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Via Topology for 3-D Integration
7 April 2000
Peter W. Wyatt and Paul V. Davis
[email protected] voice
781-981-7889 fax
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Via Topology Introduction
• Interconnect reticle set is being designed to test four options for vertical vias connecting three wafers– Explore variations of design rules– Optimize process for high yield– Minimize reticle cost by using the same reticles for all three wafers
to the extent possible
• Bottom wafer is always upright during assembly
• Top two wafers may be either inverted or upright– Initial work used inverted wafers
• Vias may be either offset or concentric– Initial work used offset vias
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Offset Via Topology with Inverted Circuits -- The Original
• All layers are the same on all 3 circuits except deep via and Metal 4
• Mask count: Remove, M1, V12, M2, V23, M3, SV, DV12, DV23, M4W2, M4W3, Passivation = 12 masks
• Cannot have a transistor lined up with a shallow or deep via
Si wafer
Bonding layer
M1M2
M3
M1
M1M1
M3M2
M1M1M3
M4
M4
Deep vias
Shallow vias
W1
W2
W3
Passivation cut
Oxide
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Chip Topology with Inverted Assembly
• Use a single reticle set for all three wafers to save cost
• Inverted assembly creates two copies of each structure
• One is useful, the other is not
• Does not occur with upright assembly
• Not an issue for real circuits
Cell 1Bottom
Cell 2BottomCell 2Top
Cell 1TopCell 1Bottom
Cell 2BottomCell 2Top
Cell 1Top
Bottom wafer, upright Top wafer, inverted
Cell 1Bottom
Cell 2BottomCell 2Top
Cell 1TopCell 1Bottom
Cell 2BottomCell 2Top
Cell 1Top
Bothwafers
thesame
throughmetal 3
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Offset Via Topology with Inverted Circuits --Chain of Deep Vias
• Deep vias and metal 4 are different on each wafer, but all other layers are the same on all three
• Shallow via chain is easy, the same on wafers 2 and 3
M4W3
M4W2
M3
DV
12
DV
23
Si wafer
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Offset Via Topology with Inverted Circuits --Chain of Both Shallow and Deep Vias
• Deep vias and metal 4 are different on each wafer, but all other layers are the same on all three
• Creates extraneous floating metal, but that does no harm
• A problem: these chains occupy large area because– They are long -- many thousand vias– Multiple copies are needed with design rule variations
M4W3
M4W2
M1
M1
M3
DV
12
DV
23
SV
Si wafer
One period, 4 deep vias and 6 shallow vias
Extraneous metal
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Offset Via Topology with Inverted Circuits --Making Chains Reusable
• Make the same structure work for multiple cases– Left and right instances of inverted– Inverted and upright
• To save space on the reticle given the need for long chains
• Requires M3W1 different than M3W2 => mask count = 13
Si wafer
DV
12
DV
23
M1M3
M3M1
M3M1
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Offset Via Chain with Upright Circuits --Same Layout as Inverted
• Allows transistor below shallow or deep via
Si wafer
DV
12
DV
23 M1M3
M3M1
M3M1
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Si wafer
Bonding layer
M3
M1M2 M3 M3 (same as W3)
Bonding layer
Concentric Via Topology with Inverted Circuits
• M1 and M3 must both be different on W2 and W3
• M1 is the same on W1 and W2; M3 is the same on W1 and W3
• One more mask => count = 14
• Masks if this were the only type of via: Remove, M1W1&2, M1W3, V12, M2, V23, M3W1&3, M3W2, DV12, DV23, Passivation; count = 11
Passivation cut
M3D
V12
M3
DV
23
M1
M1 (same as w2)
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Concentric Via Topology with Upright Circuits
• M3 is different on W1 and W2; W1 and 3 can be the same
• M1 is the same on all wafers
• No added mask
• Masks if this were the only type of via: Remove, M1, V12, M2, V23, M3W1&3, M3W2, DV12, DV23, Passivation; count = 10
Si wafer
Passivation cutM3
M1
M3D
V12 M1
M1D
V23
M3 M3
M1
M3
M1
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Si wafer
Concentric Via Topology with Inverted CircuitsComplete Chain
• M1 is the same on W1 and W2; M3 is the same on W1 and W3
• M2 is the same on all three wafers
• Left and right instances are both good
• Cannot make inverted and upright with the same layout – Possible with offset vias because M4 is patterned after assembly
DV
12
DV
23
DV
12
DV
23
M3
M1M3
M1M3
DV
12
DV
23
DV
12
DV
23
M3
M1M3
M1M3
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Via Topology -- Status
• Four types of via have been evaluated– Most reticles can be used for all three wafers– All four types of via can be fabricated with 14 reticles– Many different via chains must be laid out– Some layouts can produce more than one type, saving space
• Layout of offset via chains is in progress
• Concentric via layout will follow