Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
153 words
A semiconductor assembly comprising: a semiconductor wafer having a plurality of
integrated circuits, each circuit having a plurality of metal
contact pads as electrical entry and exit ports; an electrically conductive array, substantially
parallel to the surface of said wafer, comprising a multitude of
coupling members positioned so that at least one of said
coupling members is electrically in contact with one circuit
contact pad, respectively, while remaining insulated from its
adjacent coupling member; an interposer of electrically insulating material
having electrically conductive paths extending through said
interposer from one surface to the opposite surface, forming
electrical entry and exit ports on said insulating interposer; said interposer positioned substantially parallel to
the wafer surface and having one of its surfaces attached to
said planar array, thereby electrically connecting said ports
to at least some of said coupling members; and a planar array of solder balls attached to said exit
ports of said interposer.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
36 words
The semiconductor assembly of Claim 1 wherein said coupling
members comprise a multitude of electrically conductive fibers
extending through an electrically nonconductive layer from one
surface to the opposite surface, while remaining insulated from
adjacent fibers.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
17 words
The semiconductor assembly of Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein
said electrically insulating interposer is mechanically elastic.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
18 words
The semiconductor assembly of Claim 3 wherein said
mechanically elastic interposer comprises polyimide, epoxy,
resin, and/or reinforcing material.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
17 words
The semiconductor assembly of Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein
said electrically insulating interposer comprises ceramic
material.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
39 words
The semiconductor assembly of any of Claims 1 to 5 wherein
said electrically conductive paths comprise gold or copper when
said electrically insulating interposer is organic material, and
comprise tungsten or tungsten alloy when said insulating
interposer is ceramic.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
35 words
The semiconductor assembly of any of Claims 1 to 6 wherein
said electrical entry and exit ports of said electrically
insulating interposer comprise copper or tungsten arrays
overlaid by palladium, gold, platinum, or platinum-rich alloy.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
186 words
A method for the fabrication of a semiconductor assembly
comprising: providing a semiconductor wafer having a plurality of
integrated circuits, each circuit having a plarality of metal
contact pads as electrical entry and exit ports; forming a planar array of solder balls attached to
said contact pads of said semiconductor wafer so that each of
said contact pads is contacted by one of said solder balls; providing an interposer of electrically insulating
material having electrically conductive paths from one surface
to the opposite surface, forming electrical entry and exit ports
on said insulating interposer; aligning said- interposer with said solder balls so
that each port is placed into alignment with one of said solder
balls on said semiconductor wafer; contacting said ports and said solder balls; applying energy to said semiconductor wafer such that
said wafer increases uniformly in temperature and transfers heat
to said solder balls, causing the solder balls to reach a liquid
state; removing said energy such that said solder balls cool
and harden, forming physical bonds between said solder balls and
said ports; and separating the resulting composite structure into
discrete chips.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
218 words
A method for the fabrication of a semiconductor assembly
comprising: providing a semiconductor wafer having a plurality of
integrated circuits, each circuit having a plurality of metal
contact pads as electrical entry and exit ports; forming a first planar array of solder balls attached
to said contact pads of said semiconductor wafer so that each
of said contact pads is contacted by one of said solder balls; providing an interposer of electrically insulating
material having electrically conductive paths from one surface
to the opposite surface, forming electrical entry and exit ports
on said insulating interposer; aligning said interposer with said solder balls so
that each port is placed into alignment with one of said solder
balls on said semiconductor wafer; contacting said ports and said solder balls; applying energy to said semiconductor wafer such that
said wafer increases uniformly in temperature and transfers heat
to said solder balls, causing said solder balls to reach a
liquid state; removing said energy such that said solder balls cool
and harden, forming physical bonds between said solder balls and
said ports; forming a second planar array of solder balls attached
to said exit ports of said interposer so that each of said exit
ports is contacted by one of said solder balls; and separating the resulting composite structure into
discrete chips.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
245 words
A method for the fabrication of a semiconductor assembly
comprising: providing a semiconductor wafer having a plurality of
integrated circuits, each circuit having a plurality of metal
contact pads as electrical entry and exit ports; providing an adhesive layer having a multitude of
electrically conductive fibers extending through electrically
nonconductive material from one surface to the opposite surface
of the layer while remaining insulated from adjacent fibers; providing an interposer of electrically insulating
material having electrically conductive paths from one surface
to the opposite surface, forming electrical entry and exit ports
on said insulating interposer; placing said interposer vertically and in contact with
said adhesive substrate; providing a polymer film having a plurality of discrete
adhesive areas; providing a plurality of solder balls, one of said
solder balls being placed on each of said adhesive areas; aligning said polymer film to said interposer so that
each of said solder balls is placed into alignment with one of
said ports; placing said solder balls in contact with said ports; applying energy to said semiconductor wafer such that
said wafer uniformly increases in temperature and transfer heat
to said adhesive substrate, said interposer and said solder
balls, causing said solder balls to reach a liquid state; removing said energy such that all said contacts form
physical bonds and said solder balls cool and harden, forming
physical bonds between said solder balls and said ports; removing said polymer film; and separating the resulting composite structure into
discrete chips.