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Fine Keyed Alignment and Bonding for Wafer-Level 3D ICs

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 February 2011

Sang Hwui Lee,
Frank Niklaus,
J. Jay McMahon,
Jian Yu,
Ravi J. Kumar,
Hui-feng Li,
Ronald J. Gutmann,
Timothy S. Cale and
J.-Q. Lu
Sang Hwui Lee
Affiliation:
lees@rpi.edu, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Center for Integrated Electronics, 110 8th St. RPI, CII 6015, Troy, NY, 12180, United States
Frank Niklaus
Affiliation:
frankn@s3.kth.se, Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, N/A, Sweden
J. Jay McMahon
Affiliation:
mcmahj@rpi.edu, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Center for Integrated Electronics, Troy, NY, 12180, United States
Jian Yu
Affiliation:
yuj4@rpi.edu, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Center for Integrated Electronics, Troy, NY, 12180, United States
Ravi J. Kumar
Affiliation:
ravi.j.kumar@intel.com, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Center for Integrated Electronics, Troy, NY, 12180, United States
Hui-feng Li
Affiliation:
hf_li@yahoo.com, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Center for Integrated Electronics, Troy, NY, 12180, United States
Ronald J. Gutmann
Affiliation:
gutmar@rpi.edu, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Center for Integrated Electronics, Troy, NY, 12180, United States
Timothy S. Cale
Affiliation:
calet@rpi.edu, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Center for Integrated Electronics, Troy, NY, 12180, United States
J.-Q. Lu
Affiliation:
luj@rpi.edu, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Center for Integrated Electronics, Troy, NY, 12180, United States
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Abstract

Precise wafer-to-wafer alignment accuracy is crucial to interconnecting circuits on different wafers in three dimensional integrated circuits. We discuss the use of fabricated structures on wafer surfaces to mechanically achieve higher alignment accuracy than can be achieved with our existing (baseline) alignment protocol. The keyed alignment structures rely on structures with tapered side-walls that can slide into each after two wafers are “pre-aligned” using our baseline alignment protocol. Results indicate that alignment accuracy is about a quarter micron, well below the one micron alignment accuracy obtained in our baseline alignment procedure using commercial state-of-the-art wafer alignment equipment. In addition to improving alignment, the alignment structures also hinder undesirable bonding-induced misalignment. The keyed alignment structures are also promising for nano-imprint lithography.

Keywords

bondingmicroelectronicsmicroelectro-mechanical (MEMS)

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References

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