An alignment apparatus according to one embodiment, includes: a first and a second stage; a first and a second detector; a first and a second moving mechanism; and a controller. The first and second stages are configured to respectively hold a first and a second semiconductor substrate on which a first and a second alignment mark are respectively disposed. The first and second moving mechanisms are configured to respectively move the first and second stages relatively to each other. The controller is configured to perform the following (a), (b). (a) The controller control the detectors and the moving mechanisms to cause the first detector to detect the second alignment mark and to cause the second detector to detect the first alignment mark. (b) The controller calculate a position deviation between the substrates in accordance with results of the detections.

In a method of aligning wafers, a second wafer having at least one second alignment key may be arranged over a first wafer having at least one first alignment key. At least one alignment hole may be formed by passing through the second wafer to expose the second alignment key and the first alignment key. The first wafer and the second wafer may be aligned with each other using the first alignment key and the second alignment key exposed through the alignment hole. Thus, the first alignment key and the second alignment key exposed through the alignment hole may be positioned at a same vertical line to accurately align the first wafer with the second wafer.

A 3D semiconductor device, the device including: a first die including first transistors and first interconnect; and a second die including second transistors and second interconnect, where the first die is overlaid by the second die, where the first die has a first die area and the second die has a second die area, where the first die area is at least 10% larger than the second die area, where the second die is pretested, where the second die includes an array of memory cells, where the first die includes control logic to control reads and writes to the array of memory cells, where the second die is bonded to the first die, and where the bonded includes hybrid bonding.

A package includes a first die, a second die, a first encapsulant, first through insulating vias (TIV), a second encapsulant, and second TIVs. The second die is stacked on the first die. The first encapsulant laterally encapsulates the first die. The first TIVs are aside the first die. The first TIVs penetrate through the first encapsulant and are electrically floating. The second encapsulant laterally encapsulates the second die. The second TIVs are aside the second die. The second TIVs penetrate through the second encapsulant and are electrically floating. The second TIVs are substantially aligned with the first TIVs.

A package includes a carrier substrate, a first die, and a second die. The first die includes a first bonding layer, a second bonding layer opposite to the first bonding layer, and an alignment mark embedded in the first bonding layer. The first bonding layer is fusion bonded to the carrier substrate. The second die includes a third bonding layer. The third bonding layer is hybrid bonded to the second bonding layer of the first die.

A method and an apparatus for determining expansion compensation in a photoetching process, and a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device are provided. A relative vector misalignment value of a first wafer and a second wafer after being bonded is obtained based on a relative position relationship between a first alignment pattern of the first wafer and a second alignment pattern of the second wafer in a boding structure. A relative expansion value of the first wafer and the second wafer is obtained based on the relative vector misalignment value. A developing expansion compensation value in the photoetching process is obtained. The expansion compensation value is used to the photoetching process of a first conductor layer including the first alignment pattern of the first wafer and/or a second conductor layer including the second alignment pattern of the second wafer.

A method for manufacturing an electronic circuit component includes: providing a first electronic component with one or several electrically conductive first contacts and with one or several insulating first supporting elements; providing a second electronic component with one or several electrically conductive second contacts and with one or several insulating second supporting elements; configuring a connecting structure with an interposer substrate, with electrically conductive third contacts, with one or several electrically conductive fourth contacts, with one or several insulating third supporting elements, with one or several electrically conductive fifth contacts, and with one or several insulating fourth supporting elements; connecting the first electronic component and the second electronic component to the connecting structure, wherein the first contacts are electrically connected to the fourth contacts, wherein the first supporting elements are mechanically connected to the third supporting elements, wherein the second contacts are electrically connected to the fifth contacts, and wherein the second supporting elements are mechanically connected to the fourth supporting elements, so that the first electronic component, the second electronic component, and the connecting structure are connected electrically and mechanically; removing a part of the interposer substrate so that the third contacts are exposed.

A package includes a carrier substrate, a first die, and a second die. The first die includes a first bonding layer, a second bonding layer opposite to the first bonding layer, and an alignment mark embedded in the first bonding layer. The first bonding layer is fusion bonded to the carrier substrate. The second die includes a third bonding layer. The third bonding layer is hybrid bonded to the second bonding layer of the first die.

A 3D semiconductor device, the device including: a first die including first transistors and a first interconnect; a second die including second transistors and a second interconnect; and a third die including third transistors and a third interconnect, where the first die is overlaid by the second die, where the first die is overlaid by the third die, where the first die has a first die area and the second die has a second die area, where the first die area is at least 20% larger than the second die area, where the second die is pretested, where the second die is bonded to the first die, where the bonded includes metal to metal bonding, where the first die includes at least two first alignment marks positioned close to a first die edge of the first die, where the second die is aligned to the first die with less than 800 nm alignment error, where the second die includes at least two second alignment marks positioned close to a second die edge of the second die, and where the third die is bonded to the first die.

A stacked semiconductor device is disclosed that includes a plurality of semiconductor dies. Each die has oppositely disposed first and second surfaces, with pads formed on each of the surfaces. A plurality of through-vias connect respective pads on the first surface to respective pads on the second surface. The through-vias include a first group of through-vias coupled to respective I/O circuitry on the semiconductor die and a second group of through-vias not coupled to I/O circuitry on the semiconductor die. The plurality of semiconductor dies are stacked such that the first group of through-vias in a first one of the plurality of semiconductor dies are aligned with respective ones of at least a portion of the second group of through-vias in a second one of the plurality of semiconductor dies.