# US 2026/0076249 A1 · Hybrid Bonding Strength and Thermal Conductivity Leveraging Inorganic-convertible Polymers

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- Number: US 2026/0076249 A1
- Document ID: US20260076249A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 18/883,945
- Filed: 2024-09-12
- Published: 2026-03-12
- Earliest claimed: 2024-09-12
- Assignees: Apple Inc.
- Applicants: Apple Inc.
- Inventors: Sanjay Dabral; Jimin Yao; SivaChandra Jangam; Vidhya Ramachandran
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20260076249A1

## CPC

- H10W 72/90: Bond pads, in general
- H10W 72/073: {of die-attach connectors}
- H10W 72/30: Die-attach connectors
- H10W 99/00: Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass
- H10W 72/01365: {Thermally treating (reflowing H10W72/01357)}
- H10W 72/07331: {Connecting techniques}
- H10W 72/353: {not comprising solid metals or solid metalloids, e.g. ceramics}
- H10W 80/312: {characterised by the direct bonding of electrically conductive pads}
- H10W 80/327: {characterised by the direct bonding of insulating parts, e.g. of silicon oxide layers}
- H10W 90/734: {between a chip and a stacked insulating package substrate, interposer or RDL}
- H10W 90/794: {between a chip and a stacked insulating package substrate, interposer or RDL}
- H10W: GENERIC PACKAGES, INTERCONNECTIONS, CONNECTORS OR OTHER CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10

## Abstract

Integrated circuit (“IC”) structures and electronic packages that utilized an inorganic-convertible polymer to improve bond strength and thermal conductivity are described. In one embodiment, the inorganic-convertible polymer acts as a side fill material to seal a die periphery and improve direct bonding strength. In another embodiment, the inorganic-convertible polymer acts as a thermal bonding layer to increase the thermal conductivity between a die and a thermal solution.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An integrated circuit (“IC”) structure comprising:
an electronic component including a first bonding surface;
a die including a second bonding surface, the second bonding surface directly bonded to the first bonding surface; and
a side fill material along a periphery of the die, the side fill material being characterized by a coefficient of thermal expansion that is substantially similar to a coefficient of thermal expansion of the second bonding surface, wherein the side fill material occupies one or more voids present at an interface between the first bonding surface and the second bonding surface.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The IC structure of claim 1, wherein the electronic component is an interposer, and the die includes a semiconductor layer on a back-end-of-the-line (“BEOL”) build-up structure.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The IC structure of claim 1, wherein the side fill material is silicon dioxide or other inorganic dielectrics.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The IC structure of claim 1, wherein directly bonding the die to the electronic component includes hybrid bonding the first bonding surface of the electronic component to the second bonding surface of the die.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The IC structure of claim 1, wherein the die includes a recess along the periphery and the side fill material occupies the recess.

### Claim 6

A method for sealing a die periphery comprising:
directly bonding a first bonding surface of an electronic component to a second bonding surface of a die;
applying a side fill material to a periphery of the die, wherein the side fill material occupies one or more voids present at an interface between the first bonding surface and the second bonding surface; and
activating the side fill material, wherein the side fill material is characterized by a coefficient of thermal expansion that is substantially similar to a coefficient of thermal expansion of the second bonding surface.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6, wherein the side fill material is a polysilazane and activating the polysilazane converts the side fill material to silicon dioxide.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6, wherein activating the side fill material includes curing the side fill material with ultraviolet light or laser.

### Claim 9 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6, wherein activating the side fill material includes heating the side fill material.

### Claim 10 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6, wherein activating the side fill material includes plasma treating the side fill material.

### Claim 11

An electronic package comprising:
an electronic component including a first bonding surface;
a die including a second bonding surface, the second bonding surface directly bonded to the first bonding surface;
a gap fill material to encapsulate the die; and
a thermal solution over the die;
wherein a thermal bonding layer bonds the die to the thermal solution.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The electronic package of claim 11, wherein the electronic component is an interposer, and the die includes a semiconductor layer on a back-end-of-the-line (“BEOL”) build-up structure.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

The electronic package of claim 11, wherein the thermal bonding layer is silicon dioxide or other inorganic dielectrics.

### Claim 14 (depends on 11)

The electronic package of claim 11, wherein the thermal bonding layer includes a matrix of thermally conductive nanoparticles.

### Claim 15 (depends on 11)

The electronic package of claim 11, wherein the thermal bonding layer has a density ranging from 1.6-2.0 g/ml after curing.

### Claim 16 (depends on 11)

The electronic package of claim 11, wherein directly bonding the die to the electronic component includes hybrid bonding the first bonding surface of the electronic component to the second bonding surface of the die.

### Claim 17 (depends on 11)

The electronic package of claim 11, wherein the thermal bonding layer includes a plurality of vias, the plurality of vias being formed of copper and located over the die.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The electronic package of claim 17, further comprising a second thermal bonding layer over the plurality of vias.

### Claim 19 (depends on 11)

The electronic package of claim 11, further comprising a second die, wherein the second die is an active die or a dummy feature, the dummy feature comprising a same material as the thermal bonding layer.

### Claim 20 (depends on 11)

The electronic package of claim 11, further comprising a second die, wherein the second die is an active die or a dummy feature, the dummy feature being bonded to the electronic component with another thermal bonding layer.

### Claim 21 (depends on 11)

The electronic package of claim 11, wherein the thermal bonding layer comprises residual nitrogen.

### Claim 22 (depends on 11)

The electronic package of claim 11, wherein the thermal bonding layer has a refractive index between 1.45 and 1.54.

### Claim 23

A method for forming an electronic package comprising:
grinding a gap fill material to expose a top surface of a die, the die encapsulated by the gap fill material and located over an electronic component, wherein a first bonding surface of the electronic component is directly bonded to a second bonding surface of the die;
applying a thermal bonding layer to the top surface of the die and the gap fill material; and
activating the thermal bonding layer.

### Claim 24 (depends on 23)

The method of claim 23, wherein the thermal bonding layer is a polysilazane and activating the polysilazane converts the thermal bonding layer to silicon dioxide.

### Claim 25 (depends on 23)

The method of claim 23, further comprising forming a plurality of vias in the thermal bonding layer, the plurality of vias being formed of copper and located over the die, wherein forming the plurality of vias occurs before or after applying the thermal bonding layer to the top surface of the die and the gap fill material.

### Claim 26 (depends on 25)

The method of claim 25, further comprising forming a second thermal bonding layer over the plurality of vias.

### Claim 27 (depends on 23)

The method of claim 23, further comprising a second die, wherein the second die is an active die or a dummy feature, the dummy feature being comprising a same material as the thermal bonding layer.

### Claim 28 (depends on 23)

The method of claim 23, further comprising a second die, wherein the second die is an active die or a dummy feature, the dummy feature being bonded to the electronic component with another thermal bonding layer.

### Claim 29 (depends on 23)

The method of claim 23, wherein the thermal bonding layer includes a matrix of thermally conductive nanoparticles.

### Claim 30 (depends on 23)

The method of claim 23, wherein the thermal bonding layer comprises residual nitrogen after activating the thermal bonding layer.

### Claim 31 (depends on 23)

The method of claim 23, wherein the thermal bonding layer has a refractive index between 1.45 and 1.54.