Co-Fired Passive Integrated Circuit Devices

• US 20160295699A1
• Filed: 08/14/2015
• Published: 10/06/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc., Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited
• Inventors: Searles, Shawn, Cappabianca, David, Kalnitsky, Alexander
• Granted Patent: US 10,062,838 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/013 Thick-film circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 28/10 Inductors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 28/40 Capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 28/60 Electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0306 Inorganic insulating substrates, e.g. ceramic, glass
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/162 incorporating printed capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/165 incorporating printed inductors
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/086 for inductive purposes, e.g. printed inductor with ferrite core
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2203/1131 Sintering, i.e. fusing of metal particles to achieve or improve electrical conductivity
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/007 Manufacture or processing of a substrate for a printed circuit board supported by a temporary or sacrificial carrier H05K1/187, H05K3/20 and H05K3/4682 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/4664 Adding a circuit layer by thick film methods, e.g. printing techniques or by other techniques for making conductive patterns by using pastes, inks or powders H05K3/4647 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 50/01 Manufacture or treatment

Abstract

A variety of integrated circuit devices and a method for their formation and integration are provided. The integrated circuit devices may include inductors, capacitors, and/or other passive devices. In an exemplary embodiment, a first substrate is received and a conductive material is applied to the first substrate such that a loop of the conductive material is formed on the first substrate. A magnetic material is applied to the first substrate and surrounds at least a portion of the loop. A thermal process is performed on the first substrate having the conductive material and the magnetic material applied thereupon. The conductive material is bonded to a second substrate, and thereafter, the conductive material and the magnetic material are separated from the first substrate.

Claims

1. A method of circuit device fabrication, the method comprising:

receiving a first substrate;

applying a conductive material to the first substrate such that a loop of the conductive material is formed on the first substrate;

applying a magnetic material to the first substrate and surrounding at least a portion of the loop;

performing a thermal process on the first substrate having the conductive material and the magnetic material applied thereupon;

bonding the conductive material to a second substrate; and

thereafter, separating the conductive material and the magnetic material from the first substrate.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising applying a dielectric on and within the loop, wherein the magnetic material further surrounds the dielectric.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the applying of the magnetic material includes:

applying a bottom portion of the magnetic material to the first substrate prior to the applying of the conductive material, and

applying a top portion of the magnetic material on the loop after the applying of the conductive material.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the loop extends beyond the magnetic material.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the portion of the loop surrounded by the magnetic material is a first portion, and wherein the loop includes a second portion disposed on the magnetic material that does not have any of the magnetic material disposed directly above.

6. The method of claim 1,

wherein the substrate includes a dielectric layer,

wherein the method further comprises patterning the dielectric layer to define a recess therein,

wherein the applying of the conductive material includes applying the conductive material within the recess to define an I/O via, and

wherein the bonding of the conductive material to the second substrate includes electrically coupling the I/O via to an element of the second substrate.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the applying of the conductive material further forms a dummy structure, and wherein the bonding of the conductive material to the second substrate includes physically coupling the dummy structure to the second substrate.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the dummy structure is formed on the magnetic material.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the applying of the conductive material includes forming a bottom capacitor plate and a top capacitor plate, and wherein the method further comprises applying a dielectric between the bottom capacitor plate and the top capacitor plate prior to the performing of the thermal process.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the thermal process includes a ceramic firing process.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the thermal process is performed at a temperature sufficient to cause a material on the substrate to crystalize upon cooling.

12. A method comprising:

receiving a carrier substrate;

forming at least one passive device structure on the carrier substrate;

firing the carrier substrate after the forming of the at least one passive device structure;

bonding the carrier substrate to a circuit substrate, wherein the bonding includes electrically coupling the at least one passive device structure to a circuit element of the circuit substrate; and

separating the carrier substrate from the at least one passive device structure after the bonding.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising dicing the carrier substrate to form a plurality of dies prior to the bonding, wherein the bonding couples a die of the plurality of dies to the circuit substrate.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the at least one passive device structure includes a capacitor, and wherein the forming of the at least one passive device structure includes:

depositing a first conductor on the carrier substrate to form a bottom plate of the capacitor;

depositing a dielectric material on the bottom plate of the capacitor; and

depositing a second conductor on the dielectric material to form a top plate of the capacitor.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the dielectric material has at least one opening exposing the first conductor of the bottom plate, and wherein the forming of the at least one passive device structure further includes depositing a third conductor within the at least one opening of the dielectric material to form a contact electrically coupled to the bottom plate.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the at least one passive device structure includes an inductor, and wherein the forming of the at least one passive device structure includes:

depositing a first magnetic material on the carrier substrate;

depositing a conductor on the first magnetic material; and

depositing a second magnetic material on the first magnetic material and the conductor such that the first magnetic material and the second magnetic material encapsulate at least a portion of the conductor.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the forming of the at least one passive device structure includes depositing a dielectric material directly on the conductor, and wherein the first magnetic material and the second magnetic material further encapsulate the dielectric material.

18. A circuit device comprising:

a circuit element disposed on a substrate;

a bonding structure disposed on the substrate and electrically coupled to the circuit element; and

a co-fired ceramic passive device physically and electrically coupled to the bonding structure.

19. The circuit device of claim 18, wherein the co-fired ceramic passive device includes an inductor, and wherein the inductor includes a conductive loop extending through a ceramic magnetic material.

20. The circuit device of claim 18, wherein the co-fired ceramic passive device includes a capacitor, and wherein the capacitor includes a first conductive plate and a second conductive plate separated by a ceramic dielectric material.