A substrate or IC chip is connected with a second substrate or IC chip. This entails disposing electrically conductive balls on electrical bonding pads of a surface of the substrate or IC chip to form a ball grid array (BGA) disposed on the surface of the substrate or IC chip, and electrically and mechanically connecting the surface of the substrate or IC chip to the second substrate or IC chip using the BGA. An underfill material may be disposed on the surface of the substrate or IC chip around bonds between the balls and the electrical bonding pads. There may be at least two different types of electrically conductive balls in the BGA, such as solder balls and copper-based balls.

Packaged microelectronic devices and methods for manufacturing packaged microelectronic devices are disclosed. In one embodiment, a system comprises a semiconductor component including an interposer substrate, a microelectronic die over the interposer substrate, and a connection structure composed of a volume of solder material between the interposer substrate and the microelectronic die. The connection structure can include at least one of (a) a single, unitary structure covering approximately all of the back side of the microelectronic die, and (b) a structure electrically isolated from internal active features of the microelectronic die. In some embodiments, the connection structure can be positioned to provide generally consistent stress distribution within the system.

Packaged microelectronic devices and methods for manufacturing packaged microelectronic devices are disclosed. In one embodiment, a system comprises a semiconductor component including an interposer substrate, a microelectronic die over the interposer substrate, and a connection structure composed of a volume of solder material between the interposer substrate and the microelectronic die. The connection structure can include at least one of (a) a single, unitary structure covering approximately all of the back side of the microelectronic die, and (b) a structure electrically isolated from internal active features of the microelectronic die. In some embodiments, the connection structure can be positioned to provide generally consistent stress distribution within the system.

A method and a system for verifying an integrated circuit stack having a silicon photonic (SIPH) device is introduced. A single first dummy layer is added to at least one terminal of the SIPH device in a first layout of the first integrated circuit, wherein a shape of the single first dummy layer added to the at least one terminal of the SIPH device maps a shape of the at least one terminal of the SIPH device. A first layout versus schematic (LVS) check is performed on the first integrated circuit based on the single first dummy layer added to the at least one terminal of the SIPH device to verify a connection of the SIPH device in the first integrated circuit.

A method and a system for verifying an integrated circuit stack having at least one silicon photonic device is introduced. A dummy layer and a dummy layer text are added to a terminal of at least one silicon photonic device of the integrated circuit. The method may perform a layout versus schematic check of the integrated circuit including the dummy layer and the dummy layer text.

A method for forming a semiconductor device structure is provided. The method includes providing a semiconductor structure. The semiconductor structure has a central portion and a peripheral portion surrounding the central portion. The method includes forming first conductive bumps and dummy conductive bumps over a surface of the semiconductor structure. The first conductive bumps are over the central portion and electrically connected to the semiconductor structure. The dummy conductive bumps are over the peripheral portion and electrically insulated from the semiconductor structure. The first conductive bumps each have a first thickness and a first width. The dummy conductive bumps each have a second thickness and a second width. The second thickness is less than the first thickness. The second width is greater than the first width.

An apparatus relating generally to a substrate is disclosed. In this apparatus, a post extends from the substrate. The post includes a conductor member. An upper portion of the post extends above an upper surface of the substrate. An exterior surface of the post associated with the upper portion is in contact with a dielectric layer. The dielectric layer is disposed on the upper surface of the substrate and adjacent to the post to provide a dielectric collar for the post. An exterior surface of the dielectric collar is in contact with a conductor layer. The conductor layer is disposed adjacent to the dielectric collar to provide a metal collar for the post, where a top surface of each of the conductor member, the dielectric collar and the metal collar have formed thereon a bond structure for interconnection of the metal collar and the conductor member.

Packaged microelectronic devices and methods for manufacturing packaged microelectronic devices are disclosed. In one embodiment, a system comprises a semiconductor component including an interposer substrate, a microelectronic die over the interposer substrate, and a connection structure composed of a volume of solder material between the interposer substrate and the microelectronic die. The connection structure can include at least one of (a) a single, unitary structure covering approximately all of the back side of the microelectronic die, and (b) a structure electrically isolated from internal active features of the microelectronic die. In some embodiments, the connection structure can be positioned to provide generally consistent stress distribution within the system.

A display device includes: a flexible substrate having a display area for displaying an image and a peripheral area outside the display area; a first pad electrode in the peripheral area of the flexible substrate; and a driver connected to the first pad electrode. The driver includes: a circuit board including a driving circuit; a second pad electrode on one side of the circuit board and facing the first pad electrode; a convex structure on one side of the second pad electrode and having an oval cross-section; and a bump electrode on one side of the convex structure and connected to the first pad electrode. The bump electrode includes a column covering the convex structure and a convex portion extending from one side of the column and protruding to the first pad electrode.

Sacrificial pillars for a semiconductor device assembly, and associated methods and systems are disclosed. In one embodiment, a region of a semiconductor die may be identified to include sacrificial pillars that are not connected to bond pads of the semiconductor die, in addition to live conductive pillars connected to the bond pads. The region with the sacrificial pillars, when disposed in proximity to the live conductive pillars, may prevent an areal density of the live conductive pillars from experiencing an abrupt change that may result in intolerable variations in heights of the live conductive pillars. As such, the sacrificial pillars may improve a coplanarity of the live conductive pillars by reducing variations in the heights of the live conductive pillars. Thereafter, the sacrificial pillars may be removed from the semiconductor die.