularly distributed manner in an edge region of the wafer.