Micron Technology Incorporated

Brandon P Wirz

Andrew M Bayless

Benjamin L McClain

Jaspreet Singh Gandhi

Christopher J Gambee

Jeremy E Minnich

Zhaohui Ma

Jack E Murray

David R Hembree

Irina V Vasilyeva

Yangyang Sun

Yang Chao

Keith E Ypma

Sui Chi Huang

Josh D Woodland

Satish Yeldandi

Kevin M Dowdle

Jon Hacker

Ruei Ying Sheng

Jaekyu Song

Kuan Wei Tseng

Bret K Street

James M Derderian

Wei Zhou

Michel Koopmans

Xiaopeng Qu

Hyunsuk Chun

Bradley R Bitz

Pei Sian Shao

C Alexander Ernst

Liang Chun Chen

A microelectronic device may have side surfaces each including a first portion and a second portion. The first portion may have a highly irregular surface topography extending from an adjacent surface of the microelectronic device. The second portion may have a less uneven surface extending from the first portion to an opposing surface of the microelectronic device. Methods of forming the microelectronic device may include creating dislocations in the wafer in a street between the one or more microelectronic devices by implanting ions and cleaving the wafer responsive to failure of stress concentrations near the dislocations through application of heat, tensile forces or a combination thereof. Related packages and methods are also disclosed.

Microelectronic devices and related methods of fabricating microelectronic devices

An apparatus for handling microelectronic devices comprises a pick arm having a pick surface configured for receiving a microelectronic device thereon, drives for moving the pick arm and reorienting the pick surface in the X, Y and Z planes and about a horizontal rotational axis and a vertical rotational axis, and a sensor device carried by the pick arm and configured to detect at least one of at least one magnitude of force and at least one location of force applied between the pick surface and a structure contacted by the pick surface or a structure and a microelectronic device carried on the pick surface.

Apparatuses for handling microelectronic devices

A semiconductor device assembly is provided. The assembly includes a first semiconductor die and a second semiconductor die disposed over the first semiconductor die. The assembly further includes a plurality of die support structures between the first and second semiconductor dies and a plurality of interconnects between the first and second semiconductor dies. Each of the plurality of die support structures includes a stand-off pillar and a stand-off pad having a first bond material with a first solder joint thickness between them. Each of the plurality of interconnects includes a conductive pillar and a conductive pad having a second bond material with a second solder joint thickness between them. The first solder joint thickness is less than the second solder joint thickness.

Semiconductor device assembly with die support structures

Semiconductor dies with edges protected and methods for generating the semiconductor dies are disclosed. Further, the disclosed methods provide for separating the semiconductor dies without using a dicing technique. In one embodiment, trenches are formed on a front side of a substrate including semiconductor dies. Individual trenches correspond to scribe lines of the substrate where each trench has a depth greater than a final thickness of the semiconductor dies. A composite layer may be formed on sidewalls of the trenches to protect the edges of the semiconductor dies. The composite layer includes a metallic layer that shields the semiconductor dies from electromagnetic interference. Subsequently, the substrate may be thinned from a back side to singulate individual semiconductor dies from the substrate.

Semiconductor die edge protection for semiconductor device assemblies and associated systems and methods

A semiconductor device assembly is provided. The assembly includes a first package element and a second package element disposed over the first package element. The assembly further includes a plurality of die support structures between the first and second package elements, wherein each of the plurality of die support structures has a first height, a lower portion surface-mounted to the first package element and an upper portion in contact with the second package element. The assembly further includes a plurality of interconnects between the first and second package elements, wherein each of the plurality of interconnects includes a conductive pillar having a second height, a conductive pad, and a bond material with a solder joint thickness between the conductive pillar and the conductive pad. The first height is about equal to a sum of the solder joint thickness and the second height.

Semiconductor device assembly with surface-mount die support structures

Semiconductor devices having electrical interconnections through vertically stacked semiconductor dies, and associated systems and methods, are disclosed herein. In some embodiments, a semiconductor assembly includes a die stack having a plurality of semiconductor dies. Each semiconductor die can include surfaces having an insulating material, a recess formed in at least one surface, and a conductive pad within the recess. The semiconductor dies can be directly coupled to each other via the insulating material. The semiconductor assembly can further include an interconnect structure electrically coupled to each of the semiconductor dies. The interconnect structure can include a monolithic via extending continuously through each of the semiconductor dies in the die stack. The interconnect structure can also include a plurality of protrusions extending from the monolithic via. Each protrusion can be positioned within the recess of a respective semiconductor die and can be electrically coupled to the conductive pad within the recess.

Semiconductor devices with recessed pads for die stack interconnections

This patent application relates to methods and apparatus for temperature modification within a stack of microelectronic devices for mutual collective bonding of the microelectronic devices, and to related substrates and assemblies.

Substrates with heat transfer structures for bonding a stack of microelectronic devices, and related assemblies and electronic systems

Encapsulation warpage reduction for semiconductor die assemblies, and associated methods and systems are disclosed. In one embodiment, a semiconductor die assembly includes an interface die, a stack of semiconductor dies attached to a surface of the interface die, where the stack of semiconductor dies has a first height from the surface. The semiconductor die assembly also includes an encapsulant over the surface and surrounding the stack of semiconductor dies, where the encapsulant includes a sidewall with a first portion extending from the surface to a second height less than the first height and a second portion extending from the second height to the first height. Further, the first portion has a first texture and the second portion has a second texture different from the first texture.

Encapsulation warpage reduction for semiconductor die assemblies and associated methods and systems

Apparatus and methods for enhanced microelectronic device handling

Systems and methods for controlling contamination during thermocompression bonding are provided herein. The tool generally includes a bondhead having a first channel extending in a lateral direction from a first port along a second side toward a perimeter of the bondhead. In several examples, the bondhead includes a second channel fluidly coupled to a second port and extending in a lateral direction along an inset surface of the bondhead, where the second channel at least partially surrounds the first channel. In other examples, the tool includes a vacuum manifold having a vacuum opening positioned laterally outward from the bondhead. A first flow unit is coupled to the first channel and is configured to withdraw air. A second flow unit is coupled to the second port or the manifold to withdraw fluid and prevent outgassing bonding materials from entering the first channel, depositing on the bondhead, and/or contaminating neighboring semiconductor components.

Contaminant control in thermocompression bonding of semiconductors and associated systems and methods

Methods for releasing thinned semiconductor dies from a mount tape and associated apparatuses are disclosed. In one embodiment, a sacrificial layer may be disposed at a back side of thinned substrate including semiconductor dies. The sacrificial layer includes materials soluble in contact with a fluid (and/or vapor). A sheet of perforated mount tape may be attached to the sacrificial layer and an ejection component may be provided under a target semiconductor die to be released. The ejection component is configured to create a locally confined puddle of the fluid under the target semiconductor die such that the sacrificial layer is removed to release the target semiconductor die from the mount tape. Further, a support component may be provided to pick up the target semiconductor die after the target semiconductor die is released from the mount tape.

Thin die release for semiconductor device assembly

Singulated integrated circuit (IC) dice are provided. The singulated IC dice are positioned on dicing tape to provide open space between sides of adjacent singulated IC dice. An underfill layer and a protective cover film is disposed above the singulated IC dice and the open space between the sides of the adjacent singulated IC dice. The underfill layer and the protective cover film include one or more photodefinable materials. An exposure operation is performed to produce a pattern on the underfill layer and the protective cover film. Based on the pattern, the underfill layer and the protective cover film is removed at areas above the open space between the sides of the adjacent singulated IC dice to create portions of the underfill layer and portions of the protective cover film that are disposed above the singulated IC dice.

Disposing protective cover film and underfill layer over singulated integrated circuit dice for protection during integrated circuit processing

Method of fabricating microelectronic devices and related microelectronic devices, tools, and apparatus

Methods for protecting edges of semiconductor dies are disclosed. Further, the disclosed methods provide for separating the semiconductor dies without using a dicing technique. In one embodiment, a plurality of trenches may be formed on a front side of a substrate including a plurality of semiconductor dies. Individual trenches may correspond to scribe lines of the substrate where each trench includes a depth greater than a final thickness of the semiconductor dies. A dielectric layer may be formed on sidewalls of the trenches, thereby protecting the edges of the semiconductor dies, prior to filling the trenches with an adhesive material. Subsequently, the substrate may be thinned from a back side such that the adhesive material in the trenches may be exposed from the back side. The adhesive material may be removed to singulate individual semiconductor dies of the plurality from the substrate.

Growing community of inventors

Boise, ID, United States of America

Brandon P Wirz