US6805279B2 — Fluxless bumping process using ions

Claim 1

Independent Claim 124 words

A process comprising: providing a substrate having an electrically conductive non-ball shared structure thereon, the electrically conductive structure including an outer surface including a compound including an oxide group; placing the substrate on a hot plate in a chamber, and injecting a gas into the chamber, the gas comprising at least one of: molecules comprising a halide atom, and H 2 : and heating the structure with the hot plate so that the gas produces an ion upon contact with the heated structure thereby reacting the oxide group with the ion thereby reducing the melting temperature of the outer surface and so that the electrically conductive non-ball shaped structure is reflown and cooling the same to form an electrically conductive ball on the substrate.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 124 words

A process comprising: providing a substrate having an electrically conductive non-ball shared structure thereon, the electrically conductive structure including an outer surface including a compound including an oxide group; placing the substrate on a hot plate in a chamber, and injecting a gas into the chamber, the gas comprising at least one of: molecules comprising a halide atom, and H 2 : and heating the structure with the hot plate so that the gas produces an ion upon contact with the heated structure thereby reacting the oxide group with the ion thereby reducing the melting temperature of the outer surface and so that the electrically conductive non-ball shaped structure is reflown and cooling the same to form an electrically conductive ball on the substrate.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 30 words

A process as set forth in claim 1 wherein the reacting of the oxide group with an ion and the heating of the electrically conductive structure are carried out simultaneously.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 17 words

A process as set forth in claim 1 wherein the electrically conductive structure comprises a solder structure.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 15 words

A process as set forth in claim 1 wherein the ion comprises a halide ion.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 15 words

A process as set forth in claim 1 wherein the ion comprises a F ion.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 15 words

A process as set forth in claim 1 wherein the ion comprises a hydrogen ion.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 25 words

A process as set forth in claim 1 wherein the reacting of the oxide group with the ion is carried out in a reflow oven.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 52 words

A process as set forth in claim 1 wherein the ion comprises a hydrogen ion, and wherein the hydrogen ion is supplied by H 2 gas injected into a reflow oven, and further comprising purging the H 2 gas from the reflow oven prior to the heating of the electrically conductive structure.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 23 words

A process as set forth in claim 8 wherein the purging of the H 2 gas comprises injecting nitrogen into the reflow oven.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 17 words

A process as set forth in claim 9 wherein the reflow oven further comprises a plasma generator.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 27 words

A process as set forth in claim 1 further comprising producing the plasma from a gas including at least one of CF 4 and SF 4 .

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 102 words

A process comprising: providing a substrate having a solder non-ball shaped structure thereon, the solder structure including an outer surface including tin oxide; placing the substrate on a hot plate to heat the solder and exposing the solder to a gas comprising molecules comprising a halide atom that produces a halide ion upon contact with the solder thereby converting the tin oxide to tin oxy-halide thereby reducing the melting temperature of the outer surface to reflow the solder non-ball shaped structure and cooling the same to form an solder ball on the substrate; and wherein the converting and heating are conducted simultaneously.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 102 words

A process comprising: providing a substrate having a solder non-ball shaped structure thereon, the solder structure including an outer surface including tin oxide; placing the substrate on a hot plate to heat the solder and exposing the solder to a gas comprising molecules comprising a halide atom that produces a halide ion upon contact with the solder thereby converting the tin oxide to tin oxy-halide thereby reducing the melting temperature of the outer surface to reflow the solder non-ball shaped structure and cooling the same to form an solder ball on the substrate; and wherein the converting and heating are conducted simultaneously.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 28 words

A process as set forth in claim 12 wherein the converting of the tin oxide to tin oxy-halide comprises exposing the solder to a plasma including halide ions.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 15 words

A process as set forth in claim 13 wherein the halide ions comprise F ions.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 44 words

A process as set forth in claim 12 further comprising producing a plasma from a gas including at least one of CF 4 and SF 4 , and wherein converting of the tin oxide to tin oxy-halide comprises exposing the solder to the plasma.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 15 words

A process as set forth in claim 12 wherein the substrate comprises a semiconductor device.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 26 words

A process as set forth in claim 16 wherein the semiconductor device includes a silicon base substrate and a plurality of alternating metallization and dielectric layers.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 18 words

A method as set forth in claim 12 wherein the solder is provided overlying an under bump metallurgy.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 91 words

A process comprising: providing a semiconductor device including a bond pad, and an under bump metallurgy overlying the bond pad; forming a fluxless solder structure over the under bump metallurgy, and wherein the solder structure includes an outer layer including tin oxide; exposing the solder structure to a gas comprising H 2 ; reacting the tin oxide with a hydrogen ion produced from the gas to reduce the melting temperature of the outer layer; heating the solder structure and cooling the same to provide a solder ball on the semiconductor device.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 91 words

A process comprising: providing a semiconductor device including a bond pad, and an under bump metallurgy overlying the bond pad; forming a fluxless solder structure over the under bump metallurgy, and wherein the solder structure includes an outer layer including tin oxide; exposing the solder structure to a gas comprising H 2 ; reacting the tin oxide with a hydrogen ion produced from the gas to reduce the melting temperature of the outer layer; heating the solder structure and cooling the same to provide a solder ball on the semiconductor device.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 16 words

A process as set forth in claim 19 wherein the reacting and heating are conducted simultaneously.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 92 words

A process comprising: providing a semiconductor device including a bond pad, and an under bump metallurgy overlying the bond pad; forming a solder structure over the under bump metallurgy, and wherein the solder structure includes an outer layer including tin oxide; placing the device in a chamber and injecting a gas comprising H 2 into the chamber; producing a plasma including hydrogen ions, and exposing the solder structure to the plasma; heating the solder structure to reflow the same and cooling the same to provide a solder bump on the semiconductor device.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 92 words

A process comprising: providing a semiconductor device including a bond pad, and an under bump metallurgy overlying the bond pad; forming a solder structure over the under bump metallurgy, and wherein the solder structure includes an outer layer including tin oxide; placing the device in a chamber and injecting a gas comprising H 2 into the chamber; producing a plasma including hydrogen ions, and exposing the solder structure to the plasma; heating the solder structure to reflow the same and cooling the same to provide a solder bump on the semiconductor device.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 16 words

A process as set forth in claim 21 wherein the heating and exposing are conducted simultaneously.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 22 words

A process as set forth in claim 21 wherein the forming of the solder structure comprises electroplating solder onto the semiconductor device.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 24 words

A process as set forth in claim 21 wherein the forming of the solder structure comprises screen printing a solder onto the semiconductor device.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 53 words

A process as set forth in claim 21 wherein the forming of the solder structure comprises forming a sacrificial layer over the semiconductor device, and the sacrificial layer having an opening therein overlying the under bump metallurgy, and depositing solder into the opening, and removing the sacrificial layer to provide the solder structure.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 24 words

A method as set forth in claim 25 wherein the depositing of the solder into the opening comprises electroplating the solder into the opening.

Claim 31

Dependent Claim 27 words

A process as set forth in claim 25 wherein the depositing of the solder into the opening comprises screen printing a fluxless solder composition into the opening.

Claim 32

Dependent Claim 61 words

A process comprising: providing a substrate having an electrically conductive structure thereon, and wherein the electrically conductive structure includes an outer surface including oxides; heating the electrically conductive structure; reacting H 2 gas with the oxides to produce water; heating the electrically conductive structure to reflow the same, and cooling the structure to form an electrically conductive ball on the substrate.

Claim 33

Dependent Claim 61 words

A process comprising: providing a substrate having an electrically conductive structure thereon, and wherein the electrically conductive structure includes an outer surface including oxides; heating the electrically conductive structure; reacting H 2 gas with the oxides to produce water; heating the electrically conductive structure to reflow the same, and cooling the structure to form an electrically conductive ball on the substrate.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	2007-10-19	2008-04-19	2008-10-19	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2011-10-19	2012-04-19	2012-10-19	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2015-10-19	2016-04-19	2016-10-19	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Fluxless bumping process using ions

Abstract

Inventors

Bibliographic Details

Claims Analysis

References Cited (Backward Citations)

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Assigned Categories & Tags

Assign Category Tag