Embedded Bridge With Conductive Vias For High-Density Interconnects

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current microelectronic packages face limitations in achieving high interconnect density between microelectronic devices, which restricts bandwidth and communication efficiency, and are challenging to miniaturize while maintaining cost-effectiveness and architectural flexibility.

Innovation Solution

Incorporating a bridge with conductive vias embedded in the substrate to establish dense electrical connections between microelectronic devices, utilizing advanced silicon process technology to enhance interconnect density and reduce package size, while allowing for modular and flexible assembly of diverse microelectronic components.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Quantity of substance

If a bridge with conductive vias is embedded in the substrate, then interconnect density between microelectronic devices is increased, but device complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinterconnect densityVSAvoidstructure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The interconnection system is divided into multiple segments: substrate-level interconnects, bridge structures with through-vias, and device-level interconnects. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently while achieving high overall interconnect density without proportionally increasing overall system complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The bridge structure acts as an intermediary element between the substrate and microelectronic devices. It provides through-conductive vias that directly connect devices to the substrate, eliminating the need for complex multi-layer routing and reducing the overall device complexity while maintaining high interconnect density.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Volume of moving object

If package size is reduced, then integration density increases, but manufacturing precision requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepackage sizeVSAvoidalignment precision
Core Design Contradiction:
Volume of moving objectVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The bridge structures extend in the vertical dimension (Z-axis) through the substrate with conductive vias, rather than only in the planar dimensions. This vertical dimensionality allows high interconnect density to be achieved without proportionally reducing package footprint, thereby maintaining manufacturability while increasing integration density.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Quantity of substance

If interconnect density is increased, then communication bandwidth increases, but signal transmission delay may increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinterconnect densityVSAvoidsignal transmission delay
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

Critical signal paths are extracted and routed through dedicated through-bridge conductive vias that provide direct vertical connections, bypassing longer horizontal routing paths in substrate layers. This extraction of essential signal routes through the bridge structure reduces transmission delay while maintaining high interconnect density for other connections.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentEP3111475B1Embedded multi-device bridge with through-bridge conductive via signal connection
Publication Date: 2021.02.17 INTEL CORP
  • EP3111475B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3111475B1 patent drawingFigure 2A~2B
  • EP3111475B1 patent drawingFigure 2C~2D

AI summary

A microelectronic structure includes a substrate having a first surface and a cavity extending into the substrate from the substrate first surface, a first microelectronic device and a second microelectronic device attached to the substrate first surface, and a bridge disposed within the substrate cavity and attached to the first microelectronic device and to the second microelectronic device. The bridge includes a plurality conductive vias extending from a first surface to an opposing second surface of the bridge, wherein the conductive vias are electrically coupled to deliver electrical signals from the substrate to the first microelectronic device and the second microelectronic device. The bridge further creates at least one electrical signal connection between the first microelectronic device and the second microelectronic device.