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US 9,870,999 B2Granted
Device and method for alignment of vertically stacked wafers and die
AssigneeSTMicroelectronics S.r.l.
InventorsJohn H. Zhang, Walter Kleemeier, Paul Ferreira, Ronald K. Sampson
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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.
Claims23
A method of aligning a plurality of die, comprising:
- positioning a first die having a first plurality of alignment structures overlying a second die having a second plurality of alignment structures, the first plurality of alignment structures having a first plurality of transmission columns arranged in a first pattern having a position of each one of the first plurality of transmission columns set with respect to each other and the second plurality of alignment structures having a second plurality of transmission columns arranged in a second pattern having a position of each one of the second plurality of transmission columns set with respect to each other, the first pattern being the same as the second pattern, the first and the second die being in direct physical contact;
- applying a first signal to the first plurality of alignment structures;
- detecting a second signal at the second plurality of alignment structures;
- determining a difference between the first and second signals;
- and
- adjusting a position of the first die with respect to the second die to decrease the difference between the first and second signals.
3 more elements
A method, comprising:
- forming a plurality of first transmission columns in a first wafer, the first transmission columns arranged in a first pattern having a position of each one of the first transmission columns set with respect to each other;
- forming a plurality of second transmission columns in a second wafer, the second transmission columns arranged in a second pattern having a position of each one of the second transmission columns set with respect to each other, the first pattern being the same as the second pattern;
- aligning the first wafer with the second wafer by directly physically contacting the plurality of first transmission columns to the plurality of second transmission columns and matching the first pattern with the second pattern, the aligning including:
- applying a signal to the first transmission columns;
- detecting the signal at the second transmission columns;
- and
- adjusting a position of the first wafer with respect to the second wafer to more precisely align the pattern.
4 more elements
A method, comprising:
- forming a first alignment column, a second alignment column, and a third alignment column each in a first die, a top side of each of the first, second and third alignment columns being coplanar and a portion of each of the first, second and third alignment columns extending away from a side of the first die;
- forming a fourth alignment column, a fifth alignment column, and a sixth alignment column each in a second die, a bottom side of each of the fourth, fifth, and sixth alignment columns being coplanar and a portion of each of the fourth, fifth and sixth alignment columns extending away from a side of the second die.
A method, comprising:
- forming a first alignment column, a second alignment column, and a third alignment column each in a first die, a top side of each of the first, second and third alignment columns being coplanar and adjacent to a top side of the first die, wherein a first distance between the first alignment column and the second alignment column added to a second distance between the second alignment column and the third alignment column does not equal a third distance between the first alignment column and the third alignment column;
- forming a fourth alignment column, a fifth alignment column, and a sixth alignment column each in a second die, a bottom side of each of the fourth, fifth, and sixth alignment columns being coplanar and adjacent to a bottom side of the second die;
- and
- aligning the first die to the second die, the aligning including:
- applying a signal to the first, second, and the third alignment columns;
- and
- reading the signal from the first alignment column at the fourth alignment column, the signal from the second alignment column at the fifth alignment column, and the signal from the third alignment column at the sixth alignment column.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.