Multi-chip module employing carrier substrate with micromachined alignment structures and method of forming
First Claim
1. A method for producing a semiconductor carrier substrate, comprising:
- providing a carrier substrate having a layer of semiconductor material with a substantially planar surface;
forming at least one elongated mesa of semiconductor material defined by sidewalls extending upwardly to a top from at least one substrate plane of semiconductor material below said at least one elongated mesa by selectively removing material from said substantially planar surface of said layer of semiconductor material to a depth less than a thickness of the layer of semiconductor material;
substantially simultaneously forming an insulating layer over said at least one substrate plane and said top and sidewalls of said at least one elongated mesa; and
forming conductive traces on said insulating layer including mutually laterally spaced, substantially linear conductive trace segments oriented transversely to said at least one elongated mesa, said mutually laterally spaced, substantially linear conductive trace segments of said conductive traces each extending over at least one of said sidewalls of said at least one elongated mesa and onto said at least one substrate plane.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A micromachined insulative carrier substrate preferably formed of silicon and a multi-chip module formed from the micromachined substrate. The micromachined substrate is fabricated by forming mesas across the surface of the substrate, forming an insulating layer on the substrate, and forming conductive traces on the insulating layer to route signals between semiconductor dice and/or to external circuitry. A variety of semiconductor dice and/or integrated circuitry-bearing wafer configurations (collectively, "semiconductor elements") may be attached to the semiconductor substrate. Electrical contact between the carrier substrate and semiconductor element is achieved with conductive connectors formed on either the semiconductor element or the carrier substrate. The conductive connectors each preferably make contact with both a portion of the conductive trace extending down the sidewall of the mesa and a portion of the conductive trace on the substrate between the mesas to form a more effective bond. The present invention also includes a stacked configuration. After attachment of semiconductor elements, the carrier substrates can be stacked to form a high density stacked configuration.
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Citations
34 Claims
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1. A method for producing a semiconductor carrier substrate, comprising:
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providing a carrier substrate having a layer of semiconductor material with a substantially planar surface; forming at least one elongated mesa of semiconductor material defined by sidewalls extending upwardly to a top from at least one substrate plane of semiconductor material below said at least one elongated mesa by selectively removing material from said substantially planar surface of said layer of semiconductor material to a depth less than a thickness of the layer of semiconductor material; substantially simultaneously forming an insulating layer over said at least one substrate plane and said top and sidewalls of said at least one elongated mesa; and forming conductive traces on said insulating layer including mutually laterally spaced, substantially linear conductive trace segments oriented transversely to said at least one elongated mesa, said mutually laterally spaced, substantially linear conductive trace segments of said conductive traces each extending over at least one of said sidewalls of said at least one elongated mesa and onto said at least one substrate plane. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method for producing a semiconductor device, comprising the steps of:
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providing a carrier substrate including a layer of material exhibiting a face surface; performing at least one elongated mesa with sidewalls extending upwardly to a top from at least one base substrate plane below said at least one elongated mesa by removing said layer of material from said face surface to a depth less than a thickness of said layer of material; substantially simultaneously forming an insulating layer extending over said top and sidewalls of said at least one elongated mesa and said at least one base substrate plane; forming a plurality of elongated conductive traces on said insulating layer including mutually laterally spaced, substantially linear conductive trace segments oriented transversely to said at least one elongated mesa, said mutually laterally spaced, substantially linear conductive trace segments of said plurality of elongated conductive traces each extends over at least a portion of one of said sidewalls and over a portion of said at least one base substrate plane adjacent said one of said sidewalls; providing at least one semiconductor element having at least one conductive connector protruding therefrom; and forming an electrical connection between said at least one semiconductor element and said at least one of said plurality of elongated conductive traces through said at least one conductive connector by contacting a first area of said at least one of said plurality of elongated conductive trace on said at least a portion of one of said sidewalls and a second area of said at least one of said plurality of elongated conductive trace extending over said adjacent portion of at least one base substrate plane. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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Specification