3D Printed Bond Connections for Extracted Die Remapping
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Solution Overview
Problem
The military's reliance on commercial-off-the-shelf integrated circuits in plastic packages is inadequate for demanding environments due to limited temperature range reliability and durability compared to ceramic and metal hermetic packages, necessitating innovative methods for repurposing extracted dice into more suitable packages.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the removal of original ball bonds and bond wires from extracted dice, reconditioning the bond pads, and 3D printing new bond connections to securely attach the dice to an interposer and package base, allowing for repackaging into different forms and pinouts, including hermetic packages, using 3D printed bond conductors and insulators to enhance reliability and adaptability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If commercial off-the-shelf integrated circuits in plastic packages are used, then cost is reduced, but reliability and temperature range performance deteriorate in demanding environments
Solution Approach 1:
The patent recovers and reuses extracted semiconductor dice from existing packages, removing original bond wires and reconfiguring them into new packages with different pinouts. This allows commercial-grade dice to be repurposed for military applications, improving reliability without requiring expensive new high-temperature components
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the packaging parameters and configuration of the semiconductor dice by removing original bond wires, reconditioning bond pads, and creating new bond connections with different metallization layers (nickel, palladium, gold). This transformation enables the dice to operate reliably in extended temperature ranges
2Adaptability or versatility
If extracted dice are repackaged with 3D printed bond connections, then adaptability and pinout flexibility are improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical wire bonding processes with 3D printing technology to create bond connections. This substitution enables complex pinout configurations and custom routing that would be difficult or impossible to achieve with conventional wire bonding, while the automated 3D printing process manages the manufacturing complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an interposer as an intermediary component between the extracted die and the package leads. This interposer provides a flexible interface for remapping pinouts and configurations, simplifying the overall repackaging process by decoupling the die from the final package configuration
3Reliability
If original ball bonds and bond wires are removed and reconditioning is performed, then reliability in harsh environments is improved, but manufacturing time and process steps increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary reconditioning of the bond pads (cleaning, oxide removal, metallization) before the dice are packaged. This preliminary action ensures that the bond pads are properly prepared for reliable bonding in harsh environments, preventing future failures without requiring additional rework steps
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables the reuse and repackaging of extracted dice into various packages, improving reliability and adaptability, especially in harsh environments, by eliminating the limitations of original bond wires and allowing for flexible pinout configurations, thus addressing the need for cost-effective, environmentally hardened integrated circuits.
Implementation Method 1
3D printing one or more first bond connections between one or more original bond pads of the extracted die and one or more first bond pads of the interposer
Implementation Method 2
3D printing one or more second bond connections between one or more second bond pads of the interposer and one or more package leads or downbonds of the package base
Data Source
AI summary
A method is provided. The method includes removing an extracted die including an original ball bond from a previous packaged integrated circuit, bonding the extracted die to an interposer to create a remapped extracted die, 3D printing one or more first bond connections between one or more original bond pads of the extracted die and one or more first bond pads of the interposer, securing the remapped extracted die to a package base, and 3D printing one or more second bond connections between one or more second bond pads of the interposer and one or more package leads or downbonds of the package base. The one or more first and second bond connections conform to the shapes and surfaces of the extracted die, the interposer, and the package base.