Collar positionable about a periphery of a contact pad and around a conductive structure secured to the contact pads, semiconductor device components including same, and methods for fabricating same

• US 7,169,693 B2
• Filed: 05/27/2003
• Issued: 01/30/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
• Inventors: Akram, Salman, Ahmad, Syed Sajid
• Primary Examiner(s): LINDSAY JR, WALTER LEE
• Application Number:
  US10/446,384
• Publication Number:
  US 20030203612A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,344 Days
• Field of Search: 438/612, 438/613, 438/614, 438/118, 438/108
• US Class Current: 438/612
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 10/00 Processes of additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 80/00 Products made by additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/44 Manufacture of electrodes on semiconductor bodies using processes or apparatus not provided for in groups H01L21/38 - H01L21/428
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/0401 Bonding areas specifically adapted for bump connectors, e.g. under bump metallisation [UBM]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/05552 in top view
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/05572 the external layer extending out of an opening
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/06131 being uniform, i.e. having a uniform pitch across the array
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/0615 Mirror array, i.e. array having only a reflection symmetry, i.e. bilateral symmetry
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/10126 Bump collar
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/1148 Permanent masks, i.e. masks left in the finished device, e.g. passivation layers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/1191 Forming a passivation layer after forming the bump connector
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/13023 the whole bump connector protruding from the surface
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/13099 Material
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/1319 with a principal constituent of the material being a polymer, e.g. polyester, phenolic based polymer, epoxy
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/16 of an individual bump connector
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/75 Apparatus for connecting with bump connectors or layer connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/81136 involving guiding structures, e.g. spacers or supporting members
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/81801 Soldering or alloying
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/11 Manufacturing methods for bumps on insulating substrates H01L21/4853
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/12 Structure, shape, material or disposition of the bump connectors prior to the connecting process
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/16 : of an individual bump connector
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/742 : Apparatus for manufacturing bump connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/75 : Apparatus for connecting with bump connectors or layer connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/81 : using a bump connector
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 : Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00014 : the subject-matter covered by the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group, being disclosed without further technical details
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0002 : Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01005 : Boron [B]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01006 : Carbon [C]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01029 : Copper [Cu]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01033 : Arsenic [As]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01039 : Yttrium [Y]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01047 : Silver [Ag]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0105 : Tin [Sn]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01079 : Gold [Au]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01082 : Lead [Pb]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/014 : Solder alloys
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/12042 : LASER
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/351 : Thermal stress
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10977 : Encapsulated connections applying non-metallic protective coatings for encapsulating mounted components H05K3/284
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/3436 : having an array of bottom contacts, e.g. pad grid array or ball grid array components
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/50 : Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 80/30 : Reducing waste in manufacturing processes; Calculations of released waste quantities

Abstract

Dielectric collars to be disposed around contact pads on a surface of a semiconductor device or another substrate and methods of fabricating and disposing the collars on semiconductor devices and other substrates are disclosed. Semiconductor devices including the collars and having contact pads exposed through the collars are also disclosed. One or more of the collars are disposed around the contact pads of a semiconductor device or other substrate before or after conductive structures are secured to the contact pads. Upon connecting the semiconductor device face down to a higher level substrate and establishing electrical communication between contact pads of the semiconductor device and contacts pads of the substrate, the collars prevent the material of conductive structures protruding from the semiconductor device from contacting regions of the surface of the semiconductor device that surround the contact pads thereof. The collars may be preformed structures which are attached to a surface of a semiconductor device or other substrate. Alternatively, the collars can be fabricated on the surface of the semiconductor device or other substrate. A stereolithographic method of fabricating the collars is disclosed. The stereolithographic method may include use of a machine vision system including at least one camera operably associated with a computer controlling a stereolithographic application of material so that the system may recognize the position and orientation of a semiconductor device or other substrate on which the collar is to be fabricated.

Claims

1. A method of fabricating a substrate, comprising:

providing at least one substrate having contact pads exposed at a surface thereof; and

disposing at least one collar comprising a plurality of at least partially superimposed, contiguous, mutually adhered layers around at least one contact pad of contact pads.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein disposing at least one collar comprises disposing the at least one collar around the at least one contact pad with at least a portion thereof being exposed through the at least one collar.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein disposing at least one collar comprises disposing at least one collar configured to laterally surround said at least a base portion of said conductive structure to be secured to the at least one contact pad.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein disposing at least one collar configured to laterally surround the at least a base portion comprises disposing at least one collar configured to laterally surround substantially all of the conductive structure.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein disposing at least one collar comprises disposing at least one collar configured to contact said at least a base portion of the conductive structure to be secured to the at least one contact pad.

6. The method of claim 2, further comprising disposing the conductive structure in contact with the at least one contact pad through the at least one collar.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein disposing comprises defining a configuration of at least a portion of the conductive structure with the at least one collar.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein defining the configuration comprises defining a configuration of substantially all of the conductive structure with the at least one collar.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein disposing comprises placing a liquid quantity of conductive material in an aperture of the at least one collar.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein disposing at least one collar comprises disposing a plurality of collars on the surface.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein disposing at least one collar comprises fabricating the at least one collar on the surface.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein fabricating comprises fabricating each layer of the plurality of at least partially superimposed, contiguous, mutually adhered layers of the at least one collar from a photopolymer.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein providing comprises providing at least one of a semiconductor die, at least one semiconductor wafer with a plurality of semiconductor dice, at least one chip-scale package, and at least one ball grid array package.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein disposing comprises adhering at least one preformed collar to the surface.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising, prior to disposing, fabricating each of the plurality of at least partially superimposed, contiguous, mutually adhered layers of the at least one collar from a photopolymer material.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising disposing at least one conductive structure in contact with the at least one contact pad.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein disposing at least one conductive structure comprises forming at least one solder bump on the at least one contact pad.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein disposing at least one conductive structure comprises applying at least one structure comprising a solder, a metal, a metal alloy, a conductor filled epoxy, or a z-axis elastomer to at least one contact pad.

19. A method of fabricating a semiconductor device component, comprising:

providing at least one substrate with contact pads exposed at a surface thereof; and

sequentially forming a plurality of layers of at least one collar on the surface around at least one contact pad of said contact pads, the at least one collar protruding from the surface.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein sequentially forming comprises forming each of the plurality of layers from a photopolymer.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein providing at least one substrate comprises providing at least one of a semiconductor die, fabrication substrate carrying a plurality of semiconductor dice, at least one chip-scale package, and at least one ball grid array package.

22. The method of claim 19, further comprising forming or securing a conductive structure to the at least one contact pad.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein forming or securing is effected following at least a portion of the sequentially forming.

24. A method of fabricating a semiconductor device component, comprising:

placing at least one substrate with contact pads in a horizontal plane;

recognizing a location and orientation of the at least one substrate; and

stereolithographically fabricating at least one collar comprising at least one layer of at least semisolid material on a surface of the at least one substrate, the at least one collar laterally surrounding at least one contact pad of the contact pads.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising storing data including at least one physical parameter of the at least one substrate and of the at least one collar in computer memory and using the stored data in conjunction with a machine vision system to recognize the location and orientation of the at least one substrate.

26. The method of claim 25, further including in computer memory at least one physical parameter of the at least one contact pad around which the at least one collar is to be fabricated.

27. The method of claim 25, further including in computer memory at least one parameter of another substrate component with which each the at least one substrate is to be assembled.

28. The method of claim 25, further comprising using the stored data, in conjunction with the machine vision system, to effect said stereolithographically fabricating at least one layer of the at least one collar.

29. The method of claim 24, further comprising recognizing a location of the at least one contact pad.

30. The method of claim 24, further including securing the at least one substrate to a carrier prior to placing the at least one substrate in the horizontal plane.

31. A method of connecting a semiconductor device to a carrier substrate, comprising:

providing a semiconductor device having contact pads exposed at a surface thereof;

selecting a carrier substrate having contact pads on a surface thereof, the contact pads being located correspondingly to at least selected ones of the contact pads of the semiconductor device;

securing at least one collar to the surface of the semiconductor device around at least one contact pad of the contact pads, the at least one collar including a plurality of at least partially superimposed, contiguous, mutually adhered layers;

securing at least one conductive structure to the at least one contact pad; and

disposing the semiconductor device face down on the carrier substrate with the at least one contact pad in communication with a corresponding one of the contact pads of the carrier substrate.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein disposing the semiconductor device comprises connecting the at least one conductive structure to the corresponding one of the contact pads.

33. The method of claim 31, wherein, during disposing, the at least one collar prevents the material of the at least one conductive structure from contacting said surface of the semiconductor device.

34. The method of claim 31, wherein securing comprises securing at least one prefabricated collar to the surface.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein securing comprises adhering the at least one prefabricated collar to the surface.

36. The method of claim 31, wherein securing comprises fabricating the at least one collar on the surface.

37. The method of claim 31, wherein securing the at least one conductive structure is effected before the securing the at least one collar.

38. The method of claim 31, further comprising securing the at least one conductive structure to the corresponding one of the contact pads of the carrier substrate.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein securing the at least one conductive structure to the corresponding one of the contact pads comprises heating the at least one conductive structure to a temperature less than a reflow temperature of the material of the at least one conductive structure.

40. A method for fabricating a substrate, comprising:

providing at least one substrate having contact pads exposed at a surface thereof; and

placing at least one preformed collar around at least one contact pad of the contact pads.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein placing comprises placing the at least one preformed collar around the at least one contact pad with at least a portion of said at least one contact pad being exposed through said at least one collar.

42. The method of claim 41, wherein placing comprises placing at least one preformed collar configured to laterally surround said at least a base portion of said conductive structure to be secured to the at least one contact pad.

43. The method of claim 41, wherein placing comprises placing at least one preformed collar configured to laterally surround substantially all of said conductive structure.

44. The method of claim 41, wherein placing comprises placing at least one preformed collar configured to contact said at least a base portion of said conductive structure to be secured to at least one contact pad.

45. The method of claim 40, wherein placing comprises placing at least one preformed collar configured to define a configuration of at least a portion of at least one conductive structure.

46. The method of claim 45, wherein placing comprises placing at least one preformed collar configured to define a configuration of substantially all of the at least one conductive structure.

47. The method of claim 40, wherein placing comprises placing a plurality of preformed collars on the surface.

48. The method of claim 40, wherein providing comprises providing at least one of a semiconductor die, at least one fabrication substrate carrying a plurality of semiconductor dice, at least one chip-scale package, and at least one ball grid array package.

49. The method of claim 40, wherein placing comprises placing at least one preformed collar comprising a plurality of at least partially superimposed, contiguous, mutually adhered layers.