Understanding Early Failure Behavior In 3D-Interconnects 2: Empirical Modeling of Broadband Signal Losses In TSV-Enabled Interconnects

Published

November 29, 2024

Author(s)

Kevin J. Coakley, Pavel Kabos, Stephane Moreau, Yaw S. Obeng

Abstract

We present empirical models for measured frequency-dependent insertion loss (|S21|) in a prototypical TSV enabled 3D-IC from SEMATECH. The model parameters are determined with a stochastic optimization implementation of the Levenberg-Marquardt method. We compare measured |S21| on TSV-interconnects, as a function of the extent of thermal annealing. The model fitting had to be broken into two frequency domains, below and above 3.2 GHz, respectively, due different dominant loss mechanisms. The low frequency-dependent changes in the electrical characteristics of the interconnects are attributed to changes in the lateral silicon oxide that isolates the co-axial TSV metal core from the silicon substrate, possibly due to changes in the chemistry of the isolation dielectric during thermal annealing. At frequencies higher than 3.2 GHz, the changes in the insertion may be attributed to other mechanisms including, but not limited, to mechanical damage and skin effects in the core metal fill and barriers in the TSV.

Citation

ECS Journal of Solid State Science and Technology

Volume

13

Issue

11

Pub Type

Journals

Download Paper

https://doi.org/10.1149/2162-8777/ad94a0

Local Download

Keywords

microwave insertion loss, Interconnect, TSV, thermal cycling, thermomechanical, aging, empirical modeling, Levenberg-Marquardt method

Citation

Coakley, K. , Kabos, P. , Moreau, S. and Obeng, Y. (2024), Understanding Early Failure Behavior In 3D-Interconnects 2: Empirical Modeling of Broadband Signal Losses In TSV-Enabled Interconnects, ECS Journal of Solid State Science and Technology, [online], https://doi.org/10.1149/2162-8777/ad94a0, https://tsapps.nist.gov/publication/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=957303 (Accessed December 26, 2024)