Stacked integrated memory device

• US 9,401,183 B2
• Filed: 03/17/2009
• Issued: 07/26/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Elm 3DS Innovations LLC
• Original Assignee: Elm 3DS Innovations LLC
• Inventors: Leedy, Glenn J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wilczewski, Mary
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHIU, TSZ K
• Application Number:
  US12/405,232
• Publication Number:
  US 20090175104A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,688 Days
• Field of Search: 257/777, 257/778, 257/E21.597, 257/E27.026, 257/E27.097, 257/668, 257/685, 257/686, 257/691, 257/700, 257/701, 257/723, 257/730, 257/734, 257/758, 257/774, 438/109, 438/455, 438/598
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 5/02 Disposition of storage elements, e.g. in the form of a matrix array
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 5/06 Arrangements for interconnecting storage elements electrically, e.g. by wiring
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/76898 formed through a semiconductor substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/8083 Solid-solid interdiffusion
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/8384 Sintering
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/481 Internal lead connections, e.g. via connections, feedthrough structures
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/5226 Via connections in a multilevel interconnection structure
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 25/0657 Stacked arrangements of devices
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/0688 Integrated circuits having a three-dimensional layout
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/02 Semiconductor bodies ; Multistep manufacturing processes therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01079 Gold [Au]
• CPC Class Codes: H10B 12/50 Peripheral circuit region structures
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 438/977 Thinning or removal of substrate

Abstract

A Three-Dimensional Structure (3DS) Memory allows for physical separation of the memory circuits and the control logic circuit onto different layers such that each layer may be separately optimized. One control logic circuit suffices for several memory circuits, reducing cost. Fabrication of 3DS memory involves thinning of the memory circuit to less than 50 μm in thickness and bonding the circuit to a circuit stack while still in wafer substrate form. Fine-grain high density inter-layer vertical bus connections are used. The 3DS memory manufacturing method enables several performance and physical size efficiencies, and is implemented with established semiconductor processing techniques.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a first integrated circuit;

a second integrated circuit stacked with the first integrated circuit;

a thermal diffusion bond layer physically joining the first and second integrated circuits and providing a primary means of attachment of the first and second integrated circuits;

wherein at least one of the first integrated circuit and the second integrated circuit is substantially flexible and comprises a substantially flexible semiconductor substrate of one piece made from a semiconductor wafer, thinned by at least one of abrasion, etching and parting, and subsequently polished or smoothed after being thinned to form a polished or smoothed surface; and

a plurality of vertical interconnects each of which extends through one of a plurality of holes in semiconductor material of the substantially flexible semiconductor substrate from a first surface of the substantially flexible semiconductor substrate to an opposite surface thereof and comprises within the one of the plurality of holes a conductive center portion and a silicon-based dielectric insulating portion surrounding the conductive center portion, wherein the vertical interconnects are closely arrayed.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a third integrated circuit stacked with the first and second integrated circuits; and

a thermal diffusion bond layer physically joining the second and third integrated circuits.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the vertical interconnects extend continuously between all of the first, second and third integrated circuits.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the first, second and third integrated circuits have circuit devices formed at least primarily on a front surface thereof only, the front surfaces of the first and second integrated circuits being bonded together, and the front surface of the third integrated circuit being bonded to a back surface of the second integrated circuit.

5. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising a plurality of vertical interconnects formed at least in part by bonds of the thermal diffusion bond layer joining the second and third integrated circuits and connecting circuitry of the second and third integrated circuits.

6. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein said circuit devices are formed from one of single crystal semiconductor material and polycrystalline semiconductor material.

7. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the vertical interconnects are formed at least in part by bonds of the thermal diffusion bond layers.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first integrated circuit and the second integrated circuit are each formed with one of single crystal semiconductor material and polycrystalline semiconductor material.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein one of the first and second integrated circuits is formed using a different process technology than another of the first and second integrated circuits, the different process technology being selected from a group consisting of DRAM, SRAM, FLASH, EPROM, EEPROM, Ferroelectric and Giant Magneto Resistance.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second integrated circuits comprises a microprocessor.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first integrated circuit comprises a memory integrated circuit and the second integrated circuit comprises a logic integrated circuit, wherein the logic integrated circuit performs testing of the memory integrated circuit via the vertical interconnects.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second integrated circuits comprises a memory integrated circuit having multiple memory locations, wherein data from a spare one of the memory locations is used instead of data from a defective one of the memory locations.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first integrated circuit comprises a memory integrated circuit and the second integrated circuit comprises a logic integrated circuit, wherein the logic integrated circuit performs programmable gate line address assignment with respect to the memory integrated circuit.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the vertical interconnects traverse the at least one of the first integrated circuit and the second integrated circuit that is substantially flexible.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the vertical interconnects connect circuitry of the first and second integrated circuits.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein information processing is performed by the circuitry of one of the first and second integrated circuits on data routed between the circuitry of the first and second integrated circuits via the vertical interconnects.

17. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second integrated circuits has reconfiguration circuitry.

18. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second integrated circuits comprises logic for performing at least one of the following functions:

virtual memory management, ECC, indirect addressing, content addressing, data compression, data decompression, graphics acceleration, audio encoding, audio decoding, video encoding, video decoding, voice recognition, handwriting recognition, power management and database processing.

19. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the first integrated circuit comprises a memory array having a plurality of memory cells, a plurality of data lines, and a plurality of gate lines, each memory cell storing a data value and comprising circuitry for coupling that data value to a corresponding one of said data lines in response to a gate control signal on a corresponding one of said gate lines;

the second integrated circuit comprises circuitry for generating gate control signals in response to addresses based on a mapping of addresses to gate lines; and

the second integrated circuit comprises circuitry for determining at least one of whether there are defective ones of said memory cells and whether there are defective ones of the gate lines and for reconfiguring said mapping for at least one of eliminating references to the corresponding ones of the gate lines for said defective ones of said memory cells and eliminating references to the defective ones of the gate lines.

20. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

one or more controller integrated circuits including the first integrated circuit;

one or more memory integrated circuits including the second integrated circuit;

a plurality of data lines and a plurality of gate lines on each memory integrated circuit;

an array of memory cells on each memory integrated circuit, each memory cell storing a data value and comprising circuitry for coupling that data value to a corresponding one of said data lines in response to selection of a corresponding one of said gate lines;

gate line selection logic on at least one of the one or more controller integrated circuits for selecting gate lines for memory operations, said gate line selection circuit comprising programmable gates to receive programmed address assignments for said gate lines, each programmed address assignment for determining which of said gate lines is to be selected; and

test logic on at least one of the one or more controller integrated circuits for determining at least one of whether there are defective ones of said array memory cells and whether there are defective ones of the gate lines and for reconfiguring said programmed address assignments for at least one of eliminating references to the corresponding ones of the gate lines for the defective ones of the memory cells and eliminating references to the defective ones of the gate lines.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein said test logic is configured to test periodically to determine at least one of whether there are defective ones of the memory cells and whether there are defective ones of the gate lines.

22. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein at least one of the one or more controller integrated circuits further comprises programmable logic to prevent the use of data values from the corresponding ones of the data lines for the defective ones of the memory cells.

23. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein said memory cells are arranged within physical space in a physical order and are arranged within an address space in a logical order, wherein said physical order of at least one memory cell is different than the logical order of the at least one memory cell.

24. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein external testing of the test logic together with the testing by the test logic achieves a functional testing of at least one of a preponderance of the memory cells and a preponderance of the gate lines.

25. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the testing by the test logic substantially reduces or eliminates the need for external testing.

26. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein reconfiguring the programmed address assignments comprises at least one of replacing references to the corresponding ones of the gate lines for the defective ones of the memory cells with references to the corresponding ones of the gate lines for spare ones of the memory cells and replacing references to the defective ones of the gate lines with references to spare ones of the gate lines.

27. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first integrated circuit is fabricated using one process technology, and the second integrated circuit is fabricated using a different process technology.

28. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second integrated circuits has a thickness of at least one of 10 microns or less and 50 microns or less.

29. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the substantially flexible semiconductor substrate is a monocrystalline semiconductor substrate.

30. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a back surface of the substantially flexible semiconductor substrate is the polished or smoothed surface.

31. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the insulating portion of each vertical interconnect has a stress of less than 5×

10⁸ dynes/cm² tensile.

32. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one of the following:

the insulating portion surrounding the conductive center portion of said vertical interconnects comprises a silicon-based dielectric material having a stress of less than 5×

10⁸ dynes/cm² tensile;

one of the first and second integrated circuits is formed using a different process technology than another of the first and second integrated circuits, the different process technology being selected from a group consisting of DRAM, SRAM, FLASH, EPROM, EEPROM, Ferroelectric and Giant Magneto Resistance;

at least one of the first and second integrated circuits comprises a microprocessor;

the first and second integrated circuits comprise at least one memory integrated circuit and at least one logic integrated circuit, wherein the at least one logic integrated circuit performs testing of the at least one memory integrated circuit;

a plurality of interior vertical interconnects traverse at least one of the integrated circuits;

continuous vertical interconnects connect circuitry of the first and second integrated circuits;

information processing is performed on data routed between circuitry on the first and second integrated circuits;

at least one integrated circuit has reconfiguration circuitry;

at least one of the plurality of vertical interconnects including a bond of the thermal diffusion bond layer, connecting circuitry of the first integrated circuit and circuitry of the second integrated circuit;

wherein the at least one of the first and second integrated circuits that is substantially flexible comprises a silicon-based dielectric layer with a stress of less than 5×

10⁸ dynes/cm² tensile;

wherein the first integrated circuit and the second integrated circuit form at least part of a stacked integrated circuit memory, wherein at least a portion of the stacked integrated circuit memory is partitioned into a plurality of circuit block stacks each comprising vertically interconnected circuit blocks, wherein a plurality of said circuit block stacks are configured to independently perform memory operations.

33. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least two of the following:

the insulating portion surrounding the conductive center portion of said vertical interconnects comprises a silicon-based dielectric material having a stress of less than 5×

10⁸ dynes/cm² tensile;

one of the first and second integrated circuits is formed using a different process technology than another of the first and second integrated circuits, the different process technology being selected from a group consisting of DRAM, SRAM, FLASH, EPROM, EEPROM, Ferroelectric and Giant Magneto Resistance;

at least one of the first and second integrated circuits comprises a microprocessor;

the first and second integrated circuits comprise at least one memory integrated circuit and at least one logic integrated circuit, wherein the at least one logic integrated circuit performs testing of the at least one memory integrated circuit;

a plurality of interior vertical interconnects traverse at least one of the integrated circuits;

continuous vertical interconnects connect circuitry of the first and second integrated circuits;

information processing is performed on data routed between circuitry on the first and second integrated circuits;

at least one integrated circuit has reconfiguration circuitry;

at least one of the plurality of vertical interconnects including a bond of the thermal diffusion bond layer, connecting circuitry of the first integrated circuit and circuitry of the second integrated circuit;

wherein the at least one of the first and second integrated circuits that is substantially flexible comprises a silicon-based dielectric layer with a stress of less than 5×

10⁸ dynes/cm² tensile;

wherein the first integrated circuit and the second integrated circuit form at least part of a stacked integrated circuit memory, wherein at least a portion of the stacked integrated circuit memory is partitioned into a plurality of circuit block stacks each comprising vertically interconnected circuit blocks, wherein plurality of said circuit block stacks are configured to independently perform memory operations;

wherein at least one of the integrated circuits comprises a front surface and a back surface opposite the front surface, further comprising a tensile low stress silicon-based dielectric with a stress of less than 5×

10⁸ dynes/cm² tensile on the back surface.

34. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least three of the following:

the insulating portion surrounding the conductive center portion of said vertical interconnects comprises a silicon-based dielectric material having a stress of less than 5×

10⁸ dynes/cm² tensile;

one of the first and second integrated circuits is formed using a different process technology than another of the first and second integrated circuits, the different process technology being selected from a group consisting of DRAM, SRAM, FLASH, EPROM, EEPROM, Ferroelectric and Giant Magneto Resistance;

at least one of the first and second integrated circuits comprises a microprocessor;

the first and second integrated circuits comprise at least one memory integrated circuit and at least one logic integrated circuit, wherein the at least one logic integrated circuit performs testing of the at least one memory integrated circuit;

a plurality of interior vertical interconnects traverse at least one of the integrated circuits;

continuous vertical interconnects connect circuitry of the first and second integrated circuits;

information processing is performed on data routed between circuitry on the first and second integrated circuits;

at least one integrated circuit has reconfiguration circuitry;

at least one of the plurality of vertical interconnects including a bond of the thermal diffusion bond layer, connecting circuitry of the first integrated circuit and circuitry of the second integrated circuit;

wherein the at least one of the first and second integrated circuit that is substantially flexible comprises a silicon-based dielectric layer with a stress of less than 5×

10⁸ dynes/cm² tensile;

wherein the first integrated circuit and the second integrated circuit form at least part of a stacked integrated circuit memory, wherein at least a portion of the stacked integrated circuit memory is partitioned into a plurality of circuit block stacks each comprising vertically interconnected circuit blocks, wherein a plurality of said circuit block stacks are configured to independently perform memory operations.

35. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the vertical interconnects are formed at least in part by bonds of the thermal diffusion bond layer and connect circuitry of the first and second integrated circuits.

36. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first integrated circuit and the second integrated circuit form at least part of a stacked integrated circuit memory, wherein at least a portion of the stacked integrated circuit memory is partitioned into a plurality of block stacks, each block stack comprising circuit blocks that are on different ones of the first and second integrated circuits and are vertically interconnected by a corresponding array of the vertical interconnects for the block stack, wherein the block stacks are configured to perform memory operations independently of each other.

37. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein the corresponding arrays of the vertical interconnects for the block stacks transfer data independently of each other during the memory operations performed independently by the block stack.

38. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a silicon-based dielectric insulating layer formed on the at least one of the first integrated circuit and the second integrated circuit that is substantially flexible, wherein both the silicon-based dielectric insulating layer and the silicon-based dielectric insulating portions of the vertical interconnects have a low stress of less than 5×

10⁸ dynes/cm² tensile, and wherein the at least one of the first integrated circuit and the second integrated circuit that is substantially flexible is so from the combination of the substantially flexible semiconductor substrate being substantially flexible from being thinned and having the polished or smoothed surface, and the silicon-based dielectric insulating layer having the low stress.

39. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one of the first integrated circuit and second integrated circuit that is substantially flexible comprises a low stress silicon-based dielectric layer with a stress of less than 5×

10⁸ dynes/cm² tensile on the polished or smoothed surface of the substantially flexible semiconductor substrate.

40. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the substantially flexible semiconductor substrate is monocrystalline and made substantially flexible when it is thinned and polished or smoothed by first grinding away semiconductor wafer material thereof to leave an exposed surface thereof, and then polishing or smoothing the exposed surface;

the at least one of the first integrated circuit and the second integrated circuit that is substantially flexible further comprises at least one low stress silicon-based dielectric layer having a low stress of less than 5×

10⁸ dynes/cm² tensile and is substantially flexible based at least on the combination of the low stress of the at least one low-stress silicon-based dielectric layer and the substantially flexible semiconductor substrate being substantially flexible; and

the at least one of the first integrated circuit and the second integrated circuit that is substantially flexible has edges that define its size in area, wherein the substantially flexible semiconductor substrate extends in one piece across a substantial portion of the area between the edges.

41. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the mapping is reconfigured by at least one of replacing references to the corresponding ones of the gate lines for the defective ones of the memory cells with references to the corresponding ones of the gate lines for spare ones of the memory cells and replacing references to the defective ones of the gate lines with references to spare ones of the gates lines.

42. The apparatus of claim 40, wherein the substantially flexible semiconductor substrate is polished or smoothed to reduce vulnerability to fracture as a result of flexing.

77. The apparatus of claim 42, wherein at least one of the following:

the insulating portion surrounding the conductive center portion of said vertical interconnects comprises a silicon-based dielectric material having a stress of less than 5×

10⁸ dynes/cm² tensile;

one of the first and second integrated circuits is formed using a different process technology than another of the first and second integrated circuits, the different process technology being selected from a group consisting of DRAM, SRAM, FLASH, EPROM, EEPROM, Ferroelectric and Giant Magneto Resistance;

at least one of the first and second integrated circuits comprises a microprocessor;

the first and second integrated circuits comprise at least one memory integrated circuit and at least one logic integrated circuit, wherein the at least one logic integrated circuit performs testing of the at least one memory integrated circuit;

a plurality of interior vertical interconnects traverse at least one of the integrated circuits;

continuous vertical interconnects connect circuitry of the first and second integrated circuits;

information processing is performed on data routed between circuitry on the first and second integrated circuits;

at least one integrated circuit has reconfiguration circuitry;

at least one of the plurality of vertical interconnects includes a thermal diffusion bond, connecting circuitry of the first integrated circuit and circuitry of the second integrated circuit;

wherein the at least one of the first and second integrated circuits that is substantially flexible comprises a silicon-based dielectric layer with a stress of less than 5×

10⁸ dynes/cm² tensile;

wherein the first integrated circuit and the second integrated circuit form at least part of a stacked integrated circuit memory, wherein at least a portion of the stacked integrated circuit memory is partitioned into a plurality of circuit block stacks each comprising vertically interconnected circuit blocks, wherein a plurality of said circuit block stacks are configured to independently perform memory operations.

163. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one of the first integrated circuit and the second integrated circuit that is substantially flexible further comprises a silicon-based dielectric layer on the substantially flexible semiconductor substrate with a tensile stress of less than 5×

10⁸ dynes/cm².

164. The apparatus of claim 163, wherein the low stress silicon-based dielectric layer is at least one of a silicon dioxide dielectric and an oxide of silicon dielectric.

240. The apparatus of one of claims 1, 43, 226, and 234, wherein:

the first integrated circuit comprises a control circuit and the second integrated circuit comprises a memory circuit;

the control circuit comprises reconfiguration logic for performing reconfiguration of the memory circuit after manufacture of the apparatus has been completed and during a useful life of the apparatus;

the control circuit comprises memory test logic for performing functional testing of the memory circuit via at least some of the vertical interconnects;

the control circuit comprises memory error correction logic for performing error correction of data read from the memory circuit via at least some of the vertical interconnects;

the memory circuit comprises an array of memory cells including spare or redundant cells for replacement of defective cells of the memory cells; and

,

the vertical interconnects include spare or redundant interconnects for replacement of defective interconnects of the vertical interconnects.

241. The apparatus of claim 240, wherein the control circuit comprises refresh logic for performing refresh of at least some of the memory cells of the memory circuit via at least some of the vertical interconnects.

242. The apparatus of claim 240, wherein a process technology used to make the control circuit is different from a process technology used to make the memory circuit.

243. The apparatus of one of claims 1, 43, 90, 226, and 234, further comprising:

a plurality of memory circuits stacked with the first integrated circuit and including the second integrated circuit;

wherein the first integrated circuit comprises a control circuit;

wherein the control circuit and the memory circuits form a stacked integrated circuit memory, the stacked integrated circuit memory is partitioned into a plurality of block stacks each block stack comprises circuit blocks that are in different ones of the control circuit and the memory circuits and an array of the vertical interconnects that vertically interconnect the circuit blocks of the block stack, and the block stacks are configured to perform memory operations independently of each other.

244. The apparatus of claim 243, wherein:

the array of the vertical interconnects of each block stack pass through at least one of the control circuit and the memory circuits;

the arrays of the vertical interconnects of the block stacks transfer data independently of each other during the memory operations performed independently by the block stacks.

246. The apparatus of claim 243, wherein each block stack comprises a controller circuit block on the control circuit and memory circuit blocks on the memory circuits, the controller circuit block of each block stack performs reconfiguration of the array of the vertical interconnects of the block stack to avoid using defective memory portions of the memory circuit blocks of the block stack, and the controller circuit block of each block stack performs substitution of the defective memory portions of the memory circuit blocks of the block stack with redundant memory portions of the memory circuit blocks of the block stack.

247. The apparatus of claim 243, wherein each block stack comprises a controller circuit block on the control circuit and memory circuit blocks on the memory circuits, and the controller circuit block of each block stack performs refresh of memory portions of the memory circuit blocks of the block stack using the array of vertical interconnects of the block stack.

248. The apparatus of claim 243, wherein each block stack comprises a controller circuit block on the control circuit and memory circuit blocks on the memory circuits, and the controller circuit block of each block stack performs functional testing of memory portions of the memory circuit blocks of the block stack using the array of the vertical interconnects of the block stack.

43. An apparatus comprising:

a first integrated circuit, a second integrated circuit stacked with the first integrated circuit and a plurality of vertical interconnects connecting circuitry of the first integrated circuit and circuitry of the second integrated circuit, wherein at least some of the vertical interconnects are closely arrayed;

wherein at least one of the first integrated circuit and the second integrated circuit is substantially flexible and comprises a substantially flexible semiconductor substrate of one piece made from a semiconductor wafer, thinned by at least one of abrasion, etching and parting, and subsequently polished or smoothed after being thinned to form a polished or smoothed surface;

wherein each of said vertical interconnects extends through one of a plurality of holes in semiconductor material of the substantially flexible semiconductor substrate from a first surface of the substantially flexible semiconductor substrate to an opposite surface thereof and comprises within the one of the plurality of holes a conductive center portion and a silicon-based dielectric insulating portion surrounding the conductive center portion and having a stress of less than 5×

10⁸ dynes/cm² tensile.

44. The apparatus of claim 43, further comprising:

a third integrated circuit stacked with the first and second integrated circuits;

wherein the vertical interconnects extend continuously between all of the first, second and third integrated circuits and connect the circuitry of the first integrated circuit, the circuitry of the second integrated circuit, and circuitry of the third integrated circuit.

45. The apparatus of claim 43, further comprising a circuit substrate separate from and stacked with the first and second integrated circuits.

46. The apparatus of claim 43, wherein the first and second integrated circuits are bonded together by a thermal diffusion bond layer.

47. The apparatus of claim 44, wherein the first, second and third integrated circuits have circuit devices formed at least primarily on a front surface thereof, front surfaces of the first and second integrated circuits being bonded together, and a front surface of the third integrated circuit being bonded to a back surface of the second integrated circuit.

48. The apparatus of claim 45, wherein the first and second integrated circuits have circuit devices formed at least primarily on a front surface thereof, wherein at least one of:

the front surface of the second integrated circuit is bonded to a back surface of the first integrated circuit; and

the front surface of the first integrated circuit is bonded to a front surface of the circuit substrate.

49. The apparatus of claim 46, wherein the vertical interconnects are formed at least in part by bonds of the thermal diffusion bond layer.

50. The apparatus of claim 47, wherein the first and second integrated circuits are bonded together by a thermal diffusion bond layer and the second and third integrated circuits are bonded together by a thermal diffusion bond layer.

51. The apparatus of claim 47, wherein said circuit devices are formed from one of single crystal semiconductor material and polycrystalline semiconductor material.

52. The apparatus of claim 48, wherein said circuit devices are formed from one of single crystal semiconductor material and polycrystalline semiconductor material.

53. The apparatus of claim 43, wherein the first integrated circuit and the second integrated circuit are each formed with one of single crystal semiconductor material and polycrystalline semiconductor material.

54. The apparatus of claim 43, wherein one of the first and second integrated circuits is formed using a different process technology than another of the first and second integrated circuits, the different process technology being selected from a group consisting of DRAM, SRAM, FLASH, EPROM, EEPROM, Ferroelectric and Giant Magneto Resistance.

55. The apparatus of claim 43, wherein at least one of the first and second integrated circuits comprises a microprocessor.

56. The apparatus of claim 43, wherein the first integrated circuit comprises a memory integrated circuit and the second integrated circuit comprises a logic integrated circuit, wherein the logic integrated circuit performs testing of the memory integrated circuit via the vertical interconnects.

57. The apparatus of claim 43, wherein at least one of the first and second integrated circuit comprises a memory integrated circuit having multiple memory locations, wherein data from a spare one of the memory locations is used instead of data from a defective one of the memory locations.

58. The apparatus of claim 43, wherein the first integrated circuit comprises a memory integrated circuit and the second integrated circuit comprises a logic integrated circuit, wherein the logic integrated circuit performs programmable gate line address assignment with respect to the memory integrated circuit.

59. The apparatus of claim 43, wherein the vertical interconnects traverse the at least one of the first integrated circuit and the second integrated circuit that is substantially flexible.

60. The apparatus of claim 50, wherein the vertical interconnects are formed at least in part by bonds of the thermal diffusion bond layers.

61. The apparatus of claim 43, wherein information processing is performed by the circuitry of one of the first and second integrated circuits on data routed between the circuitry of the first integrated circuit and the circuitry of the second integrated circuit via the vertical interconnects.

62. The apparatus of claim 43, wherein at least one of the first and second integrated circuits has reconfiguration circuitry.

63. The apparatus of claim 43, wherein at least one of the first and second integrated circuit comprises logic for performing at least one of the following functions:

virtual memory management, ECC, indirect addressing, content addressing, data compression, data decompression, graphics acceleration, audio encoding, audio decoding, video encoding, video decoding, voice recognition, handwriting recognition, power management and database processing.

64. The apparatus of claim 43, wherein:

the first integrated circuit comprises a memory array having a plurality of memory cells, a plurality of data lines, and a plurality of gate lines, each memory cell storing a data value and comprising circuitry for coupling that data value to a corresponding one of said data lines in response to a gate control signal on a corresponding one of said gate lines;

the second integrated circuit comprises circuitry for generating gate control signals in response to addresses based on a mapping of addresses to gate lines; and

the second integrated circuit comprises circuitry for at least one of determining whether there are defective ones of said memory cells and reconfiguring said mapping to eliminate references to the corresponding ones of the gate lines for said defective ones of said memory cells and determining whether there are defective ones of the gate lines and reconfiguring the mapping to eliminate references to the defective ones of the gate lines.

65. The apparatus of claim 43, further comprising:

one or more controller integrated circuits including the first integrated circuit;

one or more memory integrated circuits including the second integrated circuit;

a plurality of data lines and a plurality of gate lines on each memory integrated circuit;

an array of memory cells on each memory integrated circuit, each memory cell storing a data value and comprising circuitry for coupling that data value to a corresponding one of said data lines in response to selection of a corresponding one of said gate lines;

gate line selection logic on at least one of the one or more controller integrated circuits for selecting gate lines for memory operations, said gate line selection logic comprising programmable gates to receive programmed address assignments for said gate lines, each programmed address assignment for determining which of said gate lines is to be selected; and

test logic on at least one of the one or more controller integrated circuits for at least one of determining whether there are defective ones of said memory cells and reconfiguring the programmed address assignments to eliminate references to the corresponding ones of the gate lines for the defective ones of the memory cells and determining whether there are defective ones of the gate lines and reconfiguring the programmed address assignments to eliminate references to the defective ones of the gate lines.

66. The apparatus of claim 65, wherein said test logic is configured to test periodically to determine at least one of whether there are defective ones of said memory cells and whether there are defective ones of the gate lines.

67. The apparatus of claim 65, wherein at least one of the one or more controller integrated circuits further comprises programmable logic to prevent the use of data values from the corresponding ones of the data lines for the defective ones of the memory cells.

68. The apparatus of claim 65, wherein said memory cells are arranged within physical space in a physical order and are arranged within an address space in a logical order, wherein said physical order of at least one memory cell is different than the logical order of the at least one memory cell.

69. The apparatus of claim 66, wherein external testing of the test logic together with the testing by the test logic achieves a functional testing of at least one of a preponderance of the memory cells and a preponderance of the gate lines.

70. The apparatus of claim 66, wherein the testing by the test logic substantially reduces or eliminates the need for external testing.

71. The apparatus of claim 65, wherein reconfiguring the programmed address assignments comprises at least one of replacing references to the corresponding ones of the gate lines for the defective ones of the memory cells with references to the corresponding ones of the gate lines for spare ones of the memory cells and replacing references to the defective ones of the gate lines with references to spare ones of the gate lines.

72. The apparatus of claim 43 wherein the vertical interconnects are internal to the apparatus.

73. The apparatus of claim 43, wherein at least one of the first and second integrated circuits has a thickness of at least one of 10 microns or less and 50 microns or less.

74. The apparatus of claim 43, wherein the substantially flexible semiconductor substrate is a monocrystalline semiconductor substrate.

75. The apparatus of claim 43, wherein a back surface of the substantially flexible semiconductor substrate is the polished or smoothed surface.

76. The apparatus of claim 43, wherein the insulating portion surrounding the conductive center portion of each vertical interconnect comprises a silicon-based dielectric material having a stress of less than 5×

10⁸ dynes/cm² tensile.

78. The apparatus of claim 43, wherein at least two of the following:

the insulating portion surrounding the conductive center portion of said vertical interconnects comprises a silicon-based dielectric material having a stress of less than 5×

10⁸ dynes/cm² tensile;

one of the first and second integrated circuits is formed using a different process technology than another of the first and second integrated circuits, the different process technology being selected from a group consisting of DRAM, SRAM, FLASH, EPROM, EEPROM, Ferroelectric and Giant Magneto Resistance;

at least one of the first and second integrated circuits comprises a microprocessor;

the first and second integrated circuits comprise at least one memory integrated circuit and at least one logic integrated circuit, wherein the at least one logic integrated circuit performs testing of the at least one memory integrated circuit;

a plurality of interior vertical interconnects traverse at least one of the integrated circuits;

continuous vertical interconnects connect circuitry of the first and second integrated circuits;

information processing is performed on data routed between circuitry on the first and second integrated circuits;

at least one integrated circuit has reconfiguration circuitry;

at least one of the plurality of vertical interconnects includes a thermal diffusion bond, connecting circuitry of the first integrated circuit and circuitry of the second integrated circuit;

wherein the at least one of the first and second integrated circuits that is substantially flexible comprises a silicon-based dielectric layer with a stress of less than 5×

10⁸ dynes/cm² tensile;

wherein the first integrated circuit and the second integrated circuit form at least a part of a stacked integrated memory circuit, wherein at least a portion of the stacked integrated circuit memory is partitioned into a plurality of circuit block stacks each comprising vertically interconnected circuit blocks, wherein a plurality of said circuit block stacks are configured to independently perform memory operations;

wherein at least one of the integrated circuits comprises a front surface and a back surface opposite the front surface, further comprising a tensile low stress silicon-based dielectric with a stress of less than 5×

10⁸ dynes/cm² tensile on the back surface.

79. The apparatus of claim 43, wherein at least three of the following:

the insulating portion surrounding the conductive center portion of said vertical interconnects comprises a silicon-based dielectric material having a stress of less than 5×

10⁸ dynes/cm² tensile;

one of the first and second integrated circuits is formed using a different process technology than another of the first and second integrated circuits, the different process technology being selected from a group consisting of DRAM, SRAM, FLASH, EPROM, EEPROM, Ferroelectric and Giant Magneto Resistance;

at least one of the first and second integrated circuits comprises a microprocessor;

the first and second integrated circuits comprise at least one memory integrated circuit and at least one logic integrated circuit, wherein the at least one logic integrated circuit performs testing of the at least one memory integrated circuit;

a plurality of interior vertical interconnects traverse at least one of the integrated circuits;

continuous vertical interconnects connect circuitry of the first and second integrated circuits;

information processing is performed on data routed between circuitry on the first and second integrated circuits;

at least one integrated circuit has reconfiguration circuitry;

at least one of the plurality of vertical interconnects includes a thermal diffusion bond, connecting circuitry of the first integrated circuit and circuitry of the second integrated circuit;

wherein the at least one of the first and second integrated circuits that is substantially flexible comprises a silicon-based dielectric layer with a stress of less than 5×

10⁸ dynes/cm² tensile;

wherein the first integrated circuit and the second integrated circuit form at least part of a stacked integrated memory circuit, wherein at least a portion of the stacked integrated circuit memory is partitioned into a plurality of circuit block stacks each comprising vertically interconnected circuit blocks, wherein a plurality of said circuit block stacks are configured to independently perform memory operations.

80. The apparatus of claim 50, wherein the vertical interconnects are formed at least in part by bonds of the thermal diffusion bond layers.

81. The apparatus of claim 43, wherein the at least one of the first integrated circuit and the second integrated circuit that is substantially flexible further comprises a silicon-based dielectric layer on the substantially flexible semiconductor substrate with a tensile stress of less than 5×

10⁸ dynes/cm².

82. The apparatus of claim 81, wherein the low stress silicon-based dielectric layer is at least one of a silicon dioxide dielectric and an oxide of silicon dielectric.

83. The apparatus of claim 43, wherein the first integrated circuit and the second integrated circuit form at least part of a stacked integrated circuit memory, wherein at least a portion of the stacked integrated circuit memory is partitioned into a plurality of block stacks, each block stack comprising circuit blocks that are on different ones of the first and second integrated circuits and are vertically interconnected by a corresponding array of the vertical interconnects for the block stack, wherein the block stacks are configured to perform memory operations independently of each other.

84. The apparatus of claim 83, wherein the corresponding arrays of the vertical interconnects for the block stacks transfer data independently of each other during the memory operations performed independently by the block stacks.

85. The apparatus of claim 43, further comprising a silicon-based dielectric insulating layer formed on the at least one of the first integrated circuit and the second integrated circuit that is substantially flexible, wherein both the silicon-based dielectric insulating layer and the silicon-based dielectric insulating portions of the vertical interconnects have a low stress of less than 5×

10⁸ dynes/cm² tensile, and wherein the at least one of the first integrated circuit and the second integrated circuit that is substantially flexible is so from the combination of the substantially flexible semiconductor substrate being substantially flexible from being thinned and having the polished or smoothed surface, and the silicon-based dielectric insulating layer having the low stress.

86. The apparatus of claim 43, wherein the at least one of the first integrated circuit and second integrated circuit that is substantially flexible comprises a low stress silicon-based dielectric layer with a stress of less than 5×

10⁸ dynes/cm² tensile on the polished or smoothed surface of the substantially flexible semiconductor substrate.

87. The apparatus of claim 43, wherein:

the substantially flexible semiconductor substrate is monocrystalline and made substantially flexible when it is thinned and polished or smoothed by first grinding away semiconductor wafer material thereof to leave an exposed surface thereof, and then polishing or smoothing the exposed surface;

the at least one of the first integrated circuit and the second integrated circuit that is substantially flexible comprises at least one low stress silicon-based dielectric layer having a low stress of less than 5×

10⁸ dynes/cm² tensile and is substantially flexible based at least on the combination of the low stress of the at least one low-stress silicon-based dielectric layer and the substantially flexible semiconductor substrate being substantially flexible; and

the at least one of the first integrated circuit and the second integrated circuit that is substantially flexible comprises a singulated die having a die area defined by its perimeter, wherein the substantially flexible semiconductor substrate extends in one piece across a substantial portion of the die area.

88. The apparatus of claim 64, wherein the mapping is reconfigured by at least one of replacing references to the corresponding ones of the gate lines for the defective ones of the memory cells with references to the corresponding ones of the gate lines for spare ones of the memory cells and replacing references to the defective ones of the gate lines with references to spare ones of the gates lines.

89. The apparatus of claim 87, wherein the substantially flexible semiconductor substrate is polished or smoothed to reduce vulnerability to fracture as a result of flexing.

90. An apparatus comprising:

a first integrated circuit;

a second integrated circuit stacked with the first integrated circuit;

wherein at least one of the first integrated circuit and the second integrated circuit is substantially flexible and comprises a substantially flexible semiconductor substrate of one piece made from a semiconductor wafer thinned by at least one of abrasion, etching and parting, and subsequently polished or smoothed after being thinned to form a polished or smoothed surface;

a bond layer joining the first and second integrated circuits and providing a primary means of means of attachment of the first and second integrated circuits; and

a plurality of vertical interconnects each of which extends through one of a plurality of holes in semiconductor material of the substantially flexible semiconductor substrate from a first surface of the substantially flexible semiconductor substrate to an opposite surface thereof and within the one of the plurality of holes comprises a conductive center portion and a silicon-based dielectric insulating portion surrounding the conductive center portion, wherein at least some of the vertical interconnects are closely arrayed.

91. The apparatus of claim 90, further comprising:

a third integrated circuit stacked with the first and second integrated circuits; and

a bond layer joining the second and third integrated circuits.

92. The apparatus of claim 91, wherein the vertical interconnects that are closely arrayed extend continuously between all of the first, second and third integrated circuits.

93. The apparatus of claim 92, wherein the vertical interconnects that are closely arrayed are formed at least in part by bonds of the bond layers.

94. The apparatus of claim 91, wherein at least one of the first, second and third integrated circuits have circuit devices formed at least primarily on a front surface thereof only, front surfaces of the first and second integrated circuits being bonded together, and a front surface of the third integrated circuit being bonded to a back surface of the second integrated circuit.

95. The apparatus of claim 94, wherein the circuit devices are formed from one of single crystal semiconductor material and polycrystalline semiconductor material.

96. The apparatus of claim 90, wherein the first integrated circuit and the second integrated circuit are each formed with one of single crystal semiconductor material and polycrystalline semiconductor material.

97. The apparatus of claim 90, wherein one of the first and second integrated circuits is formed using a different process technology than another of the first and second integrated circuits, the different process technology being selected from a group consisting of DRAM, SRAM, FLASH, EPROM, EEPROM, Ferroelectric and Giant Magneto Resistance.

98. The apparatus of claim 90, wherein at least one of the first and second integrated circuits comprises a microprocessor.

99. The apparatus of claim 90, wherein the first integrated circuit comprises a memory integrated circuit and the second integrated circuit comprises a logic integrated circuit, wherein the logic integrated circuit performs testing of the memory integrated circuit via the vertical interconnects that are closely arrayed.

100. The apparatus of claim 90, wherein the first integrated circuit comprises a memory integrated circuit having multiple memory locations, wherein data from a spare one of the memory locations is used instead of data from a defective one of the memory locations.

101. The apparatus of claim 90, wherein the first integrated circuit comprises a memory integrated circuit and the second integrated circuit comprises a logic integrated circuit, wherein the logic integrated circuit performs programmable gate line address assignment with respect to the memory integrated circuit.

102. The apparatus of claim 90, wherein the vertical interconnects that are closely arrayed traverse the at least one of the first and second integrated circuits that is substantially flexible.

103. The apparatus of claim 90, wherein the vertical interconnects that are closely arrayed connect circuitry of the first and second integrated circuits.

104. The apparatus of claim 103, wherein information processing is performed by the circuitry of one of the first and second integrated circuits on data routed between the circuitry of the first and second integrated circuits via the vertical interconnects that are closely arrayed.

105. The apparatus of claim 90, wherein at least one of the first and second integrated circuits has reconfiguration circuitry.

106. The apparatus of claim 90, wherein at least one of the first and second integrated circuits comprises logic for performing at least one of the following functions:

virtual memory management, ECC, indirect addressing, content addressing, data compression, data decompression, graphics acceleration, audio encoding, audio decoding, video encoding, video decoding, voice recognition, handwriting recognition, power management and database processing.

107. The apparatus of claim 90, wherein:

the first integrated circuit comprises a memory array having a plurality of memory cells, a plurality of data lines, and a plurality of gate lines, each memory cell storing a data value and comprising circuitry for coupling that data value to a corresponding one of said data lines in response to a gate control signal on a corresponding one of said gate lines;

the second integrated circuit comprises circuitry for generating gate control signals in response to addresses based on a mapping of addresses to gate lines; and

the second integrated circuit comprises circuitry for determining at least one of whether there are defective ones of said memory cells and whether there are defective ones of the gate lines and for reconfiguring said mapping for at least one of eliminating references to the corresponding ones of the gate lines for said defective ones of said memory cells and eliminating references to the defective ones of the gate lines.

108. The apparatus of claim 90, further comprising:

one or more controller integrated circuits including the first integrated circuit;

one or more memory integrated circuits including the second integrated circuit;

a plurality of data lines and a plurality of gate lines on each memory integrated circuit;

an array of memory cells on each memory integrated circuit, each memory cell storing a data value and comprising circuitry for coupling that data value to a corresponding one of said data lines in response to selection of a corresponding one of said gate lines;

gate line selection logic on at least one of the one or more controller integrated circuits for selecting gate lines for memory operations, said gate line selection logic comprising programmable gates to receive programmed address assignments for said gate lines, each programmed address assignment for determining which of said gate lines is to be selected; and

test logic on at least one of the one or more controller integrated circuits for determining at least one of whether there are defective ones of said array memory cells and whether there are defective ones of the gate lines and for reconfiguring the programmed address assignments for at least one of eliminating references to the corresponding ones of the gate lines for the defective ones of the memory cells and eliminating references to the defective ones of the gate lines.

109. The apparatus of claim 108, wherein said test logic is configured to test periodically to determine at least one of whether there are defective ones of said memory cells and whether there are defective ones of the gate lines.

110. The apparatus of claim 108, wherein at least one of the one or more controller integrated circuits further comprises programmable logic to prevent the use of data values from the corresponding ones of the data lines for the defective ones of the memory cells.

111. The apparatus of claim 108, wherein said memory cells are arranged within physical space in a physical order and are arranged within an address space in a logical order, wherein said physical order of at least one memory cell is different than the logical order of the at least one memory cell.

112. The apparatus of claim 109, wherein external testing of the test logic together with the testing by the test logic achieves a functional testing of at least one of a preponderance of the memory cells and a preponderance of the gate lines.

113. The apparatus of claim 109, wherein the testing by the test logic substantially reduces or eliminates the need for external testing.

114. The apparatus of claim 108, wherein reconfiguring the programmed address assignments comprises at least one of replacing references to the corresponding ones of the gate lines for the defective ones of the memory cells with references to the corresponding ones of the gate lines for spare ones of the memory cells and replacing references to the defective ones of the gate lines with references to spare ones of the gate lines.

115. The apparatus of claim 90, wherein the first integrated circuit is fabricated using one process technology, and the second integrated circuit is fabricated using a different process technology.

116. The apparatus of claim 90, wherein at least one of the first and second integrated circuits has a thickness of at least one of 10 microns or less and 50 microns or less.

117. The apparatus of claim 90, wherein the substantially flexible semiconductor substrate is a monocrystalline semiconductor substrate.

118. The apparatus of claim 90, wherein a back surface of the substantially flexible semiconductor substrate is the polished or smoothed surface.

119. The apparatus of claim 90, wherein at least one of the following:

the insulating portion surrounding the conductive center portion of said vertical interconnects comprises a silicon-based dielectric material having a stress of less than 5×

10⁸ dynes/cm² tensile;

one of the first and second integrated circuits is formed using a different process technology than another of the first and second integrated circuits, the different process technology being selected from a group consisting of DRAM, SRAM, FLASH, EPROM, EEPROM, Ferroelectric and Giant Magneto Resistance;

at least one of the first and second integrated circuits comprises a microprocessor;

the first and second integrated circuits comprise at least one memory integrated circuit and at least one logic integrated circuit, wherein the at least one logic integrated circuit performs testing of the at least one memory integrated circuit;

a plurality of interior vertical interconnects traverse at least one of the integrated circuits;

continuous vertical interconnects connect circuitry of the first and second integrated circuits;

information processing is performed on data routed between circuitry on the first and second integrated circuits;

at least one integrated circuit has reconfiguration circuitry;

at least one of the plurality of vertical interconnects including a bond of the bond layer, connecting circuitry of the first integrated circuit and circuitry of the second integrated circuit;

wherein the at least one of the first and second integrated circuits that is substantially flexible comprises a silicon-based dielectric layer with a stress of less than 5×

10⁸ dynes/cm² tensile;

wherein the first integrated circuit and the second integrated circuit form at least part of a stacked integrated circuit memory, wherein at least a portion of the stacked integrated circuit memory is partitioned into a plurality of circuit block stacks each comprising vertically interconnected circuit blocks, wherein a plurality of said circuit block stacks are configured to independently perform memory operations.

120. The apparatus of claim 90, wherein at least two of the following:

the insulating portion surrounding the conductive center portion of said vertical interconnects comprises a silicon-based dielectric material having a stress of less than 5×

10⁸ dynes/cm² tensile;

one of the first and second integrated circuits is formed using a different process technology than another of the first and second integrated circuits, the different process technology being selected from a group consisting of DRAM, SRAM, FLASH, EPROM, EEPROM, Ferroelectric and Giant Magneto Resistance;

at least one of the first and second integrated circuits comprises a microprocessor;

the first and second integrated circuits comprise at least one memory integrated circuit and at least one logic integrated circuit, wherein the at least one logic integrated circuit performs testing of the at least one memory integrated circuit;

a plurality of interior vertical interconnects traverse at least one of the integrated circuits;

continuous vertical interconnects connect circuitry of the first and second integrated circuits;

information processing is performed on data routed between circuitry on the first and second integrated circuits;

at least one integrated circuit has reconfiguration circuitry;

at least one of the plurality of vertical interconnects including a bond of the bond layer, connecting circuitry of the first integrated circuit and circuitry of the second integrated circuit;

wherein the at least one of the first and second integrated circuits that is substantially flexible comprises a silicon-based dielectric layer with a stress of less than 5×

10⁸ dynes/cm² tensile;

wherein the first integrated circuit and the second integrated circuit form at least part of a stacked circuit integrated memory, wherein at least a portion of the stacked integrated circuit memory is partitioned into a plurality of circuit block stacks each comprising vertically interconnected circuit blocks, wherein a plurality of said circuit block stacks are configured to independently perform memory operations;

wherein at least one of the integrated circuit layers comprises a front surface and a back surface opposite the front surface, further comprising a tensile low stress silicon-based dielectric with a stress of less than 5×

10⁸ dynes/cm² tensile on the back surface.

121. The apparatus of claim 90, wherein at least three of the following:

the insulating portion surrounding the conductive center portion of said vertical interconnects comprises a silicon-based dielectric material having a stress of less than 5×

10⁸ dynes/cm² tensile;

one of the first and second integrated circuits is formed using a different process technology than another of the first and second integrated circuits, the different process technology being selected from a group consisting of DRAM, SRAM, FLASH, EPROM, EEPROM, Ferroelectric and Giant Magneto Resistance;

at least one of the first and second integrated circuits comprises a microprocessor;

the first and second integrated circuits comprise at least one memory integrated circuit and at least one logic integrated circuit, wherein the at least one logic integrated circuit performs testing of the at least one memory integrated circuit;

a plurality of interior vertical interconnects traverse at least one of the integrated circuits;

continuous vertical interconnects connect circuitry of the first and second integrated circuits;

information processing is performed on data routed between circuitry on the first and second integrated circuits;

at least one integrated circuit has reconfiguration circuitry;

at least one of the plurality of vertical interconnects including a bond of the bond layer, connecting circuitry of the first integrated circuit and circuitry of the second integrated circuit;

wherein the at least one of the first and second integrated circuits that is substantially flexible comprises a silicon-based dielectric layer with a stress of less than 5×

10⁸ dynes/cm² tensile;

wherein the first integrated circuit and the second integrated circuit form at least part of a stacked integrated circuit memory, wherein at least a portion of the stacked integrated circuit memory is partitioned into a plurality of circuit block stacks each comprising vertically interconnected circuit blocks, wherein a plurality of said circuit block stacks are configured to independently perform memory operations.

122. The apparatus of claim 90, wherein the vertical interconnects are formed at least in part by bonds of the bond layer and connect circuitry of the first and second integrated circuits.

123. The apparatus of claim 90, wherein the at least one of the first integrated circuit and the second integrated circuit that is substantially flexible further comprises a silicon-based dielectric layer on the substantially flexible semiconductor substrate with a tensile stress of less than 5×

10⁸ dynes/cm².

124. The apparatus of claim 123, wherein the low stress silicon-based dielectric layer is at least one of a silicon dioxide dielectric and an oxide of silicon dielectric.

125. The apparatus of claim 93, wherein the bond layers comprise thermal diffusion bond layers.

126. The apparatus of claim 90, wherein the bond layer comprises a thermal diffusion bond layer.

127. The apparatus of claim 90, wherein the first integrated circuit and the second integrated circuit form at least part of a stacked integrated circuit memory, wherein at least a portion of the stacked integrated circuit memory is partitioned into a plurality of block stacks, each block stack comprising circuit blocks that are on different ones of the first and second integrated circuits and are vertically interconnected by a corresponding array of the vertical interconnects for the block stack, wherein the block stacks are configured to perform memory operations independently of each other.

128. The apparatus of claim 127, wherein the corresponding arrays of the vertical interconnects for the block stacks transfer data independently of each other during the memory operations performed independently by the block stacks.

129. The apparatus of claim 90, further comprising a silicon-based dielectric insulating layer formed on the at least one of the first integrated circuit and the second integrated circuit that is substantially flexible, wherein both the silicon-based dielectric insulating layer and the silicon-based dielectric insulating portions of the vertical interconnects have a low stress of less than 5×

10⁸ dynes/cm² tensile, and wherein the at least one of the first integrated circuit and the second integrated circuit that is substantially flexible is so from the combination of the substantially flexible semiconductor substrate being substantially flexible from being thinned and having the polished or smoothed surface, and the silicon-based dielectric insulating layer having the low stress.

130. The apparatus of claim 90, wherein the at least one of the first integrated circuit and second integrated circuit that is substantially flexible comprises a low stress silicon-based dielectric layer with a stress of less than 5×

10⁸ dynes/cm² tensile on the polished or smoothed surface of the substantially flexible semiconductor substrate.

131. The apparatus of claim 90, wherein:

the substantially flexible semiconductor substrate is monocrystalline and made substantially flexible when it is thinned and polished or smoothed by first grinding away semiconductor wafer material thereof to leave an exposed surface thereof, and then polishing or smoothing the exposed surface;

the at least one of the first integrated circuit and the second integrated circuit that is substantially flexible comprises at least one low stress silicon-based dielectric layer having a low stress of less than 5×

10⁸ dynes/cm² tensile and is substantially flexible based at least on the combination of the low stress of the at least one low-stress silicon-based dielectric layer and the substantially flexible semiconductor substrate being substantially flexible; and

the at least one of the first integrated circuit and the second integrated circuit that is substantially flexible has edges that define its size in area, wherein the substantially flexible semiconductor substrate extends in one piece across a substantial portion of the area between the edges.

132. The apparatus of claim 107, wherein the mapping is reconfigured by at least one of replacing references to the corresponding ones of the gate lines for the defective ones of the memory cells with references to the corresponding ones of the gate lines for spare ones of the memory cells and replacing references to the defective ones of the gate lines with references to spare ones of the gates lines.

133. The apparatus of claim 131, wherein the substantially flexible semiconductor substrate is polished or smoothed to reduce vulnerability to fracture as a result of flexing.

134. An information processing integrated circuit comprising:

a plurality of integrated circuit layers in a stacked relationship, wherein at least one of the integrated circuit layers is substantially flexible and comprises a silicon-based dielectric layer having a stress of less than 5×

10⁸ dynes/cm² tensile and a substantially flexible monocrystalline semiconductor substrate of one piece that is made from a semiconductor wafer, thinned by at least one of abrasion, etching and parting, and subsequently polished or smoothed after being thinned to form a polished or smoothed surface; and

a plurality of vertical interconnects interior to overlying portions of the integrated circuit layers for the transfer of data between at least two of the integrated circuit layers, each vertical interconnect extending through one of a plurality of holes in semiconductor material of the substantially flexible monocrystalline semiconductor substrate from a first surface of the substantially flexible monocrystalline semiconductor substrate to an opposite surface thereof and comprises within the one of the plurality of holes a conductive center portion and a silicon-based dielectric insulating portion surrounding the conductive center portion and having a stress of less than 5×

10⁸ dynes/cm² tensile.

135. The information processing integrated circuit of claim 134, wherein the integrated circuit layers are each formed with one of single crystal semiconductor material and polycrystalline semiconductor material.

136. The information processing integrated circuit of claim 134, wherein one of the integrated circuit layers is formed using a different process technology than another of the integrated circuit layers, the different process technology being selected from a group consisting of DRAM, SRAM, FLASH, EPROM, EEPROM, Ferroelectric and Giant Magneto Resistance.

137. The information processing integrated circuit of claim 134, wherein at least one of the integrated circuit layers comprises a microprocessor.

138. The information processing integrated circuit of claim 134, wherein a first one of the integrated circuit layers comprises a memory layer and a second one of the integrated circuit layers comprises a logic layer, wherein the logic layer performs testing of the memory layer via the vertical interconnects.

139. The information processing integrated circuit of claim 134, wherein at least one of the integrated circuit layers comprises a memory layer having multiple memory locations, wherein data from a spare one of the memory locations is used instead of data from a defective one of the memory locations.

140. The information processing integrated circuit of claim 134, wherein the integrated circuit layers comprise at least one memory layer and at least one logic layer, wherein the at least one logic layer performs programmable gate line address assignment with respect to the at least one memory layer.

141. The information processing integrated circuit of claim 134, wherein the vertical interconnects traverse the at least one of the integrated circuit layers that is substantially flexible.

142. The information processing integrated circuit of claim 134, wherein the vertical interconnects connect circuitry of the integrated circuit layers.

143. The information processing integrated circuit of claim 142, wherein information processing is performed by the circuitry of a first one of the integrated circuit layers on data routed between the circuitry of a second one integrated circuit layers via the vertical interconnects.

144. The information processing integrated circuit of claim 134, wherein at least one of the integrated circuit layers has reconfiguration circuitry.

145. The information processing integrated circuit of claim 134, wherein the integrated circuit layers comprise at least one logic layer having logic for performing at least one of the following functions:

virtual memory management, ECC, indirect addressing, content addressing, data compression, data decompression, graphics acceleration, audio encoding, audio decoding, video encoding, video decoding, voice recognition, handwriting recognition, power management and database processing.

146. The information processing integrated circuit of claim 134, wherein:

a first one of the integrated circuit layers comprises a memory array having a plurality of memory cells, a plurality of data lines, and a plurality of gate lines, each memory cell storing a data value and comprising circuitry for coupling that data value to one of said data lines in response to a gate control signal on one of said gate lines;

a second one of the integrated circuit layers comprises circuitry for generating a gate control signal in response to an address, including means for mapping addresses to gate lines; and

the second one of the integrated circuit layers comprises circuitry for at least one of determining whether there are defective ones of said memory cells and reconfiguring said mapping to eliminate references to the corresponding ones of the gate lines for said defective ones of said memory cells and determining whether there are defective ones of the gate lines and reconfiguring the mapping to eliminate references to the defective ones of the gate lines.

147. The information processing integrated circuit of claim 134, wherein:

the integrated circuit layers comprise one or more controller layers and one or more memory layers;

the one or more memory layers comprise a plurality of data lines, a plurality of gate lines, and an array of memory cells on each memory layer, each memory cell storing a data value and comprising circuitry for coupling that data value to a corresponding one of said data lines in response to selection of a corresponding one of said gate lines;

the one or more controller layers comprise gate line selection logic for selecting gate lines for memory operations, said gate line selection logic comprising programmable gates to receive programmed address assignments for said gate lines, each programmed address assignment for determining which of said gate lines is to be selected; and

the one or more controller layers comprise test logic for at least one of determining whether there are defective ones of said memory cells and reconfiguring the programmed address assignments to eliminate references to the corresponding ones of the gate lines for the defective ones of the memory cells and determining whether there are defective ones of the gate lines and reconfiguring the programmed address assignments to eliminate references to the defective ones of the gate lines.

148. The information processing integrated circuit of claim 147, wherein said test logic tests periodically to determine at least one of whether there are defective ones of said memory cells and whether there are defective ones of the gate lines.

149. The information processing integrated circuit of claim 147, wherein the one or more controller layers comprise programmable logic to prevent the use of data values from the corresponding ones of the data lines for the defective ones of the memory cells.

150. The information processing integrated circuit of claim 147, wherein said memory cells are arranged within physical space in a physical order and are arranged within an address space in a logical order, wherein said physical order of at least one memory cell is different than the logical order of the at least one memory cell.

151. The information processing integrated circuit of claim 148, wherein external testing of the test logic together with the testing by the test logic achieves a functional testing of at least one of a preponderance of the memory cells and a preponderance of the gate lines.

152. The information processing integrated circuit of claim 148, wherein the testing by the test logic substantially reduces or eliminates the need for external testing.

153. The information processing integrated circuit of claim 147, wherein reconfiguring the programmed address assignments comprises at least one of replacing references to the corresponding ones of the gate lines for the defective ones of the memory cells with references to the corresponding ones of the gate lines for spare ones of the memory cells and replacing references to the defective ones of the gate lines with references to spare ones of the gate lines.

154. The information processing integrated circuit of claim 134, wherein a first one of the integrated circuit layers is fabricated using one process technology, and a second one of the integrated circuit layers is fabricated using a different process technology.

155. The information processing integrated circuit of claim 134, wherein at least one of the integrated circuit layers has a thickness of at least one of 10 microns or less and 50 microns or less.

156. The information processing integrated circuit of claim 134, wherein the silicon-based dielectric layer is at least one of a silicon dioxide dielectric and an oxide of silicon dielectric.

157. The information processing integrated circuit of claim 134, wherein a back surface of the substantially flexible monocrystalline semiconductor substrate is the polished or smoothed surface.

158. The information processing integrated circuit of claim 134, wherein at least one of the following:

the insulating portion surrounding the conductive center portion of said vertical interconnects comprises a silicon-based dielectric material having a stress of less than 5×

10⁸ dynes/cm² tensile;

one of the integrated circuits layers is formed using a different process technology than another of the integrated circuit layers, the different process technology being selected from a group consisting of DRAM, SRAM, FLASH, EPROM, EEPROM, Ferroelectric and Giant Magneto Resistance;

at least one of the integrated circuit layers comprises a microprocessor;

the integrated circuit layers comprise at least one memory integrated circuit layer and at least one logic integrated circuit layer, wherein the at least one logic integrated circuit layer performs testing of the at least one memory integrated circuit layer;

a plurality of interior vertical interconnects traverse at least one of the integrated circuit layers;

continuous vertical interconnects connect circuitry of the integrated circuit layers;

information processing is performed on data routed between circuitry on the integrated circuit layers;

at least one integrated circuit layer has reconfiguration circuitry;

at least one of the plurality of vertical interconnects includes a thermal diffusion bond, connecting circuitry of the integrated circuit layers;

wherein the at least one of the integrated circuit layers that is substantially flexible comprises a silicon-based dielectric layer with a stress of less than 5×

10⁸ dynes/cm² tensile;

wherein the integrated circuit layers form at least part of a stacked integrated circuit memory, wherein at least a portion of the stacked integrated circuit memory is partitioned into a plurality of circuit block stacks each comprising vertically interconnected circuit blocks, wherein a plurality of said circuit block stacks are configured to independently perform memory operations.

159. The information processing integrated circuit of claim 134, wherein at least two of the following:

the insulating portion surrounding the conductive center portion of said vertical interconnects comprises a silicon-based dielectric material having a stress of less than 5×

10⁸ dynes/cm² tensile;

one of the integrated circuit layers is formed using a different process technology than another of the integrated circuit layers, the different process technology being selected from a group consisting of DRAM, SRAM, FLASH, EPROM, EEPROM, Ferroelectric and Giant Magneto Resistance;

at least one of the integrated circuit layers comprises a microprocessor;

the integrated circuit layers comprise at least one memory integrated circuit layer and at least one logic integrated circuit layer, wherein the at least one logic integrated circuit layer performs testing of the at least one memory integrated circuit layer;

a plurality of interior vertical interconnects traverse at least one of the integrated circuit layers;

continuous vertical interconnects connect circuitry of the integrated circuit layers;

information processing is performed on data routed between circuitry on the integrated circuit layers;

at least one integrated circuit layer has reconfiguration circuitry;

at least one of the plurality of vertical interconnects includes a thermal diffusion bond, connecting circuitry of the integrated circuit layers;

wherein the at least one of the integrated circuit layers that is substantially flexible comprises a silicon-based dielectric layer with a stress of less than 5×

10⁸ dynes/cm² tensile;

wherein the integrated circuit layers form at least part of a stacked integrated circuit memory, wherein at least a portion of the stacked integrated circuit memory is partitioned into a plurality of circuit block stacks each comprising vertically interconnected circuit blocks, wherein a plurality of said circuit block stacks are configured to independently perform memory operations;

wherein at least one of the integrated circuit layers comprises a front surface and a back surface opposite the front surface, further comprising a tensile low stress silicon-based dielectric with a stress of less than 5×

10⁸ dynes/cm² tensile on the back surface.

160. The information processing integrated circuit of claim 134, wherein at least three of the following:

the insulating portion surrounding the conductive center portion of said vertical interconnects comprises a silicon-based dielectric material having a stress of less than 5×

10⁸ dynes/cm² tensile;

one of the integrated circuits layers is formed using a different process technology than another of the integrated circuit layers, the different process technology being selected from a group consisting of DRAM, SRAM, FLASH, EPROM, EEPROM, Ferroelectric and Giant Magneto Resistance;

at least one of the integrated circuit layers comprises a microprocessor;

the integrated circuit layers comprise at least one memory integrated circuit layer and at least one logic integrated circuit layer, wherein the at least one logic integrated circuit layer performs testing of the at least one memory integrated circuit layer;

a plurality of interior vertical interconnects traverse at least one of the integrated circuit layers;

continuous vertical interconnects connect circuitry of the integrated circuit layers;

information processing is performed on data routed between circuitry on integrated circuit layers;

at least one integrated circuit layer has reconfiguration circuitry;

at least one of the plurality of vertical interconnects includes a thermal diffusion bond, connecting circuitry of the integrated circuit layers;

wherein the at least one of the integrated circuit layers that is substantially flexible comprises a silicon-based dielectric layer with a stress of less than 5×

10⁸ dynes/cm² tensile;

wherein the first integrated circuit layer and the second integrated circuit layer form at least part of a stacked integrated circuit memory, wherein at least a portion of the stacked integrated circuit memory is partitioned into a plurality of circuit block stacks each comprising vertically interconnected circuit blocks, wherein a plurality of said circuit block stacks are configured to independently perform memory operations.

161. The information processing integrated circuit of claim 134, wherein the integrated circuit layers are bonded together by thermal diffusion bond layers.

162. The information processing integrated circuit of claim 161, wherein the vertical interconnects are formed at least in part by bonds of the thermal diffusion bond layers and connect circuitry of the integrated circuit layers.

165. The information processing integrated circuit of claim 134, further comprising thermal diffusion bond layers physically joining the integrated circuit layers and providing a primary means of attachment of the integrated circuits layers.

166. The information processing integrated circuit of claim 134, wherein the integrated circuit layers form at least part of a stacked integrated circuit memory, wherein at least a portion of the stacked integrated circuit memory is partitioned into a plurality of block stacks, each block stack comprising circuit blocks that are on different ones of the integrated circuit layers and are vertically interconnected by a corresponding array of the vertical interconnects for the block stack, wherein the block stacks are configured to perform memory operations independently of each other.

167. The information processing integrated circuit of claim 166, wherein the corresponding arrays of the vertical interconnects for the block stacks transfer data independently of each other during the memory operations performed independently by the block stacks.

168. The information processing integrated circuit of claim 134, wherein the at least one of the integrated circuit layers that is substantially flexible is so from the combination of the substantially flexible monocrystalline semiconductor substrate being substantially flexible from being thinned and having the polished or smoothed surface, and the silicon-based dielectric insulating layer having a low stress of less than 5×

10⁸ dynes/cm² tensile.

169. The information processing integrated circuit of claim 134, wherein the at least one of the integrated circuit layers that is substantially flexible further comprises a low stress silicon-based dielectric layer with a stress of less than 5×

10⁸ dynes/cm² tensile on the polished or smoothed surface of the substantially flexible monocrystalline semiconductor substrate.

170. The information processing integrated circuit of claim 134, wherein:

the substantially flexible monocrystalline semiconductor substrate is made substantially flexible when it is thinned and polished or smoothed by first grinding away semiconductor wafer material thereof to leave an exposed surface thereof, and then polishing or smoothing the exposed surface;

the at least one of the integrated circuit layers that is substantially flexible is substantially flexible based at least on the combination of the low stress of the at least one low-stress silicon-based dielectric layer being less than 5×

10⁸ dynes/cm² tensile and the substantially flexible monocrystalline semiconductor substrate being substantially flexible; and

the at least one of the integrated circuit layers that is substantially flexible comprises a singulated die having a die area defined by its perimeter, wherein the substantially flexible monocrystalline semiconductor substrate extends in one piece across a substantial portion of the die area.

171. The apparatus of claim 146, wherein the mapping is reconfigured by at least one of replacing references to the corresponding ones of the gate lines for the defective ones of the memory cells with references to the corresponding ones of the gate lines for spare ones of the memory cells and replacing references to the defective ones of the gate lines with references to spare ones of the gates lines.

172. The information processing integrated circuit of claim 170, wherein the substantially flexible monocrystalline semiconductor substrate is polished or smoothed to reduce vulnerability to fracture as a result of flexing.

256. The information processing integrated circuit of one of claims 134 and 252, wherein:

one of the integrated circuit layers comprises a control circuit layer and another of the integrated circuit layers comprises a memory circuit layer;

the control circuit layer comprises reconfiguration logic for performing reconfiguration of the memory circuit layer after manufacture of the apparatus has been completed and during a useful life of the apparatus;

the control circuit layer comprises memory test logic for performing functional testing of the memory circuit layer via at least some of the vertical interconnects;

the control circuit layer comprises memory error correction logic for performing error correction of data read from the memory circuit layer via at least some of the vertical interconnects; and

,

the memory circuit layer comprises an array of memory cells including spare or redundant cells for replacement of defective cells of the memory cells; and

,

the vertical interconnects include spare or redundant interconnects for replacement of defective interconnects of the vertical interconnects.

257. The information processing integrated circuit of claim 256, wherein the control circuit layer further comprises refresh logic for performing refresh of at least some of the memory cells via at least some of the vertical interconnects.

258. The information processing integrated circuit of claim 256, wherein a process technology used to make the control circuit layer is different from a process technology used to make the memory circuit layer.

259. The information processing integrated circuit of one of claims 134 and 252, wherein:

one the integrated circuit layers comprises a control circuit layer and others of the integrated circuit layers comprise memory circuit layers;

the control circuit layer and the memory circuit layers form a stacked integrated circuit memory, the stacked integrated circuit memory is partitioned into a plurality of block stacks, each block stack comprises circuit blocks that are on different ones of the control circuit layer and the memory circuit layers and an array of the vertical interconnects that vertically interconnect the circuit blocks of the block stacks, and the block stacks are configured to perform memory operations independently of each other.

260. The information processing integrated circuit of claim 259, wherein:

the array of the vertical interconnects of each block stack pass through at least one of the control circuit layer and memory circuit layers;

the arrays of the vertical interconnects of the block stacks transfer data independently of each other during the memory operations performed independently by the block stacks.

261. The information processing integrated circuit of claim 259, wherein each block stack comprises a controller circuit block on the control circuit layer and memory circuit blocks on the memory circuit layers, the controller circuit block of each block stack performs error correction on read data from the memory circuit blocks of the block stack, the read data in each block stack is transferred through the array of the vertical interconnects of the block stack, and the read data in each block stack includes ECC data used by the controller circuit block of the block stack to perform error correction on the read data.

262. The information processing integrated circuit of claim 259, wherein each block stack comprises a controller circuit block on the control circuit layer and memory circuit blocks on the memory circuit layers, the controller circuit block of each block stack performs reconfiguration of the array of the vertical interconnects of the block stack to avoid using defective memory portions of the memory circuit blocks of the block stack, the controller circuit block of each block stack performs substitution of the defective memory portions of the memory circuit blocks of the block stack with redundant memory portions of the memory circuit blocks of the block stack.

263. The information processing integrated circuit of claim 259, wherein each block stack comprises a controller circuit block on the control circuit layer and memory circuit blocks on the memory circuit layers, and the controller circuit block of each block stack performs refresh of memory portions of the memory circuit blocks of the block stack using the array of the vertical interconnects of the block stack.

264. The information processing integrated circuit of claim 259, wherein each block stack comprises a controller circuit block on the control circuit layer and memory circuit blocks on the memory circuit layers, and the controller circuit block of each block stack performs functional testing of memory portions of the memory circuit blocks of the block stack using the array of the vertical interconnects of the block stack.

173. An integrated circuit structure comprising:

a plurality of substrates in a stacked relationship;

wherein at least one of the plurality of substrates is substantially flexible and comprises;

a silicon-based dielectric layer with a low stress of less than 5×

10⁸ dynes/cm² tensile;

a monocrystalline semiconductor substrate;

a plurality of vertical interconnects that each comprise a vertical through-substrate conductor that extends through a hole in the monocrystalline semiconductor substrate and a vertical silicon-based dielectric insulator extending through the hole, insulating the vertical through-substrate conductor from the monocrystalline semiconductor substrate, and having a stress of less than 5×

10⁸ dynes/cm² tensile.

174. The integrated circuit structure of claim 173, wherein the monocrystalline semiconductor substrate is substantially flexible.

175. The integrated circuit structure of claim 173, wherein the plurality of substrates comprise at least first and second integrated circuit layers, and wherein at least two of:

the first integrated circuit layer and the second integrated circuit layer are formed with one of single crystal semiconductor material and polycrystalline semiconductor material;

one of the first and second integrated circuit layers is formed using a different process technology than another of the first and second integrated circuit layers, the different process technology being selected from a group consisting of DRAM, SRAM, FLASH, EPROM, EEPROM, Ferroelectric and Giant Magneto Resistance;

at least one of the first and second integrated circuit layers comprises a microprocessor;

information processing is performed on data routed between circuitry on the first and second integrated circuit layers;

the stacked integrated circuit further comprises at least one logic layer having logic for performing at least one of the following functions;

virtual memory management, ECC, indirect addressing, content addressing, data compression, data decompression, graphics acceleration, audio encoding, audio decoding, video encoding, video decoding, voice recognition, handwriting recognition, power management and database processing;

at least one of the integrated circuit layers has a thickness of at least one of 10 microns or less and 50 microns or less;

at least one of the integrated circuit layers is formed with a low stress silicon-based dielectric, wherein the low stress silicon-based dielectric is at least one of a silicon dioxide dielectric and an oxide of silicon dielectric and is caused to have a stress of less than 5×

10⁸ dynes/cm² tensile;

a back surface of the first integrated circuit layer is polished or smoothed;

wherein the first integrated circuit layer and the second integrated circuit layer form at least part of a stacked integrated circuit memory, wherein at least a portion of the stacked integrated circuit memory is partitioned into a plurality of circuit block stacks each comprising vertically interconnected circuit blocks, wherein a plurality of said circuit block stacks are configured to independently perform memory operations;

wherein at least one of the substrates comprises a front surface and a back surface opposite the front surface, further comprising a tensile low stress silicon-based dielectric with a stress of less than 5×

10⁸ dynes/cm² tensile on the back surface.

176. The integrated circuit structure of claim 174, wherein the at least one of the plurality of substrates that is substantially flexible is so from the combination of the monocrystalline semiconductor substrate being substantially flexible having the low stress.

177. The integrated circuit structure of claim 173, wherein the silicon-based dielectric layer is on a back surface of the monocrystalline semiconductor substrate.

178. The integrated circuit structure of claim 173, wherein:

the monocrystalline semiconductor substrate is made substantially flexible when it is thinned and polished or smoothed by first grinding away semiconductor wafer material thereof to leave an exposed surface thereof, and then polishing or smoothing the exposed surface;

the at least one of the plurality of substrates that is substantially flexible is substantially flexible based at least on the combination of the low stress of the at least one low-stress silicon-based dielectric layer and the monocrystalline semiconductor substrate being substantially flexible; and

the at least one of the plurality of substrates that is substantially flexible has edges that define its size in area, wherein the monocrystalline semiconductor substrate extends in one piece across a substantial portion of the area between the edges.

179. The integrated circuit structure of claim 178, wherein the monocrystalline semiconductor substrate is polished or smoothed to reduce vulnerability to fracture as a result of flexing.

270. The apparatus of one of claims 178 and 268, wherein:

one of the plurality of substrates comprises a control circuit and another of the plurality of substrates comprises a memory circuit;

the control circuit comprises reconfiguration logic for performing reconfiguration of the memory circuit after manufacture of the apparatus has been completed and during a useful life of the apparatus;

the control circuit comprises memory test logic for performing functional testing of the memory circuit via at least some of the vertical interconnects;

the control circuit comprises memory error correction logic for performing error correction of data read from the memory circuit via at least some of the vertical interconnects; and

,

the memory circuit comprises an array of memory cells including spare or redundant cells for replacement of defective cells of the memory cells; and

,

the vertical interconnects include spare or redundant interconnects for replacement of defective interconnects of the vertical interconnects.

271. The apparatus of claim 270, wherein the control circuit comprises refresh logic for performing refresh of at least some of the memory cells of the memory circuit via at least some of the vertical interconnects.

272. The apparatus of claim 270, wherein a process technology used to make the control circuit is different from a process technology used to make the memory circuit.

273. The apparatus of one of claims 178 and 268, wherein:

one the plurality of substrates comprises a control circuit and others of the plurality of substrates comprise memory circuits;

the control circuit and the memory circuits form a stacked integrated circuit memory, the stacked integrated circuit memory is partitioned into a plurality of block stacks, each block stack comprises circuit blocks that are in different ones of the control circuit and the memory circuits and an array of the vertical interconnects that vertically interconnect the circuit blocks of the block stack, and the block stacks are configured to perform memory operations independently of each other.

274. The apparatus of claim 273, wherein:

the array of the vertical interconnects of each block stack pass through at least one of the control circuit and memory circuits;

the arrays of the vertical interconnects of the block stacks transfer data independently of each other during the memory operations performed independently by the block stacks.

275. The apparatus of claim 273, wherein each block stack comprises a controller circuit block in the control circuit and memory circuit blocks in the memory circuits, the controller circuit block of each block stack performs error correction on read data from the memory circuit blocks of the block stack, the read data in each block stack is transferred through the array of the vertical interconnects of the block stack, and the read data in each block stack includes ECC data used by the controller circuit block of the block stack to perform error correction on the read data.

276. The apparatus of claim 273, wherein each block stack comprises a controller circuit block in the control circuit and memory circuit blocks in the memory circuits, the controller circuit block of each block stack performs reconfiguration of the array of the vertical interconnects of the block stack to avoid using defective memory portions of the memory circuit blocks of the block stack, and the controller circuit block of each block stack performs substitution of the defective memory portions of the memory circuit blocks of the block stack with redundant memory portions of the memory circuit blocks of the block stack.

277. The apparatus of claim 273, wherein each block stack comprises a controller circuit block in the control circuit and memory circuit blocks in the memory circuits of the block stack, and the controller circuit block of each block stack performs refresh of memory portions of the memory circuit blocks of the block stack using the array of vertical interconnects of the block stack.

278. The apparatus of claim 273, wherein each block stack comprises a controller circuit block in the control circuit and memory circuit blocks in the memory circuit, and the controller circuit block of each block stack performs functional testing of memory portions of the memory circuit blocks of the block stack using the array of the vertical interconnects of the block stack.

180. A stacked integrated circuit, comprising:

a first integrated circuit layer comprising a semiconductor substrate formed from a semiconductor wafer or portion thereof;

a second integrated circuit layer comprising a semiconductor substrate formed from a semiconductor wafer or portion thereof and stacked together with the first integrated circuit layer;

wherein at least one of the first integrated circuit layer and the second integrated circuit layer is substantially flexible and its semiconductor substrate is a substantially flexible semiconductor substrate of one piece made from a semiconductor wafer or portion thereof, thinned by at least one of abrasion, etching and parting, and subsequently polished or smoothed after being thinned to form a polished or smoothed surface; and

a plurality of vertical interconnects that each extend through a hole in semiconductor material and pass vertically through the substantially flexible semiconductor substrate and interconnect integrated circuitry of the first integrated circuit layer and integrated circuitry of the second integrated circuit layer.

181. The stacked integrated circuit of claim 180, wherein at least two of:

the first integrated circuit layer and the second integrated circuit layer are formed with one of single crystal semiconductor material and polycrystalline semiconductor material;

one of the first and second integrated circuit layers is formed using a different process technology than another of the first and second integrated circuit layers, the different process technology being selected from a group consisting of DRAM, SRAM, FLASH, EPROM, EEPROM, Ferroelectric and Giant Magneto Resistance;

at least one of the first and second integrated circuit layers comprises a microprocessor;

information processing is performed on data routed between circuitry on the first and second integrated circuit layers;

the stacked integrated circuit further comprises at least one logic layer having logic for performing at least one of the following functions;

virtual memory management, ECC, indirect addressing, content addressing, data compression, data decompression, graphics acceleration, audio encoding, audio decoding, video encoding, video decoding, voice recognition, handwriting recognition, power management and database processing;

at least one of the integrated circuit layers has a thickness of at least one of 10 microns or less and 50 microns or less;

at least one of the integrated circuit layers is formed with a low stress silicon-based dielectric, wherein the low stress silicon-based dielectric is at least one of a silicon dioxide dielectric and an oxide of silicon dielectric and is caused to have a stress of less than 5×

10⁸ dynes/cm² tensile;

a back surface of the first integrated circuit layer is polished or smoothed;

wherein the first integrated circuit layer and the second integrated circuit layer form at least part of a stacked integrated circuit memory, wherein at least a portion of the stacked integrated circuit memory is partitioned into a plurality of circuit block stacks each comprising vertically interconnected circuit blocks, wherein a plurality of said circuit block stacks are configured to independently perform memory operations;

wherein at least one of the integrated circuit layers comprises a front surface and a back surface opposite the front surface, further comprising a tensile low stress silicon-based dielectric with a stress of less than 5×

10⁸ dynes/cm² tensile on the back surface.

182. The stacked integrated circuit of claim 180, further comprising a silicon-based dielectric insulating layer formed on the at least one of the first integrated circuit layer and the second integrated circuit layer that is substantially flexible, wherein each vertical interconnect comprises within the hole of the substantially flexible semiconductor substrate a conductive center portion and a silicon-based dielectric insulating portion surrounding the conductive center portion, wherein both the silicon-based dielectric insulating layer and the silicon-based dielectric insulating portion of each vertical interconnect have a low stress of less than 5×

10⁸ dynes/cm² tensile, and wherein the at least one of the first circuit layer and the second circuit layer that is substantially flexible is so from the combination of the substantially flexible semiconductor substrate being substantially flexible from being thinned and having the polished or smoothed surface, and the silicon-based dielectric insulating layer having the low stress.

183. The stacked integrated circuit of claim 180, wherein the substantially flexible semiconductor substrate is monocrystalline and the at least one of the first integrated circuit layer and the second integrated circuit layer that is flexible comprises a low stress silicon-based dielectric layer with a stress of less than 5×

10⁸ dynes/cm² tensile on the polished or smoothed surface of the substantially flexible semiconductor substrate.

184. The stacked integrated circuit of claim 180, wherein:

the substantially flexible semiconductor substrate is monocrystalline and made substantially flexible when it is thinned and polished or smoothed by first grinding away semiconductor wafer material thereof to leave an exposed surface thereof, and then polishing or smoothing the exposed surface;

the at least one of the first integrated circuit layer and the second integrated circuit layer that is substantially flexible comprises at least one low stress silicon-based dielectric layer and is substantially flexible based at least on the combination of the low stress of the at least one low-stress silicon-based dielectric layer and the substantially flexible semiconductor substrate being substantially flexible; and

the at least one of the first integrated circuit layer and the second integrated circuit layer that is substantially flexible has edges that define its size in area, wherein the substantially flexible semiconductor substrate extends in one piece across a substantial portion of the area between the edges.

185. The stacked integrated circuit of claim 184, wherein the substantially flexible semiconductor substrate is polished or smoothed to reduce vulnerability to fracture as a result of flexing.

194. The stacked integrated circuit of one of claims 180 and 186, wherein:

the first integrated circuit layer comprises a control circuit layer and the second integrated circuit layer comprises a memory circuit layer;

the control circuit layer comprises reconfiguration logic for performing reconfiguration of the memory circuit layer after manufacture of the apparatus has been completed and during a useful life of the apparatus;

the control circuit layer comprises memory test logic for performing functional testing of the memory circuit layer via at least some of the vertical interconnects;

the control circuit layer comprises memory error correction logic for performing error correction of data read from the memory circuit layer via at least some of the vertical interconnects; and

,

the memory circuit layer comprises an array of memory cells including spare or redundant cells for replacement of defective cells of the memory cells; and

,

the vertical interconnects include spare or redundant interconnects for replacement of defective interconnects of the vertical interconnects.

195. The stacked integrated circuit of claim 194, wherein the control circuit layer comprises refresh logic for performing refresh of at least some of the memory cells of the memory circuit layer via at least some of the vertical interconnects.

196. The stacked integrated circuit of one of claim 194, wherein a process technology used to make the control circuit layer is different from a process technology used to make the memory circuit layer.

197. The stacked integrated circuit of one of claims 180 and 186, further comprising:

a plurality of memory circuit layers stacked with the first integrated circuit layer and including the second integrated circuit layer;

wherein the first integrated circuit layer comprises a control circuit layer; and

wherein the control circuit layer and the memory circuit layers form a stacked integrated circuit memory, the stacked integrated circuit memory is partitioned into a plurality of block stacks, each block stack comprises circuit blocks that are on different ones of the control circuit layer and the memory circuit layers and an array of the vertical interconnects that vertically interconnect the circuit blocks of the block stack, and the block stacks are configured to perform memory operations independently of each other.

198. The stacked integrated circuit of claim 197, wherein:

the array of the vertical interconnects of each block stack pass through at least one of the control circuit layer and the memory circuit layers;

the arrays of the vertical interconnects of the block stacks transfer data independently of each other during the memory operations performed independently by the block stacks.

199. The stacked integrated circuit of claim 197, wherein each block stack comprises a controller circuit block on the control circuit layer and memory circuit blocks on the memory circuit layers, the controller circuit block of each block stack performs error correction on read data from the memory circuit blocks of the block stack, the read data in each block stack is transferred through the array of the vertical interconnects of the block stack, and the read data in each block stack includes ECC data used by the controller circuit block of the block stack to perform error correction on the read data.

200. The stacked integrated circuit of claim 197, wherein each block stack comprises a controller circuit block on the control circuit layer and memory circuit blocks on the memory circuit layers, the controller circuit block of each block stack performs reconfiguration of the array of the vertical interconnects of the block stack to avoid using defective memory portions of the memory circuit blocks of the block stack, and the controller circuit block of each block stack performs substitution of the defective memory portions of the memory circuit blocks of the block stack with redundant memory portions of the memory circuit blocks of the block stack.

201. The stacked integrated circuit of claim 197, wherein each block stack comprises a controller circuit block on the control circuit layer and memory circuit blocks on the memory circuit layers, and the controller circuit block of each block stack performs refresh of memory portions of the memory circuit blocks of the block stack using the array of the vertical interconnects of the block stack.

202. The stacked integrated circuit of claim 197, wherein each block stack comprises a controller circuit block on the control circuit layer and memory circuit blocks on the memory circuit layers, and the controller circuit block of each block stack performs functional testing of memory portions of the memory circuit blocks of the block stack using the array of the vertical interconnects of the block stack.

186. A stacked integrated circuit, comprising:

a first integrated circuit layer comprising a semiconductor substrate formed from a semiconductor wafer or portion thereof and integrated circuitry formed on the semiconductor substrate of the first circuit layer;

a second integrated circuit layer comprising a semiconductor substrate formed from a semiconductor wafer or portion thereof and integrated circuitry formed on the semiconductor substrate of the second circuit layer, the second circuit layer stacked together with the first circuit layer in contact therewith;

wherein at least one of the first integrated circuit layer and the second integrated circuit layer is substantially flexible and its semiconductor substrate is a substantially flexible monocrystalline semiconductor substrate of one piece made from a semiconductor wafer or portion thereof, thinned by at least one of abrasion, etching and parting, and subsequently polished or smoothed after being thinned to form a polished or smoothed surface; and

a plurality of vertical interconnects that each extend through a hole in semiconductor material and pass vertically through the substantially flexible monocrystalline semiconductor substrate and interconnect the integrated circuitry of the first integrated circuit layer and the integrated circuitry of the second integrated circuit layer;

wherein the first integrated circuit layer and the second integrated circuit layer are joined together using metal-to-metal bonding as a primary means of attachment.

187. The stacked integrated circuit of claim 186, wherein at least two of:

the first integrated circuit layer and the second integrated circuit layer are formed with one of single crystal semiconductor material and polycrystalline semiconductor material;

one of the first and second integrated circuit layers is formed using a different process technology than another of the first and second integrated circuit layers, the different process technology being selected from a group consisting of DRAM, SRAM, FLASH, EPROM, EEPROM, Ferroelectric and Giant Magneto Resistance;

at least one of the first and second integrated circuit layers comprises a microprocessor;

information processing is performed on data routed between circuitry on the first and second integrated circuit layers;

the stacked integrated circuit further comprises at least one logic layer having logic for performing at least one of the following functions;

virtual memory management, ECC, indirect addressing, content addressing, data compression, data decompression, graphics acceleration, audio encoding, audio decoding, video encoding, video decoding, voice recognition, handwriting recognition, power management and database processing;

at least one of the integrated circuit layers has a thickness of at least one of 10 microns or less and 50 microns or less;

at least one of the integrated circuit layers is formed with a low stress silicon-based dielectric, wherein the low stress silicon-based dielectric is at least one of a silicon dioxide dielectric and an oxide of silicon dielectric and is caused to have a stress of less than 5×

10⁸ dynes/cm² tensile;

a back surface of the first integrated circuit layer is polished or smoothed;

wherein the first integrated circuit layer and the second integrated circuit layer form at least part of a stacked integrated circuit memory, wherein at least a portion of the stacked integrated circuit memory is partitioned into a plurality of circuit block stacks each comprising vertically interconnected circuit blocks, wherein a plurality of said circuit block stacks are configured to independently perform memory operations;

wherein at least one of the integrated circuit layers comprises a front surface and a back surface opposite the front surface, further comprising a tensile low stress silicon-based dielectric with a stress of less than 5×

10⁸ dynes/cm² tensile on the back surface.

188. The stacked integrated circuit of claim 186, wherein the first integrated circuit layer and the second integrated circuit layer form at least part of a stacked integrated circuit memory, wherein at least a portion of the stacked integrated circuit memory is partitioned into a plurality of block stacks, each block stack comprising circuit blocks that are on different ones of the first and second integrated circuit layers and are vertically interconnected by a corresponding array of the vertical interconnects for the block stack, wherein the block stacks are configured to perform memory operations independently of each other.

189. The stacked integrated circuit of claim 188, wherein the corresponding arrays of the vertical interconnects for the block stacks transfer data independently of each other during the memory operations performed independently by the block stacks.

190. The stacked integrated circuit of claim 186, further comprising a silicon-based dielectric insulating layer formed on the at least one of the first integrated circuit layer and the second integrated circuit layer that is substantially flexible, wherein each vertical interconnect comprises within the hole of the substantially flexible monocrystalline semiconductor substrate a conductive center portion and a silicon-based dielectric insulating portion surrounding the conductive center portion, wherein both the silicon-based dielectric insulating layer and the silicon-based dielectric insulating portion of each vertical interconnect have a low stress of less than 5×

10⁸ dynes/cm² tensile, and wherein the at least one of the first integrated circuit layer and the second integrated circuit layer that is substantially flexible is so from the combination of the substantially flexible monocrystalline semiconductor substrate being substantially flexible from being thinned and having the polished or smoothed surface, and the silicon-based dielectric insulating layer having the low stress.

191. The stacked integrated circuit of claim 186, wherein the at least one of the first integrated circuit layer and the second integrated circuit layer that is flexible comprises a low stress silicon-based dielectric layer with a stress of less than 5×

10⁸ dynes/cm² tensile on the polished or smoothed surface of the substantially flexible monocrystalline semiconductor substrate.

192. The stacked integrated circuit of claim 186, wherein:

the substantially flexible monocrystalline semiconductor substrate is made substantially flexible when it is thinned and polished or smoothed by first grinding away semiconductor wafer material of the semiconductor substrate to leave an exposed surface thereof, and then polishing or smoothing the exposed surface;

the at least one of the first integrated circuit layer and the second integrated circuit layer that is substantially flexible comprises at least one low stress silicon-based dielectric layers and is substantially flexible based at least on the combination of the low stress of the at least one low-stress silicon-based dielectric layers and the substantially flexible monocrystalline semiconductor substrate being substantially flexible; and

the at least one of the first integrated circuit layer and second circuit layer that is substantially flexible comprises a singulated die having a die area defined by its perimeter, wherein the substantially flexible monocrystalline semiconductor substrate extends in one piece across a substantial portion of the die area.

193. The stacked integrated circuit of claim 192, wherein the substantially flexible monocrystalline semiconductor substrate is polished or smoothed to reduce vulnerability to fracture as a result of flexing.

203. An apparatus comprising:

a first integrated circuit layer, a plurality of second integrated circuit layers stacked with the first integrated circuit layer and a plurality of vertical interconnects that each extend through the second integrated circuit layers and connect circuitry of the first integrated circuit layer and circuit devices of the second integrated circuit layers, wherein at least some of the plurality of vertical interconnects are closely arrayed;

wherein the first integrated circuit layer is substantially flexible and comprises a substantially flexible semiconductor substrate of one piece made from a semiconductor wafer, thinned by at least one of abrasion, etching and parting, and subsequently polished or smoothed after being thinned to form a polished or smoothed surface;

wherein the second integrated circuit layers each comprise a conductive layer; and

wherein each vertical interconnect comprises within each second integrated circuit layer a conductive portion and a low stress silicon-based dielectric insulating portion around the conductive portion, insulating the conductive portion from the conductive layer of the second integrated circuit layer, and having a stress of less than 5×

10⁸ dynes/cm² tensile.

204. The apparatus of claim 203, wherein at least two of:

the first and second integrated circuit layers are formed with one of single crystal semiconductor material and polycrystalline semiconductor material;

one of the first and second integrated circuit layers is formed using a different process technology than another of the first and second integrated circuit layers, the different process technology being selected from a group consisting of DRAM, SRAM, FLASH, EPROM, EEPROM, Ferroelectric and Giant Magneto Resistance;

at least one of the first and second integrated circuit layers comprises a microprocessor;

information processing is performed on data routed between circuitry on the first and second integrated circuit layers;

the apparatus further comprises at least one logic layer having logic for performing at least one of the following functions;

virtual memory management, ECC, indirect addressing, content addressing, data compression, data decompression, graphics acceleration, audio encoding, audio decoding, video encoding, video decoding, voice recognition, handwriting recognition, power management and database processing;

at least one of the integrated circuit layers has a thickness of at least one of 10 microns or less and 50 microns or less;

at least one of the integrated circuit layers is formed with a low stress silicon-based dielectric, wherein the low stress silicon-based dielectric is at least one of a silicon dioxide dielectric and an oxide of silicon dielectric and is caused to have a stress of less than 5×

10⁸ dynes/cm² tensile;

a back surface of the first integrated circuit layer is polished or smoothed;

wherein the first and second integrated circuit layers form at least part of a stacked integrated circuit memory, wherein at least a portion of the stacked integrated circuit memory is partitioned into a plurality of circuit block stacks each comprising vertically interconnected circuit blocks, wherein a plurality of said circuit block stacks are configured to independently perform memory operations.

205. The apparatus of claim 203, further comprising:

a silicon-based dielectric insulating layer formed on the first integrated circuit layer;

wherein the silicon-based dielectric insulating layer has a low stress of less than 5×

10⁸ dynes/cm² tensile, and

wherein the first integrated circuit layer is substantially flexible from the combination of the substantially flexible semiconductor substrate being substantially flexible from being thinned and having the polished or smoothed surface, and the silicon-based dielectric insulating layer having the low stress.

206. The apparatus of claim 203, wherein the conductive layer of each second integrated circuit layer comprises polysilicon.

207. The apparatus of claim 203, wherein each second integrated circuit layer further comprises at least one low stress silicon-based dielectric layer with a stress of less than 5×

10⁸ dynes/cm² tensile.

208. The apparatus of claim 203, wherein:

the substantially flexible semiconductor substrate is monocrystalline and made substantially flexible when it is thinned and polished or smoothed by first grinding away semiconductor wafer material thereof to leave an exposed surface thereof, and then polishing or smoothing the exposed surface;

the apparatus is substantially flexible based at least on the combination of the at least one low-stress silicon-based dielectric layer of each second integrated circuit layer having a low stress of less than 5×

10⁸ dynes/cm² tensile and the substantially flexible monocrystalline semiconductor substrate of the first integrated circuit layer being substantially flexible; and

the apparatus has edges that define its size in area, wherein the substantially flexible semiconductor substrate extends in one piece across a substantial portion of the area between the edges.

209. The apparatus of claim 203, wherein the conductive portion of each vertical interconnect comprises polysilicon.

210. The apparatus of claim 208, wherein the substantially flexible semiconductor substrate is polished or smoothed to reduce vulnerability to fracture as a result of flexing.

211. The information processing integrated circuit of claim 208, wherein the substantially flexible monocrystalline semiconductor substrate is polished or smoothed to reduce vulnerability to fracture as a result of flexing.

212. An apparatus comprising:

a first integrated circuit;

a second integrated circuit;

wherein at least one of the first integrated circuit and the second integrated circuit is substantially flexible and comprises a substantially flexible semiconductor substrate of one piece made from a semiconductor wafer, thinned by at least one of abrasion, etching and parting, and subsequently polished or smoothed after being thinned to form a polished or smoothed surface; and

a bond layer joining the first and second integrated circuits in a stacked relationship and providing a primary means of attachment of the first and second integrated circuits.

213. The apparatus of claim 212, wherein at least two of:

the first integrated circuit and the second integrated circuit are formed with one of single crystal semiconductor material and polycrystalline semiconductor material;

one of the first and second integrated circuits is formed using a different process technology than another of the first and second integrated circuits, the different process technology being selected from a group consisting of DRAM, SRAM, FLASH, EPROM, EEPROM, Ferroelectric and Giant Magneto Resistance;

at least one of the first and second integrated circuits comprises a microprocessor;

information processing is performed on data routed between circuitry on the first and second integrated circuits;

the apparatus further comprises at least one logic layer having logic for performing at least one of the following functions;

virtual memory management, ECC, indirect addressing, content addressing, data compression, data decompression, graphics acceleration, audio encoding, audio decoding, video encoding, video decoding, voice recognition, handwriting recognition, power management and database processing;

at least one of the integrated circuits has a thickness of at least one of 10 microns or less and 50 microns or less;

at least one of the integrated circuits is formed with a low stress silicon-based dielectric, wherein the low stress silicon-based dielectric is at least one of a silicon dioxide dielectric and an oxide of silicon dielectric and is caused to have a stress of less than 5×

10⁸ dynes/cm² tensile;

a back surface of the first integrated circuit is polished or smoothed;

wherein the first integrated circuit and the second integrated circuit form at least part of a stacked integrated circuit memory, wherein at least a portion of the stacked integrated circuit memory is partitioned into a plurality of circuit block stacks each comprising vertically interconnected circuit blocks, wherein a plurality of said circuit block stacks are configured to independently perform memory operations;

further comprising a plurality of polysilicon layers with at least one low stress silicon-based dielectric layer deposited on each of the polysilicon layers in a stacked relationship to at least one of the integrated circuits.

214. The apparatus of claim 212, further comprising:

a plurality of vertical interconnects each of which extends through one of a plurality of holes in semiconductor material of the substantially flexible semiconductor substrate from a first surface of the substantially flexible semiconductor substrate to an opposite surface thereof and comprises within the one of the plurality holes a conductive center portion and a silicon-based dielectric insulating portion surrounding the conductive center portion; and

a silicon-based dielectric insulating layer formed on the at least one of the first integrated circuit and the second integrated circuit that is substantially flexible;

wherein both the silicon-based dielectric insulating layer and the silicon-based dielectric insulating portions of the vertical interconnects have a low stress of less than 5×

10⁸ dynes/cm² tensile, and

wherein the at least one of the first integrated circuit and the second integrated circuit that is substantially flexible is so from the combination of the substantially flexible semiconductor substrate being substantially flexible from being thinned and having the polished or smoothed surface, and the silicon-based dielectric insulating layer having the low stress.

215. The apparatus of claim 212, further comprising a plurality of circuit layers, each circuit layer comprising a conductive layer and at least one low stress silicon-based dielectric layer with a stress of less than 5×

10⁸ dynes/cm² tensile, wherein the circuit layers are in a stacked relationship to at least one of the first and second integrated circuits.

216. The apparatus of claim 215, further comprising:

a plurality of vertical interconnects each of which extends through the circuit layers and connects circuit devices of the circuit layers and circuitry of the at least one of the first and second integrated circuits in stacked relationship with the circuit layers, each vertical interconnect comprises within each circuit layer a conductive portion and a silicon-based dielectric insulating portion around the conductive portion and insulating the conductive portion from the conductive layer of the circuit layer;

wherein both the silicon-based dielectric insulating portions surrounding the conductive center portions of the vertical interconnects have a stress of less than 5×

108 dynes/cm2 tensile.

217. An information processing integrated circuit comprising:

a plurality of integrated circuit layers in a stacked relationship and including a first integrated circuit layer and a plurality of second integrated circuit layers

wherein the first integrated circuit layer is substantially flexible and comprises a substantially flexible monocrystalline semiconductor substrate of one piece made from a semiconductor wafer, thinned by at least one of abrasion, etching and parting, and subsequently polished or smoothed after being thinned to form a polished or smoothed surface; and

wherein each second integrated circuit layer comprises a conductive layer and at least one low stress silicon-based dielectric layer having a stress of less than 5×

10⁸ dynes/cm² tensile.

218. The information processing integrated circuit layer of claim 217, wherein at least two of:

the first integrated circuit layer and the second integrated circuit layers are formed with one of single crystal semiconductor material and polycrystalline semiconductor material;

one of the first and second integrated circuit layers is formed using a different process technology than another of the first and second integrated circuit layers, the different process technology being selected from a group consisting of DRAM, SRAM, FLASH, EPROM, EEPROM, Ferroelectric and Giant Magneto Resistance;

at least one of the first and second integrated circuit layers comprises a microprocessor;

information processing is performed on data routed between circuitry on the first and second integrated circuit layers;

the information processing integrated circuit further comprises at least one logic layer having logic for performing at least one of the following functions;

virtual memory management, ECC, indirect addressing, content addressing, data compression, data decompression, graphics acceleration, audio encoding, audio decoding, video encoding, video decoding, voice recognition, handwriting recognition, power management and database processing;

at least one of the integrated circuit layers has a thickness of at least one of 10 microns or less and 50 microns or less;

at least one of the integrated circuit layers is formed with a low stress silicon-based dielectric, wherein the low stress silicon-based dielectric is at least one of a silicon dioxide dielectric and an oxide of silicon dielectric and is caused to have a stress of less than 5×

10⁸ dynes/cm² tensile;

a back surface of the first integrated circuit layer is polished or smoothed;

wherein the first integrated circuit layer and the second integrated circuit layers form at least part of a stacked integrated circuit memory, wherein at least a portion of the stacked integrated circuit memory is partitioned into a plurality of circuit block stacks each comprising vertically interconnected circuit blocks, wherein a plurality of said circuit block stacks are configured to independently perform memory operations;

further comprising a plurality of polysilicon layers with at least one low stress silicon-based dielectric layer deposited on each of the polysilicon layers in a stacked relationship to at least one of the integrated circuit layers.

219. The information processing integrated circuit of claim 217, further comprising:

a plurality of vertical interconnects each of which extends through the second integrated circuit layers and connects circuitry of the first integrated circuit layer and circuit devices of the second integrated circuit layers, each vertical interconnect comprises within each second integrated circuit layer a conductive portion and a silicon-based dielectric insulating portion around the conductive portion and insulating the conductive portion from the conductive layer of the second integrated circuit layer; and

a silicon-based dielectric insulating layer formed on the first integrated circuit layer;

wherein both the silicon-based dielectric insulating layer and the silicon-based dielectric insulating portions of the vertical interconnects have a stress of less than 5×

10⁸ dynes/cm² tensile, and

wherein the first integrated layer is substantially flexible from the combination of the substantially flexible monocrystalline semiconductor substrate being substantially flexible from being thinned and having the polished or smoothed surface, and the silicon-based dielectric insulating layer being low stress with a stress of less than 5×

10⁸ dynes/cm² tensile.

220. The information processing integrated circuit of claim 217, wherein the conductive layer of each second integrated circuit layer comprises polysilicon.

221. The information processing integrated circuit of claim 217, wherein:

the substantially flexible monocrystalline semiconductor substrate is made substantially flexible when it is thinned and polished or smoothed by first grinding away semiconductor wafer material thereof to leave an exposed surface thereof, and then polishing or smoothing the exposed surface;

the information processing integrated circuit is substantially flexible based at least on the combination of the at least one low-stress silicon-based dielectric layer of each second integrated circuit layer having a low stress of less than 5×

10⁸ dynes/cm² tensile and the substantially flexible monocrystalline semiconductor substrate of the first integrated circuit layer being substantially flexible; and

the information processing integrated circuit comprises a singulated die having a die area defined by its perimeter, wherein the substantially flexible monocrystalline semiconductor substrate extends in one piece across a substantial portion of the die area.

222. The information processing integrated circuit of claim 219, wherein the conductive portion of each vertical interconnect comprises polysilicon.

223. A stacked integrated circuit, comprising:

a first circuit layer comprising a semiconductor substrate formed from a semiconductor wafer or portion thereof;

a second circuit layer comprising a semiconductor substrate formed from a semiconductor wafer or portion thereof and stacked together with the first circuit layer in contact therewith;

wherein at least one of the first circuit layer and the second circuit layer is substantially flexible and its semiconductor substrate is a substantially flexible monocrystalline semiconductor substrate of one piece made from a semiconductor wafer, thinned by at least one of abrasion, etching and parting, and subsequently polished or smoothed after being thinned to form a polished or smoothed surface; and

wherein the first circuit layer and the second circuit layer are joined together using metal-to-metal bonding as a primary means of attachment.

224. The stacked integrated circuit of claim 223, wherein at least two of:

the first integrated circuit layer and the second integrated circuit layer are formed with one of single crystal semiconductor material and polycrystalline semiconductor material;

one of the first and second integrated circuit layers is formed using a different process technology than another of the first and second integrated circuit layers, the different process technology being selected from a group consisting of DRAM, SRAM, FLASH, EPROM, EEPROM, Ferroelectric and Giant Magneto Resistance;

at least one of the first and second integrated circuit layers comprises a microprocessor;

information processing is performed on data routed between circuitry on the first and second integrated circuit layers;

the stacked integrated circuit further comprises at least one logic layer having logic for performing at least one of the following functions;

virtual memory management, ECC, indirect addressing, content addressing, data compression, data decompression, graphics acceleration, audio encoding, audio decoding, video encoding, video decoding, voice recognition, handwriting recognition, power management and database processing;

at least one of the integrated circuit layers has a thickness of at least one of 10 microns or less and 50 microns or less;

at least one of the integrated circuit layers is formed with a low stress silicon-based dielectric, wherein the low stress silicon-based dielectric is at least one of a silicon dioxide dielectric and an oxide of silicon dielectric and is caused to have a stress of less than 5×

10⁸ dynes/cm² tensile;

a back surface of the first integrated circuit layer is polished or smoothed;

wherein the first integrated circuit layer and the second integrated circuit layer form at least part of a stacked integrated circuit memory, wherein at least a portion of the stacked integrated circuit memory is partitioned into a plurality of circuit block stacks each comprising vertically interconnected circuit blocks, wherein a plurality of said circuit block stacks are configured to independently perform memory operations;

further comprising a plurality of polysilicon layers with at least one low stress silicon-based dielectric layer deposited on each of the polysilicon layers in a stacked relationship to at least one of the circuit layers.

225. The stacked integrated circuit of claim 223, further comprising:

a plurality of vertical interconnects each of which extends through one of a plurality of holes in semiconductor material of the substantially flexible monocrystalline semiconductor substrate from a first surface of the substantially flexible monocrystalline semiconductor substrate to an opposite surface thereof and comprises within the one of the plurality holes a conductive center portion and a silicon-based dielectric insulating portion surrounding the conductive center portion; and

a silicon-based dielectric insulating layer formed on the at least one of the first integrated circuit layer and the second integrated circuit layer that is substantially flexible;

wherein both the silicon-based dielectric insulating layer and the silicon-based dielectric insulating portions of the vertical interconnects have a low stress of less than 5×

10⁸ dynes/cm² tensile; and

wherein the at least one of the first integrated circuit layer and the second integrated circuit layer that is substantially flexible is so from the combination of the substantially flexible monocrystalline semiconductor substrate being substantially flexible from being thinned and having the polished or smoothed surface, and the silicon-based dielectric insulating layer having the low stress.

226. An apparatus comprising:

a first integrated circuit;

a second integrated circuit stacked with the first integrated circuit;

a thermal diffusion bond layer physically joining the first and second integrated circuits and providing a primary means of attachment of the first and second integrated circuits;

wherein at least one of the first integrated circuit and the second integrated circuit is substantially flexible and comprises a substantially flexible semiconductor substrate of one piece made from a semiconductor wafer, thinned by at least one of abrasion, etching and parting, and subsequently polished or smoothed after being thinned to form a polished or smoothed surface; and

a plurality of vertical interconnects each of which extends through one of a plurality of holes in semiconductor material of the substantially flexible semiconductor substrate from a first surface of the substantially flexible semiconductor substrate to an opposite surface thereof and comprises within the one of the plurality holes a conductive center portion and a low stress silicon based dielectric insulating portion surrounding the conductive center portion having a stress of less than 5×

10⁸ dynes/cm² tensile, wherein the plurality of interconnects are closely arrayed.

227. The apparatus of claim 226, further comprising a silicon-based dielectric insulating layer formed on the at least one of the first integrated circuit and the second integrated circuit that is substantially flexible, wherein the silicon-based dielectric insulating layer has a stress of less than 5×

10⁸ dynes/cm² tensile, and wherein the at least one of the first integrated circuit and the second integrated circuit that is substantially flexible is so from the combination of the substantially flexible semiconductor substrate being substantially flexible from being thinned and having the polished or smoothed surface, and the silicon-based dielectric insulating layer being low stress with a stress of less than 5×

10⁸ dynes/cm² tensile.

229. The apparatus of claim 226, wherein the holes are closely arrayed in the substantially flexible semiconductor substrate.

230. The apparatus of claim 226, wherein the at least one of the first integrated circuit and the second integrated circuit that is substantially flexible comprises an integrated circuit die having a die area, and the substantially flexible semiconductor substrate thereof extends throughout at least a substantial portion of the die area of the integrated circuit die.

231. The apparatus of claim 226, wherein at least two of the following:

one of the first and second integrated circuits is formed using a different process technology than another of the first and second integrated circuits, the different process technology being selected from a group consisting of DRAM, SRAM, FLASH, EPROM, EEPROM, Ferroelectric and Giant Magneto Resistance;

at least one of the first and second integrated circuits comprises a microprocessor;

the first and second integrated circuits comprise at least one memory integrated circuit and at least one logic integrated circuit, wherein the at least one logic integrated circuit performs testing of the at least one memory integrated circuit;

a plurality of interior vertical interconnects traverse at least one of the integrated circuits;

continuous vertical interconnects connect circuitry of the first and second integrated circuits;

information processing is performed on data routed between circuitry on the first and second integrated circuits;

at least one integrated circuit has reconfiguration circuitry;

at least one of the plurality of vertical interconnects having a portion thereof be a bond of the thermal diffusion bond layer, connecting circuitry of the first integrated circuit and circuitry of the second integrated circuit;

wherein at least one of the first and second integrated circuits is substantially flexible, and comprises a silicon-based dielectric layer with a stress of less than 5×

10⁸ dynes/cm² tensile;

wherein the first integrated circuit and the second integrated circuit form at least part of a stacked integrated circuit memory, wherein at least a portion of the stacked integrated circuit memory is partitioned into a plurality of circuit block stacks each comprising vertically interconnected circuit blocks, wherein a plurality of said circuit block stacks are configured to independently perform memory operations;

wherein at least one of the integrated circuits comprises a front surface and a back surface opposite the front surface, further comprising a tensile low stress silicon-based dielectric with a stress of less than 5×

10⁸ dynes/cm² tensile on the back surface.

232. The apparatus of claim 226, wherein:

the substantially flexible semiconductor substrate of one piece is monocrystalline and made substantially flexible when it is thinned and polished or smoothed by first grinding away semiconductor wafer material thereof to leave an exposed surface thereof, and then polishing or smoothing the exposed surface;

the at least one of the first integrated circuit and the second integrated circuit that is substantially flexible comprises at least one low stress silicon-based dielectric layer having a low stress of less than 5×

10⁸ dynes/cm² tensile and is substantially flexible based at least on the combination of the low stress of the at least one low-stress silicon-based dielectric layer and the substantially flexible semiconductor substrate being substantially flexible; and

the at least one of the first integrated circuit and the second integrated circuit that is substantially flexible comprises a singulated die having a die area defined by its perimeter, wherein the substantially flexible semiconductor substrate extends in one piece across a substantial portion of the die area.

233. The apparatus of claim 232, wherein the substantially flexible semiconductor substrate is polished or smoothed to reduce vulnerability to fracture as a result of flexing.

228. The apparatus of 226, wherein the holes are etched in the semiconductor material of the substantially flexible semiconductor substrate.

234. An apparatus comprising:

a first integrated circuit, a second integrated circuit stacked with the first integrated circuit and a plurality of vertical interconnects connecting circuitry of the first integrated circuit and circuitry of the second integrated circuit, wherein at least some of the plurality of vertical interconnects are closely arrayed;

wherein at least one of the first integrated circuit and the second integrated circuit is substantially flexible and comprises a substantially flexible semiconductor substrate of one piece made from a semiconductor wafer, thinned by at least one of abrasion, etching and parting, and subsequently polished or smoothed after being thinned to form a polished or smoothed surface;

wherein each of said plurality of vertical interconnects extends through one of a plurality of holes in semiconductor material of the substantially flexible semiconductor substrate from a first surface of the substantially flexible semiconductor substrate to an opposite surface thereof and comprises within the one of the plurality holes a conductive center portion and a low stress silicon-based dielectric insulating portion surrounding the conductive center portion having a stress of less than 5×

10⁸ dynes/cm² tensile.

235. The apparatus of claim 234, further comprising a silicon-based dielectric insulating layer formed on the at least one of the first integrated circuit and the second integrated circuit that is substantially flexible, wherein the silicon-based dielectric insulating layer has a stress of less than 5×

10⁸ dynes/cm² tensile, and wherein the at least one of the first integrated circuit and the second integrated circuit is substantially flexible from the combination of the substantially flexible semiconductor substrate being substantially flexible from being thinned and having the polished or smoothed surface, and the silicon-based dielectric insulating layer being low stress with a stress of less than 5×

10⁸ dynes/cm² tensile.

236. The apparatus of claim 234, wherein at least two of the following:

one of the first and second integrated circuits is formed using a different process technology than another of the first and second integrated circuits, the different process technology being selected from a group consisting of DRAM, SRAM, FLASH, EPROM, EEPROM, Ferroelectric and Giant Magneto Resistance;

at least one of the first and second integrated circuits comprises a microprocessor;

the first and second integrated circuits comprise at least one memory integrated circuit and at least one logic integrated circuit, wherein the at least one logic integrated circuit performs testing of the at least one memory integrated circuit;

a plurality of interior vertical interconnects traverse at least one of the integrated circuits;

continuous vertical interconnects connect circuitry of the first and second integrated circuits;

information processing is performed on data routed between circuitry on the first and second integrated circuits;

at least one integrated circuit has reconfiguration circuitry;

at least one of the plurality of vertical interconnects includes a thermal diffusion bond, connecting circuitry of the first integrated circuit and circuitry of the second integrated circuit;

wherein at least one of the first and second substrates is substantially flexible, and comprises a silicon-based dielectric layer with a stress of less than 5×

10⁸ dynes/cm² tensile;

wherein the first integrated circuit and the second integrated circuit form at least part of a stacked integrated circuit memory, wherein at least a portion of the stacked integrated circuit memory is partitioned into a plurality of circuit block stacks each comprising vertically interconnected circuit blocks, wherein a plurality of said circuit block stacks are configured to independently perform memory operations;

wherein at least one of the integrated circuits comprises a front surface and a back surface opposite the front surface, further comprising a tensile low stress silicon-based dielectric with a stress of less than 5×

10⁸ dynes/cm² tensile on the back surface.

237. The apparatus of claim 234, wherein:

the substantially flexible semiconductor substrate of one piece is monocrystalline and made substantially flexible when it is thinned and polished or smoothed by first grinding away semiconductor wafer material thereof to leave an exposed surface thereof, and then polishing or smoothing the exposed surface;

the at least one of the first integrated circuit and the second integrated circuit that is substantially flexible comprises at least one low stress silicon-based dielectric layer having a low stress of less than 5×

10⁸ dynes/cm² tensile and is substantially flexible based at least on the combination of the low stress of the at least one low-stress silicon-based dielectric layer and the substantially flexible semiconductor substrate being substantially flexible; and

the at least one of the first integrated circuit and the second integrated circuit that is substantially flexible has edges that define its size in area, wherein the substantially flexible semiconductor substrate extends in one piece across a substantial portion of the area between the edges.

238. The apparatus of claim 237, wherein the substantially flexible semiconductor substrate is polished or smoothed to reduce vulnerability to fracture as a result of flexing.

239. The information processing integrated circuit of claim 237, wherein the substantially flexible monocrystalline semiconductor substrate is polished or smoothed to reduce vulnerability to fracture as a result of flexing.

245. The apparatus of 243, wherein each block stack comprises a controller circuit block on the control circuit and memory circuit blocks on the memory circuit, the controller circuit block of each block stack performs error correction on read data from the memory circuit blocks of the block stack, the read data in each block stack is transferred through the array of the vertical interconnects of the block stack, and the read data in each block stack includes ECC data used by the controller circuit block of the block stack to perform error correction on the read data.

249. An apparatus comprising:

a first integrated circuit;

a second integrated circuit stacked with the first integrated circuit;

wherein at least one of the first integrated circuit and the second integrated circuit is substantially flexible and comprises a substantially flexible semiconductor substrate of one piece made from a semiconductor wafer, thinned by at least one of abrasion, etching and parting, and subsequently polished or smoothed after being thinned to form a polished or smoothed surface;

a bond layer joining the first and second integrated circuits and providing a primary means of means of attachment of the first and second integrated circuits; and

a plurality of vertical interconnects each of which extends through one of a plurality of holes in semiconductor material of the substantially flexible semiconductor substrate from a first surface of the substantially flexible semiconductor substrate to an opposite surface thereof and comprises within the one of the plurality holes a conductive center portion and a low stress silicon-based dielectric insulating portion surrounding the conductive center portion having a stress of less than 5×

10⁸ dynes/cm² or less, wherein at least some of the plurality of interconnects are closely arrayed.

250. The apparatus of claim 249, further comprising a silicon-based dielectric insulating layer formed on the at least one of the first integrated circuit and the second integrated circuit that is substantially flexible, wherein the silicon-based dielectric insulating layer has a stress of less than 5×

10⁸ dynes/cm² tensile, and wherein the at least one of the first integrated circuit and the second integrated circuit that is substantially flexible is so from the combination of the substantially flexible semiconductor substrate being substantially flexible from being thinned and having the polished or smoothed surface, and the silicon-based dielectric insulating layer being low stress with a stress of less than 5×

10⁸ dynes/cm² tensile.

251. The apparatus of claim 249, wherein at least two of the following:

one of the first and second integrated circuits is formed using a different process technology than another of the first and second integrated circuits, the different process technology being selected from a group consisting of DRAM, SRAM, FLASH, EPROM, EEPROM, Ferroelectric and Giant Magneto Resistance;

at least one of the first and second integrated circuits comprises a microprocessor;

the first and second integrated circuits comprise at least one memory integrated circuit and at least one logic integrated circuit, wherein the at least one logic integrated circuit performs testing of the at least one memory integrated circuit;

a plurality of interior vertical interconnects traverse at least one of the integrated circuits;

continuous vertical interconnects connect circuitry of the first and second integrated circuits;

information processing is performed on data routed between circuitry on the first and second integrated circuits;

at least one integrated circuit has reconfiguration circuitry;

at least one of the plurality of vertical interconnects including a bond of the bond layer, connecting circuitry of the first integrated circuit and circuitry of the second integrated circuit;

wherein at least one of the first and second substrates is substantially flexible, and comprises a silicon-based dielectric layer with a stress of less than 5×

10⁸ dynes/cm² tensile;

wherein the first integrated circuit and the second integrated circuit form at least part of a stacked integrated circuit memory, wherein at least a portion of the stacked integrated circuit memory is partitioned into a plurality of circuit block stacks each comprising vertically interconnected circuit blocks, wherein plurality of said circuit block stacks are configured to independently perform memory operations;

wherein at least one of the integrated circuit layers comprises a front surface and a back surface opposite the front surface, further comprising a tensile low stress silicon-based dielectric with a stress of less than 5×

10⁸ dynes/cm² tensile on the back surface.

252. An information processing integrated circuit comprising:

a plurality of integrated circuit layers in a stacked relationship, wherein at least one of the integrated circuit layers is substantially flexible and comprises a monocrystalline semiconductor substrate of one piece that is substantially flexible and is made from a semiconductor wafer, thinned by at least one of abrasion, etching and parting, and subsequently polished or smoothed after being thinned to form a polished or smoothed surface; and

a plurality of vertical interconnects interior to overlying portions of the integrated circuit layers for the transfer of data between at least two of the integrated circuit layers of said integrated circuit, each vertical interconnect extends through one of a plurality of holes in semiconductor material of the monocrystalline semiconductor substrate from a first surface of the monocrystalline semiconductor substrate to an opposite surface thereof and comprises within the one of the plurality holes a conductive center portion and a low stress silicon based dielectric insulating portion surrounding the conductive center portion having a stress of less than 5×

10⁸ dynes/cm².

253. The information processing integrated circuit of claim 252, further comprising a silicon-based dielectric insulating layer formed on the at least one of the integrated circuit layers that is substantially flexible, wherein the silicon-based dielectric insulating layer has a stress of less than 5×

10⁸ dynes/cm² tensile, and wherein the at least one of the integrated circuit layers that is substantially flexible is so from the combination of the monocrystalline semiconductor substrate being substantially flexible from being thinned and having the polished or smoothed surface, and the silicon-based dielectric insulating layer being low stress with a stress of less than 5×

10⁸ dynes/cm² tensile.

254. The information processing integrated circuit of claim 252, wherein at least two of the following:

one of the first and second integrated circuits is formed using a different process technology than another of the first and second integrated circuits, the different process technology being selected from a group consisting of DRAM, SRAM, FLASH, EPROM, EEPROM, Ferroelectric and Giant Magneto Resistance;

at least one of the first and second integrated circuits comprises a microprocessor;

the first and second integrated circuits comprise at least one memory integrated circuit and at least one logic integrated circuit, wherein the at least one logic integrated circuit performs testing of the at least one memory integrated circuit;

a plurality of interior vertical interconnects traverse at least one of the integrated circuits;

continuous vertical interconnects connect circuitry of the first and second integrated circuits;

information processing is performed on data routed between circuitry on the first and second integrated circuits;

at least one integrated circuit has reconfiguration circuitry;

at least one of the plurality of vertical interconnects includes a thermal diffusion bond, connecting circuitry of the first integrated circuit and circuitry of the second integrated circuit;

wherein at least one of the first and second substrates is substantially flexible, and comprises a silicon-based dielectric layer with a stress of less than 5×

10⁸ dynes/cm² tensile;

wherein the first integrated circuit layer and the second integrated circuit layer form at least part of a stacked integrated circuit memory, wherein at least a portion of the stacked integrated circuit memory is partitioned into a plurality of circuit block stacks each comprising vertically interconnected circuit blocks, wherein a plurality of said circuit block stacks are configured to independently perform memory operations;

wherein at least one of the integrated circuit layers comprises a front surface and a back surface opposite the front surface, further comprising a tensile low stress silicon-based dielectric with a stress of less than 5×

10⁸ dynes/cm² tensile on the back surface.

255. The information processing integrated circuit of claim 252, wherein:

the substantially flexible monocrystalline semiconductor substrate of one piece is made substantially flexible when it is thinned and polished or smoothed by first grinding away semiconductor wafer material thereof to leave an exposed surface thereof, and then polishing or smoothing the exposed surface;

the at least one of the integrated circuit layers that is substantially flexible comprises at least one low stress silicon-based dielectric layer having a low stress of less than 5×

10⁸ dynes/cm² tensile and is substantially flexible based at least on the combination of the low stress of at least one low-stress silicon-based dielectric layer and the substantially flexible monocrystalline semiconductor substrate being substantially flexible; and

the at least one of the integrated circuit layers that is substantially flexible comprises a singulated die having a die area defined by its perimeter, wherein the substantially flexible monocrystalline semiconductor substrate extends in one piece across a substantial portion of the die area.

265. An integrated circuit structure comprising:

a plurality of substrates in a stacked relationship;

wherein at least one of the plurality of substrates is substantially flexible and comprises (a) a low stress silicon based dielectric layer with a stress of less than 5×

10⁸ dynes/cm², (b) a substantially flexible monocrystalline semiconductor substrate of one piece having the silicon-based dielectric layer thereon, and (c) a plurality of vertical interconnects each of which extends through one of a plurality of holes in the substantially flexible monocrystalline semiconductor substrate and within the one of the plurality of holes comprises a vertical through-substrate conductor and a vertical low stress silicon-based dielectric insulator with a stress of less than 5×

10⁸ dynes/cm² and surrounding the vertical through-substrate conductor.

266. The integrated circuit structure of claim 265, wherein the at least one of the plurality of substrates that is substantially flexible is so from the combination of the substantially flexible monocrystalline semiconductor substrate being substantially flexible and the silicon-based dielectric layer being low stress with a stress of less than 5×

10⁸ dynes/cm² tensile.

267. The integrated circuit structure of claim 265, wherein the plurality of substrates comprise at least first and second integrated circuit layers, and wherein at least two of:

the first integrated circuit layer and the second integrated circuit layer are formed with one of single crystal semiconductor material and polycrystalline semiconductor material;

one of the first and second integrated circuit layers is formed using a different process technology than another of the first and second integrated circuit layers, the different process technology being selected from a group consisting of DRAM, SRAM, FLASH, EPROM, EEPROM, Ferroelectric and Giant Magneto Resistance;

at least one of the first and second integrated circuit layers comprises a microprocessor;

information processing is performed on data routed between circuitry on the first and second integrated circuit layers;

the stacked integrated circuit further comprises at least one logic layer having logic for performing at least one of the following functions;

virtual memory management, ECC, indirect addressing, content addressing, data compression, data decompression, graphics acceleration, audio encoding, audio decoding, video encoding, video decoding, voice recognition, handwriting recognition, power management and database processing;

at least one of the integrated circuit layers has a thickness of at least one of 10 microns or less and 50 microns or less;

at least one of the integrated circuit layers is formed with a low stress silicon-based dielectric, wherein the low stress silicon-based dielectric is at least one of a silicon dioxide dielectric and an oxide of silicon dielectric and is caused to have a stress of less than 5×

10⁸ dynes/cm² tensile;

a back surface of the first integrated circuit layer is polished or smoothed;

wherein the first integrated circuit layer and the second integrated circuit layer form at least part of a stacked integrated circuit memory, wherein at least a portion of the stacked integrated circuit memory is partitioned into a plurality of circuit block stacks each comprising vertically interconnected circuit blocks, wherein a plurality of said circuit block stacks are configured to independently perform memory operations;

wherein at least one of the substrates comprises a front surface and a back surface opposite the front surface, further comprising a tensile low stress silicon-based dielectric with a stress of less than 5×

10⁸ dynes/cm² tensile on the back surface.

268. The integrated circuit structure of claim 265, wherein:

the substantially flexible monocrystalline semiconductor substrate of one piece is made substantially flexible when it is thinned and polished or smoothed by first grinding away semiconductor wafer material thereof to leave an exposed surface thereof, and then polishing or smoothing the exposed surface;

the at least one of the plurality of substrates that is substantially flexible is substantially flexible based at least on the combination of the low stress of the low-stress silicon-based dielectric layer and the substantially flexible semiconductor substrate being substantially flexible;

the at least one of the plurality of substrates that is substantially flexible comprises a singulated die having a die area defined by its perimeter, wherein the substantially flexible monocrystalline semiconductor substrate extends in one piece across a substantial portion of the die area.

269. The integrated circuit structure of claim 268, wherein the substantially flexible monocrystalline semiconductor substrate is polished or smoothed to reduce vulnerability to fracture as a result of flexing.