Impact of thinning stacked dies on the thermal resistance of bump-bonded three-dimensional integrated circuits. (December 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Melamed, Samson; Watanabe, Naoya; Nemoto, Shunsuke; Shimamoto, Haruo; Kikuchi, Katsuya; Aoyagi, Masahiro
• Is Part Of: Microelectronics and reliability. Volume 67(2016)
• Page Start: 2
• Page End: 8
• Publication Date: 2016-12
• Subjects: 3DIC -- Die thinning -- Thermal resistance -- Integrated circuit; Electronic apparatus and appliances -- Reliability -- Periodicals; Miniature electronic equipment -- Periodicals; Appareils électroniques -- Fiabilité -- Périodiques; Équipement électronique miniaturisé -- Périodiques; Electronic apparatus and appliances -- Reliability; Miniature electronic equipment; Periodicals; 621.3815
• DOI: 10.1016/j.microrel.2016.08.015
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0026-2714

Abstract

Abstract: In three-dimensional integrated circuits (3DICs) aggressive wafer-thinning can lead to large thermal gradients, including spikes in individual device temperatures. In a non-thinned circuit, the large bulk silicon wafer on which devices are built works as a very good thermal conductor, enabling heat to diffuse laterally. In this paper we experimentally examine the thermal resistance from an active on-chip heater to the heatsink in a two-tier bump-bonded 3D stacked system. A simplified structure is introduced to enable such measurements without the time and cost associated with the full fabrication of such a system. Die thinning is seen to have a pronounced effect on the thermal response, which can adversely affect system reliability. Thinning the top tier from 725 μm to 20 μm resulted in a nearly 4 times increase in the normalized temperature rise of the heater of our test chip. Highlights: In 3D integrated circuits wafer-thinning can lead to large thermal gradients. Thinning is important to decrease the size of through silicon vias. The top tier of a test chip was thinned from 725 to 20 μm. This thinning resulted in a nearly 4 × increase in the normalized temperature rise.