# US 8,771,533 B2 · Edge protection seal for bonded substrates > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,771,533 B2 - Document ID: US8771533B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/780,854 - Filed: 2013-02-28 - Published: 2013-07-04 - Granted: 2014-07-08 - Earliest claimed: 2009-10-29 - Assignees: International Business Machines Corporation - Applicants: International Business Machines Corporation - Inventors: Mukta G. Farooq; Emily Kinser; Richard S. Wise; Hakeem B. S. Akinmade-Yusuff - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8771533B2 ## CPC - H10P 14/6328: {Deposition from the gas or vapour phase} - H10W 90/00: Package configurations - H10P 10/128: {by direct semiconductor to semiconductor bonding} - H10W 20/023: {the interconnections being through-semiconductor vias} - Y10T 428/21: Circular sheet or circular blank - Y10T 428/219: Edge structure - Y10T 428/23: Sheet including cover or casing - Y10T 428/24628: Nonplanar uniform thickness material - H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 - H10W: GENERIC PACKAGES, INTERCONNECTIONS, CONNECTORS OR OTHER CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract A dielectric material layer is deposited on exposed surfaces of a bonded structure that includes a first substrate and a second substrate. The dielectric material layer is formed on an exposed planar surface of a second substrate and the entirety of peripheral sidewalls of the first and second substrates. The dielectric material layer can be formed by chemical vapor deposition, atomic layer deposition, or plasma induced deposition. Further, the dielectric material layer seals the entire periphery of the interface between the first and second substrates. If a planar portion of the dielectric material layer can be removed by planarization to facilitate thinning of the bonded structure, the remaining portion of the dielectric material layer can form a dielectric ring. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of sealing a bonded structure comprising: bonding a first substrate and a second substrate, wherein a first bonding-side surface of said first substrate is bonded to a second bonding-side surface of said second substrate at an interface; forming a dielectric material layer on a first sidewall surface at a periphery of said first substrate and a second sidewall surface at a periphery of said second substrate, wherein said dielectric material layer contiguously extends from a periphery of a first backside surface of said first substrate to a second backside surface of said second substrate and seals said interface; and thinning said second substrate by planarization. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein said dielectric material layer is formed directly on all portions of said first bonding-side surface that does not contact said second bonding-side surface and all portions of said second bonding-side surface that does not contact said first bonding-side surface. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein said dielectric material layer is formed directly on a periphery of said interface, and said dielectric material layer laterally surrounds said interface. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein said dielectric material layer is formed on an entirety of said second backside surface and an entirety of said first sidewall surface and said second sidewall surface. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: removing a portion of said dielectric material layer from above said second backside surface; and vertically recessing said second backside surface by chemical mechanical planarization or an etch process. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein an entirety of said dielectric material layer is contiguous, and said dielectric material layer contacts an entirety of said second backside surface. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein said dielectric material layer is deposited non-conformally. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein a first thickness of said dielectric material layer on said second backside surface is greater than a second thickness of said dielectric material layer on said first and second sidewall surfaces. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein a remaining portion of said dielectric material layer includes a surface that is coplanar with said second backside surface. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein a remaining portion of said dielectric material layer does not overlie or underlie any area of said direct contact between said first bonding-side surface and said second bonding-side surface. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein a remaining portion of said dielectric material layer forms a ring-shaped structure. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein said dielectric material layer has a same composition at every surface portion that contacts said first substrate and said second substrate. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein said dielectric material layer is deposited directly on peripheral regions of said first bonding-side surface that is not within a plane of said interface and peripheral regions of said second bonding-side surface that is not within said plane of said interface. ### Claim 14 A method of sealing a bonded structure comprising: bonding a first substrate and a second substrate, wherein a first bonding-side surface of said first substrate is bonded to a second bonding-side surface of said second substrate at an interface; and forming a dielectric material layer on a first sidewall surface at a periphery of said first substrate and a second sidewall surface at a periphery of said second substrate, wherein said dielectric material layer contiguously extends from a periphery of a first backside surface of said first substrate to a second backside surface of said second substrate and seals said interface, wherein said dielectric material layer is deposited by high density plasma chemical vapor deposition (HDPCVD) or plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD). ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein an inorganic dielectric material is deposited to form said dielectric material layer. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein said dielectric material layer is composed of a material selected from silicon oxide, silicon nitride, silicon boride, silicon carbon nitride, a dielectric metal oxide, a dielectric metal nitride, a dielectric metal silicate, and combinations thereof. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein an organic material is deposited to form said dielectric material layer. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein said dielectric material layer is composed of a material selected from silicon carbide, silicon carbon boride, an organic polymer. ### Claim 19 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, further comprising: removing a portion of said dielectric material layer from above said second backside surface; and vertically recessing said second backside surface by chemical mechanical planarization or an etch process. ### Claim 20 A method of sealing a bonded structure comprising: bonding a first substrate and a second substrate, wherein a first bonding-side surface of said first substrate is bonded to a second bonding-side surface of said second substrate at an interface; and forming a dielectric material layer on a first sidewall surface at a periphery of said first substrate and a second sidewall surface at a periphery of said second substrate, wherein said dielectric material layer contiguously extends from a periphery of a first backside surface of said first substrate to a second backside surface of said second substrate and seals said interface, wherein said dielectric material is composed of an organic polymer in which a monomer of —CF2— is polymerized.