Patent US4586012A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent US5872404A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
← Back to Patent Explorer
US5872404A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Interconnect bump for flip-chip integrated circuit including integral standoff and hourglass shaped solder coating

Assignee: Adeia Semiconductor Technologies LLC
•
Filing: 1997-02-06
•
Granted: 1999-02-16
•
Expires: 2017-02-06
📄 Original PDF 🌐 Google Patents 🔄 Sync Now

Abstract

Abstract An interconnect bump is formed on a substrate structure of a flip-chip microelectronic integrated circuit by sputtering a metal base layer on the substrate, and then forming a copper standoff on the base layer. A solder cap is formed on the standoff having a peripheral portion that extends laterally external of the standoff. The peripheral portion of the cap is used as a self-aligned mask for a photolithographic step that results in removing the metal base layer except under the standoff and the cap. The cap has a lower melting point than the standoff. Heat is applied that is sufficient to cause the cap to melt over and coat the standoff and insufficient to cause the standoff to melt. The peripheral portions of the cap and the base layer that extend laterally external of the standoff cause the melted solder to form into a generally hourglass shape over the standoff due to surface tension.

Inventors

  • 👤 Brian Lynch
  • 👤 Patrick O'Brien

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-09 06:59
CPC Classifications
H; H05; H05K; H05K3/00; H05K3/30; H05K3/32; H05K3/34; H05K3/341; H05K3/3431; H05K3/3436; H10; H10W; H10W70/00; H10W70/099; H10W72/00; H10W72/20; H10W90/00; H10W90/701; H05K2201/00; H05K2201/03; H05K2201/0332; H05K2201/0364; H05K2201/0367; H10W72/01; H10W72/012; H10W72/01251; H10W72/01255; H10W72/251; H10W72/252; H10W72/255; H10W72/281; H10W72/283; H10W72/90; H10W72/941; H10W72/9415; Y; Y02; Y02P; Y02P70/00; Y02P70/50

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 28
Claim 1
Independent Claim 65 words
An interconnect bump formed on a substrate structure, comprising: a substrate structure; a standoff that extends from said substrate structure, said standoff having sides and an end opposite to said substrate structure; and a cap that covers said end and said sides of said standoff and has a generally hourglass shape, said cap on said end being exposed for subsequent reflow attachment to another substrate.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 65 words
An interconnect bump formed on a substrate structure, comprising: a substrate structure; a standoff that extends from said substrate structure, said standoff having sides and an end opposite to said substrate structure; and a cap that covers said end and said sides of said standoff and has a generally hourglass shape, said cap on said end being exposed for subsequent reflow attachment to another substrate.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 35 words
The bump as in claim 1, further comprising a base that is formed between said substrate structure and said standoff and said cap, and has a peripheral portion that extends laterally external of said standoff.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 38 words
The bump as in claim 1, in which said standoff and said cap are formed of electrically conductive metals respectively that are selected such that said cap wets said standoff when said cap is in a fluid state.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 24 words
The bump as in claim 1, in which said standoff is formed of a material selected from a group consisting of copper and gold.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 24 words
The bump as in claim 1, in which said cap is formed of a material selected from a group consisting of solder and indium.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 20 words
The bump as in claim 1, further comprising an interconnect metallization pattern formed between said substrate structure and said standoff.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 31 words
The bump as in claim 6, in which said interconnect metallization pattern comprises of at least one bond pad, wherein said bond pad is between said substrate structure and said standoff.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 35 words
The bump as in claim 7, further comprising a base that is formed between said bond pad and said standoff and said cap, and has a peripheral portion that extends laterally external of said standoff.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 60 words
An interconnect bump formed on a substrate structure, comprising: a substrate structure; a base formed on said substrate structure, wherein said base is a deposited film; a standoff that extends from said base; and a cap that covers said standoff and has a generally hourglass shape, an end of said cap being exposed for subsequent reflow attachment to another substrate.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 60 words
An interconnect bump formed on a substrate structure, comprising: a substrate structure; a base formed on said substrate structure, wherein said base is a deposited film; a standoff that extends from said base; and a cap that covers said standoff and has a generally hourglass shape, an end of said cap being exposed for subsequent reflow attachment to another substrate.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 21 words
The bump as in claim 9, in which said base has a peripheral portion that extends laterally external of said standoff.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 14 words
The bump as in claim 9, in which said base is a sputtered film.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 38 words
The bump as in claim 9, in which said standoff and said cap are formed of electrically conductive metals respectively that are selected such that said cap wets said standoff when said cap is in a fluid state.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 24 words
The bump as in claim 9, in which said standoff is formed of a material selected from a group consisting of copper and gold.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 24 words
The bump as in claim 9, in which said cap is formed of a material selected from a group consisting of solder and indium.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 54 words
An interconnect bump formed on a substrate structure, comprising: a substrate structure; a standoff that extends from said substrate structure, wherein said standoff is an electroplated metal; and a cap that covers said standoff and has a generally hourglass shape, an end of said cap being exposed for subsequent reflow attachment to another substrate.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 54 words
An interconnect bump formed on a substrate structure, comprising: a substrate structure; a standoff that extends from said substrate structure, wherein said standoff is an electroplated metal; and a cap that covers said standoff and has a generally hourglass shape, an end of said cap being exposed for subsequent reflow attachment to another substrate.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 35 words
The bump as in claim 15, further comprising a base that is formed between said substrate structure and said standoff and said cap, and has a peripheral portion that extends laterally external of said standoff.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 38 words
The bump as in claim 15, in which said standoff and said cap are formed of electrically conductive metals respectively that are selected such that said cap wets said standoff when said cap is in a fluid state.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim 24 words
The bump as in claim 15, in which said standoff is formed of a material selected from a group consisting of copper and gold.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim 24 words
The bump as in claim 15, in which said cap is formed of a material selected from a group consisting of solder and indium.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim 147 words
An interconnect bump formed on a substrate structure, comprising: a substrate structure; a bond pad formed on said substrate structure; a passivation layer covering said substrate structure and a portion of said bond pad, wherein an opening is formed through said passivation layer over a portion of said bond pad; a base formed over said bond pad and a portion of said passivation layer, wherein said base is directly on a central portion of said bond pad in said opening and angles away from said bond pad to thereby define a space, wherein said passivation layer extends into said space and is also on said substrate structure outside of said bond pad; a standoff that extends from said bond pad; and a cap that covers said standoff and has a generally hourglass shape, an end of said cap being exposed for subsequent reflow attachment to another substrate.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim 147 words
An interconnect bump formed on a substrate structure, comprising: a substrate structure; a bond pad formed on said substrate structure; a passivation layer covering said substrate structure and a portion of said bond pad, wherein an opening is formed through said passivation layer over a portion of said bond pad; a base formed over said bond pad and a portion of said passivation layer, wherein said base is directly on a central portion of said bond pad in said opening and angles away from said bond pad to thereby define a space, wherein said passivation layer extends into said space and is also on said substrate structure outside of said bond pad; a standoff that extends from said bond pad; and a cap that covers said standoff and has a generally hourglass shape, an end of said cap being exposed for subsequent reflow attachment to another substrate.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim 38 words
The bump as in claim 20, in which said standoff and said cap are formed of electrically conductive metals respectively that are selected such that said cap wets said standoff when said cap is in a fluid state.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim 24 words
The bump as in claim 20, in which said standoff is formed of a material selected from a group consisting of copper and gold.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim 14 words
The bump as in claim 20, in which said cap is formed of solder.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim 14 words
The bump as in claim 20, in which said cap is formed of indium.

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 2002-02-15 2002-08-17 2003-02-16 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2006-02-15 2006-08-17 2007-02-16 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2010-02-15 2010-08-17 2011-02-16 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

Assigned Categories & Tags

No categories assigned to this patent yet.

Assign Category Tag