U.S. patent application number 09/885000 was filed with the patent office on 2001-12-20 for method and apparatus for edge connection between elements of an integrated circuit.
Invention is credited to Khoury, Theodore A..
Application Number | 20010053565 09/885000 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 27082547 |
Filed Date | 2001-12-20 |
United States Patent
Application |
20010053565 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Khoury, Theodore A. |
December 20, 2001 |
Method and apparatus for edge connection between elements of an
integrated circuit
Abstract
An integrated circuit (IC) having a plurality of IC modules,
each IC module having attachment surfaces to which elements of the
IC are attached, and each IC module having interlocking edges
adjacent to the attachment surface. The interlocking edges of
adjacent IC modules are interlocked to form a structural connection
between the IC modules. The interlocking edges are a plurality of
teeth and recesses, which are arranged in rows. The teeth are
securely received by a respective recess in an adjacent
interlocking edge to create a structural connection between
adjacent IC modules. In addition, the interlocking edges can be a
ridge member or a ridge recess, where the ridge member or ridge
recess is securely received by a respective ridge recess or ridge
member of an adjacent IC module to create a structural connection
between the IC modules. The interconnection edge can also be a
combination of the ridge member, ridge recess, and/or the rows of
teeth and recesses. The attachment surfaces of adjacent IC modules
can be co-planar and non-planar, depending on the shape desired.
The elements on the IC modules communicate using external pathways
and/or internal pathways using conventional wire-bond techniques or
using conductive layers within the IC module. The IC module is
formed of conventional Si wafers. Using this configuration, an IC
can be constructed that utilizes less real estate, fits in
non-planar spaces in a housing, and has improved speed due to
reduced pathway lengths.
Inventors: |
Khoury, Theodore A.;
(Evanston, IL) |
Correspondence
Address: |
STAAS & HALSEY LLP
700 11TH STREET, NW
SUITE 500
WASHINGTON
DC
20001
US
|
Family ID: |
27082547 |
Appl. No.: |
09/885000 |
Filed: |
June 21, 2001 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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09885000 |
Jun 21, 2001 |
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09670107 |
Sep 26, 2000 |
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09670107 |
Sep 26, 2000 |
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09596437 |
Jun 19, 2000 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
438/121 ;
257/685; 257/727; 257/E23.004; 438/107 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H01L 2924/10253
20130101; H01R 13/514 20130101; H05K 3/366 20130101; H05K 2201/048
20130101; H01L 2224/48091 20130101; H01L 2924/00 20130101; H05K
2203/041 20130101; H01L 23/13 20130101; H01L 2924/00014 20130101;
H05K 2201/09172 20130101; H01L 2224/48091 20130101; H05K 2201/10568
20130101; H01L 2924/10253 20130101; H05K 2203/049 20130101; H05K
2201/10446 20130101; H05K 2203/167 20130101; H05K 1/142
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
438/121 ;
257/685; 257/727; 438/107 |
International
Class: |
H01L 021/44; H01L
023/02 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A method of connecting integrated circuit modules, each module
having an interlocking edge adjacent to an attachment surface, and
an integrated circuit element attached to the attachment surface,
comprising: connecting the interlocking edges of the integrated
circuit modules, the interlocking edges being sized to be securely
received by an adjacent interlocking edge so as to create a
structural connection between adjacent integrated circuit modules;
and connecting the integrated circuit elements to allow the
integrated circuit elements to communicate.
2. The method of connecting integrated circuit modules of claim 1,
wherein each interlocking edge comprises a plurality of teeth and a
plurality of recesses, each recess disposed between adjacent teeth
and sized to securely receive a respective tooth of an adjacent
interlocking edge, wherein said connecting the interlocking edges
further comprises: aligning the teeth and respective recesses of
the interlocking edges; and combining the teeth and respective
recesses of the interlocking edges such that a structural
connection is formed.
3. The method of connecting integrated circuit modules of claim 1,
wherein the integrated circuit modules comprise a plurality of
first and second integrated circuit modules, wherein the
interlocking edge of each first integrated circuit module further
comprises a ridge member, and the interlocking edge of each second
integrated circuit module further comprises a recess sized to
securely receive the ridge, and wherein said connecting the
interlocking edges further comprises: aligning each ridge member
with a respective recess; and combining the ridge member and the
respective recess such that a structural connection is formed.
4. The method of connecting integrated circuit modules of claim 1,
wherein said connecting comprises determining angles between the
attachment surfaces of adjacent integrated circuit modules;
connecting the interlocking edges of adjacent integrated circuit
modules at the determined angle to form a structural
connection.
5. The method of connecting integrated circuit modules of claim 4,
wherein the angles are determined based upon the shape of a housing
in which integrated circuit modules are housed, and/or an optimal
pathway between the integrated circuit elements, wherein the
optimal pathway is the most efficient combination of pathways,
internal or external to the integrated circuit modules, that allows
the integrated circuit elements to communicate with each other.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a divisional of application Ser. No.
09/670,107, filed Sep. 26, 2000, now pending, which is a
continuation-in-part application of Ser. No. 09/596,437, filed Jun.
19, 2000 in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, the disclosures
of which are incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] This invention relates to the field of integrated circuits,
and in particular, to constructing smaller and more efficient
integrated circuits using integrated circuit modules to create
shorter connection paths between elements, and to customize the
shape of the completed integrated circuit in order to use real
estate more efficiently.
[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0005] In creating an integrated circuit (IC), various elements,
such as logic and memory, need to be combined to provide the
desired functionality for the IC. However, as the number of
elements in an IC increases, the size of the IC wafer itself
increases. In addition, as the size of the wafer increases, the
elements of the IC have longer pathways between the elements,
increasing the communication time between the elements and thus
decreasing the overall speed of the IC. Thus, there is a need to
arrange the wafers to accommodate all elements without increasing
the size of the wafer.
[0006] One solution is to create IC modules, where the IC modules
are combined to create the overall IC. Each IC module has an
element attached to an individual wafer, and the IC modules are
arranged to reduce the real estate used by the IC, or reduce the
pathway lengths between elements. The IC modules are electrically
connected at the edges, but are structurally connected either to a
common carrier substrate below the IC modules or bonded flush at
the edges. This method requires either the use of an additional
wafer for use as a carrier substrate, and/or the use of toxic
adhesives to bond the IC module wafers together to create a final
IC. In addition, the ability to customize the shape of the
completed IC is compromised since the overall shape of the
completed IC is governed by the shape of the carrier substrate, or
by the planar shape of the IC modules, leading to both longer
pathways, thus decreasing the overall speed of the IC, and the IC
taking up more real estate than is otherwise necessary.
[0007] A second solution is to stack the IC modules vertically,
with the elements being electrically interconnected through
pathways along the edge of the stack or through the center of the
stack. This solution results in taller ICs, often resembling cubes,
which take up more vertical air space, but less horizontal real
estate in a housing. However, these stacked IC modules still
require the use of toxic adhesives and other bonding techniques in
order to structurally connect the IC modules. In addition, these
stacked IC modules have problems cooling the IC elements at the
center of these stacks. Lastly, the size of the completed stack
still utilizes more real estate than is necessary, only in three
dimensions instead of two, and also is not conformable to the shape
of the housing.
[0008] As a result, the prior solutions lack the capacity to
provide structural, positive connections between edges of IC
modules, thus requiring the use of adhesives and additional carrier
substrates. In addition, the prior solutions only teach reducing
the real estate taken up by the IC by vertically stacking the IC
modules, which results in taking up vertical air space and results
in cooling problems. Lastly, the prior solutions do not suggest how
to construct an IC using IC modules to conform the IC to
non-rectangular, out-of-plane shapes in the housing.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] An object of the present invention is to create a positive
structural connection between IC modules using interlocking edges
so as to allow for the creation of an IC having irregular shapes
allowing for a greater reduction in real estate used by the IC
within a housing.
[0010] A further object of the present invention to create a
modular IC wherein the IC modules can be arranged such that, in
combination with the use of external and/or internal pathways, to
optimize the pathway lengths between elements resulting in
decreased communication times and an increased speed for the
IC.
[0011] A still further object of the invention is to provide a
modular IC using interlocking edges to create a non-planar IC by
connecting the IC modules at angles relative to the attachment
surfaces of the IC modules.
[0012] Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be
set forth in part in the description which follows and, in part,
will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice
of the invention.
[0013] To accomplish the above and other objectives, an IC module
has an attachment surface suitable for attachment of an element, a
first interlocking edge adjacent to the respective attachment
surface, wherein the first interlocking edge is sized to be
securely received by a respective interlocking edge of an adjacent
IC module or other device forming a structural connection.
[0014] When combined with other IC modules, a preferred embodiment
of the present invention provides for an IC that has a plurality of
first and second IC modules, a plurality of elements attached to a
respective attachment surface of a respective IC module, each first
IC module comprising a first interlocking edge adjacent to the
respective attachment surface, each second IC module comprising a
second interlocking edge adjacent to the respective attachment
surface, wherein each first IC module is structurally connected to
a respective second IC module by interlocking the first
interlocking edge of the first IC module with the second
interlocking edge of the respective second IC module since the
first interlocking edge is sized to be securely received by the
second interlocking edge, and where the elements are in
communication with each other.
[0015] To create the IC using IC modules, another preferred
embodiment of the present invention is directed to a method of
connecting IC modules, each IC module having an interlocking edge
adjacent to an attachment surface, and an element attached to the
attachment surface, the method including connecting the
interlocking edges of the IC modules to create a structural
connection, and connecting the elements on the to allow the to
communicate.
[0016] In an embodiment of the present invention, the interlocking
edges are a plurality of teeth and recesses, wherein the teeth of
one interlocking edge are securely received by the respective teeth
of the another interlocking edge so as to create a structural
connection between the IC modules.
[0017] In yet another embodiment of the present invention, the
interlocking edges are ridge members or ridge recesses, wherein the
ridge member of one interlocking edge is securely received by the
respective ridge recess of the another interlocking edge so as to
create a structural connection between adjacent IC modules.
[0018] In yet a further embodiment of the present invention, the
integrated circuit modules are combined such that attachment
surfaces of adjacent integrated circuit modules define an angle,
where this angle is determined based upon the size of a housing for
the IC, and by the optimal pathway between elements on the IC.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0019] These and other objects and advantages of the invention will
become apparent and more readily appreciated from the following
description of the preferred embodiments, taken in conjunction with
the accompanying drawings of which:
[0020] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an IC module according to an
embodiment of the present invention.
[0021] FIG. 2 is a side view of an interlocking edge showing the
rows of teeth and ridge members according to an embodiment of the
present invention.
[0022] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a junction between
interlocking edges and a wire-bond attachment between elements on
adjacent IC modules according to an embodiment of the present
invention.
[0023] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a configuration of IC
modules according to an embodiment of the present invention where
the attachment surfaces are coplanar.
[0024] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an IC module according to
another embodiment of the present invention where the interlocking
edge is a single row of teeth.
[0025] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a junction between adjacent
IC modules according to an embodiment of the present invention
where the attachment surfaces define an angle.
[0026] FIG. 7 is a side view of a combination of junctions between
IC modules defining an extended "L" shaped IC according to an
embodiment of the present invention.
[0027] FIG. 8 is a side view of a combination of junctions between
IC modules defining a "U" shaped IC according to an embodiment of
the present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0028] Reference will now made in detail to the present preferred
embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are
illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference
numerals refer to the like elements throughout. The embodiments are
described below in order to explain the present invention by
referring to the figures.
[0029] FIGS. 1 and 2 show the integrated circuit (IC) module 100
according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. IC
module 100 includes a wafer 103, to which an element 105 is
attached at an attachment surface 104. The wafer 103 is designed to
complement the size of the element 105 attached to it. The wafer
103 is generally rectangular, and is made from Si, although it is
understood that other shapes and materials, such as glass, GaAr,
and SiGe, could also be employed.
[0030] Along the sides of wafer 103, there are sets of interlocking
edges 106 and 108, and 113 and 115. Interlocking edges 106 and 108
are composed of rows of teeth 110 with recesses 111 disposed
between adjacent teeth 110. The recesses 111 of interlocking edge
106 are sized to securely receive the respective teeth 110 of an
adjacent interlocking edge (not shown) to create a structural
connection.
[0031] Interlocking edges 113 and 115 are composed of respective
female and male members. The female member of interlocking edge 113
is a ridge recess 114. The male member of interlocking edge 115 is
ridge member 116. Ridge recess 114 is sized to securely receive the
ridge member of an adjacent interlocking edge (not shown) to create
a third structural connection.
[0032] One such wafer 103 is disclosed in Ser. No. 09/596,437,
filed Jun. 19, 2000 in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, the
disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
[0033] It should be noted that other shapes are possible for
interlocking edges, such as dovetail-channel connections, or
"puzzle style" edges so long as the interlocking edges have shapes
that intermesh to allow for one IC module to positively lock/mate
with a second IC module to form a structural connection. In
addition, the layers for these shapes may or may not extend through
the entire edge of the substrate so long as this structural
connection is formed.
[0034] The interconnection edges 106, 108, 113, 115 on wafer 103
are preferably formed using deep reactive ion etching. However,
other methods of imparting these features include ion micromilling
or other etching techniques, forming the wafers with the desired
interlocking edges, or adhering pre-prepared strips of interlocking
edges onto edges of the wafer 103. During etching, break away tabs
(not shown) may be used at the corners to restrain the wafer 103
during etching.
[0035] As shown in FIG. 3, the IC modules 100 are connected
structurally and electrically at junction 125. The interlocking
edge 106 of a first wafer 117 is locked to the interlocking edge
108 of a second wafer 119 to form a positive structural connection
at junction 125. While this junction 125 may be entirely structural
and rely on the locking action of the interlocking edges 106 and
108, the strength of junction 125 can be augmented using standard
adhesive techniques to increase the strength of the connection. The
element 121 is electrically connected to element 123 through bond
pads 129 and wires 127, which creates external pathways to allow
communication between the elements 121 and 123.
[0036] As shown in FIG. 4, by utilizing the interlocking edges 106,
108, 113, and 115, numerous IC modules 100 can be connected along a
single plane without the use of a carrier substrate (IC elements
and electrical connections not shown).
[0037] FIG. 5 shows an IC module 200 of another embodiment of the
present invention. IC module 200 includes a wafer 202, to which an
element 204 is attached at the attachment surface 206. At the
interlocking edge 208, a single row of teeth 210, with recesses 212
disposed between adjacent teeth 210, provides the locking
mechanism. The recesses 212 are sized so as to securely receive the
respective teeth 210 of an adjacent IC module (not shown).
[0038] FIG. 6 shows the structural and electrical connection of
first and second IC modules 218 and 220 according to another
embodiment of the present invention. The interlocking edge 208 of
the first IC module 218 is interlocked to the respective
interlocking edge 208 of the second IC module 220 to form a
positive connection at junction 222. This junction 222 may be
entirely structural and rely on the locking action of the
interlocking edges 208, or can be augmented using standard adhesive
techniques to increase the strength of the connection. In addition,
element 204 of the first IC module 218 is electrically connected to
element 205 (not shown) of the second IC module 220 through bond
pads 224 and wires 226, which create external pathways to allow
communication between elements 204 and 205. Using this arrangement,
the IC modules 200 can be interconnected at the edges in non-planar
arrangements, such as the "L" shapes shown in FIG. 6.
[0039] FIG. 7 shows a further embodiment of the present invention
in which IC modules 300 are structurally and electrically connected
in an extended "L" shape. The IC modules utilize a combination of
junctions 222 and 125 in order to form both planar and non-planar
edge connections. In addition, the elements 301, 302, 303 are
electrically interconnected using bonds 304 and wires 306, which
create external pathways to allow communication between elements
302. The electrical connection between elements 302 and 303 can
also be accomplished by bonding balls 305 between bond pads
304.
[0040] FIG. 8 shows yet another potential shape realized by IC
modules 400 using junctions 222 (elements and electrical
connections not shown) according to another embodiment of the
present invention.
[0041] It is understood that a myriad of shapes can be realized by
arranging IC modules at angles. Further, the IC modules can be
arranged so as to minimize the real estate occupied by the IC
within a housing, or to mold the IC to conform to a particular
shape within the housing. In addition, by arranging the IC modules,
those elements needing the greatest heat dissipation may be
arranged to achieve that dissipation without significantly
increasing the size of the IC, as a whole. Lastly, by arranging the
IC modules, an optimal pathway between elements can be created as
to create the most efficient communication scheme between the
elements.
[0042] In order to interconnect the IC modules according to the
preferred embodiment of the present invention, adjacent IC modules
are aligned such that their corresponding interlocking edges are
disposed to securely receive each other to create a structural
connection between the IC modules, and then the IC modules are
combined to form a junction. The elements on the IC modules are
connected, either internally or externally, to complete the
integrated circuit. The IC modules can be connected such that the
shape of the completed IC is defined using the shape of the housing
and the optimal pathway between elements on the IC, where the
optimal pathway is the pathway, internal and/or external to the IC,
that creates the most efficient communication scheme between the
elements.
[0043] In other embodiments of the present invention, the elements
on the IC modules communicate either using internal pathways, or
through a combination of internal and external pathways. For
internal pathways, the IC module wafers have an internal conductive
layer used to define the pathways. These internal pathways extend
through the interlocking edge connections, enabling the creation of
an internal pathway connection between elements on the IC modules.
For external connections, in addition to the wire and bond path
method disclosed above, the elements could also be connected using
standard connection techniques such as through wire bonding, or
tape automated bonding. Since the IC modules do not need to be
coplanar or in a stacked relationship, the shortest path between
elements can be created by tilting the IC modules relative to one
another and using external pathways in addition to internal
pathways.
[0044] It is understood that, while the disclosed elements
communicate electronically, elements can communicate using other
signals, such as optical signals, instead of or in addition to the
electrical connections discussed in the above embodiments.
[0045] In another embodiment of the present invention, the wafers
of adjacent IC modules can be made from different materials having
different material properties. In this case, a buffer can be
employed to account for these different material properties, such
as varying rates of thermal expansion, in order to ensure a solid
structural connection between the IC modules.
[0046] In yet another embodiment of the present invention, existing
IC modules, perhaps obtained from different manufacturers, are
modified to add interlocking edges so as to directly combine the
elements. The interlocking edges can either be directly integrated
into the wafer of the IC module, or can be added from strips of
interlocking edges attached to the edges of the IC module using
standard adhesive techniques. In this way, existing wafers can be
adapted to employ the present invention without having to reattach
the element on an new wafer having the interlocking edges.
[0047] In a further embodiment of the present invention, the
interlocking edges could be used to connect an IC created using the
IC modules to external devices, such as sensors, actuators,
transmitting devices, display devices, optical components,
waveguide transmission devices, nozzles/valves or any other device
to which an IC needs to connected. According to this embodiment,
the external device would include an interlocking edge to which an
interlocking edge of an IC module would be structurally connected
so as to attach the external device to the IC.
[0048] Although a few preferred embodiments of the present
invention have been shown and described, it would be appreciated by
those skilled in the art that changes may be made in this
embodiment without departing from the principles and spirit of the
invention, the scope of which is defined in the claims and their
equivalents.
* * * * *