Seek scan probe (SSP) cantilever to mover wafer bond stop
AssigneeIntel Corporation
InventorsTsung-Kuan Allen Chou, Nickolai Belov, John Heck
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Abstract
A seek-scan probe (SSP) memory involves multiple-wafer bonding needing precision small gaps in between. Solder reflow bonding is typically used to join the wafers due to its reliability and ability to hermetically seal. However, solder reflow bonding may not provide a consistently controllable gap due to flowing solder during the bonding process. Thus, a bond stop technique and process is used to provide accurate cantilever to media gap control.
Claims18
An apparatus, comprising:
- a first wafer;
- a second wafer to be spaced a precise distance from the first wafer bonded with a solder seal, wherein the first wafer comprises a cantilever wafer and the second wafer comprises a mover wafer for a seek scan probe (SSP) memory device;
- and
- a rigid bond stop between the first wafer and the second wafer to control the distance between the first wafer and the second wafer when the solder is reflowed.
A method for forming a bond stop on a seek-scan probe (SSP) memory device, comprising:
- providing a cantilever wafer having an SSP cantilever;
- forming a tip layer stand-off when forming a cantilever tip;
- electroplating a seed metal layer over the cantilever wafer;
- defining a bond stop location over the tip layer stand-off with a photoresist mask;
- depositing a bond metal over the tip layer stand-off;
- and
- electroplating a metal to a desired thickness over the bond metal to form the desired length of the bond stop.
A seek-scan probe (SSP) memory system, comprising:
- a mover wafer including a released mover able to move relative to the mover wafer;
- a memory media layer on the mover;
- a cantilever wafer comprising a plurality of cantilever probes having tips to read and write to the memory media layer spaced from the memory media according to a tip to media gap;
- a solder seal to join the mover wafer to the cantilever wafer;
- and
- a rigid bond stop between the mover wafer and the cantilever wafer to control the tip to media gap when the solder is reflowed.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.