Microwave connectors for semiconductor wafers
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorsDavid W. Abraham, John M. Cotte
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Embodiments are directed to a coupler system including a semiconductor wafer, an interconnect layer formed over the semiconductor wafer and a connector that is physically secured and electronically coupled to the interconnect layer. In one or more embodiments, the connector is physically secured and electronically coupled to the interconnect layer by a structure comprising an bond layer and an electrically conductive layer. In one or more embodiments, the structure is formed according to a methodology that includes forming a bond layer over the interconnect layer, forming the electrically conductive layer as a solder layer over the bond layer, and applying a reflow operation to at least the solder layer.
Claims25
A method of forming a coupler system, the method comprising:
- forming a semiconductor wafer;
- forming an interconnect layer over the semiconductor wafer;
- physically securing a mounting surface of a connector to the interconnect layer;
- wherein the mounting surface comprises a signal pad;
- wherein the connector further comprises a coupling mechanism configured to couple the connector to a cable;
- and
- electronically coupling the connector to the interconnect layer through the signal pad.
A method of forming a coupler system, the method comprising:
- forming a semiconductor wafer;
- forming an interconnect layer over the semiconductor wafer;
- forming radio frequency (RF) circuitry over the interconnect layer;
- electronically coupling the RF circuitry to the interconnect layer;
- physically securing a mounting surface of a microwave connector to the interconnect layer;
- wherein the mounting surface comprises a signal pad;
- wherein the connector further comprises a coupling mechanism configured to couple the microwave connector to a coaxial cable;
- and
- electronically coupling the microwave connector to the interconnect layer through the signal pad.
A method of forming a coupler system, the method comprising:
- forming a semiconductor wafer;
- forming an interconnect layer over the semiconductor wafer;
- forming radio frequency (RF) circuitry over the interconnect layer;
- electronically coupling the RF circuitry to the interconnect layer;
- physically securing a mounting surface of a microwave connector to the interconnect layer;
- wherein the mounting surface comprises a signal pad;
- wherein the connector further comprises a coupling mechanism configured to couple the microwave connector to a coaxial cable;
- and
- electronically coupling the microwave connector to the interconnect layer through the signal pad;
- wherein the microwave connector and interconnect layer are configured to couple electronic signals to the RF circuitry.
A coupler system comprising:
- a semiconductor wafer;
- an interconnect layer formed over the semiconductor wafer;
- and
- a connector formed over the interconnect layer, wherein the connector is physically secured and electronically coupled to the interconnect layer, wherein the connector comprises a coupling mechanism configured to couple the connector to a cable.
A coupler system comprising:
- a semiconductor wafer;
- an interconnect layer formed over the semiconductor wafer;
- radio frequency (RF) circuitry electronically coupled to the interconnect layer;
- and
- a microwave connector physically secured and electronically coupled to the interconnect layer, wherein the microwave connector comprises a coupling mechanism configured to couple the microwave connector to a coaxial cable.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.