Patent Abstract:
A flip chip interconnection structure is formed by mechanically interlocking joining surfaces of a first and second element. The first element, which may be a bump on an integrated circuit chip, includes a soft, deformable material with a low yield strength and high elongation to failure. The surface of the second element, which may for example be a substrate pad, is provided with asperities into which the first element deforms plastically under pressure to form the mechanical interlock.

Full Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a Division of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/802,664, filed Mar. 9, 2001, which claims priority from U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/188,570, titled “Flip Chip Interconnection Structure”. This application is related to commonly assigned copending U.S. application Ser. No. 09/802,375 titled “Packaging Structure and Method” filed Mar. 9, 2001 and U.S. application Ser. No. 09/802,443 titled “Flip Chip-in-Leadframe Package and Process” filed Mar. 9, 2001; both said related applications are hereby incorporated by reference in their entireties herein. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to flip chip interconnection structures and, more particularly, to an interconnect structure formed by mechanical deformation and interlocking of asperities between the surfaces to be joined. 
     Flip chip interconnection between an integrated circuit (IC) chip and a substrate is commonly performed in electronic package assembly. In the most common form of such interconnection bumps on the IC chip are metallurgically joined to pads formed on the substrate, usually by melting of the bump material. While this approach provides robust connections, it is difficult to reduce the pitch of the interconnection due to the risk of bridging (i.e. shorting between adjacent connections) during the melting and solidification processes. In an alternative approach the attachment is made using a particulate film or paste, whereby conductive particles in the paste or film together with the shrinkage force of a resin effect an electrical connection. This approach lends itself to reduction of interconnection pitch but suffers from limited long term reliability owing to the susceptibility of the particulate interconnection to degrade over time. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In one general aspect the invention features a method for forming a flip chip interconnection structure, by providing a first member on an IC chip and a second member on a substrate, in which the first member includes a deformable material having a low yield strength and a high elongation to failure and the second member has surface asperities on the part to be bonded with the first member; and pressing the first and second members against one another using a force sufficient to cause plastic flow of part of the first member into asperities on the second member. 
     In some embodiments the first member is a bump formed on the IC chip, and typically is one of a set of such bumps; and the deformable materials of the first member in some particularly useful embodiments includes gold. In some embodiments the second member is a lead or pad on the substrate, or is a via opening. In some embodiments the second member is a surface pad having a conventional plated surface finish, on which the asperities are provided according to the invention. 
     In another general aspect the invention features a flip chip interconnection structure made by the method of the invention. 
     In another general aspect the invention features a flip chip interconnection structure, which includes a first member attached to a chip and a second member attached to a substrate, in which the first member is of a deformable material and the first and second members are bonded by mechanical interlocking of the deformable material of the first member with asperities on the surface of the second member. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIGS. 1A ,  1 B are diagrammatic sketches in a sectional view showing an illustrative embodiment according to the invention of steps in the formation of an assembly having a chip interconnection structure according to the invention. 
         FIGS. 2A ,  2 B are diagrammatic sketches in a sectional view showing a second illustrative embodiment according to the invention of steps in the formation of an assembly having a chip interconnection structure according to the invention. 
         FIGS. 3A ,  3 B are diagrammatic sketches in a sectional view showing a third illustrative embodiment according to the invention of steps in the formation of an assembly having a chip interconnection structure according to the invention. 
         FIGS. 4A ,  4 B are diagrammatic sketches in a sectional view showing a fourth illustrative embodiment according to the invention steps in the formation of an assembly having a chip interconnection structure according to the invention. 
         FIG. 5  is a diagrammatic sketch in a sectional view showing an alternative shape for an interconnection bump useful according to the invention. 
         FIG. 6  is a diagrammatic sketch in a sectional view showing another alternative shape for an interconnection bump useful according to the invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     With reference to  FIGS. 1A ,  1 B a flip chip interconnection structure generally designated  10  is shown schematically including a first member  12  and a second member  14 . The first member  12  is preferably a bump formed on the IC chip and the second member  14  is preferably a lead or pad formed on the substrate. The first member  12  further preferably comprises a soft, deformable material with a low yield strength and high elongation to failure. The second member  14  further preferably includes a substrate pad with a conventional plated surface finish, and is characterized by having asperities  16 , which are shown exaggerated in the Figs. for purposes of illustration. The scale of the asperities is generally in the order about 1 μm-25 μm. The bump is a generally compliant material, that is to say, a material that, in the particular bump as shaped, undergoes a plastic deformation greater than about 25 μm under a force equivalent to a vertical load of about 250 grams. Gold can be a particularly useful material for the bumps according to the invention. 
     The interconnection is accomplished by compressing the first member  12  and the second member  14  against one another to cause plastic flow of first member  12  into asperities  16 . The height and soft nature of first member  12  allows considerable deformation to occur even after the connection is effected thus allowing for other bump/pad pairs with poor planarity to be joined with equal success. The force and temperature requirements necessary to effect the interconnection are significantly lower than needed for conventional thermo-compression bonds that require metallurgical diffusion of the mating materials. These reduced requirements greatly reduce damage that might otherwise occur on the chip, particularly when the number of connections to be effected simultaneously is large. 
     A second embodiment is schematically shown in  FIGS. 2A ,  2 B. A macroscopic interlocking configuration generally designated  20  is formed by plastic flow of the material of first member  22  around a side wall  24  and edge  26  of a second member or trace  28 . Preferably the flow of the material of first member  22  is around the side wall  24  and does not cause material flow into a region between adjacent traces but rather in the normal direction within the same plane. The interlocking configuration  20  provides for an increased area of interlocked surfaces without significantly increasing the bonding force, thereby providing a more robust connection. Further the additional displacement perpendicular to the chip surface provides greater tolerance to poor co-planarity of multiple mating surface. Finally, the interlocking along a plane perpendicular to the chip surface in addition to the usual interlocking parallel to the chip surface provides for protection against relative movement between the die and the substrate in a perpendicular direction. 
     A third embodiment is shown in  FIGS. 3A ,  3 B and includes an interconnection generally designated  30 . The interconnection  30  is formed by plastic flow of the material of a first member  32  around a second member  34 . The second member  34  includes a smaller width than that of the first member  32  which allows for plastic flow of the material of first member  32  around both sides  36  and  38  of the second member  34 . 
     A fourth embodiment is shown in  FIGS. 4A ,  4 B and includes an interconnection generally designated  40 . The lead geometry of a second element  42  is shown to be wedge shaped to take advantage of what represents the most typical “undercut” lead shape in actual substrates that are fabricated by the subtractive etching method. The interconnection  40  is formed by plastic flow of the material of a first element  44  around the second element  42 . The shown geometry removes the restriction of minimum trace width and more specifically the minimum width of a plateau  46  necessary for conventional wire bonding applications. It is contemplated that the interconnection  40  could alternatively be formed by bonding directly on a via pad or through a via hole down to the next lower layer on the substrate. 
     In embodiments as described above with reference to  FIGS. 2A ,  2 B,  3 A,  3 B,  4 A,  4 B, the macroscopic interlocking configuration allows for formation of the interconnect using a lower force, for example lower by a factor of 2, as compared with embodiments as described above with reference to  FIGS. 1A ,  1 B. Use of lower force of compression can result in less damage to chips during processing. 
     In preferred embodiments, an adhesive resin is preferably applied in a space between the chip and the substrate such that the compressive force supplied by the cured resin further improves the long-term retention of the electrical connection. The adhesive resin is preferably applied before the mating surfaces are bonded, and is cured concomitantly with the formation of the interconnection. The applied interconnection force helps displace the resin material away from the mating surfaces to allow the formation of the desired mechanically interlocked connection. Alternatively, the resin can be applied after the interconnection using an underfill process. 
     In the disclosed preferred embodiments, the material of the first members  12 ,  22 ,  32  and  44  is preferably Cu, electroless NiAu or Au. The substrate material is preferably single-sided FR5 laminate or 2-sided BT-resin laminate. 
     The bumps may have various configurations other than one shown in the Figs. above having a generally rectangular section before compression and deformation; two particularly useful ones are shown diagrammatically in  FIGS. 5 and 6 .  FIG. 5  shows a “stepped” shape, in which the portion of the bump adjacent the chip (the “base”) is wider than the portion (the “tip”) that will be compressed against the pad on the substrate.  FIG. 6  shows a “stud bump” configuration, in which the base has a peripherally rounded profile that is wider than the tip. Either of these constructs can provide improved compliance of the bump with the asperities on the substrate, owing to the thinner tip dimension, and also provide good structural stability owing to the wider profile of the base. 
     The second member may be a lead or a pad, as described above, and a bump may be interconnected to a conventional solder pad that is electrically connect to a via hole; but in some embodiments the second member itself includes a via hole. According to this embodiment of the invention an interconnection structure can be formed directly between the bump and the via hole, by compressing the bump directly against conductive material in and at the margin of the via hole, rather than compressing the bump onto a pad, such as a solder pad, formed at some distance away from the via hole and connected to it. This results in a more efficient use of the area on the chip. Where the opening in the via hole is generally smaller than the tip of the bump, then the bump can be pressed directly onto the via hole, and becomes deformed into the via hole to form the interconnection; in effect, the via hole works as the asperity in this construct. where the bump is smaller than the via hole, then the bump can be offset, so that the bond is formed at a portion of the rim of the via opening.

Technology Classification (CPC): 8