1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for forming a pad in a wafer with a three-dimensional stacking structure, and more particularly, to a method for forming a pad in a wafer with a three-dimensional stacking structure, in which a process for etching an Si substrate is not separately performed after a process for thinning the back side of a device wafer, vias are formed on the back sides of super contacts after forming dielectric layers, and a pad is formed on the back sides of the vias.
2. Description of the Related Art
A wafer stacking technology will be a key technology for a next-generation high-end semiconductor. In order to manufacture such a semiconductor, numerous companies conduct research and development.
One of important technologies for wafer stacking is a technology of forming a pad after bonding.
a through 1c show a series of processes for forming a pad according to the conventional art.
a illustrates a cross-section when a process for thinning the back side of a device wafer is performed after bonding a handling wafer and the device wafer according to the conventional art.
Referring to
b illustrates a cross-section after a process for etching an Si substrate and a process for depositing a dielectric material according to the conventional art.
Referring to
c illustrates a cross-section after a process for planarizing a dielectric layer and a process for forming a pad according to the conventional art.
Referring to
After the first step is completed, a pad 130 is formed by performing metal (Al) deposition, photolithography and etching which are generally known in the art.
The conventional method for forming a pad has problems as described below.
First, in the conventional art, after back side thinning of a device wafer 110b, the Si substrate 110 is separately etched as shown in
Second, since the number and the density of the super contacts 120 are small, dishing is likely to occur when planarizing the dielectric layer as shown in
Accordingly, the present invention has been made in an effort to solve the problems occurring in the related art, and an object of the present invention is to provide a method for forming a pad in a wafer with a three-dimensional stacking structure, in which a process for etching an Si substrate is not separately performed after a process for thinning the back side of a device wafer, vias are formed on the back sides of super contacts after forming dielectric layers, and a pad is formed on the back sides of the vias, so that the pad can be realized in a simple manner without causing damage to the surfaces of the super contacts and the Si substrate.
In order to achieve the above object, according to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for forming a pad in a wafer with a three-dimensional stacking structure, including: (a) a first process of bonding a device wafer and a handling wafer; (b) a second process of thinning a back side of an Si substrate which is formed on the device wafer, after the first process; (c) a third process of forming an anti-reflective layer and a PMD (preferential metal deposition) dielectric layer, after the second process; (d) a fourth process of forming vias on back sides of super contacts which are formed on the Si substrate, after the third process; and (e) a fifth process of forming a pad, after the fourth process.
The above objects, and other features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent after a reading of the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the drawings, in which:
a illustrates a cross-section when a process for thinning the back side of a device wafer is performed after bonding a handling wafer and the device wafer according to the conventional art;
b illustrates a cross-section after a process for etching an Si substrate and a process for depositing a dielectric material according to the conventional art;
c illustrates a cross-section after a process for planarizing a dielectric layer and a process for forming a pad according to the conventional art;
a illustrates a cross-section when a process for thinning the back side of a device wafer is performed after a bonding process, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;
b illustrates a cross-section after processes for forming an anti-reflective layer and a PMD (preferential metal deposition) dielectric layer according to the present invention;
c illustrates a cross-section after a process for forming vias for pad opening according to the present invention;
d illustrates a cross-section after a process for forming a pad according to the present invention;
e illustrates a complete cross-section after a process for opening the pad and processes for forming color filters and microlenses according to the present invention;
a illustrates a cross-section after processes for forming an anti-reflective layer and a PMD dielectric layer in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention;
b illustrates a cross-section after defining spaces for vias and a pad by performing a photolithographic process for dual damascene according to the present invention;
c illustrates a cross-section after filling a metal in the space for a pad by a damascene process and removing a remnant metal through planarization by a CMP process according to the present invention; and
d illustrates a complete cross-section after forming the pad through the damascene process and forming color filters and microlenses according to the present invention.
Reference will now be made in greater detail to a preferred embodiment of the invention, an example of which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numerals will be used throughout the drawings and the description to refer to the same or like parts.
a through 2e show a series of processes for forming a pad in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
In general, stacking technologies are divided into a stacking bonding process including interconnection and a bonding process simply for back side illumination (BSI).
The stacking bonding process is a process in which a logic wafer and a sensor wafer are separately manufactured and are then bonded with each other. In the logic wafer, peripheral circuits are mainly formed, and in the sensor wafer, photodiodes are mainly formed and transistors are partially formed.
In the bonding process for back side illumination, logics and sensors are formed on a single device wafer. Then, in order to use the device wafer in a state in which the device wafer is turned over, a handling wafer, on which an oxide is simply deposited without performing any other processes, is bonded to the device wafer.
Accordingly, in a wafer with a three-dimensional stacking structure in accordance with the embodiment of the present invention, a handling wafer 200a and a device wafer 200b are first bonded with each other through a bonding process for back side illumination.
The device wafer 200b includes an image sensor region 205 in which image sensor devices are formed, and a semiconductor circuit region 207 in which general semiconductor circuits are formed.
In the image sensor region 205, photodiodes 201 are formed by a method generally known in the art, and an interlayer dielectric layer 202 and a plurality of metal wiring lines 203 are formed on the lower surfaces of the photodiodes 201 to face the front side of the handling wafer 200a.
Due to this fact, in the embodiment of the present invention, a back side illumination image sensor is constructed such that light collection is implemented under the photodiodes (PD), that is, from the back side of the wafer, unlike a front side illumination (FSI) image sensor in which light collection is implemented from the front sides of the photodiodes (PD).
In the semiconductor circuit region 207, the interlayer dielectric 202 and a plurality of multi-layered metal wiring lines 204 are formed on the lower surface of the Si substrate 210 to face the front side of the handling wafer 200a.
Super contacts 211 are formed in the Si substrate 210 in such a way as to contact the metal wiring lines 204.
Hereafter, processes, which are performed after bonding the device wafer 200b having the image sensor region 205 and the semiconductor circuit region 207 with the handling wafer 200a, will be described with reference to
a illustrates a cross-section when a process for thinning the back side of a device wafer is performed after a bonding process, in accordance with the embodiment of the present invention.
Referring to
Therefore, in the embodiment of the present invention, unlike the conventional art, it is not necessary for the super contacts 211 to project out of the Si substrate 210, whereby it is possible to prevent the super contacts 211 from being damaged.
b illustrates a cross-section after processes for forming an anti-reflective layer and a PMD (preferential metal deposition) dielectric layer according to the present invention.
Referring to
The anti-reflective layer 221 is deposited to a thickness equal to or less than 500 Å using oxynitride or oxide-nitride-oxide, and the PMD dielectric layer 223 is deposited to a thickness of 1,000 Å to 5,000 Å.
c illustrates a cross-section after a process for forming vias for pad opening according to the present invention.
Referring to
d illustrates a cross-section after a process for forming a pad according to the present invention.
Referring to
e illustrates a complete cross-section after a process for opening the pad and processes for forming color filters and microlenses according to the present invention.
Referring to
In addition, in order to improve light collection capability of the photodiodes 210 for back side illumination, the embodiment of the present invention may include a first step of forming optical filters 251 for transmitting light of a specified band, on the back side of the dielectric material and a second step of forming microlenses 253 for focusing light, on the optical filters 251.
Referring to
That is to say, when a design rule is defined as width/spacing, a design rule of super contacts in the present invention becomes 0.7 μm/0.7 μm˜3.0 μm/5.0 μm [width/spacing], and a design rule of vias is determined in consideration of such a design rule of super contacts.
Preferably, a design rule of vias in the present invention is determined to be 0.1 μm/0.1 μm˜0.5 μm/0.5 μm [width/spacing].
a through 4d show a series of processes for forming a pad in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention.
a illustrates a cross-section after processes for forming an anti-reflective layer and a PMD dielectric layer in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention.
Referring to
The anti-reflective layer 421 is formed using oxynitride and is deposited to a thickness of 500%, and the PMD dielectric layer 423 is deposited to a thickness of 1,000 Å to 5,000 Å.
b illustrates a cross-section after defining spaces for vias and a pad by performing a photolithographic process for dual damascene according to the present invention, and
Referring to
Referring to
d illustrates a complete cross-section after forming the pad through the damascene process and forming color filters and microlenses according to the present invention.
Referring to
As is apparent from the above description, in the present invention, advantages are provided in that, since a process for etching an Si substrate is omitted, it is possible to prevent the surfaces of super contacts and the Si substrate from being damaged, and since processes for forming super contacts and vias, which are generally known in the art, can be applied as they are, a pad of a wafer with a three-dimensional stacking structure can be formed in a simple manner.
Although a preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described for illustrative purposes, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications, additions and substitutions are possible, without departing from the scope and the spirit of the invention as disclosed in the accompanying claims.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
10-2010-0015632 | Feb 2010 | KR | national |
This application is a divisional application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/026,963, filed on Feb. 14, 2011 (now pending), which claims priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2010-0015632, filed Feb. 22, 2010, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
Parent | 13026963 | Feb 2011 | US |
Child | 13775178 | US |