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US 9,491,840 B2Granted
Electrostatic discharge protection apparatus and process
AssigneeTaiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
InventorsWen-Chien Chang, Hsiang-Tai Lu, Dai-Jang Chen, Chih-Hsien Lin
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In a process, at least one circuit element is formed in a substrate. A conductive layer is formed over the substrate and in electrical contact with the at least one circuit element. Electrostatic charges are discharged from the substrate via the conductive layer.
Claims19
A process, comprising:
- forming at least one circuit element in each die of a plurality of dies in a substrate, where an outer region of the substrate surrounds each die of the plurality of dies;
- forming a conductive layer over the substrate, wherein the conductive layer is over and vertically aligned with at least one die of the plurality of dies and over and vertically aligned with a portion of the outer region, the conductive layer in electrical contact with the at least one circuit element in the at least one die;
- forming conductive bumps over the conductive layer;
- after forming the conductive bumps, discharging electrostatic charges from the substrate via the conductive layer, wherein the discharging includes directly contacting a grounded electrode to a top surface of the conductive layer;
- and
- after the discharging electrostatic charges removing a portion of the conductive layer.
3 more elements
A process, comprising:
- forming a first connecting structure over a first side of a first substrate, the first substrate having a second side opposite the first side;
- forming a second connecting structure over a second substrate;
- discharging electrostatic charges from at least one of the first substrate by contacting a conductive layer of the first connecting structure with a grounded electrode or the second substrate by contacting a conductive layer of the second connecting structure with a grounded electrode;
- after the discharging, bonding the first substrate to the second substrate via the first connecting structure and the second connecting structure to form a bonded substrate assembly;
- forming a third connecting structure over the second side of the first substrate after the bonding;
- and
- after forming the bonding and the forming the third connecting structure, discharging electrostatic charges from the bonded substrate assembly by contacting a conductive layer of the third connecting structure with the grounded electrode.
4 more elements
A process, comprising:
- forming a first connecting structure over a first side of a first substrate, the first substrate having a second side opposite the first side;
- forming a second connection structure over a second substrate;
- bonding the first substrate to the second substrate via the first connecting structure and the second connecting structure to form a three-dimensional integrated circuit (3DIC);
- forming a third connecting structure over an outer layer of the 3DIC;
- and
- discharging electrostatic charges from the first substrate and the second substrate via the third connecting structure, wherein the third connecting structure includes a metal layer and at least one solder bump over the outer layer of the 3DIC, wherein the discharging includes temporarily bring a grounded electrode into contact with a surface of the third connective structure.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.