US5983493A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method of temporarily, then permanently, connecting to a semiconductor device
Assignee: FormFactor Inc
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Filing: 1997-04-15
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Granted: 1999-11-16
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Expires: 2017-04-15
Abstract
Abstract Resilient contact structures are mounted directly to bond pads on semiconductor dies, prior to the dies being singulated (separated) from a semiconductor wafer. This enables the semiconductor dies to be exercised (e.g., tested and/or burned-in) by connecting to the semiconductor dies with a circuit board or the like having a plurality of terminals disposed on a surface thereof. Subsequently, the semiconductor dies may be singulated from the semiconductor wafer, whereupon the same resilient contact structures can be used to effect interconnections between the semiconductor dies and other electronic components (such as wiring substrates, semiconductor packages, etc.). Using the all-metallic composite interconnection elements of the present invention as the resilient contact structures, burn-in can be performed at temperatures of at least 150° C., and can be completed in less than 60 minutes.
Inventors
- 👤 Benjamin N. Eldridge
- 👤 Gary W. Grube
- 👤 Igor Y. Khandros
- 👤 Gaetan L. Mathieu
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 21:16
CPC Classifications
H; H05; H05K; H05K3/00; H05K3/40; H05K3/4007; H05K3/4015; B; B23; B23K; B23K20/00; B23K20/002; B23K20/004; C; C25; C25D; C25D7/00; C25D7/12; C25D7/123; G; G01; G01R; G01R31/00; G01R31/28; G01R31/2851; G01R31/2884; H10; H10P; H10P74/00; H10P74/23; H10W; H10W70/00; H10W70/099; H10W72/00; H10W72/071; H10W72/075; H10W72/20; H10W74/00; H10W74/01; H10W74/012; H10W74/10; H10W74/15; H10W90/00; H10W90/701; B23K2101/00; B23K2101/36; B23K2101/40; C25D21/00; C25D21/02; C25D5/00; C25D5/60; C25D5/605; G01R31/2855; G01R31/286; G01R31/2868; G01R31/287; H05K1/00; H05K1/02; H05K1/14; H05K1/141; H05K3/10; H05K3/20; H05K3/30; H05K3/32; H05K3/325; H05K3/326; H10W72/01; H10W72/012; H10W72/01221; H10W72/01225; H10W72/072; H10W72/07231; H10W72/07236; H10W72/07531; H10W72/07532; H10W72/07533; H10W72/221; H10W72/222; H10W72/223; H10W72/251; H10W72/252; H10W72/255; H10W72/50; H10W72/531; H10W72/533; H10W72/534; H10W72/551; H10W72/552; H10W72/5522; H10W72/5524; H10W72/5525; H10W72/851; H10W72/853; H10W72/856; H10W72/90; H10W72/921; H10W72/923; H10W72/941; H10W72/944; H10W72/9445; H10W72/951; H10W72/952; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T29/00; Y10T29/49; Y10T29/49002; Y10T29/49117; Y10T29/49124; Y10T29/4913; Y10T29/49144; Y10T29/49147; Y10T29/49149; Y10T29/49169; Y10T29/49171
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
100 words
Method of temporarily connecting to a semiconductor device prior to permanently connecting to the semiconductor device, comprising: permanently mounting a plurality of elongate free-standing electrical contact structures to a bare semiconductor device; urging the semiconductor device against a first electronic component to effect a temporary connection between the semiconductor device and the first electronic component, with the electrical contact structures serving as an electrical interconnect between the semiconductor device and the first electronic component; and using the same electrical contact structures mounted to the semiconductor device to effect a permanent connection between the semiconductor device and a second electronic component.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
100 words
Method of temporarily connecting to a semiconductor device prior to permanently connecting to the semiconductor device, comprising: permanently mounting a plurality of elongate free-standing electrical contact structures to a bare semiconductor device; urging the semiconductor device against a first electronic component to effect a temporary connection between the semiconductor device and the first electronic component, with the electrical contact structures serving as an electrical interconnect between the semiconductor device and the first electronic component; and using the same electrical contact structures mounted to the semiconductor device to effect a permanent connection between the semiconductor device and a second electronic component.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
22 words
Method, according to claim 1, further comprising: effecting the permanent connection by mechanically biasing the semiconductor device against the second electronic component.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
19 words
Method, according to claim 1, further comprising: the semiconductor device to the second electronic component by brazing or soldering.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
12 words
Method, according to claim 1, wherein: the electrical contact structures are resilient.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
12 words
Method, according to claim 1, wherein: the electrical contact structures are compliant.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
32 words
Method, according to claim 1, further comprising: performing a process selected from the group consisting of test and burn-in on the semiconductor device while it is urged against the first electronic component.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
20 words
Method, according to claim 1, further comprising: joining contact tip structures to ends of the elongate free-standing electrical contact structures.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
35 words
Method, according to claim 7, wherein: the contact tip structures are pre-fabricated on a sacrificial substrate; and further comprising removing the sacrificial substrate after joining the contact tip structures to the elongate free-standing contact structures.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
18 words
Method, according to claim 8, wherein: the contact tip-structures comprise at least one layer of a conductive material.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
13 words
Method, according to claim 8, wherein: the sacrificial substrate is a silicon wafer.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
19 words
Methods, according to claim 1, wherein: the elongate electrical contact structures are hermetically sealed to the bare semiconductor device.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
150 words
Method, according to claim 1, wherein the elongate free-standing electrical contact structures are formed by: providing an insulating layer over a patterned metal layer on a surface of the at least one semiconductor die; providing a plurality of openings in the insulating layer; providing a blanket conductive layer atop the insulating layer; providing a patterned layer of masking material over the blanket conductive layer, said patterned layer of masking material having a plurality of openings aligned with the plurality of openings in the insulating layer; bonding a wire to the blanket conductive layer within each of at least a portion of the openings in the patterned layer of masking material; causing each bonded wire to extend from the surface of the semiconductor die; severing each bonded wire at a distance from the surface of the semiconductor die; and overcoating each severed wire and exposed portions of the blanket conductive layer.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
30 words
Method, according to claim 12, further comprising: after overcoating the severed wires, removing the masking material and selectively removing all but the previously exposed portions of the blanket conductive layer.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
11 words
Method, according to claim 12, wherein: the masking material is photoresist.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
24 words
Method, according to claim 12, wherein: the openings in the patterned layer of masking material are larger than the openings in the insulating layer.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2002-11-15 | 2003-05-17 | 2003-11-16 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2006-11-15 | 2007-05-17 | 2007-11-16 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2010-11-15 | 2011-05-17 | 2011-11-16 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |