Alignment marks to enable 3D integration

US8546961B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• International Business Machines Corporation · US

Inventors

• Mukta G. Farooq · Hopewell Junction, US
• Troy L. Graves-Abe · Wappingers Falls, US
• Robert Hannon · Land O' Lakes, US
• Emily R. Kinser · Poughkeepsie, US
• William Francis Landers · Wappingers Falls, US
• Kevin S. Petrarca · Newburgh, US
• Richard P. Volant · New Fairfield, US
• Kevin R. Winstel · East Greenbush, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Jan 10, 2011
• Grant date: Oct 1, 2013
• Expiry date: Jan 30, 2031

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H10D88/01
• WIPO field: Semiconductors
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

Disclosed are a structure including alignment marks and a method of forming alignment marks in three dimensional (3D) structures. The method includes forming apertures in a first surface of a first semiconductor substrate; joining the first surface of the first semiconductor substrate to a first surface of a second semiconductor substrate; thinning the first semiconductor on a second surface of the first semiconductor substrate to provide optical contrast between the apertures and the first semiconductor substrate; and aligning a feature on the second surface of the first semiconductor substrate using the apertures as at least one alignment mark.