To miniaturize piezoresistive barometric pressure sensors we have developed a package using flip-chip bonding. However, in a standard flip-chip package the different coefficients of thermal expansion (CTE) of chip and substrate and strong mechanical coupling by the solder bumps would lead to stress in the sensor chip which is not acceptable for piezoresistive pressure sensors. To overcome this problem we have developed a new ultra low stress flip-chip packaging technology. In this new packaging technology for pressure sensors first an under bump metallization (UBM) is patterned on the sensor wafer. As the next step solder bumps are deposited. After wafer-dicing the chips are flip-chip bonded on copper springs within a ceramic cavity. As sources of residual stress we identified the copper springs, the UBM and the solder bumps on the sensor chip. Different CTEs of the silicon chip and the UBM/solder lead to creep strain in the aluminum metallization between UBM and chip. As a consequence a temperature hysteresis can be measured
In order to miniaturize piezoresistive barometric pressure sensors, a new flip-chip packaging technology has been developed. The thermal expansions of chip and package are different. So in a standard flip-chip package the strong mechanical coupling by the solder bumps would lead to stress in the sensor chip, which is unacceptable for piezoresistive pressure sensors. To solve this problem, in the new packaging technology the chip is flip-chip bonded on compliant springs to decouple chip and package. As the first step of the packaging process an under bump metallization (UBM) is patterned on the sensor wafer. Then solder bumps are printed. After wafer-dicing the chips are flip-chip bonded on copper springs within a ceramic cavity housing. Due to the compliance of the springs, packaging stress is induced into the sensor chip. As sources of residual stress the UBM and the solder bumps on the sensor chip were identified. Different coefficients of thermal expansion of the sil icon chip, the UBM and the solder lead to plastic straining of the aluminum metallization between UBM and chip. As a consequence the measurement accuracy is limited by a temperature hysteresis. The influence of the chip geometry, e.g., the thickness of the chip or the depth of the cavity, on the hysteresis was investigated by simulation and measurements. As a result of this investigation a sensor chip was designed with very low residual stress and a temperature hysteresis which is only slightly larger than the noise of the sensor
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.