First Through-Silicon Via Foundry, ALLVIA, Completes Reliability Testing of Silicon Interposer for Stacked Semiconductors

SUNNYVALE, CA--(Marketwire - January 13, 2010) - ALLVIA, the first through-silicon via (TSV) foundry, has completed the integration of a silicon interposer between a semiconductor die and an organic or ceramic substrate and completed full reliability testing. This 3D integration of substrates is all made possible with ALLVIA's through-silicon vias. Samples and reliability data are now being made available to interested customers.

The various compositions of substrate materials make stacking them for 3D integration difficult due to different coefficients of thermal expansion. ALLVIA has solved the problem by putting a silicon interposer between two stacked substrates and connecting them with TSVs.

As new feature size shrinks and the pitch changes, die typically need to be requalified. Silicon interposers by ALLVIA eliminate this process requalification problem. Also, during these shrinks, the substrate becomes more and more expensive. Most savings from the feature size shrink is offset by the more expensive substrate. The ALLVIA 3D integration process will allow features and pitches to shrink without a major rise in substrate costs.

There are no material mismatches in these "hybrid substrates," with silicon on top and an organic substrate on the bottom as long as the reliability of the devices is confirmed.

Not a Multi-Chip Module (MCM)

"Our TSV work with flip chips on the backside allow us to make a silicon interposer cost-effectively," commented Sergey Savastiouk, CEO of ALLVIA. "And we can do it without extra tools and an expanded supply chain. There is a big difference between what we are demonstrating and multi-chip modules because we can build passive elements right onto the silicon substrate."

New Manufacturing Facility

In December, ALLVIA announced that it purchased a manufacturing facility in Hillsboro, Oregon, for high volume production of their products with TSV technology. The former semiconductor equipment manufacturing facility is a 178,000 square foot building with 60,000 square feet of cleanroom capacity. The cleanroom is expandable to 80,000 square feet.

About ALLVIA

Located in Silicon Valley, ALLVIA is the first Through-silicon via (TSV) foundry and introduced the term "through-silicon via" in both a 1997 business plan and a January 2000 technical article. With the full spectrum of facilities, IP and equipment, ALLVIA offers services for prototyping and full volume production of both front side and back side TSVs to the MEMS and semiconductor industries as well as silicon etching, copper plating, photolithography, CMP, etc. www.allvia.com

Contact Information: Company Contact: ALLVIA, Inc. 657 N. Pastoria Ave. Sunnyvale, CA 94085 USA ph.: 408-720-3333 Agency Contact: Bruce Kirkpatrick 925.244.9100