EMC-3D Consortium Develops Process and Cost Model for iTSV Structures

Sep 12, 2008 (M2 PRESSWIRE via COMTEX) -- SMTL | Quote | Chart | News | PowerRating -- The EMC3D consortium, which has been working on an interconnect Thru-Silicon-Via, or iTSV process flow, recently announced that the cost of ownership for a 10,000-wafers-per-month capacity line is now achievable at less than $190 per wafer.

Rozalia Beica, program manager of EMC3D and TSV director at consortium-member Semitool in the United States, said, "The via-first feature size of 5 microns in diameter by 30 microns deep was chosen because of the challenges these dimensions present for etch and deposition, as well as the increased interest and customer requests that have been received through the consortium."

The integrated process includes litho and hard mask for the etch process, DRIE for the via creation, thermal and CVD liner and barrier, wet copper seed, copper electroplate fill, CMP and associated wafer cleans to complete the via. The wafers are then processed using standard CMOS technology and finally passed back to the TSV group for backside processing, including thinning, lithography, copper redistribution, solder bump, dicing and die-to-wafer-placement using temporary adhesive bonding before the final die attach step for a complete process flow.

"The advances we have achieved in silicon etch, barrier and seed technology have been quite impressive," said Hind Beaujon, business manager of Alcatel in France. "In fact, the integration between the process steps is better understood and allows companies to estimate overall costs much more accurately."

Mark Scannell, microelectronics program manager of CEA-Leti in Grenoble, France, said, "This technology utilizes an already established and accepted set of equipment used in the advanced CMOS and wafer-level packaging industries. The challenges are improving the integrated relationship of process steps such as etch, deposition, copper fill and CMP, as well as improving the speed and accuracy of the die-to-wafer placement during die attach. Many of the unit processes are well understood and characterized. The challenges now are to bring the technology to mass production in a cost effective package."

Dr. Yoon-Chul Sohn of Samsung SAIT in Korea, said, "The next challenge is to design an effective 3D structure for better electrical and thermal performance and determine its relationship with material defects, mechanical stress and electro-migration on these features."

"The EMC-3D cost model identifies the current complete Cost of Ownership to be $189 for all the iTSV steps," said Markus Wimplinger, EV Group's technology development and IP director. "This model allows us to identify the cost improvement programs needed to bring the price below $145 per wafer. The cost model clearly shows that reducing via size will enable lower Cost of Ownership. Vias with reduced dimensions in turn require thinner wafers that require unique, reliable handling solutions."

EMC3D (Semiconductor 3D Equipment and Materials Consortium) was created in September 2006 to develop a new 3D market and technology by demonstrating a cost-effective, manufacturable, stackable TSV interconnection process. TSV processes will be developed for chip integration and MEMS/sensor packaging that are based on plated metal electrodes and thinned wafers.

EMC3D: www.EMC3D.org.

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