Patent Application
20080315388
Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to the field of integrated circuit packaging and, more particularly, to vertical controlled side chip connection for 3D processor package.
Computing devices are expected to have more and more features and be available in ever smaller form factors. This raises problems such as finding space to route traces along a printed circuit board (PCB) and integrating functionality into silicon integrated circuit devices.
The present invention is illustrated by way of example and not limitation in the figures of the accompanying drawings in which like references indicate similar elements, and in which:
In the following description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the invention. It will be apparent, however, to one skilled in the art that embodiments of the invention can be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, structures and devices are shown in block diagram form in order to avoid obscuring the invention.
Reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” means that a particular feature, structure or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, appearances of the phrases “in one embodiment” or “in an embodiment” in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment. Furthermore, the particular features, structures or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments.
Vertical chip stack 102 represents a group of integrated circuit devices, for example multi-core microprocessors, flash memory, network controllers, graphics controllers, etc., which are connected to and vertically aligned in relation with substrate 108. Vertical chip stack 102 may be fabricated separately with vertical chips 112-116 coupled with vertical substrate 110 through conventional methods before being rotated and placed on substrate 108. Vertical chip stack 102 may be coupled (electrically as well as mechanically) with substrate 108 and/or main chip stack 104. In one embodiment, a surface activated bond 118 is formed between conductive surfaces on vertical substrate 110 and substrate 108. In one embodiment, die backside metallization (DBM) connection 120 couples vertical chips 112 and 114. DBM routing and/or pad 124 is coupled to die active metal layer 122 through through silicon via (TSV) 126. In one embodiment, vertical chip stack 102 is electrically coupled with main chip stack 104 through wirebond 128. The electrical connection between vertical chip stack 102 and main chip stack 104 may be used for power or data transmission.
Main chip stack 104 represents horizontally stacked integrated circuit devices of all types.
Substrate 108 provides mechanical support and signal routing for attached integrated circuit devices. In one embodiment substrate 108 is a multi-layer organic substrate. In another embodiment, substrate 108 is a ceramic substrate.
Vertical chip 106 may be coupled with substrate 108 through solder bump connection 130 with or without underfill support and by main chip stack 104 through any electrical interconnection including but not limited to DBM surface activated bond 132.
Main die stack 202 is comprised of horizontally stacked integrated circuit devices joined by multiple connections. Some chips in main die stack 202 are connected through die backside metallization (DBM), such as die backside metallization (DBM) connection 218. Die active metal layer 222 is connected to the DBM routing and/or pad through through silicon via (TSV) 220.
Vertical die 204 is coupled with main die stack 202 through surface activated bond 210 and is coupled with substrate 208 through wirebond 214.
Vertical die 206 is coupled with main die stack 202 through interconnection between solder bump connections 212 and DBM routing and/or pad 224. Vertical die 206 is coupled with substrate 208 through surface activated bond 216.
Processor(s) 402 may represent any of a wide variety of control logic including, but not limited to one or more of a microprocessor, a programmable logic device (PLD), programmable logic array (PLA), application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a microcontroller, and the like, although the present invention is not limited in this respect. In one embodiment, processors(s) 402 are Intel® compatible processors. Processor(s) 402 may have an instruction set containing a plurality of machine level instructions that may be invoked, for example by an application or operating system.
Memory controller 404 may represent any type of chipset or control logic that interfaces system memory 406 with the other components of electronic appliance 400. In one embodiment, the connection between processor(s) 402 and memory controller 404 may be referred to as a front-side bus. In another embodiment, the connection between processor(s) 402 and memory controller 404 may be a serial point-to-point connection.
System memory 406 may represent any type of memory device(s) used to store data and instructions that may have been or will be used by processor(s) 402. Typically, though the invention is not limited in this respect, system memory 406 will consist of dynamic random access memory (DRAM). In one embodiment, system memory 406 may consist of Rambus DRAM (RDRAM). In another embodiment, system memory 406 may consist of double data rate synchronous DRAM (DDRSDRAM).
Input/output (I/O) controller 408 may represent any type of chipset or control logic that interfaces I/O device(s) 412 with the other components of electronic appliance 400. In one embodiment, I/O controller 408 may be referred to as a south bridge. In another embodiment, I/O controller 408 may comply with the Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) Express™ Base Specification, Revision 1.0a, PCI Special Interest Group, released Apr. 15, 2003.
Network controller 410 may represent any type of device that allows electronic appliance 400 to communicate with other electronic appliances or devices. In one embodiment, network controller 410 may comply with a The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. (IEEE) 802.11b standard (approved Sep. 16, 1999, supplement to ANSI/IEEE Std 802.11, 1999 Edition). In another embodiment, network controller 410 may be an Ethernet network interface card.
Input/output (I/O) device(s) 412 may represent any type of device, peripheral or component that provides input to or processes output from electronic appliance 400.
In the description above, for the purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. It will be apparent, however, to one skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without some of these specific details. In other instances, well-known structures and devices are shown in block diagram form.
Many of the methods are described in their most basic form but operations can be added to or deleted from any of the methods and information can be added or subtracted from any of the described messages without departing from the basic scope of the present invention. Any number of variations of the inventive concept is anticipated within the scope and spirit of the present invention. In this regard, the particular illustrated example embodiments are not provided to limit the invention but merely to illustrate it. Thus, the scope of the present invention is not to be determined by the specific examples provided above but only by the plain language of the following claims.
