Methods for forming interconnects in microelectronic workpieces and microelectronic workpieces formed using such methods
First Claim
1. A method of processing a microelectronic workpiece including a semiconductor substrate having a plurality of microelectronic dies, the individual dies including integrated circuitry and a terminal electrically coupled to the integrated circuitry, the method comprising:
- forming a first opening in the substrate from a back side of the substrate toward a front side of the substrate and in alignment with the terminal, the first opening having a generally annular cross-sectional profile and separating an island of substrate material from the substrate, and wherein the island of substrate material has an upper surface that extends outwardly past the back side of the substrate;
depositing an insulating material into at least a portion of the first opening; and
removing the island of substrate material after depositing the insulating material and forming a second opening aligned with at least a portion of the terminal, wherein the second opening does not extend completely through the terminal.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Methods for forming interconnects in microelectronic workpieces and microelectronic workpieces formed using such methods are disclosed herein. One embodiment, for example, is directed to a method of processing a microelectronic workpiece including a semiconductor substrate having a plurality of microelectronic dies. The individual dies include integrated circuitry and a terminal electrically coupled to the integrated circuitry. The method can include forming a first opening in the substrate from a back side of the substrate toward a front side and in alignment with the terminal. The first opening has a generally annular cross-sectional profile and separates an island of substrate material from the substrate. The method can also include depositing an insulating material into at least a portion of the first opening, and then removing the island of substrate material to form a second opening aligned with at least a portion of the terminal. In several embodiments, the method may include constructing an electrically conductive interconnect in at least a portion of the second opening and in electrical contact with the terminal.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A method of processing a microelectronic workpiece including a semiconductor substrate having a plurality of microelectronic dies, the individual dies including integrated circuitry and a terminal electrically coupled to the integrated circuitry, the method comprising:
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forming a first opening in the substrate from a back side of the substrate toward a front side of the substrate and in alignment with the terminal, the first opening having a generally annular cross-sectional profile and separating an island of substrate material from the substrate, and wherein the island of substrate material has an upper surface that extends outwardly past the back side of the substrate; depositing an insulating material into at least a portion of the first opening; and removing the island of substrate material after depositing the insulating material and forming a second opening aligned with at least a portion of the terminal, wherein the second opening does not extend completely through the terminal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 17, 18)
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13. A method of processing a semiconductor substrate including a via site and a plug site within the via site, the method comprising:
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masking the plug site and a region at least partially surrounding the via site at a back side of the substrate, wherein masking includes exposing a perimeter of the via site; etching the substrate after masking and defining a plug at the plug site, wherein the plug is at least partially aligned with an electrical contact on the substrate, and wherein the plug has an upper surface that extends outwardly beyond an elevation of the region; dispensing insulation onto the substrate and between the plug and the substrate; and removing the plug. - View Dependent Claims (14)
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15. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor substrate having a plurality of microelectronic imaging dies, the individual imaging dies including integrated circuitry, an image sensor electrically coupled to the integrated circuitry, and a terminal electrically coupled to the integrated circuitry, the method comprising:
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disposing a polymer material into a first blind opening in a back side of the substrate, wherein the first blind opening is an annulus superimposed relative to the terminal, and wherein the annulus has a first cross-sectional dimension less than a second cross-sectional dimension of the terminal; etching a core of substrate material surrounded by the polymer material within the annulus and forming a second blind opening in the back side of the substrate, wherein the second blind opening does not extend through the terminal, and wherein the core of substrate material has an upper surface that extends outwardly past the back side of the substrate; and forming a through-substrate interconnect in at least a portion of the second blind opening and in electrical contact with the terminal.
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16. A method of processing a microelectronic workpiece including a semiconductor substrate having a plurality of microelectronic dies, the individual dies including integrated circuitry and a terminal electrically coupled to the integrated circuitry, the method comprising:
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forming a first opening in the substrate from a back side of the substrate toward a front side of the substrate and in alignment with the terminal, the first opening having a generally annular cross-sectional profile and separating an island of substrate material from the substrate, wherein forming the first opening in the substrate comprises— applying and patterning a first mask layer on the back side of the substrate and forming a first mask portion at least partially aligned with the terminal; etching the back side of the substrate with a first etching process; applying and patterning a second mask layer on the back side of the substrate and forming a third opening in the second mask layer, wherein the third opening is an annulus that completely surrounds the first mask portion and the corresponding portion of the substrate, and wherein an outer periphery portion of the third opening is inboard of an outer periphery portion of the corresponding terminal; and etching the back side of the substrate with a second etching process to form the first opening in the substrate from the back side of the substrate toward the front side, wherein the first opening has a cross-sectional profile at least approximately identical to the cross-sectional profile of the third opening; and removing the remaining portions of the first mask layer and the second mask layer from the substrate before depositing the insulating material into at least a portion of the first opening; depositing an insulating material into at least a portion of the first opening after removing the remaining portions of the first mask layer and the second mask layer from the substrate; and removing the island of substrate material after depositing the insulating material and forming a second opening aligned with at least a portion of the terminal, wherein the second opening does not extend completely through the terminal.
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Specification