Stacked IC Chips with Simultaneous Metal Pillars and Barrier
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electronic devices with stacked integrated-circuit chips and electrical connection wires are bulky, expensive, and complex to assemble due to the presence of multiple stacked elements and gold wires.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the simultaneous growth or electrodeposition of metal electrical connection pillars and a protective metal barrier on the mounting faces of the chips, with a second chip stacked on top, secured by soldering, and encapsulated with a coating material to form a leaktight encapsulation block, reducing the number of components and simplifying the assembly process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If three stacked elements (first chip, second chip, electrical connection wafer) are used with gold electrical connection wires, then reliable electrical connection is achieved, but the device becomes bulky and expensive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the electrical connection wafer and the second chip into a single integrated structure. The mounting plate serves both as the electrical connection substrate and as the base for mounting the second chip, eliminating the need for a separate electrical connection wafer. This merging reduces the number of stacked elements from three to two, thereby reducing device volume while maintaining electrical connection reliability through the integrated design.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and eliminates the electrical connection wafer from the traditional three-element stack. By integrating the electrical connection functions directly into the mounting plate structure, the redundant electrical connection wafer layer is removed, reducing the overall device volume while preserving the essential electrical connection functionality through the mounting plate's integrated design.
2Reliability
If three stacked elements with gold wires are used, then electrical connection is achieved, but the fabrication process becomes complex and expensive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the electrical connection wafer and second chip into a single integrated mounting plate structure. This consolidation reduces the number of separate fabrication processes required, as the mounting plate is manufactured as a single component that integrates both electrical connection and chip mounting functions, thereby simplifying the overall fabrication process while maintaining reliable electrical connections.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces expensive gold electrical connection wires with cheaper alternative materials such as copper or aluminum traces integrated into the mounting plate. This substitution significantly reduces material costs while maintaining adequate electrical connection reliability for the application, making the device more cost-effective without compromising essential functionality.
3Reliability
If multiple stacked elements are used, then electrical connection functionality is achieved, but assembly operations become numerous and complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the electrical connection wafer and second chip mounting functions into a single integrated mounting plate. This merger reduces the number of separate assembly operations required, as the second chip is mounted directly onto the integrated mounting plate structure in a single step, rather than requiring separate assembly of multiple stacked elements. This simplifies the assembly process while maintaining full electrical connection functionality.
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
This approach results in a more compact, cost-effective electronic device with improved protection against moisture and solid particles, simplifying the fabrication process and reducing material costs.
Implementation Method 1
simultaneously producing, on mounting zones of a mounting face of a first chip by growth or electrodeposition of at least one metal, a plurality of metal electrical connection pillars and at least one protective metal barrier
Implementation Method 2
The ends of the electrical connection pillars and of the protective barrier are secured by soldering to the mounting zones of the second chip
Data Source
AI summary
An electronic device includes a first and a second integrated-circuit chip that are stacked at a distance from one another, and a plurality of electrical connection pillars and at least one protective barrier interposed between the chips. The protective barrier delimits a free space between mutually opposing local regions of the chips, and an encapsulation block extends around the chip that has the smaller mounting face and over the periphery of the mounting face of the other chip. The electrical connection pillars and the protective barrier are made of at least one identical metallic material with a view to simultaneous fabrication.