Method and apparatus for non-conductively interconnecting integrated circuits
First Claim
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1. A method of coupling signals between electronic devices in a modular electronic system, said method comprising the steps of:
- locating a first subset of said electronic devices and a plurality of half-capacitors on a first semiconductor chip;
locating a second subset of said electronic devices and a plurality of half-capacitors on a second semiconductor chip; and
, aligning and affixing said first and second chips so as to capacitively couple said first and second chips using at least some of the half-capacitors on each of said chips.
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Abstract
Methods and apparatus are described for capacitively signaling between different semiconductor chips and modules without the use of connectors, solder bumps, wire-bond interconnections or the like. Preferably, pairs of half-capacitor plates, one half located on each chip, module or substrate are used to capacitively couple signals from one chip, module or substrate to another. The use of plates relaxes the need for high precision alignment as well as reduces the area needed to effect signaling, and reduces or eliminates the requirements for exotic metallurgy.
110 Citations
23 Claims
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1. A method of coupling signals between electronic devices in a modular electronic system, said method comprising the steps of:
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locating a first subset of said electronic devices and a plurality of half-capacitors on a first semiconductor chip;
locating a second subset of said electronic devices and a plurality of half-capacitors on a second semiconductor chip; and
,aligning and affixing said first and second chips so as to capacitively couple said first and second chips using at least some of the half-capacitors on each of said chips. - View Dependent Claims (2)
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3. A method of capacitively coupling signals between first and second chips, each said chip having a plurality of half-capacitors, said method comprising the steps of:
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affixing said first chip to a substrate;
aligning said second chip to said first chip; and
,affixing said second chip to said substrate, thereby capacitively coupling corresponding half-capacitors on said first and second chips and providing direct capacitive coupling between said first and second chips.
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4. A method of fabricating an integrated circuit module, comprising:
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providing a plurality of first dice, said first dice each having half-capacitors formed on a surface thereof;
providing a plurality of second dice, said second dice each having half-capacitors formed on a surface thereof; and
arranging said first dice so that each of said first dice overlaps at least three of said second dice, and each of said second dice overlaps at least three of said first dice, thereby defining overlap areas, wherein at least some half-capacitors of said plurality of first dice are configured to be capacitively coupled to corresponding half-capacitors of said second dice in said overlap areas. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method of fabricating an integrated circuit module, comprising:
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providing a plurality of first dice, said first dice each having first half-capacitors formed on a surface thereof;
providing a plurality of second dice, said second dice each having second half-capacitors formed on a surface thereof; and
arranging said first dice so that each first die overlaps at least two of said second dice, thereby defining overlap areas, wherein said first half-capacitors located in said overlap areas are configured to be capacitively coupled to some of said second half-capacitors, wherein said first dice or said second dice have raised areas relative to said surfaces, the raised areas of each of said first or said second die contacting an area on one of the overlapping die. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method of fabricating an integrated circuit module, comprising:
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providing a plurality of first dice, said first dice each having half-capacitors formed on a surface thereof;
providing a plurality of second dice, said second dice each having half-capacitors formed on a surface thereof;
arranging said first dice so that each first die overlaps at least four of said second dice, thereby defining overlap areas; and
aligning said first dice so that half-capacitors thereof located in said overlap areas are configured to be capacitively coupled to some half-capacitors of said second dice. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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Specification