Minimizing die fracture in 3DIC die integration

Abstract

Background: The demand for high-performance semiconductor products has led to reduced wafer feature size, lowered package size, and an ever-thinner die for advanced three-dimensional (3D) packaging. Dies down to a thickness of 5 μm have been demonstrated. One significant barrier is the fragility of the thin dies, their overall thin form factor, and their impact on yield, reliability, and costs.Aim: We explore the current state of the art in the current crack stop and outline the shortcomings moving forward for stacked 3D integrated circuits (3DIC).Approach: Using a theoretical understanding of fracture mechanics and the new biomimetic concept adapted from nature, we show the implementation of the new crack stop insertions in the die frame for a next-generation 3DIC product. Results:The proposed crack stop can be easily inserted in the die frame with electronic design automation (EDA) tools using a Python interpreter and has the capability to arrest a crack near its initiation point. Conclusions:We show the feasibility of the implementation through EDA tools and outline the next step.