# US 8,569,899 B2 · Device and method for alignment of vertically stacked wafers and die

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- Number: US 8,569,899 B2
- Document ID: US8569899B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 12/650,372
- Filed: 2009-12-30
- Published: 2011-06-30
- Granted: 2013-10-29
- Earliest claimed: 2009-12-30
- Assignees: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
- Applicants: John H. Zhang; Walter Kleemeier; Paul Ferreira; Ronald K. Sampson
- Inventors: John H. Zhang; Walter Kleemeier; Paul Ferreira; Ronald K. Sampson
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8569899B2

## CPC

- H10W 46/00: Marks applied to devices, e.g. for alignment or identification
- H10P 74/207: {Electrical properties, e.g. testing or measuring of resistance, deep levels or capacitance-voltage characteristics}
- H10P 74/232: {comprising connection or disconnection of parts of a device in response to a measurement}
- H10P 74/277: {Circuits for electrically characterising or monitoring manufacturing processes, e.g. circuits in tested chips or circuits in testing wafers}
- H10W 90/00: Package configurations
- H10W 90/293: {characterised by non-galvanic coupling between the chips, e.g. capacitive coupling}
- H10W 46/301: {for alignment}
- H10W 46/501: {for use before dicing}
- H10W 46/503: {Located in scribe lines}
- H10W 72/07251: {characterised by changes in properties of the bump connectors during connecting}
- H10W 72/20: Bump connectors, e.g. solder bumps or copper pillars; Dummy bumps; Thermal bumps
- H10W 90/297: {characterised by the through-semiconductor vias [TSVs] in the stacked chips}
- H10W 90/722: {between stacked chips}
- H10W: GENERIC PACKAGES, INTERCONNECTIONS, CONNECTORS OR OTHER CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10
- H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10

## Abstract

A device is provided that includes a first die having a first alignment structure that includes a plurality of first transmission columns arranged in a pattern and a second die positioned on the first die, the second die having a second alignment structure that includes a plurality of second transmission columns arranged in the same pattern as the first transmission columns. The first and second transmission columns are each coplanar with a first surface and a second surface of the first and second die, respectively.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A wafer stack, comprising:
a first wafer having a first surface and a second surface;
a plurality of first alignment structures formed through the first wafer having a plurality of first transmission columns arranged in a pattern, a first end and a second end of each of the first transmission columns extending from the first surface by a first distance and the second surface by a second distance, respectively, and the first ends and second ends of the first transmission columns being non-overlaying of any portion of the first and second surface of the first wafer, respectively;
a second wafer having a first surface and a second surface, the second surface of the second wafer positioned facing the first surface of the first wafer; and
a plurality of second alignment structures formed through the second wafer having a plurality of second transmission columns arranged in the same pattern as the first transmission columns, a first end and a second end of each of the second transmission columns extending from the first surface by a third distance and the second surface of the second wafer by a fourth distance, respectively, and the first end and second end of the second transmission columns being non-overlaying of any portion of the first and second surface of the second wafer, respectively.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The wafer stack of claim 1 wherein the first and second alignment structures are formed in a first and second die region, respectively.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The wafer stack of claim 1 wherein the first and second alignment structures are formed between first and second die regions on the first and second wafer, respectively.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The wafer stack of claim 1 wherein each of the first ends of the first transmission columns are in optical communication with respective ones of the second ends of the second transmission columns.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The wafer stack of claim 1 wherein at least one of the plurality of first alignment structures has a different number of first transmission columns than the other first alignment structures.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The wafer stack of claim 1 wherein the pattern of at least one of the plurality of first transmission columns is different from the pattern of the other first transmission columns.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The wafer stack of claim 1 wherein the pattern of the plurality of first transmission columns is the same for each plurality of first alignment structures.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The wafer stack of claim 1 wherein each of the first and second transmission columns have a constant width through the first and second wafer and the first and second ends of the first and second transmission columns, respectively, that extend from the first and second surfaces of the first and second wafers have the constant width.

### Claim 9

A device, comprising:
a first die having a first surface and a second surface;
a plurality of first alignment structures formed through the first die having a plurality of first transmission columns arranged in a pattern, a first end and a second end of each of the first transmission columns extending from the first surface by a first distance and the second surface by a second distance, respectively, and the first ends and second ends of the first transmission columns being non-overlaying of any portion the first and second surface of the first wafer, respectively;
a second die having a first surface and a second surface, the second surface of the second die positioned facing the first surface of the first die; and
a plurality of second alignment structures formed through the second die having a plurality of second transmission columns arranged in the same pattern of the first transmission columns, a first end and a second end of each of the second transmission columns extending from the first surface by a third distance and the second surface by a fourth distance, respectively, and the first end and second end of the second transmission columns being non-overlaying of any portion of the first and second surface of the second wafer, respectively.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The device of claim 9 wherein each of the first ends of the first transmission columns are in electrical communication with respective ones of the second ends of the second transmission columns.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The device of claim 9 wherein each of the first ends of the first transmission columns are in optical communication with respective ones of the second ends of the second transmission columns.

### Claim 12 (depends on 9)

The device of claim 9 wherein the first and second transmission columns are formed from a first material.

### Claim 13 (depends on 9)

The device of claim 9 wherein one of the first transmission columns of one of the first alignment structures is a first material and another one of the first transmission columns of the first alignment structures a second material that is different from the first material.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The device of claim 13 wherein one of the second transmission columns is the second material, the one of the second transmission columns being configured to interact with the one of the first transmission columns that is the first material.

### Claim 15 (depends on 13)

The device of claim 13 wherein one of the second transmission columns is the first material, the one of the second transmission columns being configured to interact with the one of the first transmission columns that is the first material.

### Claim 16 (depends on 9)

The device of claim 9 wherein one pattern of the first alignment structures has a first number of the first transmission columns and another pattern of the first alignment structures has a second number of first transmission columns.

### Claim 17

A device, comprising:
a first die having a first surface and a second surface;
a plurality of first capacitive alignment structures arranged in a first pattern and formed on the first die adjacent to the first surface of the first die;
a second die having a first surface and a second surface, the second surface positioned overlying the first surface of the first die; and
a plurality of second capacitive alignment structures arranged in the same first pattern as the first capacitive alignment structures and formed on the second die adjacent to the second surface that overlies the first surface of the first die, the first and second capacitive alignment structures being configured to form first and second plates, respectively, of a plurality of capacitors arranged in the first pattern,
a plurality of third alignment structures arranged in a second pattern formed adjacent to the first surface of the second die;
a third die having a plurality of fourth alignment structures arranged in the second pattern and configured to form a plurality of capacitors with the plurality of third alignment structures, the first pattern of the second alignment structures being different from the second pattern of third alignment structures on the second die.