Hybrid-cloth-based method for making TSV substrates

The disclosure describes a method for making a hybrid cloth integrated column and further making TSV substrates, which comprises the key processing steps: forming a hybrid cloth by using metal wires and supportive wires, which contains at least one 2D array of parallel metal wires in one direction; forming a column of layered structure, which contains at least a plurality of layers of hybrid cloths, wherein all the 2D arrays of parallel metal wires are fixed in the column of layered structure and are arranged into a 3D array of parallel metal wires; making all the layers of the column of layered structure into a solid entity so as to form a hybrid cloth integrated column; and slicing the hybrid cloth integrated column to make TSV substrates.

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

The disclosure relates generally to integrated circuit semiconductor packaging technology, and particularly to a method for making a hybrid cloth integrated column and further making substrates with through substrate via (TSV), which are used in packaging semiconductor chips or electric devices.

BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE

Substrates containing through substrate via (TSV), called TSV substrate herein, have been extensively used for packaging semiconductor chips or electric devices, which are the bridge connecting two or more electric devices with a fine pitch of electric contacts to a substrate or board with a coarse pitch of electric contacts in 3D and 2.5D semiconductor chip package. TSV substrates include silicon, glass, ceramic and organic TSV substrates. The methods of prior arts for making TSV substrates are generally fall into two categories: one is a substrate-based method (named herein), and the other is a via-based method (named herein). The substrate-based method basically comprises: 1) opening a patterned array of vias on a substrate (a piece of silicon, organic substrate or glass), and 2) using a conductive material to fill in the patterned array of vias. And the via-based method basically comprises: 1) forming a patterned array of vias on a carrier, 2) using a substrate material to cover and seal the patterned array of via, then polishing away the excessive substrate material above the patterned array of vias. An IC chip packaging substrate can be further produced by forming one or more layers of electric traces and pads on the upper and lower surfaces of the TSV substrate.

The substrate-based or via-based method of prior arts is called a micro method herein, wherein each via and its position are designed and made by using micro-level processing technologies. It is noted that the micro method for making TSV substrates has some limitations in its manufacture and application, including: 1) its manufacture is very time consuming and expensive, 2) the diameter of the via cannot be very small, for example, it is very difficult to make a via with diameter less than 10 um in a substrate thicker than 200 um, 3) the via pitch cannot be very small, for example, it is very difficult and expensive to make a via pitch less than 50 um in a substrate thicker than 200 um, 4) the thickness of TSV substrate is limited by the via diameter and pitch, wherein the smaller the via diameter and pitch is, the thinner the substrate has to be, 5) the very thin TSV substrates, usually being about 100 um in thickness, are easily broken in its further manufacture and application.

There are other types of methods of prior arts, called macro methods herein for making TSV substrates, wherein the TSV is not made through micro-level technologies such as etching or drilling each hole, but made from metal wires through macro-level technologies. As shown by the numerical symbol40inFIG. 1, the common part of the types of macro methods is to make a column of matrix containing a 3D array of parallel metal wires along the column direction, as shown by the numerical symbol41, then saw the column of matrix into slices so as to produce TSV substrates, as shown by the numerical symbol42; and the feature of each type of macro method is its way to make a column of matrix containing a 3D array of parallel metal wires. There are three types of macro methods of prior arts, as designated by the numerical symbol10,20and30inFIG. 2. In the first method designated by the numerical symbol10inFIG. 2, a column of matrix containing a 3D array of parallel metal wires is made by rolling a coated metal wire11around a multiple side of column, then joining the coatings12together by using a designed temperature and pressure so as to form the column of matrix containing a 3D array of parallel metal wires on each side of the multiple side of column. In the second method designated by the numerical symbol20inFIG. 2, a column of matrix containing a 3D array of parallel metal wires is made by forming a matrix piece22with a plurality of parallel metal wires21first, then stacking a plurality of layers of such matrix pieces into a column of layered structure, and then joining the layers together into a solid entity by using a designed temperature and pressure so as to form a column of matrix containing a 3D array of parallel metal wires. Finally, in the third method designated by the numerical symbol30inFIG. 2, a column of matrix containing a 3D array of parallel metal wires is made by forming and fixing a 3D array of metal wires31in a framework as designated by the numerical symbols33and34first, then filling a filling material32into the empty space in and around the 3D array of metal wires31, and then solidifying the filling material so as to form the column of matrix containing a 3D array of parallel metal wires.

In comparison with a micro method for making TSV substrates, the advantages of a macro method based on metal wires for making TSV substrates include: 1) TSV substrates can be produced cost-efficiently in batches, 2) the via diameter and pitch can be very small, 3) the thickness of the TSV substrates is not limited by the via diameter and pitch. It is noted that all the three types of macro methods are technologically feasible for making a plastic material of column containing a 3D array of parallel metal wires. Comparing the three macro methods as shown inFIG. 2, the first method is simplest, the third method can make a more complicated pattern of 3D array of parallel metal wires, and the second method is between them. However, when making a ceramic material of column of matrix containing a 3D array of parallel metal wires or ceramic TSV substrates, all the three types of macro methods technically have drawbacks. For the first two macro methods, aside from the high cost for making ceramic coating on a metal wire or thin ceramic pieces with metal wires, their drawback is that there are too many interfaces among ceramic coatings or ceramic matrix pieces. As a result, when joining the ceramic coatings or ceramic pieces together by using a temperature and pressure, it is difficult to ensure a good adhesion without voids among the coatings or without cracking or delaminating issue among the ceramic matrix pieces. As for the third type of macro method, because a filling material such as a paste type or powder type of ceramic material is used, it doesn't have the drawback due to the interfaces among ceramic coatings or ceramic matrix pieces as in the first and second types of macro methods. However, it has another drawback, that is, it is difficult to ensure that some of the thin and long metal wires are not moved away from their original positions or are not broken when filling a paste type or powder type of ceramic material among the metal wires because the metal wires are only fixed at their two ends by the framework. Summarily, in the first and second types of macro methods, the metal wires are well fixed, but the matrix material are the coatings or matrix pieces, causing the drawback that there are too many interfaces among coatings or matrix pieces, while in the third type of macro method, even though a filling material is preferably used, the metal wires are only fixed at their ends by the framework, causing the drawback that the metal wires are not well fixed and as a result, they can be moved or broken when applying the filling material.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

In order to overcome the drawbacks of the macro methods for making ceramic TSV substrates of prior arts, a new method for making a new hybrid cloth integrated column and further making TSV substrates is disclosed in the present invention. The hybrid cloth is the featured element of the present invention, which is formed and used in the present method. As a result, the metal wires are efficiently and reliably fixed and arranged by the hybrid cloth and a paste or powder type of ceramic material can also be used to make a column with one 3D array of parallel metal wires in one embodiment of the present invention. A summary of the disclosure is as follows.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, a method for making a hybrid cloth integrated column and further making TSV substrates, comprising: 1) forming a hybrid cloth by weaving metal wires and supportive wires, wherein at least one 2D array of parallel metal wires is arranged in one direction of the hybrid cloth; 2) forming a column of layered structure by integrating a plurality of layers of supportive plates and a plurality of layers of hybrid cloths, wherein any two neighboring layers of hybrid cloths are separated by at least one layer of supportive plate, and the plurality of 2D arrays of parallel metal wires contained in the plurality of hybrid cloths are fixed in the column of layered structure and arranged into at least one 3D array of parallel metal wires; 3) making all the layers in the column of layered structure into a solid entity so as to form a hybrid cloth integrated column; and 4) sawing the hybrid cloth integrated column along the direction normal to the direction of the 3D array of parallel metal wires into slices so as to produce a plurality of TSV substrates.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, a method for making a hybrid cloth integrated column and further making TSV substrates, comprising: 1) forming a hybrid cloth by weaving metal wires and supportive wires, wherein at least one 2D array of parallel metal wires is arranged in one direction of the hybrid cloth; 2) forming a column of layered structure by integrating and fixing a plurality of layers of hybrid cloths in a framework, wherein the plurality of 2D arrays of parallel metal wires contained in the plurality of hybrid cloths are fixed in the framework and arranged into one 3D array of parallel metal wires; 3) filling a filling material into the empty space in and around the column of layered structure, solidifying the filling material so that the column of layered structure is sealed in the filling material, forming a hybrid cloth integrated column; and 4) sawing the hybrid cloth integrated column along the direction normal to the direction of the 3D array of parallel metal wires into slices so as to produce a plurality of TSV substrates.

According to one preferred embodiment of the present invention, said methods above further comprise the processing steps for making substrates containing an array of redistributed TSV based on TSV substrates.

Other embodiments of the present invention are also disclosed.

It is noted that the new method for making TSV substrates in the disclosure of the present invention is a new macro method based on metal wires, which has the advantages of a macro method as compared to a micro method. Furthermore, it has the advantages as compared to the macro methods of prior arts, that is, 1) TSV ceramic or glass substrates can be efficiently produced in batches, and 2) there are more parameters in the new method of the present invention for designing TSV substrates so that some new TSV substrates can be produced. It is further noted that the method of the present invention has a featured element, that is, the hybrid cloth containing metal wires and supportive wires so that in addition to the advantage that the metal wires are well fixed and a filling material can be used in the meantime in one embodiment of the present invention, one or more embodiments of the present invention have more design parameters for designing and producing various TSV substrates to meet various requirements from packaging semiconductor chips. For example, there are only two material parameters, i.e., the matrix material and metal wires in the macro methods of prior arts, but in the method of the present invention, besides the two material parameters, there are many other parameters, for example, the parameters from the hybrid cloth, including supportive wires and a network of metal wires, and many other parameters from the supportive plate, including its geometrical structure and material.

More features, advantages and inventive concepts of the present invention are described with reference to the detailed description of the embodiments of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

In order to clearly describe the embodiments of the present invention with reference to the drawings, some terminologies are first explained in the following: 1) a supportive wire, which is a nonconductive wire, such as fiberglass wire, carbon fiber wire or polymer wire, and is called a supportive wire herein because its major function is to arrange and fix metal wires in the present invention; 2) a supportive plate, which is a plate, and is called a supportive plate herein because one of its major functions is to arrange and fix metal wires in the present invention; 3) a supportive cloth, which means a cloth woven from supportive wires; 4) a supportive mesh cloth, which means a cloth loosely woven from supportive wires, in which holes among wires are much bigger than the wire diameter; 5) a hybrid cloth, which means a cloth woven from metal wires and supportive wires in a hybrid way; 6) a hybrid mesh cloth, which means a cloth loosely woven from metal wires and supportive wires in a hybrid way, in which holes among wires are much bigger than the wire diameter; 7) a 2D array of parallel metal wires, which means a group of metal wires distributed in a plane or a layer of material, being parallel among each other and having a determined wire pitch, and which will be further explained with reference to the drawings; 8) a 3D array of parallel metal wires, which generally means a group of metal wires distributed in a volume or a column of material, being parallel among each other and having a determined wire pitch, which further means a group of metal wires consisting of a plurality of 2D arrays of parallel metal wires herein, and which will be further explained with reference to the drawings; 9) a through substrate via (TSV), which means an electrically conductive path embedded in a substrate and goes through the substrate from its thickness direction, such as a metal pillar; 10) a redistributed TSV, which means an electrically conductive path from one metal pad on the upper surface of a substrate to the other metal pad on the lower surface of the substrate, wherein the pair of metal pads are electrically connected by at least one TSV; 11) a column of layered structure, which means a structure consisting of a plurality of layers of materials and being a column shape from outline; a column of layered structure, 12) a substrate, which means a piece of material, such as a piece of ceramic, glass, silicon or polymer material, having two major surfaces, called upper surface and lower surface, where the upper surface is opposite to the lower surface from the thickness direction of the substrate; 13) a matrix, which means the material or materials in a composite structure for mechanically fixing and embedding other elements; 14) a filling material, which means a type of material such as a liquid, ink, paste and powder type of material, and can be used for filling in the empty space such as holes or gaps in a structure, and which, after being solidified, can be the matrix or a portion of the matrix of a composite structure. It is noted that the explanation for the terminologies is only for illustrative clarity and doesn't limit the coverage and spirit of the present invention.

FIG. 3is a schematic diagram illustrating the hybrid cloth of one embodiment of the present invention. The hybrid cloth is woven from metal wires and supportive wires in a hybrid way, which is the key element of the present invention. So, it is firstly described in detail with reference toFIG. 3, and then the 2D arrays of metal wires in a layer of hybrid cloth and the 3D arrays of metal wires formed in a plurality of layers of hybrid cloths are further described with reference toFIG. 4andFIG. 5.

The numerical symbol1000inFIG. 3are schematic diagrams illustrating two examples of a hybrid cloth. InFIG. 3, the hybrid cloth100consists of the metal wires110in its vertical direction, the supportive wires120and130respectively in its vertical and horizontal directions, in which the numerical symbol140designates the empty space among wires in the hybrid cloth100,111and112designate circular metal wires and supportive wires, and p1and p2designate the metal wire pitches; and the hybrid cloth150consists of the metal wires113and supportive wires121in its vertical direction, and the supportive wires131and metal wires132in its horizontal directions, wherein the hybrid cloth150contains some other features as compared to the hybrid cloth100, like the bigger holes or empty space141among wires and the metal wires132in its horizontal direction. The hybrid cloth with metal wires in both vertical and horizontal directions can be used to make TSV substrates containing a network of metal wires for a specific application. A metal wire pitch means the distance from one metal wire to its neighboring metal wire as shown by p1and p2inFIG. 3, which can be determined when weaving a hybrid cloth, and p1and p2may be different even though they are the same in the schematic diagram of the hybrid cloth100. One way to get different metal wire pitches is to place different number of supportive wires between metal wires when weaving a hybrid cloth. When a cloth contains big holes or empty space among wires, the cloth is usually called a mesh cloth, like the hybrid cloth150can be called a hybrid mesh cloth. It is noted that even though a circular wire is used as an example for describing the present invention, the metal and supportive wires for the hybrid cloth of the present invention can be other shapes of wires, for example, a fiberglass wire made from a bundle of glass fibers or a flat shape of metal wire. It is further noted that the function of the supportive wires120and130in a hybrid cloth such as the hybrid cloth100inFIG. 3is to fix the metal wires110in the hybrid cloth and arrange them as a 2D array of parallel metal wires with desired pitches.

It is seen from the two examples of hybrid cloths as shown inFIG. 3that a hybrid cloth has many parameters, including the material and diameter of supportive wires, the hole size among wires, metal wires in one or two directions and so on. By selecting these parameters, some new TSV substrates can be produced, which will be further described when describing the embodiments of the present invention. In order to clearly describe the embodiments of the present invention, the arrays of metal wires in the hybrid cloth and the arrays of metal wires formed in a plurality of layers of hybrid cloths are first described in the following by using the two terminologies, that is, a 2D array of parallel metal wires and a 3D array of parallel metal wires with reference toFIG. 4andFIG. 5.

The numerical symbols160inFIG. 4shows a type of array of parallel metal wires, in which the numerical symbol161designates a 2D array of parallel metal wires with a wire pitch162, and the numerical symbol170designates a 3D array of parallel metal wires with a wire pitch171between layers and the wire pitch162among wires in a layer. The 3D array of parallel metal wires170is formed by stacking a plurality of layers of 2D array of parallel metal wires161. It is noted that the metal wires110contained in the hybrid cloth100as shown inFIG. 3forms such a 2D array of parallel metal wires161, and when stacking a plurality of layers of hybrid cloths100to form a column of layered structure, such a 3D array of parallel metal wires170is formed, in which the wire pitch171among layers can be determined when making the column of layered structure.

The numerical symbols180inFIG. 5shows another type of array of parallel metal wires, which is formed when rolling a long tape of hybrid cloth into a column of layered structure, in which the numerical symbols181designates a 3D array of parallel metal wires with a wire pitch182among layers and the numerical symbols190designates a 2D array of parallel metal wires with a wire pitch191in a layer. It is noted thatFIG. 5designates the cross-sectional views of the 3D and 2D arrays of parallel metal wires181and190, the 3D array of parallel metal wires181contains a plurality of layers of 2D array of parallel metal wires from its inner to outer layers, and the 2D array of parallel metal wires190is the outmost layer of 2D array of parallel metal wires in the 3D array of parallel metal wires181. It is noted that both types of arrays of parallel metal wires shown inFIG. 4andFIG. 5respectively correspond to the stacking type and rolling type of column of layered structure contained in the embodiments of the present invention. For simplicity, the type of array of parallel metal wires shown inFIG. 4is mainly used for the schematic diagram illustrating the embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 6is a schematic diagram illustrating the major features of the hybrid cloth integrated column for making TSV substrates of the present invention. The numerical symbol1600inFIG. 6illustrates that the hybrid cloth integrated column contains a column of layered structure600formed by a plurality of hybrid cloths601, in which each layer of hybrid cloth is formed by weaving metal wires and supportive wires and contains at least one 2D array of parallel metal wires602, the plurality of hybrid cloths601are arranged so that a pitch604is pre-determined between any two neighboring layers of hybrid cloths601and the plurality of 2D array of parallel metal wires602form at least one 3D array of parallel metal wires603. Referring to the 3D array of parallel metal wires170as shown inFIG. 4, the column of layered structure600contains such a 3D array of parallel metal wires. It is seen that if the column of layered structure600is packaged by a matrix into a solid entity, called a hybrid cloth integrated column of the present invention, TSV substrates can be produced by slicing it along the direction normal to the direction of the 3D array of parallel metal wires603. Therefore, as designated by the arrows611and621, a matrix comprising a filling material610or a plurality of supportive plates620or both of filling material610and supportive plates620are used to package the column of layered structure600in the embodiments of the present invention. As the outline of the matrix will follow the out line of the column of layered structure600, it is called a column of matrix. In one embodiment of the present invention, the column of matrix comprising a plurality of layers of supportive plates620is used for sealing the plurality of hybrid cloths and separating the plurality of hybrid cloths601with each other; the plurality of layers of supportive plates620are arranged in said column of matrix so that the plurality of layers of supportive plates620and said plurality of layers of hybrid cloths601form a column of layered structure; and in the column of layered structure, each layer of hybrid cloth601is sealed between two layers of supportive plates620, and any two layers of neighboring hybrid cloths601are separated by at least one layer of supportive plate620. In another embodiment of the present invention, the column of matrix further comprises a filling material610, which is filled into the empty space among the layers contained in said column of layered structure; a bonding between any two neighboring layers contained in said column of layered structure is obtained by solidifying the filling material610so that the column of layered structure is bonded into a solid entity by solidifying the filling material. In one preferable embodiment of the present invention, the column of matrix comprises a filling material610, which seals the plurality of layers of hybrid cloths601, the plurality of layers of hybrid cloths601are arranged in the column of matrix to form the column of layered structure600, the column of layered structure600and the filling material610form a solid entity by solidifying the filling material610. In the following, a method for making the hybrid cloth integrated column of the present invention is described with reference toFIG. 7toFIG. 18, in which, more features of the hybrid cloth integrated column of the present invention will be disclosed.

FIG. 7andFIG. 8are a flow-process diagram and a schematic diagram for describing the method for making TSV substrates of one embodiment of the present invention. The processing steps from S1to S4as shown inFIG. 6are described with reference toFIG. 8in the following.

In the processing step S1as shown inFIG. 7andFIG. 8, a hybrid cloth100is formed by weaving metal wires and supportive wires in a hybrid way and a supportive plate200is prepared, wherein at least a 2D array of parallel metal wires101with desired wire pitches is arranged in one direction of the hybrid cloth during weaving it.

In the processing step S2as shown inFIG. 7andFIG. 8, a column of layered structure300is formed by using the hybrid cloth100and the supportive plate200, which contains a plurality of layers of hybrid cloths304and a plurality of layers of plates305, wherein the supportive plates305are used for fixing the hybrid cloths, separating one layer of hybrid cloth from another layer of hybrid cloths and setting the metal wire pitch between two layers of hybrid cloths, that is, any two neighboring layers of hybrid cloths304are separated by at least one layer of supportive plate305, and wherein the plurality of 2D arrays of parallel metal wires contained in the plurality of layers of hybrid cloths are fixed in the column of layered structure300and arranged as a 3D array of parallel metal wires303by the supportive plates and hybrid cloths. It is noted that the supportive plates305can have various geometric structure, which will be described in the further description for the embodiments of the present invention, and the arrows designated by the numerical symbols301and302illustrate two typical cross-sections of the column of layered structure300where the hybrid cloths304don't have and have the horizontal supportive wires, respectively. It is further noted that in the processing step S2, it is a selection to use a filling material in and/or around the empty space of the column of layered structure300, which will be described in the further description for the embodiments of the present invention.

In the processing step S3as shown inFIG. 7andFIG. 8, all the layers of hybrid cloths304and supportive plates305contained in the column of layered structure300are made into a solid entity by using a designed condition so as to form a hybrid cloth integrated column400containing a 3D array of parallel metal wires, in which the arrow dot line designated by the numerical symbol401illustrates the direction normal to the direction of the 3D array of parallel metal wires, along which the hybrid cloth integrated column400are sawed into slices in the next processing step S4. It is noted that the designed condition used for making all the layers of hybrid cloths304and supportive plates305into a solid entity depends on if a filling material is used in the processing step S2, which will be described in the further description for the embodiments of the present invention.

In the processing step S4as shown inFIG. 7andFIG. 8, the hybrid cloth integrated column400is sawed along the direction normal to the direction of the 3D array of parallel metal wires into slices so as to produce a plurality of TSV substrates500.

The hybrid cloth100formed in processing step S1has been described in detail with reference toFIG. 3,FIG. 4andFIG. 5in the above; two major interface structures among the layers in the column of layered structure300taken place in the processing step S2, the corresponding means to join or bond the layers in the column of layered structure300together into a solid entity in the processing step S3, and the selection for the supportive plate200will be described in detail with reference toFIG. 9toFIG. 15in the following.

InFIG. 9, the numerical symbols2100and2200designate two typical cross-sections of the column of layered structure300taken at the positions as shown by301and302inFIG. 8and are for illustrating two typical interface structures among the layers in the column of layered structure300. The cross-section2100of the column of layered structure300is taken at a position where the column of layered structure300doesn't contain the horizontal supportive wires, in which the numerical symbol230indicates the layers of hybrid cloths at the position, and also indicates the interface structure at the position; and the cross-section2200of the column of layered structure300is taken at a position where the column of layered structure300contains the horizontal supportive wires, in which the numerical symbol240indicates the layers of hybrid cloths at the position, and also indicates the interface structure at the position. It is seen from the interface structure illustrated by240that the pitch or distance between two supportive plates is bigger than the diameter of the metal wires because of the presence of the horizontal supportive wires241. So, besides the empty space231among wires in each hybrid cloth, the column of layered structure300also contains the empty space232and233between the layer of supportive plate and the layer of hybrid cloth. All the empty space designated by231,232and233are called the empty space contained in the column of layered structure300. It is noted that when weaving the hybrid cloth100in the processing step S1and as shown inFIG. 8, a small amount of horizontal supportive wires can be used so that the portion of the column of layered structure300without the horizontal supportive wires is its major portion, that is, the portion of the column of layered structure300having the cross-section2100is dominant in the whole column of layered structure300.

A means to make the layers in the column of layered structure300into a solid entity in the processing step S3are described in detail in the following, including a means by using a designed temperature and pressure and a means by using and solidifying a filling material. As shown inFIG. 10, the means as illustrated by numerical symbol2300to make the layers in the column of layered structure300into a solid entity is to press the column of layered structure300under a designed temperature and pressure so that the layers tightly contact with each other at their interfaces and join together, forming a joining between any two layers contained in the column of layered structure300, in which the numerical symbols230A and240A designate the joining planes corresponding to the interface structures230and240contained in the column of layered structure300as shown inFIG. 9, and 231A and 232Adesignate the metal wires and supportive wires at the joining plane230A,233A designate some holes which may take place at or near the joining plane230A, and241A designates the supportive wires at the joining plane240A. It is noted that the supportive wires can be selected and designed to enhance the adhesion among the layers at their joining planes. The numerical symbol2400inFIG. 11illustrate the two typical cross-sectional planes of the hybrid cloth integrated column formed by using the means of temperature and pressure to join the layers in the column of layered structure300, in which230A and240A indicate the portions of the hybrid cloth integrated column without and with the horizontal supportive wires, respectively, and which portion, with the cross-section230A or240A, is more dominant can be determined by designing the horizontal supportive wires in the hybrid cloth,235and236designates the plurality of supportive plates and hybrid cloths, and it is seen fromFIG. 11that each layer of hybrid cloth236is sealed between two supportive plates235.

As shown inFIG. 12, a means as illustrated by numerical symbol2500to make the layers in the column of layered structure300into a solid entity is to fill in the empty space of the column of layered structure300with a filling material251, in which the numerical symbols250and260designate the interface structures having the filling material251corresponding to the interface structures230and240contained in the column of layered structure300as shown inFIG. 9, then solidify the filling material251so that a bond between any two layers in the column of layered structure300is formed, and all the layers in the column of layered structure300are bonded together into a solid entity, forming the hybrid cloth integrated column400as shown inFIG. 8. The numerical symbol2600inFIG. 13illustrates two typical cross-sectional planes of the hybrid cloth integrated column formed by using the filling material251to bond the layers in the column of layered structure300, in which250A and260A indicate the portions of the hybrid cloth integrated column without and with the horizontal supportive wires, respectively, and which portion with the cross-section250A or260A is more dominant in the hybrid cloth integrated column can be determined by designing the horizontal supportive wires in the hybrid cloth, and it is seen fromFIG. 13that each layer of hybrid cloth283is sealed between two supportive plates281by the filling material282.

The means by using a designed temperature and pressure to make the layers in the column of layered structure300into a solid entity as shown inFIG. 10is relatively simple, but the major matrix material in the hybrid cloth integrated column400based on the means can only be made from the supportive plate200. Even though there are more processing steps in the means by using the filling material282to bond the layers in the column of layered structure300together into a solid entity as shown inFIG. 13, there are two material parameters, that is, the filling material and the supportive plate for designing the matrix in the hybrid cloth integrated column400. By selecting the structure of the supportive plate, the major portion of matrix in the hybrid cloth integrated column400can be selectively determined as the filling material, which will be further described in the following.

In one selection of the supportive plate200as designated by5000inFIG. 8, a porous supportive plate is used. The numerical symbol500inFIG. 14designates a porous supportive plate used in the embodiment of the present invention as shown inFIG. 8and in its corresponding hybrid cloth integrated column,501inFIG. 14designates the holes in the porous supportive plate500. When using the porous supportive plate500in the embodiment of the present invention as shown inFIG. 8and filling the filling material into the empty space in and around the column of layered structure300as shown inFIG. 8, the hybrid cloth integrated column as designated by520inFIG. 14can be produced, in which the numerical symbol520illustrates a cross-sectional plane of the hybrid cloth integrated column at the position without the horizontal supportive wires, and520also designates the top view of a TSV substrate, and516designates the filling materials in the empty space in and around the column of layered structure300and in the holes501of the porous supportive plate500. Because all the filling materials are solidified in the meantime, they can thoroughly and reliably join together and form the major portion of the matrix of the hybrid cloth integrated column520. It is noted that corresponding to the metal wires513, the matrix of the hybrid cloth integrated column or TSV substrates designated by the cross-sectional plane520includes the filling material516, the porous supportive plate514and the supportive wires515in the hybrid cloths. So, the matrix of the TSV substrate520is not a uniform material as that in the traditional TSV substrates. As the materials of the porous supportive plate514and the supportive wires515can be selected to be electrically non-conductive, they will not affect the electric performance of the TSV substrate520. Moreover, the mechanical and thermal properties of the TSV substrate520can be improved by selecting and designing the material and structure of the porous supportive plate514and the supportive wires515.

In another selection of the supportive plate200as shown inFIG. 8, a supportive mesh cloth is used. The numerical symbol5400inFIG. 15designates a supportive wire cloth540used in the embodiment of the present invention as shown inFIG. 8, in which the numerical symbols541,542and543designate the horizontal supportive wires, vertical supportive wires, and the holes in the supportive mesh cloth540respectively; the numerical symbol530designates a major cross-sectional plane of the hybrid cloth integrated column at the position designated by arrow dot line544or the top view of the TSV substrate produced by using the supportive mesh cloth540in the embodiment of the present invention as shown inFIG. 8, in which the533designates metal wires, and534,535and536designate the supportive wires from the supportive mesh cloth540, the supportive wires from the hybrid cloth, and the filling material respectively; and as far as the metal wires533are mentioned, the matrix of the TSV substrate530consists of the materials534,535and536, which can be selected and designed to improve the mechanical and thermal properties of the matrix of the TSV substrate530. It is noted that for a composite body containing several materials, the matrix of the composite body is a relative concept, depending on which element is mentioned. For example, in the hybrid cloth integrated column530, if the metal wires533are mentioned, the matrix include all the materials except the metal wires533, that is, the matrix consists of the supportive wires534, the plurality of layers of supportive mesh cloths537and the filling material536; and if the plurality of layers of hybrid cloths538are mentioned, the matrix consists of the plurality of layers of supportive mesh cloths537and the filling material536.

In the processing step S2as shown inFIG. 8of the embodiment of the present invention, the column of layered structure300is formed by using the supportive plate200and the hybrid cloth100. Some preferable ways to form the column of layered structure300is described in the following.

The numerical symbol4000inFIG. 16designates two preferable ways as designated by the numerical symbols410and420inFIG. 16to form the column of layered structure300as shown inFIG. 8. InFIG. 16, the way designated by410illustrates to form a column of layered structure by stacking a plurality of pieces of hybrid cloths412and a plurality of pieces of supportive plates411into a stacked type of layered structure, wherein any two neighboring pieces of hybrid cloths412are separated by at least one piece of supportive plate so that the metal wires electrically insulate from each other; the way designated by420illustrates to form a column of layered structure by stacking a tape of hybrid cloth422and a tape of supportive plate421into a dual layer of tape423, then as shown by the arrow424, rolling the dual layer of tape423into a rolled type of layered structure435or rolling the dual layer of tape423around a column core440into a rolled type of layered structure450, in which the column core440can contain some metal structures as shown by the numerical symbol441and442; and430designates a filling material and the arrow indicates that the filling material430can be deposited on the hybrid cloth and the supportive plate or one of them first, then the hybrid cloth and supportive plate is stacked or rolled into a layered structure. As compared to the stacking way to form the column of layered structure, a column core can be included in the column of layered structure formed by the rolling way. It is noted that in the rolling way, it is not limited to roll a dual layer of tape; a column of layered structure can also be formed by rolling a multiple layer of tape. It is further noted that a stacked type of layered structure can also be formed by rolling the dual layer of tape423or a multiple layer of tape around a multiple side of column so that a stacked type of layered structure can be formed on each side of the multiple side of column.

In summary, the ways to form a column of layered structure by using the hybrid cloth and the supportive plate of the embodiment of the present invention as shown inFIG. 16include the stacking and rolling ways, in which the column core can be added into the column of layered structure formed by the rolling way, and the filling material can be deposited on the hybrid cloth and the supportive plate or one of them first, then the hybrid cloth and plate with the filling material is formed into the column of layered structure by using the stacking or rolling ways, or the filling material can be filled into the column of layered structure after it is formed first. The selection for depositing the filling material on the hybrid cloth or the supportive plate first or filling it into the column of layered structure later can be determined by referring to the structures of the supportive plate and hybrid cloth. It is noted that a container or other assisting tools may be needed for carrying out the processing steps as shown inFIG. 8orFIG. 16, and these conventional ways for carrying out the processing steps are not depicted herein for simplicity.

In another preferable embodiment of the present invention, a column of layered structure and a hybrid cloth integrated column are formed by using an assisting framework, and TSV substrates are further produced, which is described in the following.

As shown by the numerical symbol3000inFIG. 17, a container of framework320contains the clamping plates321/322and the side wall323, in which the numerical symbol330designates that the plurality of pieces of hybrid cloths310are fixed in the container of framework320with two ends of each piece of hybrid cloth310being clamped by the clamping plates321/322, and are arranged as a column of layered structure310with the pitches among the layers of the column of layered structure being set by the clamping plates321/322. Then, as shown by the arrow351, a filling material350is filled into the container of framework320so that the empty space in and around the column of layered structure310is filled by the filling material350, and then the filling material350is solidified by using a designed condition so that a hybrid cloth integrated column consisting of the solidified filling material350and the column of layered structure310is formed. It is noted that due to the usage of the hybrid cloths310of the embodiment of the present invention, the metal wires are well fixed in the framework320. So, the drawback in the method of prior arts as shown by the numerical symbol30inFIG. 2, that is, the metal wires are easy to be moved or broken when filling a filling material into the empty space among the metal wires is resolved in the embodiment of the present invention.

The numerical symbol5800illustrates the cross-sectional plane of the hybrid cloth integrated column or the top view of the TSV substrate formed in the embodiment of the present invention as showed inFIG. 17, it is seen that the hybrid cloth integrated column5800consists of a plurality of layers of hybrid cloths580and a matrix583, wherein580is sealed in583.

It is noted that the selection for the materials used for producing the hybrid cloth integrated column and further producing the TSV substrates in the embodiments of the present invention can be very flexible, which is clarified herein. There are four materials involved in one or more embodiments of the present invention, including the metal wire, supportive wire, supportive plate and filling material. The metal wire can be copper wire, tungsten wire, copper wire with being coated with ceramic or glass coating and so on, the supportive wire can be fiberglass wire, plastic wire, cotton wire and so on, the supportive plate can be a piece of fiberglass cloth, a piece of green ceramic tape, a piece of glass, or a piece of plastic material and so on, and the filling material can be a liquid type of polymer material, a paste type of ceramic or glass material, an ink type of molding material, a paste type of metal material, a powder type of silicon, ceramic or glass and so on. In general, a set of materials can be selected and used in the embodiments of the present invention provided that the set of materials can go through all the processing steps of the embodiments of the present invention without failing to make the hybrid cloth integrated column. Some examples for the sets of materials used in the embodiments of the present invention include: 1) using copper wires and fiberglass wires for the hybrid cloth, and fiberglass cloth for the supportive plate for making the TSV substrates as shown inFIG. 11of the embodiment of the present invention, TSV glass substrates can be produced in the embodiment of the present invention; 2) using copper wires and fiberglass wires for a hybrid mesh cloth, fiberglass mesh cloth for the supportive plate and a paste type of low temperature fired ceramic (LTCC) for making the TSV substrates as shown inFIG. 15of the embodiment of the present invention, TSV ceramic substrates can be produced in the embodiment of the present invention; 3) using copper wires and fiberglass wires for the hybrid cloth and a paste type of low temperature fired ceramic (LTCC) for making the TSV substrates as shownFIG. 18of the embodiment of the present invention, TSV ceramic substrates can be produced in the embodiment of the present invention; 4) in the above case of 2) or 3), using low melting point of metal material, such as aluminum or aluminum alloy as the filling material and copper wires with being coated with ceramic or glass coating, TSV aluminum substrate can be produced; and 5) when using tungsten wires as the metal wires in the hybrid cloth, a paste type of high temperature fired ceramic or a powder type of silicon can be used as the filling material so that a high temperature ceramic of TSV substrates can be produced in the embodiments of the present invention. It is seen that the material set for making TSV substrates according to the embodiments of the present invention can be flexibly determined based on the requirements for a specific application.

The numerical symbol5500inFIG. 19shows a hybrid cloth used in one embodiment of the present invention, which contains metal wires550in its horizontal direction besides the 2D array of parallel metal wires in its vertical direction, forming a network of metal wires, in which the arrow dot lines551,552and553illustrate the various positions to saw the hybrid cloth integrated column for producing various types of TSV substrates from the same hybrid cloth integrated column based on the hybrid cloth5500.

The numerical symbol5600inFIG. 20designates a typical hybrid cloth integrated column of the present invention, which is used with reference to the hybrid cloth integrated columns as shown inFIG. 11,FIG. 13,FIG. 14,FIG. 15andFIG. 18of the embodiments of the present invention to describe the features of the hybrid cloth integrated column of the present invention in the following.

As shown inFIG. 20, the hybrid cloth integrated column5600of the embodiments of the present invention comprises a column of matrix562and a plurality of layers of hybrid cloths560packaged in the column of matrix562, wherein as designated by the numerical symbols560,561,563,565,566and567, each layer of hybrid cloth560contains at least a 2D array of parallel metal wires565in the column direction566, the plurality of layers of hybrid cloths560are arranged as a column of layered structure560A with pre-determined pitches567among the layers so that the plurality of 2D arrays of parallel metal wires565contained in the plurality of layers of hybrid cloths560form a 3D array of parallel metal wires561, giving a plurality of TSV substrates by sawing the hybrid cloth integrated column5600into slices along the direction564normal to the direction of the 3D array of parallel metal wires561. Furthermore, as designated by the arrow570inFIG. 20, the column of matrix562consists of a plurality of supportive plates572as shown inFIG. 11in one embodiment of the present invention; and the column of matrix562consists of a plurality of supportive plates572and a filling material571as shown inFIG. 13in another embodiment of the present invention, and furthermore, the supportive plates can have various structures, like porous supportive plates or supportive mesh cloths573as shown inFIG. 14orFIG. 15; and finally, the column of matrix562consists of a filling material571as shown inFIG. 18in another embodiment of the present invention. Besides, in the embodiments of the present invention, at least one layer of the plurality of layers of hybrid cloths560also contains metal wires in the direction normal to the direction of the 2D array of parallel metal wires565, giving a network of metal wires. As a result, TSV substrates containing a network of metal wires can be produced in the embodiments of the present invention.

It is noted that the length of the hybrid cloth integrated column5600in its column direction or the direction of the 3D array of parallel metal wires561is not limited to be larger than its length in other directions. The lengths of the hybrid cloth integrated column5600in different directions can be flexibly designed according to the efficiency of its production.

FIG. 21is a flow-process diagram of a method for making a redistributed TSV substrate based on a TSV substrate of one embodiment of the present invention. As shown inFIG. 21, the method includes the processing steps from9A to9C, which is illustrated with reference toFIG. 22in the following.

As shown inFIG. 22, the numerical symbol9000is for illustrating the processing steps9ato9C. In the processing step9A, a dielectric layer is coated onto the upper surface and the lower surface of a TSV substrate, the numerical symbol900designates a TSV substrate and901designates an array of TSV contained in the TSV substrate900,910designates the TSV substrate coated with the two dielectric layers911/911A respectively on the upper and lower surfaces of the TSV substrate, and correspondingly called an upper and lower dielectric layer; in the processing step9B, a plurality of holes921/921A in the said two dielectric layers are opened, wherein there is at least one TSV922exposed in each hole, the holes921in the upper dielectric layer911align with the holes921A in the lower dielectric layer911A, giving a plurality of pairs of holes921/921A, the two holes in each pair of holes921/921A are the same in size and shape, the numerical symbol920designates the TSV substrate910after having the holes921/921A; in the processing step9C, a pair of metal pads931/931A in each pair of holes921/921A of the TSV substrate920are formed, giving an electrically conductive path from one pad931to the other pad931A through the TSV922between them, the electrically conductive path is called a redistributed TSV herein so as to produce a substrate930with an array of redistributed TSV931/931A. It is noted that based on the redistributed TSV substrate930as shown inFIG. 22, an IC chip packaging substrate can be further produced by conventionally forming one or more layers of electric traces and pads on the upper and lower surfaces of the said redistributed TSV substrate930.

It is noted that the various parameters for making TSV substrates of the present invention can be flexibly selected to meet the requirement of a specific application for TSV substrates. It is further noted that it is not easy for a macro method based on metal wires to precisely form the plurality of TSV in a TSV substrate due to the dimension change of the matrix material when it is solidified or due to some other imprecise factors of the macro method. However, an array of TSV with precisely determined positions are required in an IC chip packaging application of TSV substrates. So, the method for making the redistributed TSV substrate based on a TSV substrate made from a macro method is disclosed in the embodiment of the present invention, wherein the positions of the redistributed TSV are precisely determined.

FIG. 23is a flow-process diagram of a method for making a redistributed TSV substrate based on a TSV substrate of another embodiment of the present invention. As shown inFIG. 23, the method includes the processing steps from10A to10C, which is illustrated with reference toFIG. 24in the following.

As shown inFIG. 24, the numerical symbol9500is for illustrating the processing steps10A to10C. In the processing step10A as shown by the arrow10A, a plurality of pairs of metal pads961/961A are formed on the upper and lower surfaces of the said substrate950containing an array of TSV951, wherein each metal pad covers at least one TSV, a metal pad961on the upper surface of the said substrate960corresponds to a metal pad961A on the lower surface of the said substrate960, forming a pair of metal pads961/961A, the two metal pads961/961A in each pair of metal pads are the same in size and shape, the numerical symbol960designates the TSV substrate950after having a plurality of pair of metal pieces961/961A; in the processing step10B as shown by the arrow10B, two dielectric layers971/971A are respectively coated on the upper and lower surfaces of the said substrate960and over the said metal pieces961/961A to form the substrate970; and in the processing step10C, a plurality of holes981/981A in the said two dielectric layers971/971A and above the metal pieces961/961A are opened, a portion of each metal piece981/981A is exposed in each hole, corresponding to each pair of metal pieces961/961A, an electrically conductive path, called a redistributed TSV is formed from the exposed metal981in the hole on the upper surface to the exposed metal981A in the hole on the lower surface of the said substrate980through the TSV between the pair of metal pieces961/961A so as to produce a substrate980with an array of redistributed TSV981/981A. It is noted that based on the redistributed TSV substrate980as shown inFIG. 24, an IC chip packaging substrate can be further produced by conventionally forming one or more layers of electric traces and pads on the upper and lower surfaces of the said redistributed TSV substrate.

It is noted that the various parameters for making TSV substrates of the present invention can be flexibly selected to meet the requirement of a specific application for TSV substrates. It is further noted that it is not easy for a macro method based on metal wires to precisely form the plurality of TSV in a TSV substrate due to the dimension change of the matrix material when it is solidified or due to some other imprecise factors of the macro method. However, an array of TSV with precisely determined positions are required in an IC chip packaging application of TSV substrates. So, the method for making the redistributed TSV substrate based on a TSV substrate made from a macro method is disclosed in one preferred embodiment of the present invention, wherein the positions of the redistributed TSV are precisely determined.

Although the present invention is described in some details for illustrative purpose with reference to the embodiments and drawings, it is apparent that many other modifications and variations may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.