Clustered stacked vias for reliable electronic substrates

A substrate via structure for stacked vias in a substrate/chip assembly includes: a center via stack and a plurality of stacked vias clustered around the center via stack. In this structure, the center via and the surrounding vias are made of copper. Some of the surrounding vias may be non-functional vias and these may be of a different height than the functional vias.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

A via system designed to reduce Z-axis strain has been disclosed in commonly-owned, co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/020,534, “Construction Of Reliable Stacked Via In Electronic Substrates—Vertical Stiffness Control Method,” filed on Jan. 26, 2008. An embedded constrainer disc system around a stack via to reduce the in-plane strain has also been disclosed in commonly-owned, co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/020,561, “Embedded Constrainer Discs For Reliable Stacked Vias In Electronic Substrates,” filed on Jan. 27, 2008.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED-RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention disclosed broadly relates to the field of manufacturing electronic substrates and more particularly relates to the field of stacked vias on electronic substrates.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1shows two key components of an electronic module. A chip100is made of silicon on which electronic circuits are fabricated. A substrate102is made of organic materials embedded with copper interconnects. A substrate102facilitates electrical interconnection of the chip to external electronic circuits on a motherboard.

The density of connection points (controlled collapse chip connection, or “C4s”) between a chip100and a substrate102is a critical parameter. A larger number of C4s requires multiple build-up layers104to achieve the needed electrical connections to the motherboard. A typical substrate102may have four build-up layers104on top and bottom and support about 3,000 C4s.FIG. 1shows stacked vias106as well as staggered vias108needed to complete the interconnection. Stacked vias106are often preferable because they achieve a C4 connection density upwards of 20% as compared to a staggered via108.

FIG. 2shows the known art with regard to a stacked via206and a plated through hole210(PTH). An individual stacked via206as shown inFIG. 2accumulates various levels of strain as it is thermally cycled. In a planar view the stacked vias206are located wherever it is convenient to embed them by the electrical designer of a substrate. The coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) of various materials used to construct a module is not matched and is known to drive thermomechanical stresses within a module. Repeated thermal cycling of an electronic module exhibits failure at via interface regions due to thermomechanically driven accumulated strain. An individual via stack206is strained along the Z-axis as well as the (X-Y) plane by the CTE-driven thermo-mechanical stresses.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Briefly, according to an embodiment of the invention, a method for creating a clustered via structure includes steps or acts of: creating a center via stack for electrical interconnects in a substrate/chip assembly; and adding additional via stacks surrounding the center via stack. Some of the additional via stacks may be non-functional and may be of a different height than the functional via stacks.

A substrate via structure for stacked vias in a substrate/chip assembly includes: a center via stack and a plurality of stacked vias clustered around the center via stack. In this structure, the center via and the surrounding vias are made of copper. Some of the surrounding vias may be non-functional vias and these may be of a different height than the functional vias.

While the invention as claimed can be modified into alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof are shown by way of example in the drawings and will herein be described in detail. It should be understood, however, that the drawings and detailed description thereto are not intended to limit the invention to the particular form disclosed, but on the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents and alternatives falling within the scope of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

We describe a via structure design for reducing strain on individual via stacks. Referring now in specific detail to the drawings, and particularlyFIG. 3, there is illustrated a via stack design according to an embodiment of the present invention.FIG. 3shows a design that reduces the effective strain on an individual via stack by actively clustering a group of vias350. During a thermal cycle (e.g., 125° C. to −55° C.) as the build-up layers (with a CTE ˜30 ppm/° C.) shrink along the Z axis as well as in-plane (X-Y) much faster than the Cu-via (with a CTE ˜16), an individual stacked via330has to single-handedly resist the thermomechanical forces produced by the surrounding build-up layer.

By clustering several stacked vias350together and by avoiding an isolated via330, the load-carrying capacity of the clustered via350is enhanced without excessive plastic strain. It is known that the life-time of a via is non-linearly dependent on its plastic strain. Elastic strain in a material is reversible, whereas a plastic strain is irreversible. When the applied stress is removed an elastic deformation reverts back to its original shape whereas a plastic strain does not. Plastic strain, when produced repeatedly due to thermal cycling, is known to generate fatigue failure in materials. Thus it is important to minimize the plastic strains encountered by critical components within an electronic assembly.

Clustering of vias produces united resistance along the Z-axis as well as in the X-Y plane simultaneously. In essence, by increasing the copper content in relation to the build-up layer material, the clustered via stack350is better protected from plastic deformation.

Referring toFIG. 5there is shown a flow chart of the process for creating clustered via stacks. In step510, the center via is positioned. The location of the center via is kept constant with respect to a substrate/chip assembly. In step520additional vias are progressively added (1, 2 and so on.) on opposite sides of the center via. The following cumulative strain per deep thermal cycle (DTC) can be observed:

Base-line data with central via=0.7459%

Central via plus one on each side=0.7399%

Central via plus two on each side=0.7408%

The analysis shows that a single encirclement of an isolated via330produces an improved tolerance (i.e., a reduced strain). Adding an extra encirclement does not produce commensurate improvement. A three-dimensional (3D) formulation produces a similar trend as that of a two-dimensional (2D) model but the relative difference in strains between configurations typically is emphasized more.

While clustering vias for reducing strain, it may be possible to introduce surrounding via stacks360that are not required by the electrical circuits. In step430, the surrounding via stacks360may have a different (smaller) total height compared to a functional via in order to be accommodated in a constrained surrounding. A constrained surrounding may have circuit interconnects on a top layer thus preventing a full height stack via.

As has been shown, there is an advantage in clustering a group of stacked vias in the design of an organic substrate even though it forces the designer to avoid isolated stacked vias330.

Therefore, while there has been described what is presently considered to be the preferred embodiment, it is understood by those skilled in the art that other modifications can be made within the spirit of the invention.