Fully back-end TSV process by Cu electro-less plating for 3D smart sensor systems

A fully back-end process for high-aspect ratio through-silicon vias (TSVs) for 3D smart sensor systems is developed. Atomic layer deposition of TiN provides a highly conformal barrier as well as a seed layer for metal plating. Cu electro-less plating on the chemically activated TiN surfaces is applied to uniformly fill the TSVs in a significantly shorter time (2 h for 300 μm deep and 20 μm wide TSVs) than with Cu bottom-up electroplating (>20 h). The process is CMOS compatible and can be performed after the last metalization step, making it a fully back-end process (VIA-last approach). Wafers containing metal interconnections on both sides are in fact used as demonstrator. Four-terminal 3D Kelvin structures are fabricated and characterized. An average resistance value of 650 mΩ is measured for 300 μm deep TSVs with an aspect ratio of 15. The crosstalk between adjacent TSVs is also measured by means of S-parameters characterization on dedicated RF test structures. The closest TSVs (75 μm) show a reciprocal crosstalk of less than −20 dB at 30 GHz. (paper)