US 12,245,380 B2
Thermocompression bonding with passivated copper-based contacting metal
Eric Frank Schulte, Santa Barbara, CA (US)
Assigned to SET NORTH AMERICA, LLC, Chester, NH (US)
Filed by SET North America, LLC, Chester, NH (US)
Filed on Oct. 30, 2020, as Appl. No. 17/085,820.
Application 17/085,820 is a continuation of application No. 13/781,927, filed on Mar. 1, 2013, granted, now 11,134,598.
Application 13/781,927 is a continuation in part of application No. 12/837,751, filed on Jul. 16, 2010, granted, now 8,567,658, issued on Oct. 29, 2013.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/606,442, filed on Mar. 4, 2012.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/227,063, filed on Jul. 20, 2009.
Prior Publication US 2021/0227733 A1, Jul. 22, 2021
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. H05K 13/04 (2006.01); H01L 23/00 (2006.01); H01L 25/00 (2006.01); B32B 38/00 (2006.01)
CPC H05K 13/046 (2013.01) [H01L 24/11 (2013.01); H01L 24/81 (2013.01); H01L 25/50 (2013.01); B32B 38/0008 (2013.01); B32B 2310/14 (2013.01); B32B 2457/00 (2013.01); H01L 24/13 (2013.01); H01L 24/16 (2013.01); H01L 2224/0381 (2013.01); H01L 2224/0401 (2013.01); H01L 2224/05552 (2013.01); H01L 2224/05557 (2013.01); H01L 2224/05568 (2013.01); H01L 2224/05655 (2013.01); H01L 2224/11334 (2013.01); H01L 2224/1181 (2013.01); H01L 2224/11831 (2013.01); H01L 2224/13099 (2013.01); H01L 2224/131 (2013.01); H01L 2224/13105 (2013.01); H01L 2224/13109 (2013.01); H01L 2224/13111 (2013.01); H01L 2224/13113 (2013.01); H01L 2224/13116 (2013.01); H01L 2224/1312 (2013.01); H01L 2224/13124 (2013.01); H01L 2224/13139 (2013.01); H01L 2224/13144 (2013.01); H01L 2224/16145 (2013.01); H01L 2224/81011 (2013.01); H01L 2224/81013 (2013.01); H01L 2224/81054 (2013.01); H01L 2224/81099 (2013.01); H01L 2224/81191 (2013.01); H01L 2224/81193 (2013.01); H01L 2224/812 (2013.01); H01L 2224/81201 (2013.01); H01L 2224/81365 (2013.01); H01L 2224/81895 (2013.01); H01L 2224/81897 (2013.01); H01L 2225/06513 (2013.01); H01L 2225/06565 (2013.01); H01L 2924/00 (2013.01); H01L 2924/0001 (2013.01); H01L 2924/00014 (2013.01); H01L 2924/01006 (2013.01); H01L 2924/01013 (2013.01); H01L 2924/01014 (2013.01); H01L 2924/01022 (2013.01); H01L 2924/01029 (2013.01); H01L 2924/0103 (2013.01); H01L 2924/01032 (2013.01); H01L 2924/01033 (2013.01); H01L 2924/01042 (2013.01); H01L 2924/01047 (2013.01); H01L 2924/01049 (2013.01); H01L 2924/0105 (2013.01); H01L 2924/01051 (2013.01); H01L 2924/01073 (2013.01); H01L 2924/01074 (2013.01); H01L 2924/01075 (2013.01); H01L 2924/01079 (2013.01); H01L 2924/01082 (2013.01); H01L 2924/01327 (2013.01); H01L 2924/014 (2013.01); H01L 2924/14 (2013.01); H01L 2924/1431 (2013.01); H01L 2924/1461 (2013.01)] 11 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for bonding microelectronic elements, comprising the steps of:
a) using plasma-activated radical-enriched gas flow at substantially ambient atmospheric conditions: to reduce native oxides from the surfaces of first copper-based contacting metallizations on a first side of a first element; and to passivate the surfaces of said first copper-based contact metallizations against re-oxidation;
b) using plasma-activated radical-enriched gas flow at substantially ambient atmospheric conditions: to reduce native oxides from the surfaces of second copper-based contacting metallizations on a second element; and to passivate the surfaces of said second copper-based contacting metallizations against re-oxidation;
c) compressing said first and second copper-based contacting metallizations together, without any conductive liquid phase material, to thereby bond said second element to said first element;
d) repeating said step c), using additional elements which have been subjected to step a) to bond copper-based contacting metallizations on the additional elements to copper-based contacting metallizations on an unbonded side of a previously bonded element; and
wherein said compressing step compresses said copper-based contacting metallizations by no more than 40% of the initial heights of said copper-based contacting metallizations.