Methods including fabrication of substrates and other semiconductor device components with collars on or around the contact pads thereof

Abstract

Methods for fabricating carrier substrates and other semiconductor device components include disposing a collar around at least a portion of a contact. The collar may be formed by a programmed material consolidation process. The programmed material consolidation process may be effected in conjunction with a feature recognition technique, such as machine vision. Once one or more collars are in place, the semiconductor device component may be electrically connected to another semiconductor device component.

1 . A method for fabricating a substrate, comprising: 
 selectively consolidating substantially unconsolidated material in accordance with a program to form at least one collar around at least a portion of at least one contact pad of a semiconductor device component.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein selectively consolidating comprising forming the at least one collar such that at least a portion of the at least one contact pad is exposed therethrough.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein forming comprises forming at least one collar configured to laterally surround at least a base portion of the conductive structure to be secured to the at least one contact pad.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein forming at least one collar configured to laterally surround the at least a base portion comprises forming at least one collar configured to laterally surround substantially all of the conductive structure.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising: 
 disposing a conductive structure in contact with the at least one contact pad through the at least one collar.    
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein disposing comprises defining a configuration of at least a portion of the conductive structure with the at least one collar.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein defining the configuration comprises defining a configuration of substantially all of the conductive structure with the at least one collar.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein disposing comprises placing a liquid quantity of conductive material in an aperture of the at least one collar.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein disposing at least one collar comprises disposing a plurality of collars on the surface.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein selectively consolidating comprises selectively consolidating substantially unconsolidated material to form a plurality of adjacent, mutually adhered regions of the at least one collar.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein selectively consolidating comprises selectively consolidating substantially unconsolidated material to form a plurality of at least partially superimposed, contiguous, mutually adhered layers of the at least one collar.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein selectively consolidating comprises selectively consolidating photopolymer.  
     
     
         13 . A method for fabricating a semiconductor device component, comprising: 
 sequentially forming regions of at least one collar on a surface of a semiconductor device component around at least a portion of at least one contact pad exposed at the surface, the at least one collar protruding from the surface.    
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein sequentially forming comprises forming each of the regions from a photopolymer.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein sequentially forming comprises sequentially forming a plurality of at least partially superimposed, contiguous, mutually adhered layers to form the at least one collar.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising: 
 disposing a conductive structure on the at least one contact pad.    
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein disposing is effected following at least a portion of the sequentially forming.  
     
     
         18 . A method for fabricating a semiconductor device component, comprising: 
 recognizing a location and orientation of at least a portion of at least one substrate; and    selectively consolidating substantially unconsolidated material based on the recognized location and orientation of at least the portion of the at least one substrate to form at least a portion of at least one collar laterally surrounding at least a portion of at least one contact pad of the substrate.    
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising: 
 storing data including at least one physical parameter of the at least one substrate and of the at least one collar in computer memory; and    using the stored data in conjunction with a machine vision system to recognize the location and orientation of the at least one substrate.    
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising: 
 storing data including at least one physical parameter of the at least one contact pad around which the at least one collar is to be fabricated.    
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising: 
 storing data including at least one parameter of another substrate component with which the at least one substrate is to be assembled.    
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising: 
 using the stored data, in conjunction with the machine vision system, to effect the selectively consolidating.    
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein recognizing comprises recognizing a location and orientation of the at least one contact pad.  
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein selectively consolidating comprises stereolithographically fabricating at least the portion of the at least one collar.  
     
     
         25 . A method for connecting a semiconductor device to a carrier substrate, comprising: 
 providing a semiconductor device having contact pads exposed at a surface thereof;    selecting a carrier substrate having contact pads on a surface thereof, the contact pads being located correspondingly to at least selected ones of the contact pads of the semiconductor device;    disposing at least one collar on the surface of the semiconductor device around at least a portion of at least one contact pad of the contact pads, the at least one collar including a plurality of sequentially adjacent, mutually adhered regions;    securing at least one conductive structure to the at least one contact pad; and    disposing the semiconductor device face down on the carrier substrate with the at least one contact pad in communication with a corresponding one of the contact pads of the carrier substrate.    
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein disposing the semiconductor device comprises connecting the at least one conductive structure to the corresponding one of the contact pads.  
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein, during disposing, the at least one collar prevents material of the at least one conductive structure from contacting the surface of the semiconductor device.  
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein securing comprises securing at least one prefabricated collar to the surface.  
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein securing comprises adhering the at least one prefabricated collar to the surface.  
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein securing comprises fabricating at least a portion of the at least one collar on the surface.  
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein securing the at least one conductive structure is effected before securing the at least one collar.  
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 25 , further comprising: 
 securing the at least one conductive structure to the corresponding one of the contact pads of the carrier substrate.    
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein securing the at least one conductive structure to the corresponding one of the contact pads comprises heating the at least one conductive structure to a temperature less than a reflow temperature of a material of the at least one conductive structure.