Micro-transfer-printable flip-chip structures and methods

• US 10,431,487 B2
• Filed: 11/15/2018
• Issued: 10/01/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: X Display Company Technology Limited (Sensinnovat BVBA)
• Original Assignee: X-Celeprint Limited
• Inventors: Bower, Christopher, Meitl, Matthew, Trindade, Antonio Jose Marques, Cok, Ronald S., Raymond, Brook, Prevatte, Carl
• Primary Examiner(s): Diallo, Mamadou L
• Application Number:
  US16/192,779
• Publication Number:
  US 20190088526A1
• Time in Patent Office: 320 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/6835 using temporarily an auxiliary support
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2221/68318 Auxiliary support including means facilitating the separation of a device or wafer from the auxiliary support
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2221/68354 used to support diced chips prior to mounting
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2221/68368 used in a transfer process involving at least two transfer steps, i.e. including an intermediate handle substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2221/68381 Details of chemical or physical process used for separating the auxiliary support from a device or wafer
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/0235 Shape of the redistribution layers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/0401 Bonding areas specifically adapted for bump connectors, e.g. under bump metallisation [UBM]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/05548 Bonding area integrally formed with a redistribution layer on the semiconductor or solid-state body
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/05559 non conformal layer on a patterned surface
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/0603 Bonding areas having different sizes, e.g. different heights or widths
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/06102 the bonding areas being at different heights
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/13008 Bump connector integrally formed with a redistribution layer on the semiconductor or solid-state body
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/13017 being non uniform along the bump connector
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/13024 the bump connector being disposed on a redistribution layer on the semiconductor or solid-state body
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/1403 Bump connectors having different sizes, e.g. different diameters, heights or widths
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/16238 the bump connector connecting to a bonding area protruding from the surface of the item
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/81 using a bump connector
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/81005 being a temporary or sacrificial substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/81191 wherein the bump connectors are disposed only on the semiconductor or solid-state body
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/81192 wherein the bump connectors are disposed only on another item or body to be connected to the semiconductor or solid-state body
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/95 : at chip-level, i.e. with connecting carried out on a plurality of singulated devices, i.e. on diced chips
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/95136 : involving guiding structures, e.g. shape matching, spacers or supporting members
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/97 : the devices being connected to a common substrate, e.g. interposer, said common substrate being separable into individual assemblies after connecting
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/05 : of an individual bonding area
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/06 : of a plurality of bonding areas
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/13 : of an individual bump connector
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/14 : of a plurality of bump connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/16 : of an individual bump connector
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/81 : using a bump connector
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/97 : the devices being connected to a common substrate, e.g. interposer, said common substrate being separable into individual assemblies after connecting
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2933/0066 : relating to arrangements for conducting electric current to or from the semiconductor body
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/0093 : Wafer bonding; Removal of the growth substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/0095 : Post-treatment of devices, e.g. annealing, recrystallisation or short-circuit elimination
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/38 : with a particular shape
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/62 : Arrangements for conducting electric current to or from the semiconductor body, e.g. lead-frames, wire-bonds or solder balls

Abstract

In certain embodiments, a method of making a semiconductor structure suitable for transfer printing (e.g., micro-transfer printing) includes providing a support substrate and disposing and processing one or more semiconductor layers on the support substrate to make a completed semiconductor device. A patterned release layer and, optionally, a capping layer are disposed on or over the completed semiconductor device and the patterned release layer or capping layer, if present, are bonded to a handle substrate with a bonding layer. The support substrate is removed to expose the completed semiconductor device and, in some embodiments, a portion of the patterned release layer. In some embodiments, an entry path is formed to expose a portion of the patterned release layer. In some embodiments, the release layer is etched and the completed semiconductor devices transfer printed (e.g., micro-transfer printed) from the handle substrate to a destination substrate.

Claims

1. A semiconductor structure suitable for transfer printing, comprising:

a handle substrate;

a cured bonding layer disposed in contact with the handle substrate;

a capping layer disposed in contact with the bonding layer;

a patterned release layer disposed in contact with the capping layer; and

a completed semiconductor device disposed on or over the patterned release layer and attached to an anchor disposed on the handle substrate with at least one tether,

wherein the at least one tether is in a common plane with an exposed entry path to the patterned release layer.

2. The semiconductor structure of claim 1, wherein at least one of the completed semiconductor device and a portion of the patterned release layer is exposed.

3. The semiconductor structure of claim 1, wherein a portion of the completed semiconductor device is a removal layer or the semiconductor structure comprises a removal layer in contact with the completed semiconductor device.

4. The semiconductor structure of claim 3, comprising a support substrate in contact with the removal layer.

5. The semiconductor structure of claim 3, wherein the capping layer has a thickness sufficient to disperse, deflect, reflect, or absorb a shock wave produced by laser ablation of at least a portion of the removal layer.

6. The semiconductor structure of claim 1, comprising a support substrate in contact with the completed semiconductor device.

7. The semiconductor structure of claim 1, wherein the capping layer has a thickness sufficient to disperse, deflect, reflect or absorb a shock wave produced by laser ablation of a portion of the completed semiconductor device.

8. The semiconductor structure of claim 1, wherein the capping layer comprises a plurality of layers.

9. The semiconductor structure of claim 1, wherein the completed semiconductor device comprises a semiconductor structure comprising at least two electrical contacts to the completed semiconductor device that are in different planes.

10. The semiconductor structure of claim 9, wherein the completed semiconductor device comprises an electrically separate electrode electrically connected to each of the electrical contacts, wherein exposed portions of the electrodes are in a common plane.

11. The semiconductor structure of claim 10, comprising a destination substrate having a non-planar surface that corresponds to a non-planar surface of the completed semiconductor structure.

12. The semiconductor structure of claim 6, wherein the support substrate comprises one or more of sapphire, quartz, silicon, GaAs, GaN, InP, SiC, GaP, GaSb, AN, and MgO.

13. The semiconductor structure of claim 1, wherein the completed semiconductor device comprises one or more of a semiconductor material, a compound semiconductor material, GaN, Si, InP, SiGe, and GaAs.

14. The semiconductor structure of claim 1, wherein the patterned release layer comprises one or more of germanium, Si, TiW, Al, Ti, a lift-off resist, or a polymer.

15. The semiconductor structure of claim 1, one or more electrical contacts on a side of the completed semiconductor device adjacent to the patterned release layer or one or more electrical contacts on a side of the completed semiconductor device opposite the side of the completed semiconductor device adjacent to the patterned release layer.

16. The semiconductor structure of claim 15, wherein (i) each electrical contact comprises a connection post or (ii) the semiconductor structure comprises an electrode electrically connected to each electrical contact and a connection post electrically connected to each electrode.

17. The semiconductor structure of claim 16, wherein each connection post is tapered.

18. The semiconductor structure of claim 17, wherein each connection post has a height to width aspect ratio of greater than 1:

1.

19. The semiconductor structure of claim 1, wherein a surface of the at least one tether is disposed in a common plane a surface of the completed semiconductor device.

20. The semiconductor structure of claim 1, comprising a plurality of completed semiconductor devices, wherein each of the plurality of completed semiconductor devices comprises an individual tether connected to a unique anchor.

21. The semiconductor structure of claim 1, comprising a plurality of completed semiconductor devices, wherein at least two of the plurality of completed semiconductor devices are physically connected by respective tethers to a common anchor structure.

22. The semiconductor structure of claim 6, wherein the support substrate is a growth substrate.

23. The semiconductor structure of claim 6, wherein the support substrate comprises a semiconductor layer or a semiconductor seed layer.

24. The semiconductor structure of claim 1, wherein the cured bonding layer comprises at least one of a cured resin, an epoxy, a metal layer, a metal alloy layer, a solder layer, and a layer of AuSn.

25. The semiconductor structure of claim 1, wherein surfaces at opposing edges of the completed semiconductor device are in a common plane, wherein a first electrical contact is located at the bottom of a well, pit, or depression in the completed semiconductor device and is electrically connected to a first electrode, wherein a second electrical contact electrically separate from the first electrical contact is electrically connected to a second electrode, and wherein the first electrode has a greater height than the height of the second electrode so that exposed portions of the first and second electrodes are in a common plane.