Globalfoundries Singapore Pte. Ltd.

Shaoning Yuan

Juan Boon Tan

Yeow Kheng Lim

Yue Kang Lu

The subject matter disclosed herein relates to structures formed on semiconductor chips that are used for at least partially addressing the thermally induced stresses and metallization system cracking problems in a semiconductor chip that may be caused by the presence of through-silicon vias (TSV's), and which may be due primarily to the significant differences in thermal expansion between the materials of the TSV's and the semiconductor-based materials that generally make up the remainder of the semiconductor chip. One device disclosed herein includes a substrate and a crack-arresting structure positioned above the substrate, the crack-arresting structure comprising a plurality of crack-arresting elements and having a perimeter when viewed from above. The device also includes a conductive structure positioned at least partially within the perimeter of the crack-arresting structure, and a conductive element extending through an opening in the crack-arresting structure, wherein the conductive element is conductively coupled to the conductive structure.

Crack-arresting structure for through-silicon vias

Generally, the subject matter disclosed herein relates to interconnect structures used for making electrical connections between semiconductor chips in a stacked or 3D chip configuration, and methods for forming the same. One illustrative method disclosed herein includes forming a conductive via element in a semiconductor substrate, wherein the conductive via element is formed from a front side of the semiconductor substrate so as to initially extend a partial distance through the semiconductor substrate. The illustrative method also includes forming a via opening in a back side of the semiconductor substrate to expose a surface of the conductive via element, and filling the via opening with a layer of conductive contact material.

Growing community of inventors

Singapore, Singapore

Shaoning Yuan