Flip-Chip Quantum Bump Placement Under Qubit Distance Constraints

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Solution Overview

Problem

As the size of quantum devices increases, manually placing elements and bumps in a flip chip configuration without violating design rules becomes too complex, requiring automated solutions for element and bump placement, design rule conformity checking, and bump adjustment.

Innovation Solution

A software application is developed to automate element and bump placement, design rule conformity checking, and bump adjustment in quantum devices configured in a flip chip configuration. The application receives design specifications and sets of design rules, places elements on both surfaces of the flip chip, composites layouts to determine bump placement areas, and adjusts bumps to ensure conformity with design rules.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If manual placement of elements and bumps is used in quantum devices, then design flexibility is maintained, but complexity increases significantly as device size grows

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveplacement complexityVSAvoidmanual placement ease
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces manual mechanical placement operations with an automated computer-implemented method. The system uses software applications to automatically place elements and bumps, check design rule conformity, and adjust bump positions, eliminating the need for manual intervention while handling complex quantum device layouts.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The automated placement system performs self-checking of design rule conformity and self-adjustment of bump positions. The method includes automatic detection of placement violations and autonomous correction of bump positions to comply with design rules, enabling the system to serve itself without external intervention.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

2Productivity

If automated bump placement is implemented, then placement efficiency improves, but ensuring design rule conformity becomes more challenging

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveplacement efficiencyVSAvoiddesign rule conformity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the system automatically checks bump placement against design rules and adjusts positions based on compliance results. The method includes iterative processes where placement violations are detected and corrected, ensuring that automated high-speed placement maintains strict adherence to design constraints.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

3Quantity of substance

If device size increases to accommodate more qubits, then quantum computing capability improves, but manual placement becomes infeasible

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenumber of qubitsVSAvoidplacement complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces manual placement operations with automated computer-implemented methods capable of handling large-scale quantum devices. The system can process and place numerous elements and bumps in complex configurations that would be infeasible to manage manually, enabling scaling to devices with many more qubits.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

4Area of moving object

If flip chip configuration is used for quantum devices, then integration density improves, but bump placement precision requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveintegration densityVSAvoidbump placement precision
Core Design Contradiction:
Area of moving objectVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses automated computer-implemented methods to achieve the high bump placement precision required for flip chip configurations. The automated system can position bumps with the necessary accuracy to enable dense integration while maintaining reliable electrical connections, overcoming the precision challenges that would be difficult to achieve through manual methods.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentEP3963517B1Bump connection placement in quantum devices in a flip chip configuration
Publication Date: 2025.04.30 INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINE CORPORATION
  • EP3963517B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3963517B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3963517B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Within a layout of a first surface in a flip chip configuration, a bump restriction area is mapped according to a set of bump placement restrictions, wherein a first bump placement restriction specifies an allowed distance range between a bump and a qubit chip element in a layout of the first surface, and wherein a second bump placement restriction specifies an allowed distance range between the bump and a qubit chip element in a layout of a second surface in the flip chip configuration. An electrically conductive material is deposited outside the bump restriction area, to form the bump, wherein the bump comprises an electrically conductive structure that electrically couples a signal between the first surface and the second surface and is positioned according to the set of bump placement restrictions.