Integrated circuit die containing particale-filled through-silicon metal vias with reduced thermal expansion

Abstract

A method, apparatus and system with an electrically conductive through hole via of a composite material with a matrix forming a continuous phase and embedded particles, with a different material property than the matrix, forming a dispersed phase, the resulting composite material having a different material property than the matrix.

1 . A semiconductor package comprising:
 an integrated circuit;   a material forming an electrically conductive through hole via coupled to the integrated circuit;   a matrix forming a continuous phase within the material of the via; and   particles embedded in the matrix forming a dispersed phase within the material of the via.   
   
   
       2 . The semiconductor package of  claim 1 , wherein a bulk material property of the material forming the via differs from the matrix. 
   
   
       3 . The semiconductor package of  claim 2 , wherein the material property is a coefficient of thermal expansion. 
   
   
       4 . The semiconductor package of  claim 2 , wherein the material property is electrical resistivity. 
   
   
       5 . The semiconductor package of  claim 1 , wherein the material forming the via has a lower coefficient of thermal expansion than the matrix. 
   
   
       6 . The semiconductor package of  claim 1 , wherein the matrix comprises a chosen one of the group consisting of copper (Cu), gold (Au), aluminum (Al), tungsten (W), silver (Ag), eutectic solder, and non-eutectic solder. 
   
   
       7 . The semiconductor package of  claim 6 , wherein the eutectic solder comprises one of the group consisting of tin-lead (Pb/Sn) solder and gold-tin (Au/Sn) solder. 
   
   
       8 . The semiconductor package of  claim 1 , wherein the filler particles comprise a chosen one of the group consisting of silica, alumina, boron nitride, tungsten, Invar, Super Invar, and Kovar. 
   
   
       9 . The semiconductor package of  claim 1 , wherein the filler particles comprise a ferromagnetic material. 
   
   
       10 . A method comprising:
 removing material from a die;   forming in the die an electrically conductive via of a material different from the die, the material being a composite of a matrix forming a continuous phase and embedded particles forming a dispersed phase.   
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein forming in the die an electrically conductive via further comprises one of the group consisting of electroplating, chemical vapor deposition (CVD), physical vapor deposition (PVD), sputtering, evaporation, jet vapor deposition, and reflowing solder containing filler particles. 
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein electroplating further comprises providing a driving potential to the first concentration of embedded particles to cause a second concentration of embedded particles in the material of the through hole via. 
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 12  wherein the second concentration of embedded particles is greater than the first concentration of embedded particles. 
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 12  wherein the driving potential comprises one of the group consisting of gravity and a magnetic field. 
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the bulk material of the via has a different material property than the matrix metal. 
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the material property is a coefficient of thermal expansion, the material of the via having a lower coefficient of thermal expansion than the matrix. 
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the matrix comprises a chosen one of the group consisting of copper (Cu), gold (Au), aluminum (Al), tungsten (W), silver (Ag), eutectic solder, and non-eutectic solder. 
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the eutectic solder comprises one of the group consisting of tin-lead (Pb/Sn) solder and gold-tin (Au/Sn) solder. 
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the filler particles comprise a chosen one of the group consisting of silica, alumina, boron nitride, tungsten, Invar, Super Invar, and Kovar. 
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the filler particles comprise a ferromagnetic material. 
   
   
       21 . A system comprising:
 a semiconductor package having an integrated circuit, the integrated circuit including,
 an electrically conductive through hole via; 
 a matrix forming a continuous phase within the via; 
 particles with a coefficient of thermal expansion lower than the coefficient of thermal expansion of the matrix embedded in the matrix and forming a dispersed phase within the matrix; and 
   a mass storage device coupled to the semiconductor package.   
   
   
       22 . The system of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 a dynamic random access memory coupled to the integrated circuit; and   an input/output interface coupled to the integrated circuit.   
   
   
       23 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the input/output interface comprises a networking interface. 
   
   
       24 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the integrated circuit is a processor. 
   
   
       25 . The system of  claim 24 , wherein the system is a selected one of a group comprising a set-top box, a media-center personal computer, and a digital versatile disk player.