Active solid-state devices (e.g. – transistors – solid-state diode – Combined with electrical contact or lead – Configuration or pattern of bonds
Reexamination Certificate
2001-12-27
2004-04-27
Vu, Hung (Department: 2811)
Active solid-state devices (e.g., transistors, solid-state diode
Combined with electrical contact or lead
Configuration or pattern of bonds
C257S207000, C257S208000, C257S691000, C257S778000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06727597
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a connection network for providing power, ground and I/O signals to an integrated circuit device and, more particularly, to an integrated circuit device having both C4 and wire bond pads.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Within the integrated circuit industry there is a continuing effort to increase integrated circuit speed as well as device density. As a result of these efforts, there is a trend towards using flip chip technology when packaging complex high speed integrated circuits. Flip chip technology is also known as controlled collapse chip connection (C4) technology. In C4 technology, the integrated circuit die is flipped upside down. This is opposite to how integrated circuits are packaged today using wire bond technology. By flipping the integrated circuit die upside down, solder balls may be used to provide direct electrical connections from the bond pads of the die directly to a corresponding set of pads on a package.
In the following discussion reference will be made to a number of drawings. The drawings are provided for descriptive purposes only and are not drawn to scale.
FIG. 1
 illustrates an integrated circuit die 
102
 that is housed in a cavity 
105
 of a PGA (Pin Grid Array) package 
110
. The integrated circuit die includes a semiconductor substrate 
103
 having a top surface 
107
 and a back side surface 
108
. The active regions 
109
 of the integrated circuit are formed from the top surface 
107
 of the semiconductor substrate 
103
. Wire bonds 
104
 are used to electrically connect integrated circuit connections in integrated circuit die 
102
 through internal metal interconnects to the pins 
106
 of package substrate 
110
. With the trend towards high speed integrated circuits, the inductance generated in the wire bonds 
104
 of the typical wire-bonded integrated circuit packaging becomes an increasingly significant problem.
FIG. 2
 illustrates a C4 mounted integrated circuit die 
202
 that is electronically coupled to a PGA (Pin Grid Array) package 
210
 by ball bonds 
204
. Die 
202
 includes a semiconductor substrate 
203
 that has a top surface 
208
 and a back side surface 
207
. The active regions 
209
 of the integrated circuit are formed form the top surface 
208
 of the semiconductor substrate 
203
. Because the bond pads of integrated circuit device 
202
 are located on the top-side surface 
208
 of the device, the die must be flipped upside down so that it may be attached to package 
210
. In comparison with the wire bonds 
104
 of 
FIG. 1
, the ball bonds 
204
 of integrated circuit device 
202
 provide more direct electrical connections between the integrated circuit device 
202
 and the pins 
206
 of package substrate 
210
. As a result, the inductance problems associated with typical integrated circuit wire bond packaging technologies are minimized. Unlike wire bond technology, which only allows bonding along the periphery of the integrated circuit die, C4 technology allows connections to be placed anywhere on the integrated circuit die surface. This leads to a much cleaner and more efficient power distribution to the integrated circuit which is another major advantage if C4 technology.
Although the trend in the industry is moving toward using C4 technology when packaging complex high speed integrated circuits, the use of wire bond technology does offer the advantages of lower costs and better availability.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides an integrated circuit having a plurality of wire bond pads and a plurality of C4 pads with at least one of the C4 pads being electrically coupled to at least one of the wire bond pads.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5373111 (1994-12-01), McClure et al.
patent: 5541449 (1996-07-01), Crane et al.
patent: 5686764 (1997-11-01), Fulcher
patent: 5719449 (1998-02-01), Strauss
patent: 5786630 (1998-07-01), Bhansali et al.
patent: 5844317 (1998-12-01), Bertolet et al.
patent: 5866943 (1999-02-01), Mertol
patent: 6410990 (2002-06-01), Taylor et al.
Mated Array Chip Configuration, IBM Technical Disclosure Bulletin, vol. 28, No. 2, pp. 811-812.
Geannopoulos George L.
Taylor Gregory F.
Blakely , Sokoloff, Taylor & Zafman LLP
Intel Corporation
Vu Hung
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