This application claims the benefit of Taiwan Patent Application No. 099132517, filed on Sep. 27, 2010, the subject matter of which is incorporated herein by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to semiconductor packages and manufacturing methods thereof. More particularly, the invention relates to semiconductor packages with integrated metal pillars and manufacturing methods thereof.
2. Description of Related Art
A conventional flip chip package typically includes a substrate, conductive solder, a chip, and an underfill material. The substrate can be an organic substrate having an upper surface, at least one substrate pad, and a solder mask layer. The solder mask layer can have an opening so as to expose part of the substrate pad. The chip typically includes a chip body, a chip pad, a passivation layer, and at least one under ball metal layer. The conductive solder can be disposed between the substrate pad and the under ball metal layer to form electrical and mechanical connections. The underfill material can be filled into the space between the substrate and the die to protect the solder connections.
Typically, the chip has metal layers and interlayer dielectric layers formed adjacent to the silicon chip body. As the width of wires on the chip narrows and as the density of the circuit increases, the dielectric constant (k) of the dielectric layer can be reduced, so as to reduce the effects of leakage current of the circuit, capacitance effects between wires, and heat produced by the circuit. Dielectric layers can be classified as: standard k (4.5<k<10), low k (k<3.0), ultra low k (2.0<k<2.5), and extremely low k (k<2.0). A dielectric layer having ultra low k or extremely low k can be used in a 45 nanometer process. A typical method of forming an ultra low k and extremely low k dielectric layer is to make the dielectric layer porous with voids dispersed randomly within a contiguous solid dielectric.
However, in a conventional structure including conductive solder, a pitch corresponding to a certain distance is maintained between substrate pads and between chip pads, to prevent the conventional structure from becoming a short circuit during a reflow process of the conductive solder. This can limit the extent to which a package having the conventional structure can be miniaturized.
Furthermore, the strength of the dielectric layer decreases as the dielectric constant (k) decreases. The ultra low k and extremely low k dielectric layers tend to have low tensile strength, which can result in cracking at lower values of tensile stress than for higher k dielectric layers.
It is against this background that a need arose to develop the semiconductor package and related methods described herein.
One aspect of the invention relates to a semiconductor package. In one embodiment, the semiconductor package includes a substrate and a semiconductor device. The semiconductor device comprises: (1) a body having a center; (2) a first layer disposed adjacent to the body, wherein the first layer defines a plurality of openings; and (3) a plurality of conductive pillars configured to electrically connect the semiconductor device to the substrate, each of the plurality of conductive pillars extending at least partially through a corresponding one of the plurality of openings. An offset between a first central axis of the each of the plurality of conductive pillars and a second central axis of the corresponding one of the plurality of openings varies with distance between the first central axis and the center of the body. The second central axis of the corresponding one of the plurality of openings is disposed between the first central axis of the each of the plurality of conductive pillars and the center of the body.
In another embodiment, the semiconductor package includes a substrate and a semiconductor device. The semiconductor device comprises: (1) a body; (2) a pad disposed adjacent to the body; (3) a first layer disposed adjacent to the body, wherein the first layer defines an opening having a first diameter and exposing the pad; and (4) a conductive interconnect electrically connected to the pad and extending at least partially into the opening, wherein the conductive interconnect has a second diameter, and the second diameter is at least twice as large as the first diameter.
In another embodiment, the semiconductor package includes a substrate and a semiconductor device. The semiconductor device comprises: (1) a body; (2) a dielectric layer disposed adjacent to the body, wherein the dielectric layer is subject to stress resulting from a mismatch of coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) between the substrate and the semiconductor device; and (3) means for reducing a maximum stress on the dielectric layer to protect the dielectric layer from at least one of cracking and delamination.
Other aspects and embodiments of the invention are also contemplated. The foregoing summary and the following detailed description are not meant to restrict the invention to any particular embodiment but are merely meant to describe some embodiments of the invention.
The drawings illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of some embodiments of the invention. Reference will now be made in detail to some embodiments of the invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers are used in the drawings and the descriptions to refer to the same or like features.
Referring to
In one embodiment, the semiconductor device 20 includes a body 21, a pad 23, at least one dielectric layer 212, a passivation layer 213, at least one metal layer 214, at least one metal pillar 215 (conductive interconnect 215), and at least one barrier layer 216. The dielectric layer 212 may be disposed between the body 21 and the passivation layer 213. The passivation layer 213 may define at least one opening 2131 that exposes the pad 23. The metal layer 214 may extend into the opening 2131 to electrically connect the metal pillar 215 to the pad 23. The opening 2131 has a first diameter D1. In one embodiment, the metal layer 214 may be an under ball metal layer. The metal pillar 215 may be disposed between the metal layer 214 and the barrier layer 216. The electrical connector 24 may extend into the opening 230 to electrically connect the substrate pad 22 to the at least one barrier layer 216.
The body 21 has a surface 211. In one embodiment, the body 21 is formed from silicon. The dielectric layer 212 may be disposed adjacent to the surface 211 of the body 21. In one embodiment, the dielectric layer 212 is porous with voids dispersed randomly in its structure. Alternatively, the dielectric layer 212 can be porous and include voids engineered in its structure. The dielectric layer 212 may have micro-structures with nanoscale cavities. In one embodiment, the dielectric layer 212 has ultra low k or extremely low k. The dielectric constant of the dielectric layer 212 may be less than about 2.5, such as in the range from about 2.0 to about 2.5, from about 1.5 to about 2.0, from about 1.5 to about 2.5, and from about 1.7 to about 2.5.
The material of the passivation layer 213 can be polyimide or another insulating material. The passivation layer 213 may be disposed adjacent to the dielectric layer 212.
In one embodiment, the metal layer 214 is disposed at least partially in the opening 2131 and covers part of the passivation layer 213. The metal layer 214 may be formed from titanium/copper (Ti/Cu), nickel/gold (Ni/Au), or other suitable metals, alloys, or sequences of metals and/or alloys, such as, but not limited to Cr/Cr—Cu/Cu, Ti/Ni—V, Ti/Ni—V/Cu, Ti/W, or Ti/W/Au. In one embodiment, the metal pillar 215 may be disposed adjacent to the metal layer 214, and may extend partially into the corresponding opening 2131. Alternatively, if the semiconductor device 20 does not include the metal layer 214, the metal pillar 215 is disposed in the opening 2131 and covers part of the passivation layer 213. In one embodiment, the metal pillar 215 has a second diameter D2. The metal pillar 215 may be formed from at least one of copper and its alloys, gold and its alloys, and silver and its alloys.
In one embodiment, the barrier layer 216 is formed from nickel or chromium. The barrier layer 216 is disposed on a surface 238 of the metal pillar 215 and is electrically connected to the electrical connector 24. The electrical connector may be formed from a solder material. The melting point of the electrical connector 24 can be lower than that of the metal pillar 215. The barrier layer 216 can prevent the electrical connector 24 from melting onto the surface of the metal pillar 215. In one embodiment, the underfill layer 25 is disposed between the upper surface 221 of the substrate 22 and the surface 211 of the body 21, and encapsulates and protects the electrical connector 24 and the metal pillar 215.
Because the dielectric layer 212 having voids in its structure can be weak in tensile strength, it is desirable to understand the stress distribution within the semiconductor package 2, and to determine locations in the semiconductor package 2 where the stress is concentrated (stress concentration). Since the coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) of the substrate 22 is larger than the CTE of the semiconductor device 20, after a reflow process or a thermal cycling process, the substrate 22 contracts more than the semiconductor device 20. The difference in the contraction of the semiconductor device 20 relative to the substrate 22 can cause tensile stress (outward from the surface of the semiconductor device 20) on the metal pillars 215. The tensile stress can be larger on an outer surface 232 of the metal pillar 215 than on an inner surface 234 of the metal pillar 215. The outer surface 232 of the metal pillar 215 is on an opposite side of the metal pillar 215 from a central axis 217 of the body 21, and the inner surface 234 of the metal pillar 215 is on the same side of the metal pillar 215 as the central axis 217. The tensile stress of the metal pillars 215 can increase with the distance between the metal pillar 215 and the central axis 217 of the body 21. For example, a metal pillar 215a nearest a lateral surface 236 of the semiconductor package 2 (and therefore farther from the central axis 217 than other metal pillars such as a metal pillar 215b) may have an average tensile stress and a peak tensile stress that are larger than the corresponding stress values of the metal pillar 215b. The lateral surface 236 may be proximate to the metal pillar 215a and the metal pillar 215b, such that the metal pillar 215a is between the metal pillar 215b and the lateral surface 236.
Referring to
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Referring to
In one embodiment, the semiconductor device 30 includes a body 31, a plurality of pads 33 (such as first pad 33a and second pad 33b), at least one dielectric layer 312, a passivation layer 313, at least one metal layer 314, a plurality of metal pillars 315 (conductive interconnects 315) and a barrier layer 316. The dielectric layer 312 may be disposed between the body 31 and the passivation layer 313. The passivation layer 313 may define at least one opening 3131 (such as first opening 3131a and second opening 3131b) that exposes the pads 33 (such as first chip pad 33a and second chip pad 33b). The metal layer 314 may extend into the openings 3131 to electrically connect the metal pillars 315 (such as first metal pillar 315a and second metal pillar 315b) to the corresponding pads 33. In one embodiment, the metal layer 314 may be an under ball metal layer. The metal pillars 315 may be disposed between the metal layer 314 and the barrier layer 316. The electrical connector 24 may extend into the opening 230 to electrically connect the substrate pad 22 to the barrier layer 316.
The body 31 has a surface 311. In one embodiment, the body 31 is formed from silicon. The dielectric layer 312 may be disposed adjacent to the surface 311 of the body 31. In one embodiment, the dielectric layer 312 is porous with voids dispersed randomly in its structure. Alternatively, the dielectric layer 312 can be porous and include voids engineered in its structure. The dielectric layer 312 may have micro-structures with nanoscale cavities. In one embodiment, the dielectric constant of the dielectric layer 312 may be less than about 2.5, such as in the range from about 2.0 to about 2.5, from about 1.5 to about 2.0, from about 1.5 to about 2.5, and from about 1.7 to about 2.5.
The material of the passivation layer 313 can be polyimide or another insulating material. The passivation layer 313 may be disposed adjacent to the dielectric layer 312.
In one embodiment, the metal layer 314 is disposed at least partially in the openings 3131 (such as first opening 3131a and second opening 3131b) and cover part of the passivation layer 313. The metal layer 314 may be formed from titanium/copper (Ti/Cu), nickel/gold (Ni/Au), or other suitable metals, alloys, or sequences of metals and/or alloys, such as, but not limited to Cr/Cr—Cu/Cu, Ti/Ni—V, Ti/Ni—V/Cu, Ti/W, or Ti/W/Au. In one embodiment, the metal pillars 315 may be disposed adjacent to the metal layer 314, and may extend partially into the corresponding openings 3131. Alternatively, if the semiconductor device 30 does not include the metal layer 314, the metal pillars 315 are disposed in the openings 3131 and cover part of the passivation layer 313. The metal pillars may be formed from at least one of copper and its alloys, gold and its alloys, and silver and its alloys.
In one embodiment, the barrier layer 316 is formed from nickel or chromium. The barrier layer 316 is disposed on a surface 338 of each of the metal pillars 315 and is electrically connected to the electrical connector 24. The barrier layer 316 can prevent the electrical connector 24 from melting onto the surface of the metal pillars 315.
In one embodiment, the metal pillars (such as first metal pillar 315a and second metal pillar 315b) are disposed adjacent to the metal layer 314, and may extend partially into the corresponding openings 3131 (such as first opening 3131a and second opening 3131b). There may be an offset between a central axis 317 of each of the metal pillars 315 and a central axis 318 of each corresponding opening 3131. In this embodiment, the central axis 318 of each opening 3131 is disposed between the central axis 317 of each corresponding metal pillar 315 and a center 319 of the chip body 31. The center 319 may correspond to a central axis of the chip body 31. For example, the first metal pillar 315a corresponds to the first opening 3131a, and the second metal pillar 315b corresponds to the second opening 3131b. A first offset P1 is defined as the distance between the central axis 317a of the first metal pillar 315a and the central axis 318a of the first opening 3131a. A second offset P2 is defined as the distance between the central axis 317b of the second metal pillar 315b and the central axis 318b of the second opening 3131b.
In the package 4, because of the effect of each of the first offset P1 and the second offset P2, the distance between the area A and the area B (shown in
In one embodiment, the distance between the first metal pillar 315a and the center 319 is greater than the distance between the second metal pillar 315b and the center 319. Since the tensile stress of the metal pillars 315 increases with the distance between the central axis 317 of the metal pillar 315 and the center 319 of the chip body 31, it is preferable to make the first offset P1 greater than or equal to the second offset P2, because the first metal pillar 315a sustains more stress than the second metal pillar 315b.
In one embodiment, the package 4 has a lateral surface 336 proximate to the first metal pillar 315a, and a distal lateral surface (not shown) opposite to the lateral surface 336. The distance between the first metal pillar 315a and the lateral surface 336 proximate to the first metal pillar 315a is less than the distance between the first metal pillar 315a and the distal lateral surface. The distance between the first metal pillar 315a and the lateral surface 336 is less than the distance between the second metal pillar 315b and the lateral surface 336. Since the tensile stress of the metal pillars 315 decreases as the distance between the central axis 317 of the metal pillar 315 and the lateral surface 336 proximate to the metal pillar 315 increases, it is preferable to make the first offset P1 greater than or equal to the second offset P2, because the first metal pillar 315a sustains more stress than the second metal pillar 315b.
In one embodiment, each of the first opening 3131a and the second opening 3131b has a first diameter, each of the first metal pillar 315a and the second metal pillar 315b has a second diameter. As described with reference to
Referring to
While the invention has been described and illustrated with reference to specific embodiments thereof, these descriptions and illustrations do not limit the invention. It should be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. The illustrations may not necessarily be drawn to scale. There may be distinctions between the artistic renditions in the present disclosure and the actual apparatus due to manufacturing processes and tolerances. There may be other embodiments of the present invention which are not specifically illustrated. The specification and the drawings are to be regarded as illustrative rather than restrictive. Additionally, the drawings illustrating the embodiments of the present invention may focus on certain major characteristic features for clarity. Modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation, material, composition of matter, method, or process to the objective, spirit and scope of the invention. All such modifications are intended to be within the scope of the claims appended hereto. While the methods disclosed herein have been described with reference to particular operations performed in a particular order, it will be understood that these operations may be combined, sub-divided, or re-ordered to form an equivalent method without departing from the teachings of the invention. Accordingly, unless specifically indicated herein, the order and grouping of the operations are not limitations of the invention.
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