Category Archives: Wafer Level Packaging

IEDM 2012 slideshow 03


December 4, 2012

Stressed-out 14nm FinFETs with SiGe channels

In a jointly authored paper, researchers from imec, GlobalFoundries and Samsung provide calculations of stress enhanced mobilities for n- and p-FinFETs with both Si and Ge channels for the 14nm node and beyond. Results indicate that both for nFETs and pFETs, Ge is "very interesting," provided the correct stressors are used to boost mobility. They conclude that strained channels grown on a strain relaxed buffer is effective for 14nm nodes and scalable to future nodes. TCAD simulation trends are experimentally confirmed by nano-beam diffraction (NBD). (#6.5: "Stress Simulations for Optimal Mobility Group IV p- and nmOS FinFETs for the 14nm Node and Beyond")

 

XTEM of a Ge-channel FET with SiGe source/drain.

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IEDM 2012 slideshow 02


December 4, 2012

Scaling for 2D, 3D NAND memory

In an invited paper, researchers from Micron and Intel will discuss scaling directions for 2D and 3D NAND cells. They note that many 2D NAND scaling challenges are addressed by a planar floating gate (FG) cell, which has a smaller aspect ratio and less cell-to-cell interference. This figure compares a wrap FG cell (left) and a planar FG cell (right); the wrap cell is limited by a required aspect ratio of >10 for both the wordline and the bitline direction in a sub-20nm cell. The planar cell eliminates this limitation. (#2.1: Scaling Directions for 2D and 3D NAND Cells" [Invited])

 

A wrap FG cell (left) and a planar FG cell (right).

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IEDM 2012 slideshow 01


December 4, 2012

Intel’s 22nm trigates for SoCs

Multiple-gate transistors provide superior on/off control, enabling high drive currents to be achieved at a lower supply voltage than otherwise. At the International Electron Devices Meeting (IEDM), Intel will discuss its use of the multiple-gate approach to build a complete and versatile 22nm 3D tri-gate transistor technology platform for a range of system-on-chip (SoC) applications. The high-speed logic transistors have subthreshold leakages ranging from 100-nA/μm, while the low-power versions feature leakage of <50 pA/μm yet have drive currents 50% higher than 32nm planar devices. The process also yields high-voltage transistors (1.8V or 3.3V) with the highest reported I/O device drive currents for an SoC technology (NMOS/PMOS=0.92/0.8 mA/μm at 1.8V). The trigate technology platform features eight to 11 layers of low-k and ultralow-k carbon-doped oxide (CDO) interconnect at tight pitches for different applications. (#3.1, "A 22nm SoC Platform Technology Featuring 3-D Tri-Gate and high-k/Metal Gate, Optimized for Ultra-Low-Power, High-Performance and High-Density SoC Applications")

 

MIMCAP developed for 22nm trigate process.

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IEDM 2012 slideshow 14


December 4, 2012

Stacking NVM, CMOS

Researchers from the National Chiao Tung University’s National Nano Device Laboratories describe their work which looks toward future 3D layered CMOS for giant high-speed data-storage applications. They demonstrate for the first time a sequentially processed 3D hybrid chip by stacking low-temperature (LT) ferroelectric-like (FE-like) metal-oxide nonvolatile memory (NVM) and multilayered TFT inverters. The sequential layered integration achieved sharp transfer characteristics and stackable 3D FE-like NVMs with 100ns program speed thanks to low-thermal-budget (sub-400°C) plasma/laser processes and self-assembled FE-like metal-ion-mediated APS dielectrics, which resemble low-k dielectrics and metallization in multi-layered back-end interconnects, they explain. (#33.6: "3D Ferroelectric-Like NVM/CMOS Hybrid Chip by Sub-400oC Sequential Layered Integration")

 

TEM of sequentially processed 3D hybrid chip from gate and channel view.

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IEDM 2012 slideshow 13


December 4, 2012

Vertical graphene contacts for thermal TSV

Researchers from AIST in Japan will discuss how thermal conductivity of dense vertical and horizontal graphene (DVHG) was improved by forming vertical graphene contacts for thermal TSV. Thermal and electrical conductivity were improved by a factor of 10 and 100, respectively. The pyrolytic graphite with vertical graphene contacts showed a thermal conductivity of 1426 W/mK. (#33.5: "Improved Thermal Conductivity by Vertical Graphene Contact Formation for Thermal TSV")

 

SEM image of a nanowire resonator (2.3&mu;m &times; 65nm &times; 45nm). Electromechanical coupling is achieved through ~60nm flexible airgap capacitors. The nanowire resonates in-plane.

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IEDM 2012 slideshow 12


December 4, 2012

3D integration with TSVs, chip-on-wafer

In this paper, TSMC describe an advanced 3D integration process featuring through-silicon via (TSV) and chip-on-wafer (CoW) technologies, analyzing the impact of wafer thinning, stacking, and TSV proximity effects to poly and high-k/metal gate (HKMG) CMOS devices. Using this 3D process, poly and HKMG CMOS wafers have been successfully thinned and stacked, showing little to no degradation in the process. The effect of TSV-induced mechanical stress on ΔIdsat for HKMG was found to be smaller as normalized to poly gate devices for the same channel length (ΔIdsat ratio of HKMG to poly is ~0.3 and ~0.5 for PMOS and NMOS, respectively). They also will show that ΔIdsat for HKMG device is proportional to TSV surface area, independent of TSV orientation, device polarity, and distance of device from TSV. (#33.4: "Thinning, Stacking, and TSV Proximity Effects for Poly and high-k/Metal Gate CMOS Devices in an Advanced 3D Integration Process")

 

SEM image of a nanowire resonator (2.3&mu;m &times; 65nm &times; 45nm). Electromechanical coupling is achieved through ~60nm flexible airgap capacitors. The nanowire resonates in-plane.

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Next week is the semiconductor industry’s flagship technical conference show-and-tell: the 58th annual IEEE International Electron Devices Meeting (IEDM, Dec. 10-12), this year held back on the West Coast at the San Francisco Hilton Union Square (and preceded by two days of short courses and tutorial sessions). Highlights of the IEDM 2012 technical program, which comprises some 220 presentations, include unveiling of Intel’s trigate manufacturing technology; a plethora of advances in memory technologies; high-performance logic on flexible plastic substrates; continuing advances in transistor scaling to teens and single-digit nodes; advancements in emerging new materials, wafer-level packaging, MEMS technologies and applications, and more.

Solid State Technology’s Pete Singer will be on site at IEDM 2012, and we’ll be getting input from bloggers and our industry friends. To kick things off, we’ve scanned the entire IEDM 2012 program to present a quick sampling of some of the more intriguing papers. Enjoy the slideshow!

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Many of the world’s 3D IC elite met last week at the 2nd annual Georgia Tech 2.5D Interposer Conference which focused on the technology and performance of silicon and glass interposers.

Matt Nowak of Qualcomm, long a 3D advocate, reported that Qualcomm has now built "thousands of parts" and does not see anything stopping high-volume manufacturing (HVM) except cost. Nowak indicates that Qualcomm will require a price of ~ $2 for a 200mm2 silicon interposer. The former is just out of the reach of those proposing "coarse" interposer fabrication, and the latter is significantly out of the pricing structure for dual damascene foundry-based fine interposers

Nagesh Vordharalli of Altera quoted an IMEC study which shows that the sweet spot for maximum bandwidth will come from interposers with RDL lines/spaces ~ 3

STATS ChipPAC Ltd. plans to expand its semiconductor assembly and test operation in South Korea. The Company has signed a non-binding memorandum of understanding to invest in a new integrated facility in the Incheon Free Economic Zone, an international business district located in the Incheon metropolitan area that is adjacent to Seoul, South Korea.

The integrated facility will include approximately 95,000 square meters (1 million square feet) of land with options for future expansion. The integrated facility will be used for manufacturing, research and development, and administration. Construction is scheduled to begin in the third quarter of 2013 and the new facility is expected to be operational in the second half of 2015. STATS ChipPAC intends to integrate its existing facilities in South Korea into the new, larger facility to achieve a more efficient, cost effective manufacturing flow and provide flexibility for future expansion.

STATS ChipPAC Korea’s flip chip technology portfolio ranges from large single die fcBGA packages with passive components used for graphics, CPU and ASIC devices to smaller fcFBGA packages including single die, multi-die and stacked configurations that combine wire bond and flip chip technology within a single package.  In terms of 3D technology, STATS ChipPAC Korea provides advanced Package-on-Package (PoP), Package-in-Package (PiP) and System-in-Package (SiP) technologies that integrate one or more integrated circuits or passives into a single solution for mobile, digital consumer and data storage applications.

“We are excited to begin a new phase of expansion in South Korea with the opportunity to increase the level of manufacturing efficiency, capabilities and overall capacity for our customers,” said Sang-Jin Maeng, Managing Director, STATS ChipPAC Korea. “We believe our strategic partnership with Incheon International Airport Corporation (IIAC) will facilitate our future growth in South Korea due to the exceptional business infrastructure in Yeongjongdo and close proximity to Incheon International Airport for accessibility and efficient supply chain logistics.”

November 13, 2012 – Alchimer SA says it is seeking partnerships with various semiconductor equipment and materials companies as it welcomes two top execs. Bruno Morel is the company’s CEO since May of this year, and product development director Fr