Apparatus and methods for de-embedding through substrate vias

• US 9,121,891 B2
• Filed: 07/15/2014
• Issued: 09/01/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited
• Inventors: Yen, Hsiao-Tsung, Jeng, Min-Chie, Chang, Victor Chih Yuan, Kuo, Chin-Wei, Lin, Yu-Ling
• Primary Examiner(s): Diaz, Jose R
• Application Number:
  US14/332,090
• Publication Number:
  US 20140327005A1
• Time in Patent Office: 413 Days
• Field of Search: 257/48, 257/774, 324/750.16
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/2644 Adaptations of individual semiconductor devices to facilitate the testing thereof
• 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 23/481 Internal lead connections, e.g. via connections, feedthrough structures
• 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

Abstract

An apparatus for de-embedding through substrate vias is provided. The apparatus may include pads on a first side of a substrate are coupled to through vias extending through a substrate, wherein pairs of the through vias are interconnected by transmission lines of varying lengths along a second side of the substrate. The apparatus may further include pairs of pads coupled together by transmission lines of the same varying lengths. Apparatuses may include through vias surrounding a through via device under test. The surrounding through vias are connected to the through via device under test by a backside metal layer. The apparatus may further include a dummy structure having an area equal to an area of the backside metal layer.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a substrate; and

a plurality of test structures for de-embedding parasitics from a device under test path, the plurality of test structures comprising;

a first transmission line test structure of length L and a first pair of pads, the first transmission line structure interposed between the first pair of pads;

a second transmission line test structure of length L*X, where X is greater than 1, and a second pair of pads, the second transmission line structure interposed between the second pair of pads;

a first through via test structure comprising two first through vias coupled by a third transmission line of length L, the first through via test structure further comprising a third pair of pads, the third pair of pads being on an opposite side of the substrate from the third transmission line, each of the first through vias electrically coupling the third transmission line to a respective one of the third pair of pads, the first through vias coupled to either end of the third transmission line; and

a second through via test structure comprising two second through vias coupled by a fourth transmission line of length L*X, the second through via test structure further comprising a fourth pair of pads, the fourth pair of pads being on an opposite side of the substrate from the fourth transmission line, each of the second through vias electrically coupling the fourth transmission line and a respective one of the fourth pair of pads, the second through vias coupled to either end of the fourth transmission line.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first and second transmission line test structures are on a first surface of the substrate.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the third and fourth transmission lines are on a second surface of the substrate.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first through vias and the second through vias each comprise a conductor filled via extending vertically through the substrate.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the first through vias and the second through vias each comprise copper.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein each the first through vias and the second through vias further comprise an insulation liner disposed between the conductor and the substrate.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the substrate further comprises active circuitry formed on the substrate.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the substrate forms an interposer without active circuitry.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the substrate is grounded.

10. An apparatus comprising:

a substrate comprising a first through via, a second through via, a third through via, and a fourth through via extending from a first side of the substrate to a second side of the substrate;

test structures comprising;

a first test structure comprising two first pads and a first transmission line extending between the two first pads;

a second test structure comprising two second pads and a second transmission line extending between the two second pads;

a third test structure comprising two third pads, the first through via coupled to one of the third pads, and the second through via coupled to another of the third pads, the third test structure further comprising a third transmission line extending between the first through via and the second through via; and

a fourth test structure comprising two fourth pads, the third through via coupled to one of the fourth pads, and the fourth through via coupled to another of the fourth pads, the fourth test structure further comprising a fourth transmission line extending between the third through via and the fourth through via;

wherein the first transmission line and the third transmission line have a first length; and

wherein the second transmission line and the fourth transmission line have a second length different than the first length.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the first transmission line and second transmission line are on the first side of the substrate, and the third transmission line and the fourth transmission line are on the second side of the substrate.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the first transmission line, second transmission line, the third transmission line, and the fourth transmission line have a same width.

13. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the first pads, the second pads, the third pads, and the fourth pads have a same size.

14. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the substrate further comprises active circuitry formed on the substrate.

15. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the substrate forms an interposer without active circuitry.

16. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the substrate is grounded.

17. An apparatus comprising:

a substrate;

a first through via device under test extending through the substrate;

second through vias extending through the substrate, the second through vias surrounding the through via device under test;

a first side metal coupling the through via device under test and the second through vias on a first side of the substrate; and

a dummy structure equal in area to the first side metal.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising a second side metal on a second side of the substrate, the second side metal coupling the second through vias together.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the first side metal extends between the first through via device under test and all of the second through vias.

20. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the second through vias are coupled to ground.