Sloped vias in a substrate, spring-like contacts, and methods of making

Methods for forming vias are disclosed. The methods include providing a substrate having a first surface and an opposing, second surface. The vias are formed within the substrate to have a longitudinal axis sloped at an angle with respect to a reference line extending perpendicular to the first surface and the second surface of the substrate. The vias may be formed from the first surface to the opposing second surface, or the via may be formed as a first blind opening from the first surface, then a second opening may be formed from the second surface to be aligned with the first opening. Vias may be formed completely through a first substrate and a second substrate, and the substrates may be bonded together. Semiconductor devices including the vias of the present invention are also disclosed. A method of forming spring-like contacts is also disclosed.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to the field of semiconductor device fabrication and, more particularly, to interposers and semiconductor die substrates including slanted or sloped vias formed therethrough and methods for their fabrication. The present invention additionally relates to spring-like deflecting contacts and methods for their fabrication.

2. State of the Art

In order to function, integrated circuits such as semiconductor dice must be in electrical communication with signal inputs and outputs as well as power and ground or bias connections external to the integrated circuit. For example, power and ground or other reference voltage must be supplied for operation of the integrated circuit, and other connections, such as for input, output and timing signals, may also be required. These connections are conventionally made through leads or other conductive elements connected to bond pads present on the active surface of a semiconductor die. However, an inner lead bond (ILB) pattern on the active surface of a semiconductor die may include contacts in the form of bond pads which are very small, i.e., 100 microns square, very closely spaced or pitched (typically along or adjacent a center line of the die or along a periphery of the die) and, as a result, are difficult to align with and electrically contact because of their relatively small size.

To electrically connect to the small contacts in the ILB pattern, the contacts in the form of bond pads of the ILB pattern may be redistributed to other locations on the active surface using a redistribution layer (RDL). The RDL comprises a plurality of conductive traces extending from the bond pads of the ILB pattern to redistribute the contact locations of the ILB pattern to another I/O terminal layout, such as an outer lead bond (OLB) pattern that includes terminal pads which are more widely pitched and, thus, easier to electrically contact.

Where present, the traces of an RDL may be embedded into a dielectric material. Suitable dielectric materials may include benzocyclobutene (BCB), polyimide, and photosensitive dielectrics. The process steps depend on whether the redistribution traces are aluminum or copper. For aluminum traces, the aluminum is sputtered onto the wafer surface and the traces are etched using a photographically-defined etch mask pattern comprising a resist. In the case of copper traces, the metal is electroplated onto the wafer surface and then selectively etched to form traces. An RDL may conventionally be applied on the active surface of a semiconductor die to enable flip-chip mounting of the resulting “chip-scale” package on a carrier substrate such as an interposer or a printed circuit board. However, the formation of the RDL traces and redistributed contact pads requires at least one extra step in the fabrication process of a semiconductor die and adds time and expense to the fabrication process.

Another method of providing external electrical contacts to integrated circuitry of a semiconductor die is to form vias, or through-holes, extending between the active surface and the back side of the semiconductor die (typically while the die is at the wafer level and in conjunction with the formation of vias in all of the semiconductor dice of the wafer or other bulk substrate) and to fill the vias with a conductive material. However, one problem of conventionally providing vias through semiconductor dice from an ILB pattern is that the size and pitch of the bond pads have been continually decreasing while the total number of bond pads on a single semiconductor die has been continually increasing due to ongoing advances in semiconductor fabrication and increased circuit complexity. For example, a chip-scale package can include a hundred or more external contacts, each having a lateral extent of about 10 mils and a pitch of about 30 mils. While it is possible to reroute the ILB pattern on the active surface of a semiconductor die and then form vias through the semiconductor die substrate from redistributed contact locations to the back side thereof, such an approach is self-defeating as still requiring an RDL extending to the via locations. Further, there may not be sufficient space, or “real estate,” on the active surface to provide sufficient redistributed locations for vias, which are also sometimes known as “through wafer interconnects,” or “TWIs.”

A technique for reducing the real estate required on a carrier substrate is the use of stacked semiconductor chips in a single package. In stacked chip-scale packages, two or more semiconductor chips will be mounted in a stack and electrically interconnected to a carrier substrate and/or to one another. This reduces the space taken on the underlying carrier substrate in comparison to mounting separate chips directly to the substrate.

Stacked chip-scale packages may require vias to be formed through the entire thickness of a semiconductor die between the active surface and back side thereof, allowing electrical connection therethrough to one or more dice stacked thereon. Conventionally, such vias are filled with conductive material to interconnect electrical devices and metallization at various levels.

Electrical contact structures are an integral part of connecting semiconductor devices to external electrical components, such as other semiconductor devices, printed circuit boards, probe cards, etc. There are several conventional bonding methods known in the art for electrically connecting semiconductor devices to another electrical device. Some of these methods include wire bonding, tab bonding, solder-bump bonding, and flip-chip bonding, among many other methods.

Another example of electrical contacts is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,848,685 to Smith et al. (“the Smith Patent”) entitled “Photolithographically Patterned Spring Contact,” the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein and the article “Nanosprings—New Dimensions in Sputtering” by Linder et al., Unaxis Chip Newsletter, July 2002 pp. 44-47. The above documents disclose photolithographically patterned spring contacts that may be used for flip-chip contacts or for probe card applications.FIG. 12is a side view of such a spring contact. Bonding structure100includes a plurality of spring contacts34. Each spring contact34comprises a free, cantilevered portion42and an anchor portion46fixed to an insulating underlayer48made from silicon nitride or other etchable insulating material and electrically connected to a contact pad50. Each spring contact34is made of an extremely elastic material, such as a chrome-molybdenum alloy or a nickel-zirconium alloy. The contact pad50is the terminal end of a line or trace which electrically communicates between an electronic device formed on the substrate44or device101such as a transistor, a display electrode, or other electrical device. However, while the patterned spring contacts of the Smith Patent may be used to create an array of spring contacts connectable to an external device, the method of forming them requires a series of complex steps.

Accordingly, a need exists for a via that efficiently facilitates connection between the fine pitch bond pads of an ILB pattern and external electrical devices, and a spring contact that is easy to manufacture.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention, in a number of exemplary embodiments, includes sloped vias within a substrate, as well as a method of forming sloped vias. The sloped vias are formed within the substrate to have a longitudinal axis sloped at an angle with respect to a reference line extending perpendicular to a surface of the substrate. Spring-like deflecting contacts may be formed using the sloped vias. The sloped vias may be formed in semiconductor wafers, interposer substrates, or other semiconductor component structures.

In one aspect of the present invention, a plurality of vias may extend from the first surface of the substrate to the second surface of the substrate in a fan pattern. The access points of the plurality of vias on the first surface of the substrate have a finer pitch, or spacing, than the access points on the second surface of the substrate. The plurality of vias may be filled with conductive material to form conductive paths between the first surface of the substrate and the second surface of the substrate.

A method according to the present invention of forming the plurality of vias includes laser drilling from the first surface of the substrate completely through to the second surface of the substrate. Alternatively, the vias may be formed first as openings extending partially through the substrate from either the first or the second surface of the substrate. Openings may then be formed from the opposing surface of the substrate to form vias extending completely therethrough.

In another aspect of the present invention, multiple substrates may be provided, and a plurality of sloped vias formed through each substrate at complementary angles. The substrates may be bonded together, forming a single, multi-layer substrate having vias extending completely therethrough.

In a third aspect of the present invention, each via of a plurality of vias extending through a substrate may include a portion angled with respect to the first surface of the substrate, and a portion perpendicular with respect to the first surface of the substrate. The plurality of vias may be formed, according to the present invention, as angled openings extending partially through the substrate from either the first or the second surface of the substrate. Openings perpendicular to the first surface of the substrate may then be formed from the opposing surface of the substrate, to an associated angled opening, resulting in vias extending completely therethrough. Vias including an angled portion and a perpendicular portion may alternatively be formed according to the present invention using multiple substrates to form a multi-layer substrate.

The plurality of vias of the present invention may be formed in a larger scale on, for example, a wafer. The plurality of vias may be positioned in a plurality of via patterns. One method according to the present invention of forming the plurality of vias includes forming each of the vias positioned at a first angle with respect to the substrate, then forming each of the vias positioned at a second angle with respect to the substrate, and so on until each of the plurality of via patterns is complete.

In another aspect of the present invention, a stacked semiconductor assembly includes a sloped via. The sloped via may electrically connect two laterally offset bond pads of different semiconductor devices. An RDL trace may provide electrical communication to a third bond pad. The sloped via may extend through multiple semiconductor devices.

In yet another aspect of the present invention, an electrical device, such as a contact card or an interposer, employing a plurality of spring-like deflecting contacts is disclosed. A substrate may have a plurality of spring-like deflecting electrical contacts, each comprising a conductive path. The conductive paths each have a free, cantilevered portion extending from a surface of the substrate at an angle, and another portion fixed within the substrate at the same angle.

A method of forming the spring-like deflecting contacts according to the present invention includes forming a sloped via within a substrate. The sloped via may be filled with conductive material to form a conductive path. The substrate may be etched to provide a free, cantilevered portion of the conductive path extending from a surface of the substrate at an angle.

A plurality of sloped vias of the present invention may be formed in a fan pattern, each of the sloped vias located in the same plane, for example the x-z plane. For example, the access points of the plurality of vias on the first surface of the substrate may be arranged in a linear pattern, and the access points of the plurality of vias on the second, opposing surface of the substrate may be arranged in a linear pattern having wider spacing. Alternatively, a plurality of sloped vias may each be located in separate planes. The plurality of sloped vias may form a fan pattern in the x and y direction through a substrate. For example, the access points of the plurality of vias on the first surface of the substrate may be arranged in a linear pattern, and the access points of the plurality of vias on the second, opposing surface of the substrate may be arranged in a two-dimensional array.

Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those of skill in the art through consideration of the ensuing description, the accompanying drawings, and the appended claims.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides methods for forming sloped vias extending at an angle between one surface and an opposing surface of a semiconductor substrate, as well as semiconductor substrates having sloped vias created by those methods. The sloped vias of the present invention may be used in semiconductor components, stacked semiconductor component configurations, and assemblies resulting therefrom. The inventive methods of forming the sloped vias include forming a plurality of vias in a fan-in or fan-out pattern. The present invention has utility in forming electrical connections between semiconductor devices and in redistributing I/Os to change the pitch of a single semiconductor die. The present invention additionally has utility in forming spring-like deflecting contacts.

The term “substrate” used in the following description refers to any generally planar supporting structure including, but not limited to, semiconductor wafers, interposer substrates or other semiconductor component structures. The term should be understood to include silicon, silicon-on-insulator (SOI), silicon-on-sapphire (SOS), doped and undoped semiconductors, epitaxial layers of silicon supported by a base semiconductor foundation, and other semiconductor structures. The substrate need not be silicon-based or even a semiconductor. The substrate may be silicon-germanium, germanium, gallium arsenide, indium phosphide, ceramic, plastic or glass filled resin material (e.g., FR-4). When reference is made to a “substrate” in the following description, previous process steps may have been utilized to form active regions or junctions in or on the semiconductor substrate.

Referring to the accompanying drawings used to illustrate the exemplary embodiments, the drawings and various elements depicted in the drawings are not drawn to scale, but are illustrative. It will be apparent by those of ordinary skill in the art that while the methods and structures disclosed herein describe methods for fabricating vias and semiconductor components resulting therefrom, the acts and structures described herein comprise a portion of an entire fabrication process of a semiconductor device or other substrate and may be used in combination with other semiconductor fabrication methods.

FIG. 1depicts a cross section of a semiconductor substrate12with an exemplary plurality of vias20formed therethrough. The semiconductor substrate12has a first surface14and an opposing second surface16. As shown, the vias20pass substantially entirely through the semiconductor substrate12, from first surface14to the opposing second surface16. It will be appreciated that vias20which do not pass entirely through the substrate12but merely penetrate to a selected depth therein may be created and used in methods in accordance with the present invention. For example, the via20may terminate at a bond pad (not shown) on the first surface14or on the second surface16, as discussed hereinafter. Each via20as depicted includes a first surface access point24and a second surface access point26. Each via20may be angled with respect to the substrate first surface14and second surface16, such that each first surface access point24of a via20may be laterally offset from the associated second surface access point26of the via20. The plurality of first surface access points24defines an access point pattern on the first surface14, and the plurality of second surface access points26defines an access point pattern on the second surface16.

In this exemplary embodiment, the vias20each have a longitudinal axis18and may be formed in the substrate12by, for example, laser drilling, plasma etching or machining. Once the vias20are created, they may be filled with conductive material. The longitudinal axis18may define a center point of each via20. The longitudinal axis18of each via20is angled differently than at least some other vias20with respect to the first surface14, defining a fan pattern in the substrate12. In other words, the pitch, or spacing, of the access point pattern of the first surface is smaller than the pitch of the access point pattern of the second surface. The access point pattern of the first surface may be a mirror image of the ILB pattern of a semiconductor die for electrical connection thereto. The access point pattern of the second surface may be arranged to contact pads on another semiconductor component such as another die, interposer or other carrier substrate. Thus, the contact locations of the ILB pattern may be redistributed to another I/O terminal layout.

A representative dimension, or diameter, of each via20may be from about 10 μm to about 2 mils or greater. The cross section of each via20transverse to the longitudinal axis18may be of a circular shape, but it will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that the cross-sectional shape of each via20may be any other known shape for forming through-vias including, without limitation, rectangular, square, trapezoidal, oval, tear-drop and any combinations thereof.

Laser drilling, or ablation, may be effected using equipment, such as the Model 5000-series lasers, offered currently by ElectroScientific Industries of Portland, Oreg. One specific, suitable piece of equipment is a 355 nm wavelength UV YAG laser, Model 2700, which may be used to form vias20. Another suitable laser system is the Xise 200, offered by Xsil Ltd. of Dublin, Ireland, which company also has a U.S. office in Loveland, Colo. The Xsil product may be used to form vias as small as about 10 μm to about 15 μm in diameter. The areas of the substrate12irradiated by the laser may reach a temperature of 1400° C. It is currently believed that above 600° C. damage occurs to active regions within a substrate. By using a plurality of short bursts from the laser, heat flow into the substrate12due to the thermal input from the laser is minimized during the forming of the vias20and deleterious effects, such as dopant redistribution within an adjacent active region does not occur. A 355 nm wavelength laser, as previously referenced, may be operated at a power of about 4 to 9 W, for example 5 W, and from about a 20 kHz to a 60 kHz cycle or repetition rate to form each via20. If laser drilling is used to form the vias20, a wet etchant, such as an HF-based etch, may be used to remove the native oxide present on the semiconductor substrate12and any resultant oxide or nitride formed due to thermal oxidation or nitriding during the laser drilling process. The wet etch will also smooth and remove any debris resulting from the laser drilling process. The vias20having an angled longitudinal axis18oriented at an angle with respect to the first surface14of the semiconductor substrate12may be laser drilled by properly positioning the laser. In other words, the “working field” of the laser, being the semiconductor substrate12, may remain fixed, and the laser adjusted and positioned to form each via20.

In lieu of laser ablation or machining, each via20may be formed by any other suitable method of forming through-vias or openings in the substrate12that is appropriate for the type of material used to fabricate the substrate12including, without limitation, a dry etch process, mechanical drilling, or any combination thereof. Heat produced from a laser ablation or machining process used to form the vias20in substrate12may damage the surrounding semiconductor material, forming a so-called heat affected zone (HAZ), which is typically etched to clean the vias20, using, for example, a 6% TMAH in propylene glycol solution. Where each via20is relatively large, the amount of heat generated by the laser beam becomes significant and may lead to damage to the integrated circuitry itself. Thus, the vias20may be formed with a dry etch (reactive ion etch, or RIE) process appropriate for the type of substrate12to avoid this problem.

Deep reactive ion etching (DRIE) is one technique of dry etching to form deep, high aspect ratio structures such as the vias20. The so-called “Bosch” process of DRIE is accomplished in part by using both a passivation and an etch step. The semiconductor substrate12may be adjusted and positioned to form each via20at the desired angle.

Another nonlimiting example of a suitable technology for forming the vias20is the so-called atmospheric downstream plasma (ADP) process offered by Tru-Si Technologies, Inc. of Sunnyvale, Calif. As applied to via formation, the ADP process is implemented using an aluminum mask layer formed over a surface of a semiconductor substrate patterned with apertures to define via locations. An argon carrier gas is employed, with fluorine as the reactant gas. The etch effected is substantially isotropic. Where necessary, the vias20may be cleaned using any suitable process to provide a clean and porous surface at the sidewalls of vias20.

The inner surfaces of the vias20may optionally include or be coated with a dielectric layer, also known as a passivation layer (not shown), depending on the type of material used for the substrate12. The dielectric layer may comprise any known insulating material such as silicon oxide or silicon nitride deposited to any desired thickness using CVD or other known deposition process. The dielectric layer may also be grown on exposed surfaces of the substrate12using an oxidizing atmosphere such as steam and oxygen at an elevated temperature. The insulation layer may also comprise an insulating polymer, such as a polyimide, deposited using a suitable process such as a spin-on process or an injection or capillary process. The dielectric layer may provide a layer of separation between the inner surface of the vias and any conductive material forming a conductive path within the via, as described hereinbelow.

The vias20may be filled with one or more conductive materials to form a conductive path. At least three different methods of forming conductive paths may be used. In a first method, each via20is filled with conductive materials, such as conductive metals, in a plurality of layers. A physical vapor deposition (PVD, or sputtering) process or chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process, including metallic organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) may be used to deposit the layers of conductive material. Aluminum, for example, may be sputtered as a first conductive layer. The use of aluminum is particularly desirable if an aluminum bond pad lies at the bottom of a via. The first conductive layer may be coated with a second conductive layer. The second conductive layer may be nickel or copper, each of which are particularly suitable if the cores of the vias are to be filled with a solder, as these two metals are highly wettable by most solders. The core of each via may comprise a solder paste or conductive particles in an organic carrier deposited in each via. A solder paste may be physically placed into the via, for example, by squeegeeing. The conductive particles may comprise silver nanoparticles in an organic carrier, which are available from vendors including Emulsitone of Whippany, N.J. and Superior Micropowders of Albuquerque, N. Mex. In either case, the substrate12may then be heated to reflow the solder or melt the silver nanoparticles, fill the vias, drive off any volatile organics and form conductive paths.

In other methods of forming conductive paths within the vias20, the conductive material may be plugs of a single metal that completely fills the vias20. Alternatively, the conductive paths may comprise one or more layers of conductive material that cover or line the inside surfaces or sidewalls of the openings, while the interiors of the vias20are filled with a nonconductive material. In such an instance, a conductive pad may then be formed over the end of the conductive via in communication with the conductive lining. In addition to the conductive metals listed with regard to filling each via20with conductive materials in a plurality of layers, other conductive metals that may be used to fill the vias20include, without limitation, titanium, iridium, gold, tungsten, silver, platinum, palladium, tantalum, molybdenum, tin, zinc, alloys of these metals including solder, and any combinations thereof.

In addition to using conductive metals to fill the vias20, the conductive material may comprise a conductive or conductor-filled polymer. For instance, the conductive or conductor-filled polymer may be deposited in the through-holes as a viscous, flowable material and cured as required. Suitable deposition processes for conductive polymers include screen printing or stenciling. Other suitable conductive polymers may include a nanoparticle paste or ink having metal nanoparticles made of conductive metal, such as aluminum.

Once each via20is filled with conductive material to form a conductive path, the conductive path may extend from a contact or bond pad, such as an ILB pad, lying over at least a portion of the access point of each via20. The bond pads would generally have been formed previously by a conventional process during fabrication of integrated circuitry on the substrate12of a semiconductor component if the component comprises a semiconductor die. In such an instance, the via would comprise a blind via terminating at the underside of the bond pad. If the semiconductor component is other than a semiconductor die, however, bond or terminal pads may be formed subsequent to the conductive filling of the via.

The following methods of forming the vias20in the semiconductor substrate12will be described with respect to laser drilling; however, as will be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art, any of the aforementioned methods of forming vias may be employed, or any other method of forming vias known in the art. Referring again toFIG. 1, the vias20may be formed in the substrate12by drilling from the first surface14to the second surface16, or drilling from the second surface16to the first surface14. In an alternative method, depicted inFIGS. 2A-2B, a plurality of first openings20A may be formed in the semiconductor substrate12. The depth of the first opening20A is such that each first opening20A creates a blind via, i.e., the first opening20A does not extend entirely through the substrate12. A bottom surface15of the first opening20A defines a lowermost portion of each first opening20A. A plurality of second openings20B is formed from the second surface16of the semiconductor substrate12, each second opening20B formed at substantially an angle equal to the angle of each associated first opening20A. Each second opening20B may be drilled from the second surface16and through the bottom surface15of the associated first opening20A at a plane15′ to form the plurality of vias20.

FIG. 3Cillustrates a second embodiment of vias20′ in a semiconductor substrate12′ andFIGS. 3A through 3Cshow a method of forming the second embodiment of vias20′. The semiconductor substrate12′ comprises a first semiconductor substrate12A having a first surface14A and an opposing second surface16A. The first surface14A of the first semiconductor substrate12A has a plurality of first openings20A′ formed therein. Each first opening20A′ includes a first surface access point24A and a second surface access point26A. In this exemplary embodiment, the plurality of first openings20A′ defines a fan pattern in the first semiconductor substrate12A. Each first opening20A′ may extend through the first surface14A of the first semiconductor substrate12A at the first surface access point24A, or may terminate at an I/O terminal (not shown) on first surface14A. Each first opening20A′ extends completely through the second surface16A of the first semiconductor substrate12A at the second surface access point26A. The plurality of first openings20A′ may be formed by laser drilling or etching, as described hereinabove.

Turning next toFIG. 3B, a second semiconductor substrate12B has a first surface14B and an opposing second surface16B. The first surface14B of the second semiconductor substrate12B has a plurality of second openings20B′ formed therein. Each second opening20B′ may be formed substantially at an angle equal to the angle of each associated first opening20A′. Each second opening20B′ may extend through the second surface16B, or may terminate at a bond pad (not shown) on the second surface16B. Each second opening20B′ includes a first surface access point24B and a second surface access point26B. The spacing of the plurality of second opening first surface access points24B may be a mirror image of the spacing of the plurality of first opening second surface access points26A. The plurality of second openings20B′ may be formed by laser drilling or etching, as described hereinabove.

Referring next toFIG. 3C, the first semiconductor substrate12A and the second semiconductor substrate12B may be attached, with the second surface16A of the first semiconductor substrate12A contiguous with the first surface14B of the second semiconductor substrate12B, forming semiconductor substrate12′. The second opening first surface access points24B may be aligned with the plurality of first opening second surface access points26A to form a plurality of vias20′ through semiconductor substrate12′.

FIG. 4Billustrates a third embodiment of vias70in a semiconductor substrate52, andFIGS. 4A and 4Bshow a method of forming the third embodiment of vias70. The semiconductor substrate52has a first surface54and an opposing second surface56. The first surface54of the substrate52has a plurality of first openings58formed therein. In this exemplary embodiment, each first opening58has a first longitudinal axis68, and each first longitudinal axis68is angled differently with respect to the first surface54. The plurality of first openings58thus defines a fan pattern in the substrate52. The depth of the first opening58is such that the first opening58creates a blind via, i.e., the first opening58does not extend through the substrate52. A bottom surface51of the first opening58defines a lowermost portion of each first opening58. The first opening58extends through the first surface54of the substrate52.

FIG. 4Billustrates the semiconductor substrate52ofFIG. 4Awith vias70including a plurality of second openings57formed therein. Each of the plurality of second openings57, as shown, have substantially parallel longitudinal axes with respect to one another, although such a mutually parallel orientation is not required. Each second opening57extends through the substrate52from the second surface56through the bottom surface of each associated bottom surface51of the first openings58. Each first opening58and second opening57together form each via70. The second opening57extends through the second surface56of the substrate52. The plurality of first openings58and the plurality of second openings57may be formed by laser drilling or etching, as described hereinabove.

A fourth embodiment of a semiconductor substrate of the present invention, and a method of forming the semiconductor substrate is shown inFIGS. 5A-5C. Turning first toFIG. 5A, a first semiconductor substrate72has a first surface74and an opposing second surface76. The first surface74of the first semiconductor substrate72has a plurality of first openings78formed therein. In this exemplary embodiment, each first opening78has a first longitudinal axis75, and each longitudinal axis75is angled differently with respect to the first surface74, defining a fan pattern in the first semiconductor substrate72. The first opening78may extend through the first surface74of the first semiconductor substrate72, or may terminate at an I/O terminal (not shown) on first surface74. The first opening78extends completely through the second surface76of the first semiconductor substrate72.

Turning next toFIG. 5B, a second semiconductor substrate82has a first surface84and an opposing second surface86. The first surface84of the second semiconductor substrate82has a plurality of second openings88formed therein. A longitudinal axis85of each second opening88may be substantially parallel to the other longitudinal axis85, although such mutually parallel orientation is not required. The spacing of the plurality of second openings88may be a mirror image of the spacing of the plurality of first openings78at the second surface76of the first semiconductor substrate72(seeFIG. 5A). The second opening88extends through the first surface84of the second semiconductor substrate82. The second opening88may extend through the second surface86, or may terminate at a bond pad (not shown) on second surface86.

As shown inFIG. 5C, the first semiconductor substrate72and the second semiconductor substrate82may be attached, with the second surface76of the first semiconductor substrate72contiguous with the first surface84of the second semiconductor substrate82. Each first opening78and associated second opening88together form a continuous via90.

As another alternative, vias may be formed in a semiconductor substrate on a larger scale, such as a wafer or other large-scale, or bulk, substrate.FIG. 6shows a plurality of via patterns210on a wafer200, and each via pattern210may be associated with integrated circuitry (not shown) of a semiconductor die. Each semiconductor die may be separate from one another or physically and electrically connected to one another on the large-scale substrate. The via pattern210of each semiconductor die may have the same configuration, or the wafer may include via patterns having many different configurations. By way of example and not limitation, a via pattern having a different configuration might be a via pattern comprising mutually parallel vias.

FIGS. 7A-7Bdepict a method of forming the plurality of via patterns on the wafer200. Each via10of each via pattern210having a longitudinal axis8of substantially the same angle is formed, as shownFIG. 7A. Next, each via11of each via pattern having a longitudinal axis9of substantially another angle is formed. This process is repeated until the patterning of the entire wafer is completed. Forming each via having the longitudinal axis of substantially the same angle before forming each via having the longitudinal axis of substantially another angle allows minimal adjustments to the position and angle of the laser if the vias are formed by laser drilling. Concurrently forming vias having substantially the same longitudinal axes may be a desirable method of forming vias by etching because adjustments to the angle of the semiconductor substrate or wafer may be minimized.

FIG. 8shows a stacked semiconductor device assembly400. A first substrate1is a semiconductor die including an active surface170bearing active circuitry and bond pads, or I/O terminals120,130operably coupled to the active circuitry. A second substrate2is another semiconductor die including an active surface270bearing active circuitry and bond pads, or I/O terminals220,230operably coupled to the active circuitry. Each substrate includes an opposing, second surface150,250. The first substrate is stacked over the second substrate with the opposing second surface150of the first substrate adhered to the active surface270of the second substrate with an adhesive160. The adhesive160may comprise a thermoplastic resin, a thermoset resin, or an epoxy. The bond pads120,130of the first substrate and the bond pads220,230of the second substrate may be substantially aligned, that is, stacked over one another as shown, or may be separated, or unaligned as stacked. The first substrate1and the second substrate2may be substantially identical.

Identical semiconductor dice conventionally have corresponding address, power supply, and data lines that may be paralleled. As a result, like memory devices may be physically stacked upon one another with the bottom device mounted on a printed circuit board or other second level package. The I/O terminals of each device may be connected to each other through parallel, vertical vias. I/O terminals receiving signals that cannot be paralleled are not connected together, and must instead have separate I/O terminal locations. The bond pads120,220may be “chip select” (“CS”) terminals. Generally, the CS terminal, which, when active, selects the memory device rank for reading and writing operations, is not paralleled with other device CS terminals. Because not all memory devices in a memory stack need to be activated at the same time, the CS terminals conventionally do not share signals with other CS terminals.

The bond pads130,230may be unused bond pads. RDL trace280may connect the second substrate CS terminal220with the second substrate unused bond pad230. A via290may connect the second substrate unused bond pad230with the first substrate unused bond pad130. The first substrate unused bond pad130and the second substrate unused bond pad230are not aligned, and via290may be sloped to provide connection between the offset, unused bond pads130,230. Optionally, the use of RDL trace280may be avoided by connecting the second substrate CS terminal220with another first substrate unused bond pad140using a sloped via.

In another aspect of the present invention, as illustrated inFIG. 9, stacked semiconductor device assembly300may include more than two semiconductor substrates. The assembly300includes a first semiconductor substrate301, a second semiconductor substrate302, and a third semiconductor substrate303. Adhesive layers350secure the semiconductor substrates301,302, and303in stacked formation. Each semiconductor substrate includes at least one bond pad320. A via390may be formed through multiple semiconductor substrates, for example, a first semiconductor substrate301and a second semiconductor substrate302, and connect to the bond pad320of a third semiconductor substrate303. The via390may be sloped to avoid intersection with the bond pad320of the second semiconductor substrate302. The via390may be positioned to avoid any additional circuitry on the second semiconductor substrate302.

It will be appreciated that vias which do not pass substantially entirely through the substrate but merely penetrate to a selected depth therein may be created and used in methods in accordance with the present invention. It will be further appreciated that, although, for simplicity of understanding, only one via290is depicted inFIG. 8, and two vias390are depicted inFIG. 9, the methods of the present invention may be, and in most instances would be, simultaneously conducted with a large plurality of vias in a semiconductor substrate. A plurality including any number of vias may be formed. It will also be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that the methods of the present invention will typically be applied on a wafer or other bulk semiconductor substrate scale for efficiency, although the invention is not so limited.

An exemplary embodiment for forming spring-like deflecting contacts134, or pins, of the present invention is shown inFIGS. 10A-10C. Referring toFIG. 10A, a substrate112is provided having a plurality of sloped vias125,126formed therein. The sloped vias125,126may be formed by laser drilling, or any other suitable method, as described hereinabove. The sloped via125may comprise a blind via, i.e., the sloped via125does not extend entirely through the substrate112. Alternatively, the sloped via126may extend substantially through the semiconductor substrate112from a first surface114of the semiconductor substrate112to a second surface116of the semiconductor substrate112.

As shown inFIG. 10B, each sloped via125,126is filled with a conductive material to form a conductive path135,136, for example by plating, or any other suitable method, as described hereinabove. The conductive material may comprise, for example, aluminum, copper, or alloys thereof. In addition, any of the conductive metals listed hereinabove with regard to filling a via with conductive materials may be employed. The semiconductor substrate112may be subsequently etched to a selected depth118, forming a free, cantilevered portion142of each conductive path135,136as shown inFIG. 10C. Each conductive path additionally includes a fixed portion141secured within the substrate112.

Referring again toFIG. 10C, the semiconductor substrate112is processed to the structure illustrated inFIG. 10B. Then, by using a selective etch designed to preferentially attack the material of the substrate112, free, cantilevered portions142, are exposed, resulting in the structure illustrated inFIG. 10C. A suitable etchant is 6% tetramethyl ammonium hydroxide (TMAH) in propylene glycol when the semiconductor substrate112is made from single crystal silicon. TMAH is a suitable anisotropic etchant because it will not substantially etch metal, thus it will not etch conductive paths135,136. Also, TMAH does not form an oxide. Portions of the substrate112not to be etched, such as second surface116, may be protectively masked.

Spring-like deflecting contacts134including the free, cantilevered portions142protruding from semiconductor substrate112may be formed at any desired angle using the sloped vias125,126positioned, or sloped, in the semiconductor substrate at the desired angle. If desired, to facilitate soldering the spring contacts to corresponding bond or terminal pads on another electrical device, the tips of each of the free, cantilevered portions142may be coated with a solder wettable material such as, for example, gold, silver, copper, nickel, alloys thereof, or any other metal or alloy that will allow typical lead or tin solders to wet it.

The spring-like deflecting contacts134may be used in a contact card or an interposer to provide electrical communication between two electrical devices. The fixed portion141of the spring-like deflecting contacts134may provide communication with a first electrical device. The free, cantilevered portion142of the spring-like deflecting contacts134may be soldered to terminal or bond pads of another electrical device, as in flip-chip applications. If the spring-like deflecting contacts134are not soldered to terminal or bond pads, such as when employing a contact card or probe card for testing another electrical device, the angle θ that the free, cantilevered portion142protrudes from the semiconductor substrate112results in the spring-like deflecting contacts134sliding on the terminal or bond pads of the electrical device to be tested after making contact therewith due to their resiliency. The angle θ that the free, cantilevered portion142protrudes may be used to cause the spring-like deflecting contacts134to slide on the terminal or bond pads and scrub off an oxide layer which forms on some bond pads (i.e., aluminum bond pads) for better electrical contact.

A plurality of sloped vias may be located in the same plane, or may be located in a number of different planes. For example,FIG. 11Adepicts an overhead view of a substrate212having a plurality of sloped via access points124located on a first surface thereof. The access points124are shown arranged in a linear pattern. Sloped via access points127located on a second, opposing surface of the substrate212, shown as dashed squares for clarity, may also be arranged in a linear pattern having wider spacing. Alternatively, a plurality of sloped vias may be located in a number of different planes, and the access points distributed over a greater area, as shown inFIG. 11B. The plurality of sloped vias may form a fan pattern in the x and y direction through a substrate312. For example, the access points224of the plurality of vias on the first surface of the substrate312may be arranged in a linear pattern, and the access points226of the plurality of vias on the second, opposing surface of the substrate312may be arranged in a two-dimensional array as shown. As will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art, the access points located on the first surface of the substrate and the access points on the second surface of the substrate may be arranged in a variety of patterns. For example, the first surface access points may be arranged in an array, and the second, opposing surface access points may be arranged in another array having different spacing. In addition, it will be appreciated that a substrate having any number of sloped vias, and therefore any number of access points, is within the scope of the present invention.

As will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art, the present invention enables electrical communication between laterally offset points in different planes without the use of an RDL. Vias of the present invention arranged in a fan-in or fan-out pattern allow redistribution of I/O terminals from a fine pitch to a larger pitch. Additionally, a spring-like deflecting contact may be formed at any desired angle with respect to the surface of a substrate.

Although the foregoing description contains many specifics, these should not be construed as limiting the scope of the present invention, but merely as providing illustrations of some exemplary embodiments. Similarly, other embodiments of the invention may be devised that do not depart from the spirit or scope of the present invention. Features from different embodiments may be employed in combination. The scope of the invention is, therefore, indicated and limited only by the appended claims and their legal equivalents, rather than by the foregoing description. All additions, deletions, and modifications to the invention, as disclosed herein, which fall within the meaning and scope of the claims are to be embraced thereby.