# US 9,437,582 B2 · Stacked microelectronic assemblies > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,437,582 B2 - Document ID: US9437582B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/257,795 - Filed: 2014-04-21 - Published: 2014-11-13 - Granted: 2016-09-06 - Earliest claimed: 2003-11-04 - Assignees: Tessera, Inc. - Applicants: Tessera, Inc. - Inventors: David Gibson; Andy Stavros - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9437582B2 ## CPC - H10W 90/00: Package configurations - H05K 1/112: {directly combined with via connections} - H10W 70/688: {Flexible insulating substrates} - H10W 72/20: Bump connectors, e.g. solder bumps or copper pillars; Dummy bumps; Thermal bumps - H10W 90/401: {characterised by multiple insulating or insulated package substrates, interposers or RDLs} - H05K 1/141: {One or more single auxiliary printed circuits mounted on a main printed circuit, e.g. modules, adapters (H05K1/142 and H05K1/147 take precedence)} - H05K 3/3436: {having an array of bottom contacts, e.g. pad grid array or ball grid array components} - H05K 2201/10378: Interposers - H05K 2201/10515: Stacked components - H10W 70/60: Insulating or insulated package substrates; Interposers; Redistribution layers (leadframes H10W70/40) - H10W 72/01: {Manufacture or treatment} - H10W 72/823: {Interconnections through encapsulations, e.g. pillars through molded resin on a lateral side a chip} - H10W 90/22: the stacked chips being on both top and bottom sides of a package substrate, interposer or RDL - H10W 90/701: {characterised by the relative positions of pads or connectors relative to package parts} - H10W 90/721: {of bump connectors} - H10W 90/724: {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 - H05K: PRINTED CIRCUITS; CASINGS OR CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF ELECTRIC APPARATUS; MANUFACTURE OF ASSEMBLAGES OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS ## Abstract A microelectronic assembly includes units superposed on one another to form at least one stack having a vertical direction. Each unit includes one or more microelectronic devices and has top and bottom surfaces. Top unit terminals are exposed at the top surfaces and bottom unit terminals are exposed at the bottom surfaces. The top and bottom unit terminals are provided at a set of ordered column positions. Each top unit terminal of the set, except the top unit terminals at the highest ordered column position, is connected to a respective bottom unit terminal of the same unit at a next higher ordered column position. Each bottom unit terminal of the set, except the bottom unit terminals of the lowest unit in the stack, is connected to a respective upper unit terminal of the next lower unit in the stack at the same column position. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A microelectronic assembly comprising: a plurality of units superposed on one another to form at least one stack having a vertical direction, each unit including one or more microelectronic devices, each unit having a top surface and a bottom surface, top unit terminals exposed at the top surfaces and bottom unit terminals exposed at the bottom surfaces, the top and bottom unit terminals of each unit being provided at a set of ordered column positions, wherein each top unit terminal associated with the set of ordered column positions, except the top unit terminals at the highest ordered column position, is electrically coupled with a respective bottom unit terminal of the same unit at a next higher ordered column position, and wherein each bottom unit terminal associated with the set of ordered column positions, except the bottom unit terminals of the lowest unit in the stack, is electrically coupled with a respective top unit terminal of the next lower unit in the stack at the same column position. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The microelectronic assembly of claim 1 wherein each top unit terminal at the highest ordered column position is electrically coupled with a respective bottom unit terminal of the same unit at the lowest ordered column position. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The microelectronic assembly of claim 1 wherein the units are substantially identical to one another. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The microelectronic assembly of claim 1 further comprising: a circuit board positioned at the bottom of the at least one stack, the circuit board having an upper surface with a plurality of pads exposed thereat, wherein each pad is vertically aligned with a respective one of the column positions, wherein the bottom unit terminals of the lowest unit in the stack are electrically coupled with respective vertically aligned pads of the circuit board. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The microelectronic assembly of claim 1 further comprising: a circuit board positioned within the stack so that one or more of the units is disposed above the circuit board and one or more of the units is disposed below the circuit board, the circuit board having an upper surface and a lower surface, a plurality of pads exposed at the upper and lower surfaces of the circuit board, each pad being vertically aligned with a respective one of the column positions, wherein the pads exposed at the upper surface of the circuit board are electrically coupled with respective vertically aligned bottom unit terminals of the unit immediately above the circuit board, and wherein the pads exposed at the lower surface of the circuit board are electrically coupled with respective vertically aligned top unit terminals of the unit immediately below the circuit board. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The microelectronic assembly of claim 1 further comprising: at least one interconnect interposer positioned between units in the stack, wherein the interconnect interposer comprises conductors, wherein at least some of the bottom unit terminals of the unit positioned above the interconnect interposer are electrically coupled with the conductors of the interconnect interposer to at least some of the top unit terminals of the unit positioned below the interconnect interposer. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The microelectronic assembly of claim 1 wherein each unit comprises an electrically conductive interconnect structure having a dielectric element and a plurality of metal layers thereon, each of said metal layers including a plurality of metal traces electrically coupled with the one or more microelectronic devices of such unit and with the top and bottom unit terminals of such unit. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The microelectronic assembly of claim 7 wherein the one or more microelectronic devices of each unit is disposed between the interconnect structure of each unit and the interconnect structure of the next unit in the stack. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The microelectronic assembly of claim 1 wherein the bottom unit terminals of a unit in the stack are electrically coupled with the top unit terminals of the next lower unit in the stack by electrically conductive bonding material portions. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The microelectronic assembly of claim 9 wherein the electrically conductive bonding material portions comprise solder masses. ### Claim 11 A microelectronic assembly comprising: a plurality of units superposed on one another to form at least one stack having a vertical direction, each unit including one or more microelectronic devices, each unit having a top surface and a bottom surface, top unit terminals exposed at the top surfaces and bottom unit terminals exposed at the bottom surfaces, the top and bottom unit terminals of each unit being provided at a set of ordered column positions, wherein each top unit terminal associated with the set of ordered column positions, except the top unit terminals at the highest ordered column position, is electrically coupled with a respective bottom unit terminal of the same unit at a next higher ordered column position, wherein each bottom unit terminal associated with the set of ordered column positions, except the bottom unit terminals of the lowest unit in the stack, is electrically coupled with a respective top unit terminal of the next lower unit in the stack at the same column position, and wherein each top unit terminal at the highest ordered column position is electrically coupled with a respective bottom unit terminal of the same unit at the lowest ordered column position. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The microelectronic assembly of claim 11 wherein said units are substantially identical to one another. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The microelectronic assembly of claim 11 wherein each unit comprises an electrically conductive interconnect structure having a dielectric element and a plurality of metal layers thereon, each of said metal layers including a plurality of metal traces electrically coupled with the one or more microelectronic devices of such unit and with the top and bottom unit terminals of such unit. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The microelectronic assembly of claim 11 wherein the one or more microelectronic devices of each unit is disposed between the interconnect structure of each unit and the interconnect structure of the next unit in the stack. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The microelectronic assembly of claim 11 wherein the units are substantially identical to one another. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The microelectronic assembly of claim 11 further comprising: a circuit board positioned at the bottom of the at least one stack, the circuit board having an upper surface with a plurality of pads exposed thereat, wherein each pad is vertically aligned with a respective one of the column positions, wherein the bottom unit terminals of the lowest unit in the stack are electrically coupled with respective vertically aligned pads of the circuit board. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The microelectronic assembly of claim 11 further comprising: a circuit board positioned within the stack so that one or more of the units is disposed above the circuit board and one or more of the units is disposed below the circuit board, the circuit board having an upper surface and a lower surface, a plurality of pads exposed at the upper and lower surfaces of the circuit board, each pad being vertically aligned with a respective one of the column positions, wherein the pads exposed at the upper surface of the circuit board are electrically coupled with respective vertically aligned bottom unit terminals of the unit immediately above the circuit board, and wherein the pads exposed at the lower surface of the circuit board are electrically coupled with respective vertically aligned top unit terminals of the unit immediately below the circuit board. ### Claim 18 (depends on 11) The microelectronic assembly of claim 11 further comprising: at least one interconnect interposer positioned between units in the stack, wherein the interconnect interposer comprises conductors, wherein at least some of the bottom unit terminals of the unit positioned above the interconnect interposer are electrically coupled with the conductors of the interconnect interposer to at least some of the top unit terminals of the unit positioned below the interconnect interposer. ### Claim 19 (depends on 11) The microelectronic assembly of claim 11 wherein the bottom unit terminals of a unit in the stack are electrically coupled with the top unit terminals of the next lower unit in the stack by electrically conductive bonding material portions. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The microelectronic assembly of claim 19 wherein the electrically conductive bonding material portions comprise solder masses.