# US 10,455,308 B2 · Die with integrated microphone device using through-silicon vias (TSVs)

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- Number: US 10,455,308 B2
- Document ID: US10455308B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/502,495
- Filed: 2014-09-17
- Published: 2017-08-24
- Granted: 2019-10-22
- Earliest claimed: 2014-09-17
- Assignees: Intel Corporation
- Applicants: Intel Corporation
- Inventors: Kevin J. Lee; Ruchir Saraswat; Uwe Zillmann; Valluri Bob Rao; Tor Lund-Larsen; Nicholas P. Cowley
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10455308B2

## CPC

- H04R 1/04: Structural association of microphone with electric circuitry therefor (in electric hearing aids H04R25/00)
- B81B 7/02: containing distinct electrical or optical devices of particular relevance for their function, e.g. microelectro-mechanical systems [MEMS] (B81B7/04 takes precedence)
- B81C 1/00158: {Diaphragms, membranes (manufacture process for semi-permeable inorganic membranes B01D67/0039)}
- H04R 1/406: {microphones}
- H04R 19/005: {using semiconductor materials}
- H04R 19/04: Microphones (H04R19/01 takes precedence)
- H10P 72/74: {using temporarily an auxiliary support}
- H10P 72/7402: {Wafer tapes, e.g. grinding or dicing support tapes}
- H10W 20/023: {the interconnections being through-semiconductor vias}
- H10W 20/20: Interconnections within wafers or substrates, e.g. through-silicon vias [TSV]
- B81B 2201/0257: Microphones or microspeakers
- B81B 2207/096: through the substrate
- B81C 2201/0132: Dry etching, i.e. plasma etching, barrel etching, reactive ion etching [RIE], sputter etching or ion milling
- B81C 2203/0109: Bonding an individual cap on the substrate
- H10P 72/7416: {used during dicing or grinding}
- H10P 72/7422: {used to protect an active side of a device or wafer}
- H10P 72/744: {Details of chemical or physical process used for separating the auxiliary support from a device or a wafer}
- H10W 72/01304: {using temporary auxiliary members, e.g. using sacrificial coatings or handle substrates}
- H10W 72/01351: {Changing the shapes of die-attach connectors}
- H10W 72/01365: {Thermally treating (reflowing H10W72/01357)}
- H10W 72/072: {of bump connectors}
- H10W 72/073: {of die-attach connectors}
- H10W 72/07307: {the auxiliary member being a temporary substrate, e.g. a removable substrate}
- H10W 72/07338: {hardening the adhesive by curing, e.g. thermosetting}
- H10W 72/07352: {changes in structures or sizes}
- H10W 72/07353: {changes in shapes}
- H10W 72/252: {comprising solid metals or solid metalloids, e.g. PbSn, Ag or Cu}
- H10W 72/321: {Structures or relative sizes of die-attach connectors}
- H10W 72/331: {Shapes of die-attach connectors}
- H10W 72/334: {Cross-sectional shape, i.e. in side view}
- H10W 72/354: {comprising polymers}
- H10W 72/925: {Bond pads having a filler embedded in a matrix}
- H10W 72/952: {comprising metals or metalloids, e.g. PbSn, Ag or Cu}
- H10W 72/953: {not comprising solid metals or solid metalloids, e.g. polymers, ceramics or liquids}
- H10W 74/15: on active surfaces of flip-chip devices, e.g. underfills
- H10W 76/10: Containers or parts thereof
- H10W 76/17: characterised by their materials
- H10W 76/60: Seals
- H10W 90/724: {between a chip and a stacked insulating package substrate, interposer or RDL}
- H10W 90/734: {between a chip and a stacked insulating package substrate, interposer or RDL}
- H10W 90/736: {between a chip and a stacked lead frame, conducting package substrate or heat sink}
- H10W 99/00: Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass
- H04R: LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; ELECTRIC HEARING AIDS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS (producing sounds with frequency not determined by supply frequency G10K)
- B81B: MICROSTRUCTURAL DEVICES OR SYSTEMS, e.g. MICROMECHANICAL DEVICES (piezoelectric, electrostrictive or magnetostrictive elements per se H10N30/00, H10N35/00)
- B81C: PROCESSES OR APPARATUS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF MICROSTRUCTURAL DEVICES OR SYSTEMS (making microcapsules or microballoons B01J13/02; processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment of piezoelectric, electrostrictive or magnetostrictive elements per se H10N30/01)
- H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10
- H10W: GENERIC PACKAGES, INTERCONNECTIONS, CONNECTORS OR OTHER CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10

## Abstract

Embodiments of the present disclosure describe a die with integrated microphone device using through-silicon vias (TSVs) and associated techniques and configurations. In one embodiment, an apparatus includes an apparatus comprising a semiconductor substrate having a first side and a second side disposed opposite to the first side, an interconnect layer formed on the first side of the semiconductor substrate, a through-silicon via (TSV) formed through the semiconductor substrate and configured to route electrical signals between the first side of the semiconductor substrate and the second side of the semiconductor substrate, and a microphone device formed on the second side of the semiconductor substrate and electrically coupled with the TSV. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An apparatus comprising:
a semiconductor substrate having a first side and a second side opposite to the first side;
an interconnect layer on the first side of the semiconductor substrate;
a first through-silicon via (TSV) through the semiconductor substrate, the first TSV to route electrical signals between the first side of the semiconductor substrate and the second side of the semiconductor substrate;
a microphone device on the second side of the semiconductor substrate and electrically coupled with the first TSV;
a device layer on the first side of the semiconductor substrate, wherein the first TSV is to route electrical signals between an active device of the device layer and the microphone device; and
a second TSV to structurally support the microphone device, wherein the second TSV is not to route electrical signals between the device layer and the microphone device.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the microphone device comprises:
a back-plate on the second side of the semiconductor substrate and coupled with the first TSV; and
a membrane film coupled with the back-plate to form a capacitor.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the microphone device further comprises:
a chamber in the semiconductor substrate adjacent to the membrane film.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising:
a lid to cover the microphone device.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The apparatus of claim 4, further comprising:
a passivation layer on the second side of the semiconductor substrate, wherein the passivation layer is between at least a portion of the back-plate and the semiconductor substrate; and
a cavity layer on the passivation layer and having a cavity formed in the cavity layer, wherein the membrane film is in the cavity and the lid is coupled with the cavity layer.

### Claim 6 (depends on 4)

The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the lid includes a sound port hole.

### Claim 7 (depends on 4)

The apparatus of claim 4, further comprising a flip-chip substrate including a sound port hole, wherein:
the semiconductor substrate is part of a die that is coupled with the flip-chip substrate in a flip-chip configuration;
the lid is coupled with the flip-chip substrate to form a cavity;
the die is within the cavity; and
the sound port hole provides access for sound to the cavity.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:
the semiconductor substrate is part of a first die;
the first die is coupled with a second die; and
the second die includes receiver or sensor circuitry of the microphone device.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the microphone device is one of a plurality of microphone devices on the second side of the semiconductor substrate.

### Claim 10

A computing device comprising:
a circuit board; and
a die electrically coupled with the circuit board, the die including:
a semiconductor substrate having a first side and a second side opposite to the first side;
an interconnect layer on the first side of the semiconductor substrate;
a first through-silicon via (TSV) through the semiconductor substrate, the first TSV to route electrical signals between the first side of the semiconductor substrate and the second side of the semiconductor substrate;
a microphone device on the second side of the semiconductor substrate and electrically coupled with the first TSV;
a device layer on the first side of the semiconductor substrate, wherein the first TSV is to route electrical signals between an active device of the device layer and the microphone device; and
a second TSV to structurally support the microphone device, wherein the second TSV is not to route electrical signals between the device layer and the microphone device.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The computing device of claim 10, wherein:
the die is coupled with a package substrate; and
the package substrate is coupled with the circuit board.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

The computing device of claim 10, wherein:
the computing device is a mobile computing device including one or more of an antenna, a display, a touchscreen display, a touchscreen controller, a battery, an audio codec, a video codec, a power amplifier, a global positioning system (GPS) device, a compass, a Geiger counter, an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a speaker, and a camera.

### Claim 13 (depends on 10)

The computing device of claim 10, wherein the microphone device comprises:
a back-plate on the second side of the semiconductor substrate and coupled with the first TSV; and
a membrane film coupled with the back-plate to form a capacitor.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The computing device of claim 13, wherein the microphone device further comprises:
a chamber in the semiconductor substrate adjacent to the membrane film.

### Claim 15 (depends on 13)

The computing device of claim 13, further comprising:
a lid to cover the microphone device.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The computing device of claim 15, further comprising:
a passivation layer on the second side of the semiconductor substrate, wherein the passivation layer is between at least a portion of the back-plate and the semiconductor substrate; and
a cavity layer on the passivation layer and having a cavity formed in the cavity layer, wherein the membrane film is in the cavity and the lid is coupled with the cavity layer.

### Claim 17 (depends on 15)

The computing device of claim 15, wherein the lid includes a sound port hole.

### Claim 18 (depends on 15)

The computing device of claim 15, further comprising a flip-chip substrate including a sound port hole, wherein:
the die is coupled with the flip-chip substrate in a flip-chip configuration;
the lid is coupled with the flip-chip substrate to form a cavity;
the die is within the cavity; and
the sound port hole provides access for sound to the cavity.

### Claim 19

An apparatus comprising:
a semiconductor substrate having a first side and a second side opposite to the first side;
an interconnect layer on the first side of the semiconductor substrate;
a through-silicon via (TSV) through the semiconductor substrate, the TSV to route electrical signals between the first side of the semiconductor substrate and the second side of the semiconductor substrate;
a microphone device on the second side of the semiconductor substrate and electrically coupled with the TSV, wherein the microphone device comprises:
a back-plate on the second side of the semiconductor substrate and coupled with the TSV; and
a membrane film coupled with the back-plate to form a capacitor;
a lid to cover the microphone device;
a passivation layer on the second side of the semiconductor substrate, wherein the passivation layer is between at least a portion of the back-plate and the semiconductor substrate; and
a cavity layer on the passivation layer and having a cavity formed in the cavity layer, wherein the membrane film is in the cavity and the lid is coupled with the cavity layer.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the microphone device further comprises:
a chamber in the semiconductor substrate adjacent to the membrane film.

### Claim 21 (depends on 19)

The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the lid includes a sound port hole.