Wafer-on-Wafer Memory Die Stacking With Hybrid Bonding

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing semiconductor packaging techniques face challenges such as reduced thermal conductivity, increased thermal dissipation, limited device density, and bandwidth due to the use of micro bumps and pick-and-place operations, which also limit throughput and increase power consumption.

Innovation Solution

The use of hybrid bonding and wafer on wafer (WoW) operations to join dies in stacks, combined with wafer thinning and interposers, enhances thermal performance, increases device density, and improves bandwidth by reducing electrical connection pitch and eliminating gaps between dies.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Temperature

If micro bumps and pick-and-place operations are used to connect dies, then electrical connections are established, but thermal conductivity is reduced and thermal dissipation increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvethermal dissipationVSAvoidmanufacturing process complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
TemperatureVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the electrical connection function and thermal conduction function into a single integrated structure. By using hybrid bonding to directly connect dies without micro bumps, the electrical interconnects serve dual purposes: electrical signal transmission and thermal conduction path, thereby improving thermal conductivity while reducing thermal dissipation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent extracts and eliminates the micro bump structure from the die connection process. By removing micro bumps and using direct hybrid bonding, the harmful thermal interruption caused by micro bump interfaces is eliminated, creating a continuous thermal path between dies while still establishing electrical connections.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Quantity of substance

If micro bumps are used to connect dies, then electrical connections are established, but device density is limited

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedevice densityVSAvoidelectrical connection pitch
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSLength of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the physical parameters of the connection structure by transitioning from micro bump-based connections to direct hybrid bonding. This parameter change enables significantly smaller connection pitches, allowing dies to be placed closer together and increasing the number of dies that can be integrated in a given area, thereby improving device density.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Productivity

If pick-and-place operations are used to assemble dies, then dies can be positioned on substrates, but throughput is limited and power consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovethroughputVSAvoidpower consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by performing die stacking and bonding operations while dies are still in wafer form, before individual die separation. This wafer-level processing allows multiple dies to be bonded simultaneously in a single operation, dramatically increasing throughput and reducing the energy consumption associated with repeated pick-and-place operations for each individual die.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent merges multiple individual die assembly operations into a single wafer-level bonding operation. By bonding entire wafers together in one step rather than placing individual dies sequentially, the process achieves higher throughput and lower power consumption per die assembled.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

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 improves thermal conductivity, reduces thermal dissipation, increases device density, and enhances bandwidth while reducing fabrication costs and improving throughput by eliminating pick-and-place operations and using tested dies.

Implementation Method 1

The use of hybrid bonding and wafer on wafer (WoW) operations to join dies in stacks

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHybrid bonding:

Implementation Method 2

combined with wafer thinning and interposers

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectWafer thinning:

Data Source

PatentEP4621846A1Systems, methods, and devices for semiconductor packaging with wafer on wafer operations
Publication Date: 2025.09.24 SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO LTD
  • EP4621846A1 patent drawingFigure 1A
  • EP4621846A1 patent drawingFigure 1B
  • EP4621846A1 patent drawingFigure 2A~2E

AI summary

A method may include positioning a first wafer on a second wafer, wherein the first wafer may include a first memory die and the second wafer may include a second memory die, bonding the first memory die and the second memory die to form a memory die stack, and positioning the memory die stack on an interface die. A device may include a first memory device stack comprising a first memory device bonded to a second memory device, a second memory device stack comprising a third memory device bonded to a fourth memory device, and an interface die attached to the first memory device stack and the second memory device stack. A method may include bonding a first memory die to a second memory die, modifying a thickness of the second memory die to form a modified memory die, and bonding a third memory die to the modified memory die.