Underfile process

Abstract

A method and apparatus for underfilling a gap between a semiconductor die or device and a substrate, where the semiconductor die or device is electrically connected to the substrate so that an active surface of the semiconductor die is facing a top surface of the substrate with the gap therebetween. A silane layer is applied to the active surface of the semiconductor die, the upper surface of the substrate, and/or both to increase the surface tension thereon. The increased surface tension thereby allows the underfill material to fill the gap via capillary action in a lesser flow time more effectively, and therefore, is more efficient than conventional underfilling methods.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A semiconductor device comprising: 
 the semiconductor device having an active surface, at least a portion of said active surface having a wetting agent layer thereon.    
     
     
         2 . The semiconductor device according to  claim 1 , wherein said wetting agent layer includes silane.  
     
     
         3 . The semiconductor device according to  claim 1 , wherein said wetting agent layer includes at least one layer.  
     
     
         4 . The semiconductor device according to  claim 1 , wherein said wetting agent layer comprises one of glycidoxypropyltinethoxysilane and ethyltrimethoxysilane.  
     
     
         5 . The semiconductor device according to  claim 1 , wherein said wetting agent layer reduces surface tension of said active surface.  
     
     
         6 . A semiconductor assembly comprising: 
 a semiconductor device having an active surface;    a substrate having an upper surface; and    a wetting agent layer provided on one of said active surface of said semiconductor device and said upper surface of said substrate.    
     
     
         7 . The semiconductor assembly according to  claim 6 , wherein said wetting agent layer includes silane.  
     
     
         8 . The semiconductor assembly according to  claim 6 , wherein said wetting agent layer includes at least one layer.  
     
     
         9 . The semiconductor assembly according to  claim 6 , wherein said wetting agent layer comprises one of glycidoxypropyltinethoxysilane and ethyltrimethoxysilane.  
     
     
         10 . A semiconductor assembly comprising: 
 a semiconductor device having an active surface;    a substrate having an upper surface;    a wetting agent located on a portion of one of said active surface of said semiconductor die and said upper surface of said substrate; and    an underfill material located between said substrate and said semiconductor device.    
     
     
         11 . The semiconductor assembly according to  claim 10 , wherein said wetting agent comprises silane.  
     
     
         12 . The semiconductor assembly of  claim 10 , wherein said wetting agent comprises at least one layer.  
     
     
         13 . The semiconductor assembly according to  claim 11 , wherein said silane comprises any one of glycidoxypropyltinethoxysilane and ethyltrimethoxysilane.  
     
     
         14 . A semiconductor assembly comprising: 
 a semiconductor device having an active surface having at least one bond pad thereon, another surface, a first end, a second end, a first lateral side and a second lateral side;    a substrate having an upper surface having at least one circuit thereon, a first side wall, a second side wall, a first lateral side wall and a second lateral side wall;    at least one bump connecting said at least one bond pad on said active surface of said semiconductor device to said at least one circuit on said upper surface of said substrate, said at least one bump forming a gap between said semiconductor device and said substrate;    an underfill material provided between said substrate and said semiconductor device; and    a wetting agent layer provided on at least a portion of one of said active surface of said semiconductor device and said upper surface of said substrate.    
     
     
         15 . The semiconductor assembly according to  claim 14 , wherein said wetting agent layer comprises silane.  
     
     
         16 . The semiconductor assembly according to  claim 14 , wherein said underfill material substantially fills said gap between said semiconductor device and said substrate.  
     
     
         17 . The semiconductor assembly according to  claim 14 , said substrate further including an aperture extending therethrough.  
     
     
         18 . The semiconductor assembly according to  claim 17 , wherein said aperture is located adjacent said another surface of said semiconductor device.  
     
     
         19 . The semiconductor assembly according to  claim 14 , wherein said wetting agent layer comprises one of glycidoxypropyltinethoxysilane and ethyltrimethoxysilane.  
     
     
         20 . A semiconductor assembly comprising: 
 a semiconductor device having an active surface;    a substrate having an upper surface;    an underfill material provided between said substrate and said semiconductor device; and    a wetting agent layer provided on a portion of said active surface of said semiconductor device and a portion of said upper surface of said substrate.    
     
     
         21 . The semiconductor assembly according to  claim 20 , wherein said wetting agent layer comprises at least one layer.  
     
     
         22 . The semiconductor assembly according to  claim 20 , wherein said wetting agent layer comprises one of silane, glycidoxypropyltinethoxysilane and ethyltrimethoxysilane.  
     
     
         23 . A semiconductor assembly comprising: 
 a semiconductor device having an active surface having a plurality of bond pads thereon;    a substrate having an upper surface having a plurality of circuits thereon;    a plurality of bumps connecting said plurality of bond pads on said active surface of said semiconductor device to said plurality of circuits on said upper surface of said substrate, said plurality of bumps forming a gap between said semiconductor device and said substrate;    an underfill material provided between said substrate and said semiconductor device; and    a wetting agent layer provided on said active surface of said semiconductor device and on said upper surface of said substrate.    
     
     
         24 . The semiconductor assembly according to  claim 23 , wherein said underfill material substantially fills said gap between said semiconductor device and said substrate.  
     
     
         25 . The semiconductor assembly according to  claim 23 , further comprising an aperture extending through said substrate.  
     
     
         26 . A semiconductor die comprising: 
 the semiconductor die having an active surface, at least a portion of said active surface having a wetting agent layer thereon.    
     
     
         27 . The semiconductor die according to  claim 26 , wherein said wetting agent layer includes silane.  
     
     
         28 . The semiconductor die according to  claim 26 , wherein said wetting agent layer includes at least one layer.  
     
     
         29 . The semiconductor die according to  claim 26 , wherein said wetting agent layer comprises one of glycidoxypropyltinethoxysilane and ethyltrimethoxysilane.  
     
     
         30 . The semiconductor device according to  claim 26 , wherein said wetting agent layer reduces surface tension of said active surface.  
     
     
         31 . A semiconductor assembly comprising: 
 a semiconductor die having an active surface;    a substrate having an upper surface; and    a wetting agent layer provided on one of said active surface of said semiconductor die and said upper surface of said substrate.    
     
     
         32 . The semiconductor assembly according to  claim 31 , wherein said wetting agent layer includes silane.  
     
     
         33 . The semiconductor assembly according to  claim 31 , wherein said wetting agent layer includes at least one layer.  
     
     
         34 . The semiconductor assembly according to  claim 31 , wherein said wetting agent layer comprises one of glycidoxypropyltinethoxysilane and ethyltrimethoxysilane.  
     
     
         35 . A semiconductor assembly comprising: 
 a semiconductor die having an active surface;    a substrate having an upper surface;    a wetting agent located on a portion of one of said active surface of said semiconductor die and said upper surface of said substrate; and    an underfill material located between said substrate and said semiconductor die.    
     
     
         36 . The semiconductor assembly according to  claim 35 , wherein said wetting agent comprises silane.  
     
     
         37 . The semiconductor assembly of  claim 35 , wherein said wetting agent comprises at least one layer.  
     
     
         38 . The semiconductor assembly according to  claim 36 , wherein said silane comprises any one of glycidoxypropyltinethoxysilane and ethyltrimethoxysilane.  
     
     
         39 . A semiconductor assembly comprising: 
 a semiconductor die having an active surface having at least one bond pad thereon, another surface, a first end, a second end, a first lateral side and a second lateral side;    a substrate having an upper surface having at least one circuit thereon, a first side wall, a second side wall, a first lateral side wall and a second lateral side wall;    at least one bump connecting said at least one bond pad on said active surface of said semiconductor die to said at least one circuit on said upper surface of said substrate, said at least one bump forming a gap between said semiconductor die and said substrate;    an underfill material provided between said substrate and said semiconductor die; and    a wetting agent layer provided on at least a portion of one of said active surface of said semiconductor die and said upper surface of said substrate.    
     
     
         40 . The semiconductor assembly according to  claim 39 , wherein said wetting agent layer comprises silane.  
     
     
         41 . The semiconductor assembly according to  claim 39 , wherein said underfill material substantially fills said gap between said semiconductor die and said substrate.  
     
     
         42 . The semiconductor assembly according to  claim 39 , said substrate further including an aperture extending therethrough.  
     
     
         43 . The semiconductor assembly according to  claim 42 , wherein said aperture is located adjacent said another surface of said semiconductor die.  
     
     
         44 . The semiconductor assembly according to  claim 39 , wherein said wetting agent layer comprises one of glycidoxypropyltinethoxysilane and ethyltrimethoxysilane.  
     
     
         45 . A semiconductor assembly comprising: 
 a semiconductor die having an active surface;    a substrate having an upper surface;    an underfill material provided between said substrate and said semiconductor die; and    a wetting agent layer provided on a portion of said active surface of said semiconductor die and a portion of said upper surface of said substrate.    
     
     
         46 . The semiconductor assembly according to  claim 45 , wherein said wetting agent layer comprises at least one layer.  
     
     
         47 . The semiconductor assembly according to  claim 45 , wherein said wetting agent layer comprises one of silane, glycidoxypropyltinethoxysilane and ethyltrimethoxysilane.  
     
     
         48 . A semiconductor assembly comprising: 
 a semiconductor die having an active surface having a plurality of bond pads thereon;    a substrate having an upper surface having a plurality of circuits thereon;    a plurality of bumps connecting said plurality of bond pads on said active surface of said semiconductor die to said plurality of circuits on said upper surface of said substrate, said plurality of bumps forming a gap between said semiconductor die and said substrate;    an underfill material provided between said substrate and said semiconductor die; and    a wetting agent layer provided on said active surface of said semiconductor die and on said upper surface of said substrate.    
     
     
         49 . The semiconductor assembly according to  claim 48 , wherein said underfill material substantially fills said gap between said semiconductor die and said substrate.  
     
     
         50 . The semiconductor assembly according to  claim 48 , further comprising an aperture extending through said substrate.