Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Comp. Ltd.

Ching-Hou Su

Chyi-Tsong Ni

Yi Hsun Chiu

Chih-Pin Wang

I-Shi Wang

Wun-Kai Tsai

I-shi Wang

Jui-Mu Cho

Yun-Tai Shih

Kuan-Ming Pan

Jeng-Hao Lin

Cheng-Yi Huang

Chao-Li Shih

Yi-Zhen Chen

Ting-Ying Chien

Tsung-Jen Yang

Chun-Chiang Chen

Chun-Ting Wu

Ting-Ying Chen

Hsin-Kuei Lee

Yi-Hsun Chiu

Chunting Wu

In an embodiment, a magnetic assembly includes: an inner permeance annulus; and an outer permeance annulus connected to the inner permeance annulus via magnets, wherein the outer permeance annulus comprises a peak region with a thickness greater than other regions of the outer permeance annulus.

Permeance magnetic assembly

An integrated circuit (IC) structure includes a substrate, an interconnect structure, metal lines, a liner, a protecting layer, and a nitride-free passivation layer. The interconnect structure is over the substrate. The metal lines are over the interconnect structure. The liner is conformally formed on the metal lines. The protecting layer is over the liner. The nitride-free passivation layer continuously extends from the liner to the protecting layer and forms an interface with the liner.

Passivation layer for integrated circuit structure and forming the same

A method of aligning two wafers during a bonding process includes aligning a first wafer having a plurality of alignment markings with a second wafer having a plurality of alignment markings. The method further includes placing a plurality of flags between the first wafer and the second wafer. The method further includes detecting movement of the plurality of flags with respect to the first wafer and the second wafer using at least one sensor. The method further includes determining whether the wafers remain aligned within an alignment tolerance based on the detected movement of the plurality of flags relative to the first wafer and the second wafer.

Wafer bonding method and wafer bonding apparatus

The present disclosure provides an embodiment of an integrated structure that includes a first electrode of a first conductive material embedded in a first semiconductor substrate; a second electrode of a second conductive material embedded in a second semiconductor substrate; and a electrolyte disposed between the first and second electrodes. The first and second semiconductor substrates are bonded together through bonding pads such that the first and second electrodes are enclosed between the first and second semiconductor substrates. The second conductive material is different from the first conductive material.

Semiconductor structures having a micro-battery and methods for making the same

An integrated circuit (IC) structure includes a substrate, a transistor, an interconnect structure, a plurality of metal lines, an oxide liner, a passivation layer, and a nitride layer. The transistor is on the substrate. The interconnect structure is over the transistor. The metal lines is on the interconnect structure. The oxide liner is over the plurality of metal lines. The passivation layer is over the oxide liner and is more porous than the passivation layer. The nitride layer is over the passivation layer.

A semiconductor device includes a first conductive feature and a second conductive feature. A first passivation layer is positioned between the first conductive feature and the second conductive feature. A second passivation layer is positioned between the first conductive feature and the second conductive feature and over the first passivation layer. A lowermost portion of an interface where the first passivation layer contacts the second passivation layer is positioned below 40% or above 60% of a height of the first conductive feature.

Semiconductor device and method of manufacture

A method includes forming metal lines over an interconnect structure that is formed above transistors; depositing a liner layer over the metal lines using a first high density plasma chemical vapor deposition (HDPCVD) process with a zero RF bias power depositing a first passivation layer over the liner layer using a second HDPCVD process with a non-zero RF bias power; and depositing a second passivation layer in contact with a top surface of the first passivation layer using a third HDPCVD process with a non-zero RF bias power.

An apparatus includes an alignment module configured to align a first wafer and a second wafer based on alignment markers on the first wafer and corresponding alignment markers on the second wafer. The apparatus further includes a flag placement module configured to insert a plurality of flags between the first wafer and the second wafer, a flag-out mechanism configured to simultaneously move the plurality of flags to a flag-out position, and a controller configured to determine whether the wafers remain aligned within an alignment tolerance based on an amount of time for each flag of the plurality of flags to reach the flag-out position.

Bonding alignment tool

An apparatus includes a bonding system configured to bond at least two wafers. The bonding system has a flag-out mechanism configured to remove a plurality of flags from an area between the at least two wafers. The apparatus also includes sensors configured to detect data related to a flag-out condition of the flags of the plurality of flag. The apparatus further includes at least one processor configured to receive inputs from the sensors, to calculate at least one value related to flag-out timing, and to drive a display indicating an alignment of the at least two wafers.

A method of fabricating a micro electro mechanical system (MEMS) structure includes providing a first substrate structure including a bonding pad structure. The bonding pad structure has at least one recess therein. A second substrate structure is provided and bonded with the bonding pad structure of the first substrate structure.

Methods of fabricating micro electro mechanical system structures

A wafer seal ring may be formed on a first and/or a second wafer. One or both of the first and/or second wafers may have one or more dies formed thereon. The wafer seal ring may be formed to surround the dies of a corresponding wafer. One or more die seal rings may be formed around the one or more dies. The wafer seal ring may be formed to a height that may be approximately equal to a height of one or more die seal rings formed on the first and/or second wafer. The wafer seal ring may be formed to provide for eutectic or fusion bonding processes. The first and second wafers may be bonded together to form a seal ring structure between the first and second wafers. The seal ring structure may provide a hermetic seal between the first and second wafers.

Growing community of inventors

Hsinchu, Taiwan

Ching-Hou Su