Integrated circuits and packaging substrates with cavities, and attachment methods including insertion of protruding contact pads into cavities

A structure comprising:

• (1) an interposer comprising:
• a semiconductor substrate;
• one or more first primary conductive contact pads attachable to circuitry placed above the interposer;
• one or more second primary conductive contact pads attachable to circuitry placed below the interposer;
• and
• one or more conductive paths passing through the semiconductor substrate and connecting at least one of the first primary contact pads to at least one of the second primary contact pads;
• wherein each of the second primary contact pads is provided by a conductor formed in a corresponding via in the semiconductor substrate and protruding downward out of the via and out of the interposer at a bottom surface of the interposer, the conductor providing a downward protrusion underneath the via at the bottom surface of the interposer;
• (2) an intermediate integrated circuit packaging substrate comprising:
• a dielectric substrate or a plurality of dielectric substrates attached to each other;
• one or more first secondary conductive contact pads attachable to circuitry above the intermediate substrate;
• one or more second secondary conductive contact pads attachable to circuitry below the intermediate substrate;
• one or more conductive paths each of which connects at least one first secondary contact pad of the intermediate substrate to at least one second secondary contact pad of the intermediate substrate;
• wherein each of the one or more first secondary contact pads of the intermediate substrate is formed in a corresponding via in the top surface of the intermediate substrate, each via extending into at least one of the dielectric substrates;
• wherein the protrusions formed by the conductors of the interposer are inserted into the corresponding vias of the intermediate substrate and attached to the first secondary contact pads of the intermediate substrate in the vias in the intermediate substrate.

A manufacturing method comprising:

• (1) obtaining an interposer comprising:
• a semiconductor substrate;
• one or more first primary conductive contact pads attachable to circuitry placed above the interposer;
• one or more second primary conductive contact pads attachable to circuitry placed below the interposer;
• and
• one or more conductive paths passing through the semiconductor substrate and connecting at least one of the first primary contact pads to at least one of the second primary contact pads;
• wherein each of the second primary contact pads protrudes out at a bottom surface of the interposer;
• (2) obtaining an intermediate integrated circuit packaging substrate comprising:
• a dielectric substrate or a plurality of dielectric substrates attached to each other;
• one or more first secondary conductive contact pads attachable to circuitry above the intermediate substrate;
• one or more second secondary conductive contact pads attachable to circuitry below the intermediate substrate;
• one or more conductive paths each of which connects at least one first secondary contact pad of the intermediate substrate to at least one second secondary contact pad of the intermediate substrate;
• wherein each of the one or more first secondary contact pads of the intermediate substrate is formed in a corresponding via in the top surface of the intermediate substrate, each via extending into at least one of the dielectric substrates;
• (3) inserting the protruding second primary contact pads of the interposer into the corresponding vias of the intermediate substrate and attaching the second primary contact pads to the first secondary contact pads of the intermediate substrate without melting of at least portions of the second primary contact pads of the interposer in the vias.

A structure comprising:

• (1) an interposer comprising:
• a semiconductor substrate;
• one or more first primary conductive contact pads attachable to circuitry placed above the interposer;
• one or more second primary conductive contact pads attachable to circuitry placed below the interposer;
• and
• one or more conductive paths passing through the semiconductor substrate and connecting at least one of the first primary contact pads to at least one of the second primary contact pads;
• wherein each of the second primary contact pads protrudes out at a bottom surface of the interposer;
• (2) an intermediate integrated circuit packaging substrate comprising:
• a dielectric substrate or a plurality of dielectric substrates attached to each other;
• one or more first secondary conductive contact pads attachable to circuitry above the intermediate substrate;
• one or more second secondary conductive contact pads attachable to circuitry below the intermediate substrate;
• one or more conductive paths each of which connects at least one first secondary contact pad of the intermediate substrate to at least one second secondary contact pad of the intermediate substrate;
• wherein each of the one or more first secondary contact pads of the intermediate substrate is formed in a corresponding via in the top surface of the intermediate substrate, each via extending into at least one of the dielectric substrates;
• wherein the protruding second primary contact pads of the interposer are inserted into the corresponding vias of the intermediate substrate and soldered in the vias to the first secondary contact pads of the intermediate substrate with solder.

A manufacturing method comprising:

• (1) obtaining a first structure comprising:
• a first semiconductor substrate;
• one or more first primary conductive contact pads attachable to circuitry placed above the first structure;
• one or more second primary conductive contact pads attachable to circuitry placed below the first structure;
• and
• one or more conductive paths passing through the first semiconductor substrate and connecting at least one of the first primary contact pads to at least one of the second primary contact pads;
• wherein each of the second primary contact pads is provided by a conductor formed in a corresponding via in the first semiconductor substrate and protruding downward out of the via and out of the first structure at a bottom surface of the first structure, the conductor providing a downward protrusion underneath the via at the bottom surface of the first structure;
• (2) obtaining a second structure comprising:
• a second semiconductor substrate;
• a dielectric layer overlying the second semiconductor substrate;
• one or more first secondary conductive contact pads attachable to circuitry above the second structure;
• wherein each of the one or more first secondary contact pads of the second structure is formed in a corresponding via in the top surface of the second structure, each via extending into the dielectric layer;
• (3) inserting the protrusions formed by the conductors of the first structure into the corresponding vias of the second structure and attaching the protrusions to the first secondary contact pads of the intermediate substrate in the vias in the second structure.

A structure comprising:

• (1) a first structure comprising:
• a semiconductor substrate;
• one or more first primary conductive contact pads attachable to circuitry placed above the first structure;
• one or more second primary conductive contact pads attachable to circuitry placed below the first structure;
• and
• one or more conductive paths passing through the semiconductor substrate and connecting at least one of the first primary contact pads to at least one of the second primary contact pads;
• wherein each of the second primary contact pads is provided by a conductor formed in a corresponding via in the semiconductor substrate and protruding downward out of the via and out of the first structure at a bottom surface of the first structure, the conductor providing a downward protrusion underneath the via at the bottom surface of the first structure;
• (2) a second structure comprising:
• a second semiconductor substrate;
• a dielectric layer overlying the second semiconductor substrate;
• one or more first secondary conductive contact pads attachable to circuitry above the second structure;
• wherein each of the one or more first secondary contact pads of the second structure is formed in a corresponding via in the top surface of the second structure, each via extending into the dielectric layer;
• wherein the protrusions formed by the conductors of the first structure are inserted into the corresponding vias of the second structure and attached to the first secondary contact pads of the second structure in the vias in the second structure.