Vertical system integration

• US 8,080,442 B2
• Filed: 06/21/2008
• Issued: 12/20/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ELM TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
• Original Assignee: ELM TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
• Inventors: Leedy, Glenn J
• Primary Examiner(s): MENZ, LAURA MARY
• Application Number:
  US12/143,773
• Publication Number:
  US 20080254572A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,277 Days
• Field of Search: 438/25, 438/106, 438/109
• US Class Current: 438/106
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 7/02 containing distinct electrical or optical devices of particular relevance for their function, e.g. microelectro-mechanical systems [MEMS] B81B7/04 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B81C 1/00238 Joining a substrate with an electronic processing unit and a substrate with a micromechanical structure
• CPC Class Codes: B81C 1/00246 Monolithic integration, i.e. micromechanical structure and electronic processing unit are integrated on the same substrate
• CPC Class Codes: B81C 2203/0771 Stacking the electronic processing unit and the micromechanical structure
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/39 Circuit design at the physical level physical level design for reconfigurable circuits G06F30/347
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/8252 the substrate being a semiconductor, using III-V technology H01L21/8258 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/84 the substrate being other than a semiconductor body, e.g. being an insulating body
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 22/34 Circuits for electrically characterising or monitoring manufacturing processes, e. g. whole test die, wafers filled with test structures, on-board-devices incorporated on each die, process control monitors or pad structures thereof, devices in scribe line switching, multiplexing, gating devices G01R19/25; process control with lithography, e.g. dose control, G03F7/20; structures for alignment control by optical means G03F7/70633
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2223/54453 for use prior to dicing
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2223/6677 for antenna, e.g. antenna included within housing of semiconductor device antennas per se H01Q
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2225/06527 Special adaptation of electrical connections, e.g. rewiring, engineering changes, pressure contacts, layout
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2225/06541 Conductive via connections through the device, e.g. vertical interconnects, through silicon via [TSV] manufacturing via connections per se H01L21/76898
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2225/06589 Thermal management, e.g. cooling
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2225/06596 Structural arrangements for testing testing or measuring during manufacture or treatment H01L22/00; testing electrical properties or locating electrical faults G01R31/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/481 Internal lead connections, e.g. via connections, feedthrough structures
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/52 Arrangements for conducting electric current within the device in operation from one component to another , i.e. interconnections, e.g. wires, lead frames optical interconnections G02B6/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/544 Marks applied to semiconductor devices or parts, e.g. registration marks, alignment structures, wafer maps test patterns for characterising or monitoring manufacturing processes H01L22/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/66 High-frequency adaptations
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 25/0657 Stacked arrangements of devices
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 25/18 the devices being of types provided for in two or more different subgroups of the same main group of groups H01L27/00 - H01L33/00, or in a single subclass of H10K, H10N
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/0688 : Integrated circuits having a three-dimensional layout
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/105 : including field-effect components
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/118 : Masterslice integrated circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/11803 : using field effect technology
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/1203 : the substrate comprising an insulating body on a semiconductor body, e.g. SOI three-dimensional layout H01L27/0688
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/1463 : Pixel isolation structures
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14643 : Photodiode arrays; MOS imagers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14683 : Processes or apparatus peculiar to the manufacture or treatment of these devices or parts thereof not peculiar thereto H01L21/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/40114 : the electrodes comprising a conductor-insulator-conductor-insulator-semiconductor structure
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/40117 : the electrodes comprising a charge-trapping insulator
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/42324 : Gate electrodes for transistors with a floating gate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/42328 : with at least one additional gate other than the floating gate and the control gate, e.g. program gate, erase gate or select gate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/66825 : with a floating gate H01L29/6684 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/66833 : with a charge trapping gate insulator, e.g. MNOS transistors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/7827 : Vertical transistors H01L29/7802, H01L29/78642 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/7831 : with multiple gate structure FinFETs or MuGFETs H01L29/7855, thin film transistors H01L29/78645
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/78648 : arranged on opposing sides of the channel
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/7881 : Programmable transistors with only two possible levels of programmation H01L29/7888 takes precedence
• 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 2924/0002 : Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 : Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H10B 12/00 : Dynamic random access memory [DRAM] devices
• CPC Class Codes: H10B 12/20 : DRAM devices comprising floating-body transistors, e.g. floating-body cells
• CPC Class Codes: H10B 12/30 : DRAM devices comprising one-transistor - one-capacitor [1T-1C] memory cells
• CPC Class Codes: H10B 69/00 : Erasable-and-programmable ROM [EPROM] devices not provided for in groups H10B41/00 - H10B63/00, e.g. ultraviolet erasable-and-programmable ROM [UVEPROM] devices
• CPC Class Codes: H10B 99/00 : Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass

Abstract

The Vertical System Integration (VSI) invention herein is a method for integration of disparate electronic, optical and MEMS technologies into a single integrated circuit die or component and wherein the individual device layers used in the VSI fabrication processes are preferably previously fabricated components intended for generic multiple application use and not necessarily limited in its use to a specific application. The VSI method of integration lowers the cost difference between lower volume custom electronic products and high volume generic use electronic products by eliminating or reducing circuit design, layout, tooling and fabrication costs.

Claims

1. A method of making a stacked integrated circuit, comprising:

fabricating integrated circuit wafers for a plurality of different functional circuit layers at least to a stage of completing active devices of the integrated circuit wafers, the different functional circuit layers being in the form of one or more integrated circuit dice;

wherein at least one surface of each of the different functional layers is provided with vertical interconnections such that for any two of the different functional layers, intercommunication of corresponding integrated circuit dice of the two different functional layers is enabled by aligning and connecting vertical interconnections of the two different functional lavers;

selecting a subset of the plurality of different functional circuit layers for inclusion in the stacked integrated circuit; and

stacking a selected subset of the plurality of different functional circuit layers, including forming vertical interconnections between adjoining integrated circuit dice.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the functional circuit layers include a processing layer and a memory layer.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the functional circuit layers include an I/O layer.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the I/O layer performs wireless communications.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the I/O layer performs optical communications.

6. The method of claim 1, comprising bonding the different funtional circuit layers by metal diffusion bonding.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein forming vertical interconnections comprises performing backside processing of at least one of the corresponding fabricated integrated circuit wafers.

8. The method of claim 1, comprising bonding together the different functional circuit layers such that no integrated circuit surface of a circuit layer of the stacked integrated circuit is external to the stacked integrated circuit.

9. The method of claim 1, comprising:

bonding the functional circuit layers using an inorganic thermal diffusion bonding process;

thinning at least one functional circuit layer from the backside thereof; and

on the backside of the at least one functional circuit layer, fabricating at least one of active circuit devices, passive circuit devices and horizontal interconnections.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one functional circuit layer is fabricated using a substrate having a plurality of barrier layers formed therein.

11. The method of claim 1, comprising performing IC device fabrication on the backside of one or more functional circuit layers.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the IC-devices comprise at least one of the following:

transistors, memory cells, resistors, capacitors, inductors, radio frequency antennas and horizontal interconnections.

13. The method of claim 1, comprising making the stacked integrated circuit without fabrication of a circuit layer specific to the function of the particular stacked integrated circuit.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein fewer than all of the functional circuit layers are fabricated for the specific function of the particular stacked integrated circuit.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein one or more the functional circuit layers is thinned by removing a substrate thereof to a barrier layer comprising a thin dielectric layer.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the thin dielectric layer thickness is in a range 50 Å

to 500 Å

.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein a dielectric layer is deposited on the backside of one or more of the functional circuit layers to enhance electrical isolation of an underlying semiconductor device layer.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein IC device fabrication is performed on the backside of one or more of the functional circuit layers to complete the fabrication of IC devices partially formed on the front side of the one or more functional circuit layers.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the functional circuit layers are bonded using bonding layers made from two or more metal films one of which has a lower melting temperature and which will diffuse with an immediately adjacent film.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein bonding layers form at least one diffused metal films having a higher melting point than the lower melting point metal film.

21. The method of claim 1, comprising bonding IC substrates of functional circuit layers using at least two metal films with different melting points on each surface of the substrates to be bonded wherein during or after bonding of the substrates the metal films diffuse to form one metal film with a melting point that is higher than the lower melting point of one of the original two metal films.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein an application-specific function of the stacked integrated circuit is derived from the choice and quantity of circuit layers from previously-fabricated, nonapplication-specific circuit layers.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein interconnections of circuitry on at least one of the functional circuit layers are changed by interconnections on the backside of the functional circuit layer.

24. The method of claim 1, comprising processing both sides of an IC substrate of a functional circuit layer, the IC substrate having a frontside and a backside wherein the IC substrate is bonded face down onto a second substrate and the backside of the IC substrate is thinned to a thickness that permits conventional IC fabrication processing, further comprising forming interconnections between circuitry on the frontside of the IC substrate with the circuitry formed on the backside of the IC substrate.

25. The method of claim 1, wherein I/O drivers for the stacked integrated circuit are physically on a separate functional circuit layer or on the backside of one of the functional circuit layers.

26. The method of claim 1, comprising predominately removing dielectric in one of the functional circuit layers leaving free-standing metal horizontal and vertical interconnections.

27. The method of claim 1, comprising aligning two substrates or wafers of functional circuit layers, the substrates or wafers having circuitry thereon for bonding, wherein an opening is made from a backside of one of the substrates or wafers to be bonded to expose an alignment mark, thereby allowing the use of optical alignment methods through said opening.

28. The method of claim 1, wherein the stacked integrated circuit comprises a stacked programmable logic device having at least one of a programmable gate circuit layer and a memory circuit layer, comprising adding to the stacked programmable logic device one or more programmable gate circuit layers or memory circuit layers.

29. The method of claim 1, wherein at least two of the following:

the functional circuit layers include a processing layer and a memory layer;

the functional circuit layers include an I/O layer;

the I/O layer performs wireless communications, wherein the I/O layer performs optical communications;

the different functional circuit layers are bonded by metal diffusion bonding;

forming vertical interconnections comprises performing backside processing of at least one of the corresponding fabricated integrated circuit wafers;

the different functional circuit layers are bonded together such that no integrated circuit surface of a circuit layer of the stacked integrated circuit is external to the stacked integrated circuit;

the functional circuit layers are bonded using an inorganic thermal diffusion bonding process, at least one functional circuit layer is thinned from the backside thereof, and on the backside of the at least one functional circuit layer is fabricated at least one of active circuit devices, passive circuit devices and horizontal interconnections;

at least one functional circuit layer is fabricated using a substrate having a plurality of barrier layers formed therein;

IC device fabrication is performed on the backside of one or more functional circuit layers, wherein the IC devices comprise at least one of the following;

transistors, memory cells, resistors, capacitors, inductors, radio frequency antennas and horizontal interconnections;

the stacked integrated circuit is made without fabrication of a circuit layer specific to the designed function of the particular stacked integrated circuit;

fewer than all of the functional circuit layers are fabricated for the specific function of the particular stacked integrated circuit;

one or more the functional circuit layers is thinned by removing a substrate thereof to a barrier layer comprising a thin dielectric layer, wherein the thin dielectric layer thickness is in a range 50Å

to 500 Å

;

a dielectric layer is deposited on the backside of one or more of the functional circuit layers to enhance electrical isolation of an underlying semiconductor device layer;

IC device fabrication is performed on the backside of one or more of the functional circuit layers to complete the fabrication of IC devices partially formed on the front side of the one or more functional circuit layers;

the functional circuit layers are bonded using bonding layers made from two or more metal films one of which has a lower melting temperature and which will diffuse with an immediately adjacent film;

bonding layers form at least one diffused metal film having a higher melting point than the lower melting point metal film;

IC substrates of functional circuit layers are bonded using at least two metal films with different melting points on each surface of the substrates to be bonded wherein during or after bonding of the substrates the metal films diffuse to form one metal film with a melting point that is higher than the lower melting point of one of the original two metal films;

an application-specific function of the stacked integrated circuit is derived from the choice and quantity of circuit layers from previously-fabricated, nonapplication-specific circuit layers;

interconnections of circuitry on at least one of the functional circuit layers are changed by interconnections on the backside of the functional circuit layer;

both sides of an IC substrate of a functional circuit layer are processed, the IC substrate having a frontside and a backside wherein the IC substrate is bonded face down onto a second substrate and the backside of the IC substrate is thinned to a thickness that permits conventional IC fabrication processing, and wherein interconnections are formed between circuitry on the frontside of the IC substrate with the circuitry formed on the backside of the IC substrate;

I/O drivers for the stacked integrated circuit are physically on a separate functional circuit layer or on the backside of one of the functional circuit layers;

dielectric in one of the functional circuit layers is predominantly removed leaving free-standing metal horizontal and vertical interconnections;

two substrates or wafers of functional circuit layers are aligned, the substrates or wafers having circuitry thereon for bonding, wherein an opening is made from a backside of one of the substrates or wafers to be bonded to expose an alignment mark, thereby allowing the use of optical alignment methods through said opening;

the stacked integrated circuit comprises a stacked programmable logic device having at least one of a programmable gate circuit layer and a memory circuit layer, comprising adding to the stacked programmable logic device one or more programmable gate circuit layers or memory circuit layers.

30. The method of claim 1, wherein at least three of the following:

the functional circuit layers include a processing layer and a memory layer;

the functional circuit layers include an I/O layer;

the I/O layer performs wireless communications, wherein the I/O layer performs optical communications;

the different functional circuit layers are bonded by metal diffusion bonding;

forming vertical interconnections comprises performing backside processing of at least one of the corresponding fabricated integrated circuit wafers;

the different functional circuit layers are bonded together such that no integrated circuit surface of a circuit layer of the stacked integrated circuit is external to the stacked integrated circuit;

the functional circuit layers are bonded using an inorganic thermal diffusion bonding process, at least one functional circuit layer is thinned from the backside thereof, and on the backside of the at least one functional circuit layer is fabricated at least one of active circuit devices, passive circuit devices and horizontal interconnections;

at least one functional circuit layer is fabricated using a substrate having a plurality of barrier layers formed therein;

IC device fabrication is performed on the backside of one or more functional circuit layers, wherein the IC devices comprise at least one of the following;

transistors, memory cells, resistors, capacitors, inductors, radio frequency antennas and horizontal interconnections;

the stacked integrated circuit is made without fabrication of a circuit layer specific to the designed function of the particular stacked integrated circuit;

fewer than all of the functional circuit layers are fabricated for the specific function of the particular stacked integrated circuit;

one or more the functional circuit layers is thinned by removing a substrate thereof to a barrier layer comprising a thin dielectric layer, wherein the thin dielectric layer thickness is in a range 50 Å

to 500 Å

;

a dielectric layer is deposited on the backside of one or more of the functional circuit layers to enhance electrical isolation of an underlying semiconductor device layer;

IC device fabrication is performed on the backside of one or more of the functional circuit layers to complete the fabrication of IC devices partially formed on the front side of the one or more functional circuit layers;

the functional circuit layers are bonded using bonding layers made from two or more metal films one of which has a lower melting temperature and which will diffuse with an immediately adjacent film;

bonding layers form at least one diffused metal film having a higher melting point than the lower melting point metal film;

IC substrates of functional circuit layers are bonded using at least two metal films with different melting points on each surface of the substrates to be bonded wherein during or after bonding of the substrates the metal films diffuse to form one metal film with a melting point that is higher than the lower melting point of one of the original two metal films;

an application-specific function of the stacked integrated circuit is derived from the choice and quantity of circuit layers from previously-fabricated, nonapplication-specific circuit layers;

interconnections of circuitry on at least one of the functional circuit layers are changed by interconnections on the backside of the functional circuit layer;

both sides of an IC substrate of a functional circuit layer are processed, the IC substrate having a frontside and a backside wherein the IC substrate is bonded face down onto a second substrate and the backside of the IC substrate is thinned to a thickness that permits conventional IC fabrication processing, and wherein interconnections are formed between circuitry on the frontside of the IC substrate with the circuitry formed on the backside of the IC substrate;

I/O drivers for the stacked integrated circuit are physically on a separate functional circuit layer or on the backside of one of the functional circuit layers;

dielectric in one of the functional circuit layers is predominantly removed leaving free-standing metal horizontal and vertical interconnections;

two substrates or wafers of functional circuit layers are aligned, the substrates or wafers having circuitry thereon for bonding, wherein an opening is made from a backside of one of the substrates or wafers to be bonded to expose an alignment mark, thereby allowing the use of optical alignment methods through said opening;

the stacked integrated circuit comprises a stacked programmable logic device having at least one of a programmable gate circuit layer and a memory circuit layer, comprising adding to the stacked programmable logic device one or more programmable gate circuit layers or memory circuit layers.

31. The method of claim 1, wherein at least four of the following:

the functional circuit layers include a processing layer and a memory layer;

the functional circuit layers include an I/O layer;

the I/O layer performs wireless communications, wherein the I/O layer performs optical communications;

the different functional circuit layers are bonded by metal diffusion bonding;

forming vertical interconnections comprises performing backside processing of at least one of the corresponding fabricated integrated circuit wafers;

the different functional circuit layers are bonded together such that no integrated circuit surface of a circuit layer of the stacked integrated circuit is external to the stacked integrated circuit;

the functional circuit layers are bonded using an inorganic thermal diffusion bonding process, at least one functional circuit layer is thinned from the backside thereof, and on the backside of the at least one functional circuit layer is fabricated at least one of active circuit devices, passive circuit devices and horizontal interconnections;

at least one functional circuit layer is fabricated using a substrate having a plurality of barrier layers formed therein;

IC device fabrication is performed on the backside of one or more functional circuit layers, wherein the IC devices comprise at least one of the following;

transistors, memory cells, resistors, capacitors, inductors, radio frequency antennas and horizontal interconnections;

the stacked integrated circuit is made without fabrication of a circuit layer specific to the designed function of the particular stacked integrated circuit;

fewer than all of the functional circuit layers are fabricated for the specific function of the particular stacked integrated circuit;

one or more the functional circuit layers is thinned by removing a substrate thereof to a barrier layer comprising a thin dielectric layer, wherein the thin dielectric layer thickness is in a range 50 Å

to 500 Å

;

a dielectric layer is deposited on the backside of one or more of the functional circuit layers to enhance electrical isolation of an underlying semiconductor device layer;

IC device fabrication is performed on the backside of one or more of the functional circuit layers to complete the fabrication of IC devices partially formed on the front side of the one or more functional circuit layers;

the functional circuit layers are bonded using bonding layers made from two or more metal films one of which has a lower melting temperature and which will diffuse with an immediately adjacent film;

bonding layers form at least one diffused metal film having a higher melting point than the lower melting point metal film;

IC substrates of functional circuit layers are bonded using at least two metal films with different melting points on each surface of the substrates to be bonded wherein during or after bonding of the substrates the metal films diffuse to form one metal film with a melting point that is higher than the lower melting point of one of the original two metal films;

an application-specific function of the stacked integrated circuit is derived from the choice and quantity of circuit layers from previously-fabricated, nonapplication-specific circuit layers;

interconnections of circuitry on at least one of the functional circuit layers are changed by interconnections on the backside of the functional circuit layer;

both sides of an IC substrate of a functional circuit layer are processed, the IC substrate having a frontside and a backside wherein the IC substrate is bonded face down onto a second substrate and the backside of the IC substrate is thinned to a thickness that permits conventional IC fabrication processing, and wherein interconnections are formed between circuitry on the frontside of the IC substrate with the circuitry formed on the backside of the IC substrate;

I/O drivers for the stacked integrated circuit are physically on a separate functional circuit layer or on the backside of one of the functional circuit layers;

dielectric in one of the functional circuit layers is predominantly removed leaving free-standing metal horizontal and vertical interconnections;

two substrates or wafers of functional circuit layers are aligned, the substrates or wafers having circuitry thereon for bonding, wherein an opening is made from a backside of one of the substrates or wafers to be bonded to expose an alignment mark, thereby allowing the use of optical alignment methods through said opening;

the stacked integrated circuit comprises a stacked programmable logic device having at least one of a programmable gate circuit layer and a memory circuit layer, comprising adding to the stacked programmable logic device one or more programmable gate circuit layers or memory circuit layers.