December 17, 2012 – Tezzaron Semiconductor has licensed patents regarding Ziptronix’s direct bonding technologies, "direct bond interconnect" (DBI) and "direct oxide bonding (ZiBond), for use in 3D memory.

Bob Patti, CTO of Tezzaron, pointed to "a direct and robust synergy" between his company’s FaStack 3D technology and Ziptronix’s technologies, calling them "a formidable team." (The two companies have been partnering on 3D ICs since 2005.) This deal broadens Tezzaron’s capabilities in producing advanced 3D memories and extends the scope of 3D and 2.5D devices it can assemble for customers. "With this suite of powerful technologies, we offer a truly ‘one-stop’ solution for both 3D and 2.5D," he said.

Traditional die stacking requires die thinning and thinned-die handling and development of reliable interconnect processes. Ziptronix DBI combines proprietary wafer-level low-temperature oxide bonding and interconnection. It creates extremely strong low-stress bonds, allowing wafers to be processed and thinned after bonding, eliminating the need to handle thinned wafers and/or dies. Interconnect density and alignment accuracy are high, and the device profile is kept low, Ziptronix notes. The process is compatible with damascene interconnect processing, and various test and repair strategies.

DBI was originally used for backside imaging (BSI) sensors, where Ziptronix claims it delivers cost savings of up to 80% over copper thermo-compression bonding. Earlier this year the company helped a memory manufacturer use the new technology in place of standard die stacking, enabling wafer-level stacking to increase memory density and significantly reduce packaging costs. At the time the company had hinted more licensing deals outside the image sensor space were in the pipeline.

"With our DBI, which contains interconnect at the bond interface, Tezzaron can provide a technologically superior product in the memory market at a lower cost and better performance compared to competitors also attempting 3D integration of advanced memory devices," stated Ziptronix CEO Dan Donabedian. "Tezzaron stands alone today in its adoption of the most advanced interconnection technology and therefore will lead the industry in technology areas only imagined just a few short years ago."