Top layers of metal for high performance IC's

• US 7,372,085 B2
• Filed: 09/19/2005
• Issued: 05/13/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Mou-Shiung Lin
• Inventors: Lin, Mou-Shiung
• Primary Examiner(s): Soward; Ida M.
• Application Number:
  US11/230,101
• Publication Number:
  US 20060043594A1
• Time in Patent Office: 967 Days
• Field of Search: 257207-209, 257/211, 257758-760
• US Class Current: 257/211
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/768 Applying interconnections to be used for carrying current between separate components within a device comprising conductors and dielectrics
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/76804 by forming tapered via holes
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/76807 for dual damascene structures
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/76838 characterised by the formation and the after-treatment of the conductors etching for patterning the conductors H01L21/3213
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/02 Bonding areas; Manufacturing methods related thereto
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/0231 Manufacturing methods of the redistribution layers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/02311 Additive methods
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/02313 Subtractive methods
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/0401 Bonding areas specifically adapted for bump connectors, e.g. under bump metallisation [UBM]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/05147 Copper [Cu] as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/05155 Nickel [Ni] as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/05184 Tungsten [W] as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/05624 Aluminium [Al] as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/05647 Copper [Cu] as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/05671 Chromium [Cr] as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/05684 Tungsten [W] as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/1148 Permanent masks, i.e. masks left in the finished device, e.g. passivation layers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/13099 Material
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/16225 the item being non-metallic, e.g. insulating substrate with or without metallisation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/522 including external interconnections consisting of a multilayer structure of conductive and insulating layers inseparably formed on the semiconductor body
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/5222 : Capacitive arrangements or effects of, or between wiring layers other capacitive arrangements H01L23/642
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/5223 : Capacitor integral with wiring layers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/5225 : Shielding layers formed together with wiring layers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/5227 : Inductive arrangements or effects of, or between, wiring layers other inductive arrangements H01L23/645
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/5228 : Resistive arrangements or effects of, or between, wiring layers other resistive arrangements H01L23/647
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/525 : with adaptable interconnections
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/5283 : Cross-sectional geometry
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/5286 : Arrangements of power or ground buses
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/5329 : Insulating materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/53295 : Stacked insulating layers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/60 : Protection against electrostatic charges or discharges, e.g. Faraday shields
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/02 : Bonding areas on insulating substrates, e.g. chip carriers, H01L23/49816, H01L23/49838, H01L23/5389; Manufacturing methods related thereto
• 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 27/0676 : comprising combinations of diodes, or capacitors or resistors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/08 : including only semiconductor components of a single kind
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 28/10 : Inductors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 28/20 : Resistors
• 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 2924/0001 : Technical content checked by a classifier
• 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 2924/01005 : Boron [B]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01006 : Carbon [C]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01013 : Aluminum [Al]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01015 : Phosphorus [P]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01018 : Argon [Ar]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01022 : Titanium [Ti]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01024 : Chromium [Cr]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01029 : Copper [Cu]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01033 : Arsenic [As]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01042 : Molybdenum [Mo]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01046 : Palladium [Pd]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01073 : Tantalum [Ta]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01074 : Tungsten [W]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01075 : Rhenium [Re]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01078 : Platinum [Pt]
• 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 2924/04941 : TiN
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/12044 : OLED
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/14 : Integrated circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/15174 : in different layers of the multilayer substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/15184 : in different layers of the multilayer substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/15192 : Resurf arrangement of the internal vias
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/15311 : being a ball array, e.g. BGA
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/19043 : being a resistor
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/30105 : Capacitance
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/30107 : Inductance
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/3025 : Electromagnetic shielding
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/351 : Thermal stress
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/12542 : More than one such component
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/12993 : Surface feature [e.g., rough, mirror]

Abstract

A method of closely interconnecting integrated circuits contained within a semiconductor wafer to electrical circuits surrounding the semiconductor wafer. Electrical interconnects are held to a minimum in length by making efficient use of polyimide or polymer as an inter-metal dielectric thus enabling the integration of very small integrated circuits within a larger circuit environment at a minimum cost in electrical circuit performance.

Claims

1. An integrated circuit chip comprising:

a silicon substrate;

multiple devices in and on said silicon substrate;

a first dielectric layer over said silicon substrate;

a metallization structure over said first dielectric layer, wherein said metallization structure is connected to said multiple devices, wherein said metallization structure comprises a first metal layer and a second metal layer over said first metal layer, wherein said metallization structure comprises a first pad having a top surface with a first region and a second region surrounding said first region, and wherein said metallization structure comprises electroplated copper;

a second dielectric layer between said first and second metal layers;

a passivation layer over said metallization structure, over said first and second dielectric layers and on said second region, wherein a first opening in said passivation layer is over said first region and exposes said first region, and wherein said passivation layer comprises a topmost nitride layer of said integrated circuit chip and a topmost oxide layer of said integrated circuit chip; and

a metal trace over said passivation layer and over said first region, wherein said metal trace comprises electroplated copper, and wherein said metal trace is connected to said first pad through said first opening.

2. The integrated circuit chip of claim 1 further comprising a polymer layer between said metal trace and said passivation layer, wherein a second opening in said polymer layer is over said first region and exposes said first region.

3. The integrated circuit chip of claim 2, wherein said polymer layer comprises polyimide.

4. The integrated circuit chip of claim 2, wherein said polymer layer comprises benzocyclobutene.

5. The integrated circuit chip of claim 1, wherein said metallization structure further comprises a second pad under a second opening in said passivation layer and exposed by said second opening, wherein said metal trace is further over said second pad, and wherein said first pad is connected to said second pad through said metal trace.

6. The integrated circuit chip of claim 1, wherein said metal trace further comprises a sputtered metal under said electroplated copper of said metal trace.

7. The integrated circuit chip of claim 6, wherein said sputtered metal comprises aluminum.

8. The integrated circuit chip of claim 1, wherein said first opening has a transverse dimension between 0.5 and 3 micrometers.

9. The integrated circuit chip of claim 1, wherein said metal trace further comprises nickel.

10. The integrated circuit chip of claim 1, wherein said first pad has a size between 0.3 and 5 micrometers.

11. An integrated circuit chip comprising:

a silicon substrate;

multiple devices in and on said silicon substrate;

a first dielectric layer over said silicon substrate;

a first metallization structure over said first dielectric layer, wherein said first metallization structure is connected to said multiple devices, wherein said first metallization structure comprises a first metal layer and a second metal layer over said first metal layer, and wherein said first metallization structure comprises a first pad having a top surface with a first region and a second region surrounding said first region, wherein said first pad comprises electroplated copper;

a second dielectric layer between said first and second metal layers;

a passivation layer over said first metallization structure, over said first and second dielectric layers and on said second region, wherein a first opening in said passivation layer is over said first region and exposes said first region, and wherein said passivation layer comprises a topmost nitride layer of said integrated circuit chip and a topmost oxide layer of said integrated circuit chip;

a polymer layer on said passivation layer, wherein a second opening in said polymer layer is over said first region and exposes said first region, and wherein said polymer layer has a thickness between 2 and 30 micrometers and greater than that of said passivation layer; and

a second metallization structure in said second opening and on said polymer layer, wherein said second metallization structure comprises electroplated copper in said second opening and over said polymer layer, and wherein said second metallization structure is connected to said first pad.

12. The integrated circuit chip of claim 11, wherein said polymer layer comprises polyimide.

13. The integrated circuit chip of claim 11, wherein said polymer layer comprises benzocyclobutene.

14. The integrated circuit chip of claim 11, wherein a third opening in said passivation layer is over a second pad of said first metallization structure and exposes said second pad, and a fourth opening in said polymer layer is over said second pad and exposes said second pad, wherein said second metallization structure is further in said fourth opening and over said first and second pads, and wherein said first pad is connected to said second pad through said second metallization structure.

15. The integrated circuit chip of claim 11, wherein said first opening has a transverse dimension between 0.5 and 3 micrometers.

16. The integrated circuit chip of claim 11, further comprising a solder bump over said electroplated copper of said second metallization structure.

17. The integrated circuit chip of claim 11, wherein said second metallization structure comprises a contact point used to be connected to a wirebonding interconnect.

18. The integrated circuit chip of claim 11, wherein said first pad has a size between 0.3 and 5 micrometers.

19. An integrated circuit chip comprising:

a silicon substrate;

multiple devices in and on said silicon substrate;

a first dielectric layer over said silicon substrate;

a first metallization structure over said first dielectric layer, wherein said first metallization structure is connected to said multiple devices, wherein said first metallization structure comprises a first metal layer and a second metal layer over said first metal layer, wherein said first metallization structure comprises a first pad having a top surface with a first region and a second region surrounding said first region, and wherein said first metallization structure comprises electroplated copper;

a second dielectric layer between said first and second metal layers;

a passivation layer over said first metallization structure, over said first and second dielectric layers and on said second region, wherein a first opening in said passivation layer is over said first region and exposes said first region, and wherein said passivation layer comprises a topmost nitride layer of said integrated circuit chip and a topmost oxide layer of said integrated circuit chip;

a polymer layer on said passivation layer, wherein a second opening in said polymer layer is over said first region and exposes said first region, and wherein said polymer layer has a thickness between 2 and 30 micrometers and greater than that of said passivation layer;

a second metallization structure in said second opening and on said polymer layer, wherein said second metallization structure comprises electroplated copper in said second opening and over said polymer layer; and

a solder bump over said electroplated copper of said second metallization structure, over said first and second openings and over said first pad, wherein said solder bump is connected to said first pad through said second metallization structure.

20. The integrated circuit chip of claim 19, wherein said polymer layer comprises polyimide.

21. The integrated circuit chip of claim 19, wherein said polymer layer comprises benzocyclobutene.

22. The integrated circuit chip of claim 19, wherein a third opening in said passivation layer is over a second pad of said first metallization structure and exposes said second pad, and a fourth opening in said polymer layer is over said second pad and exposes said second pad, wherein said second metallization structure is further in said fourth opening and over said first and second pads, and wherein said first pad is connected to said second pad through said second metallization structure.

23. The integrated circuit chip of claim 19, wherein said first opening has a transverse dimension between 0.5 and 3 micrometers.

24. The integrated circuit chip of claim 19, wherein said first pad has a size between 0.3 and 5 micrometers.