A new flip-chip bonding technique using micromachined conductive polymer bumps

Using micromachining techniques with thick photoresists, a new conductive polymer flip-chip bonding technique that achieves both a low processing temperature and a high bumping alignment resolution has been developed in this work. By the use of UV-based photolithography with thick photoresists, molds for the flip-chip bumps have been patterned, filled with conductive polymers, and then removed, leaving molded conductive polymer bumps. After flip-chip bonding with the bumps, the contact resistances measured for 25 μm-high bumps with 300 μm×300 μm area and 400 μm×400 μm area were 35 mΩ and 12 mΩ respectively. The conductive polymer flip-chip bonding technique developed in this work shows a very low contact resistance, simple processing steps, a high bumping alignment resolution (<±5 μm), and a lower bonding temperature (~170°C). This new bonding technique has high potential to replace conventional flip-chip bonding technique for sensor and actuator systems, bio/chemical μ-TAS, optical MEMS, OE-MCM´s, and electronic system applications