Composite integrated circuit (IC) device structures that include two components coupled through a hybrid bonded composite interconnect structure. The two components may be two different monolithic IC structures (e.g., chips) that are bonded over substantially planar dielectric and metallization interfaces. Composite interconnect metallization features formed at a bond interface may be doped with a metal or chalcogenide dopant. The dopant may migrate to a periphery of the composite interconnect structure and form a barrier material that will then limit outdiffusion of a metal, such as copper, into adjacent dielectric material.

A method of preparing a substrate for substrate bonding is provided. The method comprises: forming a recess in a substrate surface of the substrate, and forming a bondable dielectric layer on the substrate surface of the substrate. The bondable dielectric layer has a bonding surface on an opposite side of the bondable dielectric layer to the substrate surface, wherein the recess and the bondable dielectric layer define a dielectric cavity having a dielectric cavity volume. A plug is formed configured to make electrical contact to the substrate in the dielectric cavity volume. The plug has a plug volume which is less than the dielectric cavity volume, wherein the plug extends from the dielectric cavity beyond the bonding surface in a direction generally normal to the bonding surface. The plug is coined by compressing the substrate between opposing planar surfaces such that a contact surface of the plug is made co-planar with the bonding surface.

A method of preparing a substrate for substrate bonding is provided. The method comprises: forming a recess in a substrate surface of the substrate, and forming a bondable dielectric layer on the substrate surface of the substrate. The bondable dielectric layer has a bonding surface on an opposite side of the bondable dielectric layer to the substrate surface, wherein the recess and the bondable dielectric layer define a dielectric cavity having a dielectric cavity volume. A plug is formed configured to make electrical contact to the substrate in the dielectric cavity volume. The plug has a plug volume which is less than the dielectric cavity volume, wherein the plug extends from the dielectric cavity beyond the bonding surface in a direction generally normal to the bonding surface. The plug is coined by compressing the substrate between opposing planar surfaces such that a contact surface of the plug is made co-planar with the bonding surface.

A technique for marking semiconductor devices with an identifiable mark or alphanumeric text yields a high-contrast, easily distinguishable mark on an electrical terminal of the device without impacting the device's breakdown voltage capability and without compromising the solderability and wire bondability of the terminal. This approach deposits the mark on the terminal as a patterned layer of palladium, which offers good contrast with the base metal of the terminal and maintains the solderability and bondability of the terminal.

A non-volatile memory device for performing compute in memory operations for a neural network uses a three dimensional NOR architecture in which vertical NOR strings are formed of multiple memory cells connected in parallel between a source line and a bit line. Weights of the neural network are encoded as threshold voltages of the memory cells and activations are encoded as word line voltages applied to the memory cells of the NOR strings. The memory cells are operated in the subthreshold region, where the word line voltages are below the threshold voltages. The NOR structure naturally sums the resultant subthreshold currents of the individual memory cells to generate the product of the activations and the weights of the neural network by concurrently applying input voltages to multiple memory cells of a NOR string.

A non-volatile memory device for performing compute in memory operations for a neural network uses a three dimensional NOR architecture in which vertical NOR strings are formed of multiple memory cells connected in parallel between a source line and a bit line. Weights of the neural network are encoded as threshold voltages of the memory cells and activations are encoded as word line voltages applied to the memory cells of the NOR strings. The memory cells are operated in the subthreshold region, where the word line voltages are below the threshold voltages. The NOR structure naturally sums the resultant subthreshold currents of the individual memory cells to generate the product of the activations and the weights of the neural network by concurrently applying input voltages to multiple memory cells of a NOR string.

A device and method of manufacture is provided that utilize a dummy pad feature adjacent contact pads. The contact pads may be contact pads in an integrated fan-out package in which a molding compound is placed along sidewalls of a die and the contact pads extend over the die and the molding compound. The contact pads are electrically coupled to the die using one or more redistribution layers. The dummy pad features are electrically isolated from the contact pads. In some embodiments, the dummy pad features partially encircle the contact pads and are located in a corner region of the molding compound, a corner region of the die, and/or an interface region between an edge of the die and the molding compound.

External electrical connectors and methods of forming such external electrical connectors are discussed. A method includes forming an external electrical connector structure on a substrate. The forming the external electrical connector structure includes plating a pillar on the substrate at a first agitation level affected at the substrate in a first solution. The method further includes plating solder on the external electrical connector structure at a second agitation level affected at the substrate in a second solution. The second agitation level affected at the substrate is greater than the first agitation level affected at the substrate. The plating the solder further forms a shell on a sidewall of the external electrical connector structure.

External electrical connectors and methods of forming such external electrical connectors are discussed. A method includes forming an external electrical connector structure on a substrate. The forming the external electrical connector structure includes plating a pillar on the substrate at a first agitation level affected at the substrate in a first solution. The method further includes plating solder on the external electrical connector structure at a second agitation level affected at the substrate in a second solution. The second agitation level affected at the substrate is greater than the first agitation level affected at the substrate. The plating the solder further forms a shell on a sidewall of the external electrical connector structure.

A printed structure includes a destination substrate comprising two or more contact pads disposed on or in a surface of the destination substrate, a component disposed on the surface, and two or more electrically conductive connection posts. Each of the connection posts extends from a common side of the component. Each of the connection posts is in electrical and physical contact with one of the contact pads. The component is tilted with respect to the surface of the destination substrate. Each of the connection posts has a flat distal surface.