Semtech Corporation
Semiconductor device and method of stacking semiconductor die for system-level ESD protection

Abstract:

A semiconductor device has a first semiconductor die including a first protection circuit. A second semiconductor die including a second protection circuit is disposed over the first semiconductor die. A portion of the first semiconductor die and second semiconductor die is removed to reduce die thickness. An interconnect structure is formed to commonly connect the first protection circuit and second protection circuit. A transient condition incident to the interconnect structure is collectively discharged through the first protection circuit and second protection circuit. Any number of semiconductor die with protection circuits can be stacked and interconnected via the interconnect structure to increase the ESD current discharge capability. The die stacking can be achieved by disposing a first semiconductor wafer over a second semiconductor wafer and then singulating the wafers. Alternatively, die-to-wafer or die-to-die assembly is used.