Post-Singulation Wiring Layout Modification for Passive Component Tolerance

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Discrete passive devices, such as capacitors and inductors, often have production tolerances exceeding +/−10%, which can lead to frequency response deviations in circuit applications, necessitating costly sorting processes to ensure tighter tolerances, while semiconductor-based passive devices require adjustments before singulation.

Innovation Solution

A method and system that measure capacitance or inductance values of passive components on a substrate, store individual associations, and determine electrical connections post-singulation to customize wiring layouts and adjust capacitance or inductance values, ensuring frequency response within acceptable ranges.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If discrete passive devices are tested and sorted into bins to achieve tighter tolerances, then frequency response accuracy is improved, but production cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefrequency response accuracyVSAvoidproduction cost

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs preliminary testing of passive components on the wafer before singulation, measuring individual capacitance and inductance values. This preliminary action enables subsequent computer-controlled routing adjustments to compensate for tolerance variations, eliminating the need for costly manual sorting while achieving the required frequency response accuracy.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the routing parameters of connection lines based on measured component values. By adjusting routing parameters (such as line length, width, or position) in the circuit layout, the system compensates for passive component tolerance variations and achieves the desired frequency response without requiring expensive sorting processes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Manufacturing precision

If fuse elements are used to adjust passive device values on IPD substrates, then manufacturing precision is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecomponent value adjustment precisionVSAvoidcircuit structure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the adjustment function from the passive component itself and relocates it to the routing layer. Instead of modifying the passive component values directly (which would require complex fuse elements), the system adjusts the routing parameters of connection lines to achieve the same effect, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining manufacturing precision.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces routing parameters as an intermediary between the fixed passive component values and the desired frequency response. By adjusting routing parameters rather than directly modifying component values, the system achieves precise frequency response control without the complexity of fuse elements or other in-situ component modification techniques.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Productivity

If all capacitance/inductance modifications are made during wafer processing, then productivity is improved, but adaptability decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveproduction throughputVSAvoidcircuit customization flexibility

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces dynamic adjustability to the routing layer, allowing routing parameters to be modified after wafer processing based on individual component measurements. This dynamic capability enables customization of each circuit according to its specific component values while maintaining the high productivity of automated wafer-level processing, as the routing adjustments are performed computationally rather than requiring additional physical processing steps.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS8990744B2Electrical measurement based circuit wiring layout modification method and system

Publication Date: 2015.03.24 INFINEON TECHNOLOGIES AG

AI summary

The capacitance or inductance of electrical circuits is adjusted by measuring inductance or capacitance values of passive components fabricated on a first substrate, storing individual associations between the passive components and the respective measured values of the passive components, and determining electrical connections for the passive components based on the stored individual associations between the passive components and the respective measured values of the passive components. A corresponding system includes a tester operable to measure inductance or capacitance values of the passive components fabricated on the first substrate, a storage system operable to store the individual associations between the passive components and the respective measured values of the passive components, and a processing circuit operable to determine the electrical connections for the passive components based on the stored individual associations between the passive components and the respective measured values of the passive components.