Trench method for three dimensional chip connecting during IC fabrication
First Claim
1. The method of connecting two three-dimensional integrated circuit chips comprising:
- providing semiconductor device structures in and on the top side of a semiconductor substrate of a first and a second three-dimensional integrated circuit chip;
preparing said first integrated circuit chip for connection as follows;
etching deep trenches into said first semiconductor substrate;
depositing an insulating film over the entire surface of said first semiconductor substrate and within said deep trenches;
selectively etching away said insulating film from the bottom of said trenches;
depositing a conductive material into said trenches;
depositing an isolation material over the surface of said insulating film and polishing and planarizing said isolation material;
grinding, polishing, and selectively etching the bottom side of said first semiconductor substrate wherein said deep trenches form protrusions from said bottom surface of said first semiconductor substrate;
depositing a bottom passivation layer on said bottom surface of said first semiconductor substrate;
etching away said bottom passivation layer around said protrusions;
depositing a polyimide coating over the surface of said bottom passivation layer; and
etching away said polyimide coating around said protrusions completing preparation of said first integrated circuit for connection;
preparing said second integrated circuit chip for connection as follows;
depositing a passivation layer over the top surface of said second semiconductor substrate;
depositing a polyimide coating over said passivation layer; and
etching through said polyimide and said passivation layers to said top conducting surface of said second semiconductor substrate to provide connection windows for said connection completing preparation of said second integrated circuit for connection;
aligning said first and second integrated circuits wherein said protrusions on said bottom surface of said first integrated circuit chip fit into said connection windows in said top surface of said second integrated circuit chip and wherein said polyimide layer on said bottom surface of said first integrated circuit contacts said polyimide layer on said top surface of said second integrated circuit; and
completing said connection between said two three-dimensional integrated circuit chips.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A new method of connecting three-dimensional integrated circuit chips using trench technology is described. Semiconductor device structures are provided in and on the top side of a semiconductor substrate of a first and a second three-dimensional integrated circuit chip. Deep trenches are etched into the first semiconductor substrate. A conductive material is deposited into the trenches. An insulating material is deposited over the surface of the substrate, polished and planarized. The bottom side of the first semiconductor substrate is ground, polished, and selectively etched so that the deep trenches form protrusions from the bottom surface. A passivation layer and a polyimide layer are deposited on the bottom surface of the first semiconductor substrate and etched away around the protrusions. A passivation layer and a polyimide layer are deposited over the top surface of the second semiconductor substrate. Connection windows are etched through the two layers to the top conducting surface of the second semiconductor substrate. The first and second integrated circuits are aligned so that the protrusions on the bottom surface of the first integrated circuit chip fit into the connection windows in the top surface of the second integrated circuit chip. The polyimide layer on the bottom surface of the first integrated circuit contacts the polyimide layer on the top surface of the second integrated circuit completing the connection between the two chips.
455 Citations
33 Claims
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1. The method of connecting two three-dimensional integrated circuit chips comprising:
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providing semiconductor device structures in and on the top side of a semiconductor substrate of a first and a second three-dimensional integrated circuit chip; preparing said first integrated circuit chip for connection as follows; etching deep trenches into said first semiconductor substrate; depositing an insulating film over the entire surface of said first semiconductor substrate and within said deep trenches; selectively etching away said insulating film from the bottom of said trenches; depositing a conductive material into said trenches; depositing an isolation material over the surface of said insulating film and polishing and planarizing said isolation material; grinding, polishing, and selectively etching the bottom side of said first semiconductor substrate wherein said deep trenches form protrusions from said bottom surface of said first semiconductor substrate; depositing a bottom passivation layer on said bottom surface of said first semiconductor substrate; etching away said bottom passivation layer around said protrusions; depositing a polyimide coating over the surface of said bottom passivation layer; and etching away said polyimide coating around said protrusions completing preparation of said first integrated circuit for connection; preparing said second integrated circuit chip for connection as follows; depositing a passivation layer over the top surface of said second semiconductor substrate; depositing a polyimide coating over said passivation layer; and etching through said polyimide and said passivation layers to said top conducting surface of said second semiconductor substrate to provide connection windows for said connection completing preparation of said second integrated circuit for connection; aligning said first and second integrated circuits wherein said protrusions on said bottom surface of said first integrated circuit chip fit into said connection windows in said top surface of said second integrated circuit chip and wherein said polyimide layer on said bottom surface of said first integrated circuit contacts said polyimide layer on said top surface of said second integrated circuit; and completing said connection between said two three-dimensional integrated circuit chips. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. The method of connecting two-three dimensional integrated circuit chips comprising:
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providing semiconductor device structures in and on the top side of a semiconductor substrate of a first and a second three-dimensional integrated circuit chip wherein said semiconductor device structures include gate electrodes and source and drain regions; forming protrusions of a conductive material protruding from the bottom surface of said first integrated circuit chip wherein said bottom surface between said protrusions is covered with a passivation layer covered with polyimide coating, said protrusion formed by; etching deep trenches into said first semiconductor substrate, depositing an insulating film over the entire surface of said first semiconductor substrate and within said deep trenches, selectively etching away said insulating film from the bottom of said trenches, depositing a conductive material into said trenches, depositing an isolation material over the surface of said insulating film and planarizing said isolation material, and removing a portion of said first semiconductor substrate so that said deep trenches form said protrusions; covering the top conductive surface of said second integrated circuit chip with a polyimide layer wherein said polyimide layer is deposited over a passivation layer; opening connection windows through said polyimide and said passivation layers to said top conductive surface of said second integrated circuit chip wherein said connection windows of said second integrated circuit chip correspond to said protrusions on said first integrated circuit chip; and aligning said first and second integrated circuit chips wherein said protrusions on said bottom surface of said first integrated circuit chip fit into said connection windows and contact said conductive surface of said second integrated circuit chip and wherein said polyimide layer on said bottom surface of said first integrated circuit contacts said polyimide layer on said top surface of said second integrated circuit. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. The method of connecting two three-dimensional integrated circuit chips comprising:
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providing semiconductor device structures in and on the top side of a semiconductor substrate of a first and a second three-dimensional integrated circuit chip wherein said semiconductor device structures include gate electrodes and source and drain regions; forming protrusions of a conductive material protruding from the bottom surface of said first integrated circuit chip comprising the steps of; etching deep trenches into said first semiconductor substrate; depositing an insulating film over the entire surface of said first semiconductor substrate and within said deep trenches; selectively etching away said insulating film from the bottom of said trenches; depositing a conductive material into said trenches; depositing an isolation material over the surface of said insulating film and polishing and planarizing said isolation material; and grinding, polishing, and selectively etching the bottom side of said first semiconductor substrate wherein said deep trenches form said protrusions from said bottom surface of said first semiconductor substrate; covering said bottom surface between said protrusions with a passivation layer covered with a polyimide coating; covering the top conductive surface of said second integrated circuit chip with a polyimide layer wherein said polyimide layer is deposited over a passivation layer; opening connection windows through said polyimide and said passivation layers to said top conductive surface of said second integrated circuit chip wherein said connection windows of said second integrated circuit chip correspond to said protrusions on said first integrated circuit chip; aligning said first and second integrated circuit chips wherein said protrusions on said bottom surface of said first integrated circuit chip fit into said connection windows and contact said conductive surface of said second integrated circuit chip and wherein said polyimide layer on said bottom surface of said first integrated circuit contacts said polyimide layer on said top surface of said second integrated circuit; and completing said connection between said two three-dimensional integrated circuit chips by thermal compression of about 190 kg/cm2 and heating said integrated circuit chips to 400°
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Specification