Through-wafer interconnection
First Claim
1. A through-wafer interconnect which provides electrically conductive interconnection between electric contacts on a front side and a backside of a wafer in a microelectronic structure, the through-wafer interconnect comprising:
- a through-wafer conductor passing through the front side of the wafer to the backside of the wafer;
an insulator surrounding at least a main body portion of the conductor, wherein the insulator comprises a top portion and a bottom portion that are different from each other in at least one aspect of cross-sectional size or material property; and
a frame surrounding the through-wafer conductor and the insulator, wherein at least a portion of the through-wafer conductor and a respective surrounding portion of the frame each comprise a native material of the wafer.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A through-wafer interconnect and a method for fabricating the same are disclosed. The method starts with a conductive wafer to form a patterned trench by removing material of the conductive wafer. The patterned trench extends in depth from the front side to the backside of the wafer, and has an annular opening generally dividing the conductive wafer into an inner portion and an outer portion whereby the inner portion of the conductive wafer is insulated from the outer portion and serves as a through-wafer conductor. A dielectric material is formed or added into the patterned trench mechanical to support and electrically insulate the through-wafer conductor. Multiple conductors can be formed in an array.
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Citations
40 Claims
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1. A through-wafer interconnect which provides electrically conductive interconnection between electric contacts on a front side and a backside of a wafer in a microelectronic structure, the through-wafer interconnect comprising:
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a through-wafer conductor passing through the front side of the wafer to the backside of the wafer; an insulator surrounding at least a main body portion of the conductor, wherein the insulator comprises a top portion and a bottom portion that are different from each other in at least one aspect of cross-sectional size or material property; and a frame surrounding the through-wafer conductor and the insulator, wherein at least a portion of the through-wafer conductor and a respective surrounding portion of the frame each comprise a native material of the wafer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A through-wafer interconnect component comprising:
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a plurality of conductors arranged in an array, each conductor passing through a front side of a conductive wafer to a backside of the wafer, each conductor having a center spaced apart from centers of adjacent conductors in the array; an insulator surrounding each conductor, wherein the insulator passes between and is in contact with at least two adjacent conductors in the array; and a frame supporting the plurality of conductors and the insulator, wherein at least a portion of each conductor and a portion of the frame each comprise a native material of the wafer. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A through-wafer interconnect comprising:
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a conductive wafer including a top conductive wafer bonded to a bottom conductive wafer, the conductive wafer having a front side and a backside; a patterned trench formed in the conductive wafer, the patterned trench having an annular trench opening dividing the conductive wafer along the annular trench opening into an inner portion and an outer portion, wherein a top portion of the patterned trench is formed in the top conductive wafer and a bottom portion of the patterned trench is formed in the bottom conductive wafer; and a support material within the patterned trench connecting the inner portion and the outer portion, wherein; the support material including an oxidized portion of an unremoved conductive wafer material and/or an added dielectric filler material, such that the inner portion of the conductive wafer is insulated from the outer portion and serves as a through-wafer conductor; and a top portion of the through-wafer conductor corresponding to the top portion of the patterned trench has a cross-sectional size significantly different from that of a bottom portion of the through-wafer conductor corresponding to the bottom portion of the patterned trench. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A through-wafer interconnect comprising:
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a first conductive wafer bonded to a second conductive wafer between a bottom side of the first conductive wafer and a top side of the second conductive wafer; a first portion of a patterned trench formed through a top side of the first conductive wafer; and a second portion of the patterned trench formed through a backside of the second conductive wafer, wherein; the first portion and the second portion of the patterned trench each have an annular circumferential opening generally dividing the respective conductive wafer into an inner portion and an outer portion; the inner portion of the respective conductive wafer is insulated from the outer portion of the respective conductive wafer; the inner portion of the first conductive wafer and the inner portion of the second conductive wafer are different from each other in at least one aspect of cross-sectional size or material property, and electrically connected to serve as a through-wafer conductor. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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37. A through-wafer interconnect comprising:
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a first conductive wafer bonded to a second conductive wafer such that a bottom side of the first conductive wafer contacts a top side of the second conductive wafer; a first portion of a patterned trench formed through a top side of the first conductive wafer; and a second portion of the patterned trench formed through a backside of the second conductive wafer, wherein; the first portion and the second portion of the patterned trench each have an annular circumferential opening generally dividing the respective conductive wafer into an inner portion and an outer portion; the inner portion of the respective conductive wafer is insulated from the outer portion of the respective conductive wafer; the inner portion of the first conductive wafer and the inner portion of the second conductive wafer are electrically connected to serve as a through-wafer conductor; and a first portion of the through-wafer conductor surrounded and defined by the first portion of the patterned trench has a different cross-sectional size than a second portion of the through-wafer conductor surrounded and defined by the second portion of the patterned trench. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40)
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Specification