Bond pad for a flip chip package, and method of forming the same

Information

  • Patent Grant
  • 6187658
  • Patent Number
    6,187,658
  • Date Filed
    Tuesday, February 15, 2000
    25 years ago
  • Date Issued
    Tuesday, February 13, 2001
    24 years ago
Abstract
A bond pad support structure is located beneath a bond pad on an integrated circuit. The bond pad support structure includes a first bond pad support layer at least partly located below the bond pad. The first bond pad support layer has a plurality of radial patterns with at least one space between the radial patterns. The radial patterns may be, for example, straight lines having approximately uniform thickness. Alternatively, the radial patterns may be triangles, each of which has an apex pointing to the center of a region below the bond pad. The radial patterns may have a plurality of different lengths. A second bond pad support layer is located on the first bond pad support layer. The second bond pad support layer fills at least a portion of the space between the radial patterns.
Description




FIELD OF THE INVENTION




The present invention relates to very large scale integrated (VLSI) circuit packaging techniques and structures.




DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART




The flip chip package is the most space efficient package for very large scale integrated (VLSI) circuits. In a flip chip package, an integrated circuit (IC) device has a plurality of bond pads distributed over the face of the device in a rectangular array . These bond pads are used to connect the IC device to the electrical paths on a printed circuit board (PCB). A solder bump or ball is formed on each of the bond pads of the IC device. The IC device and the PCB are positioned so that the solder bumps or balls contact the electrical paths on the PCB, and the assembly is heated to reflow the solder, forming electrical and mechanical bonds between the IC device and the PCB.




During use, the bond pads of the flip chip package are subjected to thermally induced shear stresses far in excess of those encountered by devices formed by other bonding techniques, such as wire bonding. In the flip chip package, the metal of the bond pads is subjected to compressive forces when the IC device dissipates power in the form of heat. The metal in the bond pads may be extruded upward plastically, to form bumps. When the IC device is subsequently cooled, the metal is stressed, which may cause a delamination type failure.




As thinner line widths (for example, between 0.12 and 0.16 μm) are incorporated into the IC designs, dielectric materials (surrounding metal conductors on the device) having low dielectric constants (typically less than 3.0) are used to increase speed without introducing cross-talk between the circuit paths in the device. Materials having the desired low dielectric constants tend to be mechanically weaker than materials having higher dielectric constants, increasing the likelihood of failure due to shear stress between the bond pads and the solder connections.




In the prior art, (wire bonded) devices greater than 0.3 μm have been constructed beneath the electrode bond pads, by depositing a solid metal cushion pad in the metal layer below the bond pads.




A structure and method are desired for reducing the likelihood of failure in VLSI devices during bonding and thermal cycling is desired.




SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION




The present invention is a bond pad support structure located beneath a bond pad on an integrated circuit, including a first bond pad support layer at least partly located below the bond pad, the first bond pad support layer having a plurality of radial patterns with at least one space between the radial patterns; and a second bond pad support layer located on the first bond pad support layer and filling at least a portion of the space.




A method of forming a bond pad support structure in an integrated circuit having a bond pad, includes the steps of: forming a first bond pad support layer at least partly located below the bond pad, the first bond pad support layer comprising a plurality of radial patterns with at least one space therebetween; and forming a second bond pad support layer on the first bond pad support layer, so that the second bond pad support layer fills at least a portion of the space.











BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS





FIG. 1

is a top plan view of a PCB having a plurality of devices with bond pad support structures according to the present invention. The ellipses (ooo) represent additional identical bond pad support structures.





FIG. 2

is a cross-sectional view taken along section line


2





2


of

FIG. 1

, showing a bond pad support structure and one of the devices shown in FIG.


1


.





FIG. 3

is a cross-sectional view taken along section line


3





3


of

FIG. 2

, showing a first exemplary bond pad support structure according to the present invention.





FIG. 4

is an alternative cross-sectional view taken along section line


3





3


of

FIG. 2

, showing a second exemplary bond pad support structure according to the present invention.











DETAILED DESCRIPTION




The present invention is a bond pad support structure


109


and a method for forming the bond pad support structure.

FIGS. 1-3

show an example of the structure. The bond pad support structure


109


is located beneath a bond pad


103


on an integrated circuit


120


. The structure includes a first bond pad support layer, referred to generally by reference numeral


200


. The first bond pad support layer


200


is at least partly located below the bond pad


103


. The first bond pad support layer


200


has a plurality of radial patterns


301


-


304


(best seen in

FIG. 3

) with at least one space between the radial patterns. A second bond pad support layer


216


is located on the first bond pad support layer


200


and fills at least a portion of the space.





FIG. 1

is a top plan view of an assembly


100


including a PCB


110


including a flip chip package


120


bonded thereon. As referred to herein, the terms “top” and “above” refer to the direction towards the PCB


110


, as shown in

FIG. 2

, and the terms, “bottom” and “below” refer to the direction of the substrate


201


.

FIG. 2

is a cross-sectional view taken along section line


2





2


of FIG.


1


. One of ordinary skill in the art understands that the configuration shown in

FIG. 2

is a flip chip configuration.




As shown in

FIG. 1

, assembly


100


includes a plurality of electrode pads


103


. Each electrode pad


103


corresponds to an electrode of a semiconductor device


203


(shown in FIG.


2


). The electrical connections between the devices


203


and the wirings (not shown) of the PCB


110


are formed by way of the plurality of electrode pads


103


. Each electrode pad


103


has a respective solder ball or bump


130


formed thereon. Also shown in

FIG. 1

is an electrode support structure


109


which lies beneath each respective electrode pad


103


. The ellipses (ooo) in

FIG. 1

represent additional bond pads


103


, bond pad support structures


109


and solder balls or bumps


130


.




One of ordinary skill in the art understands that each bond pad


103


represented by the ellipses in

FIG. 1

may have a respective support structure


109


, which may be identical to the bond pad support structures


109


shown in FIG.


1


.





FIG. 2

shows a detailed cross sectional view of a single solder connection


130


between the PCB


110


and the IC devices


203


. Devices


203


are only shown to present one example. A variety of different types of semiconductor devices may be included in the assembly


100


. These devices are known to one of ordinary skill in the design of semiconductor devices, and are not described in detail herein.




The semiconductor devices


203


are now briefly described. The exemplary devices


203


are field effect transistors (FETs). A substrate


201


may be of a conventional semiconductor technology, such as silicon, gallium arsenide, or the like, and may be doped with positive or negative charge carriers therein. Source and Drain diffusion regions


233


and


235


for each device


203


are formed in the surface of the substrate


201


. Gate conductors


231


and gate isolation regions


237


and


239


are formed adjacent each gate conductor


231


, above and between each set of source and drain diffusion regions


233


and


235


.




Additional layers include: a first dielectric layer


211


and a second dielectric layer


212


formed on the substrate. Then a first metal layer


221


, a third dielectric layer


213


, a second metal layer


222


, a fourth dielectric layer


214


, a third metal layer


223


, a fifth


20


dielectric layer


215


, a fourth metal layer


200


(or


200


′), a sixth dielectric layer


216


, a fifth metal layer


225


, and a seventh dielectric layer


101


. The seventh dielectric layer


101


is patterned to expose portions


105


of a plurality of metal bond pads


103


. The exposed portion of the bond pad layer


105


is the portion of the fifth metal layer


225


, which interfaces with solder bump


130


.




Dielectric layers


211


and


212


have windows


251


which provide electrical connections between the substrate


201


and metal layer


221


. The metal layer


200


nearest the bond pad


103


provides stress relief during the bonding process and, more importantly, during thermal cycling in use throughout product life. The fourth metal layer


200


(or


200


′) comprises a plurality of metal lines or elongated polygons formed beneath the bond pad, as best seen in

FIGS. 3 and 4

. The region beneath the bond pad may thus be used for active circuitry with reduced risk of damage to the dielectric layers beneath the bond pads


103


. Although the exemplary structure includes five metal layers, fewer or more numerous metal layers may be used.




The gate conductor


231


may be formed of polycrystalline silicon. A conventional gate oxide insulation layer


230


separates the gate


231


from the substrate


203


. The first and second dielectric layers


211


and


212


may be conformal dielectrics such as tetraethylorthosilicate (TEOS) and borophosphotetraethylorthosilicate (BPTEOS), respectively. Other dielectric layers may be formed from known oxide or nitride materials. The metal layers may be aluminum or other conductive metals suitable for use in semiconductor devices. Additives, such as silicon, may be present in minor amounts.




The metal conductors may be formed using more than one deposition of different films, such as titanium nitride, titanium and aluminum.




The above described structures may be formed using conventional techniques


15


″ known to those of ordinary skill in the art of semiconductor fabrication processes. For example, conventional lithographic, ion implantation, etching, etc. processes may be used. In particular, in an exemplary process for forming the bond pad support structure described herein, chemical vapor deposition (CVD) is used to form the patterns in the first bond pad support layer


200


, using aluminum as the metal.





FIG. 3

shows a first exemplary bond pad support structure


109


according to the invention. The bond pad support structure


109


has a first bond pad support layer


200


, including a plurality of radial patterns


301


-


304


with spaces in between. A second bond pad support layer


216


partly extends into the spaces, so that there is no void in layer


200


.




The radial patterns


301


-


304


have a plurality of lengths. A locus of outermost points of each of the plurality of patterns


301


-


304


lie along a polygon having at least four sides. The polygon forms the outer boundary of the bond pad support structure


109


. In the example, the polygon is an octagon, but the polygon may alternatively be a rectangle, pentagon, hexagon, or other polygon. Alternatively, circular, elliptical, or oval pattern may also be used. The exemplary octagon will be referred to herein by the reference numeral


109


, which is the reference numeral of the bond pad support structure. The exemplary polygon


109


is larger than the bond pad


103


, so that the radial patterns extend past the edge of the bond pad


103


.




The radial patterns may be divided into sets of patterns, such that each pattern in a given set has a common length with the other patterns in the same set. A first set has the longest patterns


301


of length L


1


. Second, third and fourth sets have patterns


302


,


303


and


304


, with respective lengths L


2


, L


3


and L


4


. In the example,






L


1


>L


2


>L


3


>L


4








The lengths L


2


and L


3


differ only slightly; both structures


302


and


303


have inner points lying on the same circle C


1


. The outer ends of patterns


302


lie in the corners of the octagon


109


, whereas patterns


303


are perpendicular to the sides of polygon


109


. The innermost points


301




a


-


304




a


of the patterns


301


-


304


lie along a plurality of concentric circles. For example, the innermost points


302




a


and


303




a


of respective patterns


302


and


303


lie along a first circle C


1


with an inner radius R


1


, and the innermost points


304




a


of patterns


304


lie on a second circle C


2


having a radius R larger radius than the radius R


1


of the first circle C


1


. C


1


and C


2


may alternatively be elliptical or oval patterns having the same center point


210


.




Because all of the patterns


301


-


304


have an end lying on the polygon


109


, the patterns in the shorter sets of patterns begin at a radius that is further from a point


210


beneath the center of the bond pad


103


than the patterns in a set of longer patterns. Patterns


301


begin at the center. Patterns


302


and


303


begin at the smallest non-zero radius. Patterns


304


begin furthest from the center. For example, the patterns


304


in the shorter sets of patterns begin at a radius R


2


that is further from a point


210


beneath the center of the bond pad


103


than the patterns


302


in a set of longer patterns. Thus, patterns


301


begin at the center.




In general, the patterns


301


-


304


are positioned so that the distance between a point on a first pattern and the nearest point on an adjacent pattern is of the same order of magnitude. Thus, the patterns that are shorter include a larger number of members than the patterns that are longer. For example, there are more of patterns


304


than there are of patterns


302


and


303


combined.




Although the example shows radial patterns


301


-


304


of four different sizes L


1


, L


2


, L


3


and L


4


, any number of different pattern sizes may be used.




In the example of

FIG. 3

, each of the patterns


301


-


304


is a line segment having about the same width t as each of the other line segments. In one example, the bond pad is about 100 μm square, and the line thickness t is about 0.5 μm. One of ordinary skill in the art recognizes that the invention may be used with bond pads of other sizes, and the patterns may alternatively increase in thickness as the distance from a point beneath the center of the bond pad


103


increases.




The second bond pad support layer


216


may be formed of either a dielectric material or a metal. In the example, a dielectric material is used. In the example, layer


216


is a dielectric.





FIG. 4

shows a second example of a pattern for a bond pad support layer


200


′ according to the invention. Bond pad support layer


200


′ may be used in the same location and structure described above with reference to FIG.


2


.




The first bond pad support layer


200


′ is at least partly located below the bond pad


103


. The first bond pad support layer


200


′ has a plurality of radial patterns


401


-


404


(best seen in

FIG. 4

) with at least one space between the radial patterns. A second bond pad


20


support layer


216


′ is located on the first bond pad support layer


200


′ and fills at least a portion of the space.




In bond pad support layer


200


′, each of the patterns


401


-


404


is a triangle. Each of the triangles


401


-


404


has an apex


401




a


-


404




a


that points towards a position


410


beneath the center of the bond pad


103


. Thus, the amount of material in a differential band between a pair of radii spaced apart by a given length increases as the two radii increase.




The patterns


401


-


404


share many features with the first exemplary embodiment of the invention shown in FIG.


3


.




The radial patterns


401


-


404


have a plurality of lengths. A locus of outermost points of each of the plurality of patterns


401


-


404


lie along a polygon having at least four sides. The polygon forms the outer boundary of the bond pad support structure


109


. In the second example, the polygon is also an octagon, but the polygon may alternatively be a rectangle, pentagon, hexagon, or other polygon. A circular, elliptical, or oval pattern may also be used.




The radial patterns


401


-


404


may be divided into sets of patterns, such that each pattern in a given set has a common length with the other patterns in the same set. A first set has the longest patterns


401


of length L


1


. Second, third and fourth sets have patterns


402


,


403


and


404


, with respective lengths L


2


, L


3


and L


4


. These lengths may be the same as the lengths L


1


-L


4


shown in

FIG. 3

, or may vary.




The lengths L


2


and L


3


differ only slightly; both structures


402


and


403


have inner points lying on the same circle. The outer ends of patterns


402


lie in the corners of the octagon


109


, whereas patterns


403


are perpendicular to the sides of polygon


109


. The innermost points


401




a


-


404




a


of the patterns


401


-


404


lie along a plurality of concentric circles (not shown in FIG.


4


). For example, the innermost points


402




a


and


403




a


of respective patterns


402


and


403


lie along a first circle (not shown in FIG.


4


), and the innermost points


404




a


of patterns


404


lie on a second circle (not shown in

FIG. 4

) having a larger radius than the first circle.




Because all of the patterns


401


-


404


have an end lying on the polygon


109


, the patterns in the shorter sets of patterns begin at a radius that is further from a point


410


beneath the center of the bond pad than the patterns in a longer set of patterns. For example, patterns


401


begin at the center. Patterns


402


and


403


begin at the smallest non-zero radius. Patterns


404


begin furthest from the center.




Support layer


200


′ also has unique features which differ from the pattern


200


shown in FIG.


3


. In bond pad support layer


200


′, the plurality of triangles include: a first set of triangles


401


-


403


having an apex


401




a


-


403




a


which lies within a region beneath the bond paid


103


; and a second set of triangles


404


lying substantially outside of the region beneath the bond pad


103


.




In

FIG. 4

, the plurality of triangles include: a first set of triangles


403


having a first altitude ALT


1


and a first base dimension


403




b


; and a second set of triangles


404


having a second altitude ALT


2


shorter than the first altitude ALT


1


and a second base dimension


404




b


wider than the first base dimension


403




b


. Similar relationships exist between the altitudes and bases of triangles


401


relative to triangles


402


,


403


and


404


. Similar relationships exist between the altitudes and bases of triangles


402


and


404


.




Using a bond pad support structure according to the invention, bonding and thermal cycling stresses within an IC device may be buffered and diffused.




One of ordinary skill in the art understands that the choice of whether to use the patterns


200


of

FIG. 3

or the patterns


200


′ or

FIG. 4

in any given structure depends on the materials used. For example, the patterns


200


of

FIG. 3

may be advantageous if in an IC including copper. Devices which include copper are less heavily doped, and thus more prone to forming hillocks, bumps and extrusions when subjected to thermal cycling.




Bond pad support structures according to the invention take advantage of metal layers that are already present in IC devices. Incorporation of these structures may be accomplished by simple substitution of a mask having the patterns shown in

FIG. 3

or


4


for the mask used in a conventional metal layer beneath a bond pad. The remaining steps of the semiconductor device fabrication are unaffected by incorporation of a pattern according to the invention. No additional processing steps are added to the manufacturing process.




Although the invention has been described in terms of exemplary embodiments, it is not limited thereto. Rather, the appended claim should be construed broadly, to include other variants and embodiments of the invention which may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and range of equivalents of the invention.



Claims
  • 1. A method of forming a bond pad support structure in an integrated circuit having a bond pad located thereon, comprising the steps of:forming a first bond pad support layer at least partly located below the bond pad, the first bond pad support layer comprising a plurality of radial patterns with at least one space therebetween; and forming a second bond pad support layer on the first bond pad support layer, so that the second bond pad support layer fills at least a portion of the space.
  • 2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the step of forming the plurality of radial patterns includes:forming a first set of patterns having a first length; and forming a second set of patterns having a second length shorter than the first length, the second set of patterns including a larger number of members than the first set of patterns.
  • 3. A method according to claim 2, wherein:the patterns in the second set of patterns begin at a radius that is further from a point beneath the center of the bond pad than the patterns in the first set of patterns.
  • 4. A method according to claim 3, wherein a locus of outermost points of each of the plurality of patterns lie along a polygon having at least four sides.
  • 5. A method according to claim 1, wherein the first bond pad support layer comprises a conductive metal, and the second bond pad support layer comprises a dielectric material or a metal.
  • 6. A method according to claim 1, wherein each of the patterns is a line segment having about the same width as each of the other line segments.
  • 7. A method according to claim 1, wherein each of the patterns is a triangle.
  • 8. A method according to claim 7, wherein the step of forming the plurality of triangles includes:forming a first set of triangles, each triangle in the first set having an apex which lies within a region beneath the bond paid; and forming a second set of triangles, each triangle in the second set lying substantially outside of the region beneath the bond pad.
Parent Case Info

This application is a divisional of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/162,247, filed on Sep. 28, 1998, U.S. Pat. No. 6,087,732.

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5426266 Brown et al. Jun 1995
5739587 Sato Apr 1998
5751065 Chittipeddi et al. May 1998
5929521 Wark et al. Jul 1999
5962921 Farnworth et al. Oct 1999
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Foreign Referenced Citations (1)
Number Date Country
08-111544 Apr 1996 JP