Microelectronic die including thermally conductive structure in a substrate thereof and method of forming same

• US 20060246621A1
• Filed: 03/31/2006
• Published: 11/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Crippen, Warren Stuart
• Application Number:
  US11/395,109
• Publication Number:
  US 20060246621A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 438/106
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/73204 the bump connector being embedded into the layer connector
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/36 Selection of materials, or shaping, to facilitate cooling or heating, e.g. heatsinks H01L23/28, H01L23/40, H01L23/42, H01L23/44, H01L23/46 take precedence; heating H01L23/345
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/3677 Wire-like or pin-like cooling fins or heat sinks
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/10253 Silicon [Si]

Abstract

A microelectronic die and a microelectronic package including the die. The package includes: a substrate; and a microelectronic die bonded to the substrate. The die comprises: a die substrate; a thermally conductive structure extending through the substrate, the thermally conductive structure being configured to conduct heat through a thickness of the substrate and comprising thermal contact zones on the substrate at the backside of the die; a plurality of microelectronic devices on the die substrate; electrical interconnects connecting the microelectronic devices and providing electrical contacts to and from the devices, the interconnects being distinct from the thermally conductive structure. The die further includes a plurality of build-up layers on the die substrate comprising: a plurality of microelectronic devices on the die substrate; and electrical interconnects connecting the microelectronic devices and providing electrical contacts to and from the devices, the interconnects being distinct from the thermally conductive structure.

Claims

1. A method of forming a microelectronic die having a backside and an active surface, the method, comprising:

providing a die substrate;

providing a thermally conductive structure configured to conduct heat through a thickness of the die substrate, the thermally conductive structure comprising thermal contact zones disposed to dissipate heat from a backside of the die;

providing a plurality of build-up layers on the die substrate to form the die comprising;

providing a plurality of microelectronic devices on the die substrate; and

providing electrical interconnects connecting the microelectronic devices and providing electrical contacts to and from the devices, the interconnects being distinct from the thermally conductive structure.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein providing a thermally conductive structure comprises:

providing a plurality of via openings in an active surface of the substrate;

providing a thermally conductive material in the via openings to create corresponding thermal vias in the substrate, the thermally conductive structure including the thermal vias, each thermal via defining a thermal contact zone at an end thereof at a backside of the substrate.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein:

providing a plurality of via openings comprises providing a plurality of blind via openings;

providing a thermally conductive material comprises;

filling the blind via openings with the thermally conductive material; and

removing a portion of the substrate to expose the thermal contact zones to convert the blind vias into the thermally conductive vias.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein providing via openings comprises using a laser beam to etch the via openings in the substrate.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein removing a portion comprises etching a portion of the substrate to expose the thermal contact zones and to define the backside of the substrate.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the build up layers comprise at least one signal layer.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the thermally conductive structure comprises one of copper, a copper alloy, a copper laminate, a copper composite, aluminum and an aluminum alloy.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein providing a thermally conductive material comprises metallizing the active surface of the substrate after providing the via openings.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein metallizing comprises at least one of electroless plating, electrolytic plating, sputtering, evaporation and chemical vapor deposition.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the thermally conductive structure includes a plurality of discrete thermally conductive regions.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the thermally conductive structure comprises configuring the thermally conductive structure as a function of die hot spots.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein providing the thermally conductive structure comprises configuring the structure such that the thermal contact zones are distributed on the backside of the die as a function of die hot spots.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the thermally conductive structure comprises configuring the structure such that the thermal contact zones have a diameter between about 100 microns and about 200 microns.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the thermally conductive structure comprises configuring the structure such that the thermal contact zones are distributed at a density of between about 16 thermal contact zones and about 49 thermal contact zones per mm².

15. A microelectronic die comprising:

a die substrate;

a thermally conductive structure extending through the substrate, the thermally conductive structure being configured to conduct heat through a thickness of the substrate and comprising thermal contact zones on the substrate at the backside of the die;

a plurality of build-up layers on the die substrate comprising;

a plurality of microelectronic devices on the die substrate; and

electrical interconnects connecting the microelectronic devices and providing electrical contacts to and from the devices, the interconnects being distinct from the thermally conductive structure.

16. The die of claim 15, wherein the thermally conductive structure comprises a plurality of thermal vias extending through the thickness of the substrate.

17. The die of claim 15, wherein the thermally conductive structure comprises at least one of copper, a copper alloy, a copper laminate, a copper composite, aluminum and an aluminum alloy.

18. The die of claim 15, wherein the thermally conductive structure includes a plurality of discrete thermally conductive regions.

19. The die of claim 15, wherein the thermally conductive structure is configured as a function of die hot spots.

20. The die of claim 19, wherein the thermally conductive structure is configured such that the thermal contact zones are distributed on the backside of the die as a function of die hot spots.

21. The die of claim 15, wherein the thermally conductive structure is configured such that the thermal contact zones have a diameter between about 100 microns and about 200 microns.

22. The die of claim 15, wherein the thermally conductive structure is configured such that the thermal contact zones are distributed at a density of between about 16 thermal contact zones and about 49 thermal contact zones per mm².

23. A microelectronic package comprising:

a substrate;

a microelectronic die bonded to the substrate, the die comprising;

a die substrate;

a thermally conductive structure extending through the substrate, the thermally conductive structure being configured to conduct heat through a thickness of the substrate and comprising thermal contact zones on the substrate at the backside of the die;

a plurality of build-up layers on the die substrate comprising;

a plurality of microelectronic devices on the die substrate; and

electrical interconnects connecting the microelectronic devices and providing electrical contacts to and from the devices, the interconnects being distinct from the thermally conductive structure; and

a heat spreader thermally coupled to the thermal contact zones of the thermally conductive structure.

24. The package of claim 23, wherein the thermally conductive structure comprises a plurality of thermal vias extending through the thickness of the substrate.

25. The package of claim 23, wherein the thermally conductive structure comprises at least one of copper, a copper alloy, a copper laminate, a copper composite, aluminum and an aluminum alloy.

26. The package of claim 23, wherein the thermally conductive structure is configured such that the thermal contact zones are distributed on the backside of the die as a function of die hot spots.

27. The package of claim 23, wherein the thermally conductive structure is configured such that the thermal contact zones have a diameter between about 100 microns and about 200 microns.

28. The package of claim 23, wherein the thermally conductive structure is configured such that the thermal contact zones are distributed at a density of between about 16 thermal contact zones and about 49 thermal contact zones per mm².

29. A system comprising:

a microelectronic assembly including;

a microelectronic package comprising;

a substrate;

a microelectronic die bonded to the substrate, the die comprising;

a die substrate;

a thermally conductive structure extending through the substrate, the thermally conductive structure being configured to conduct heat through a thickness of the substrate and comprising thermal contact zones on the substrate at the backside of the die;

a plurality of build-up layers on the die substrate comprising;

a plurality of microelectronic devices on the die substrate; and

electrical interconnects connecting the microelectronic devices and providing electrical contacts to and from the devices, the interconnects being distinct from the thermally conductive structure; and

a heat spreader thermally coupled to the thermal contact zones of the thermally conductive structure; and

a main memory coupled to the assembly.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the thermally conductive structure comprises a plurality of thermal vias extending through the thickness of the substrate.