CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 09/543,034, filed Apr. 5, 2000 which will issue as U.S. Pat. No. 7,061,119 on Jun. 13, 2006, which is a divisional of application Ser. No. 09/223,059, filed Dec. 30, 1998, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,455,354, issued September  24 ,  2002 . 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     Field of the Invention: The present invention relates to a “chip-on-board” (COB) semiconductor assembly and, more particularly, to a method and apparatus for reducing stress resulting from lodging of filler particles present in encapsulant and glob top materials between a surface of a semiconductor die and a corresponding surface of a semiconductor substrate and for visual inspection of the attachment of the semiconductor die to the semiconductor substrate with the use of tape attachment material.  
         [0003]     State of the Art: Definitions: The following terms and acronyms will be used throughout the application and are defined as follows:  
         [0004]     COB—Chip-On-Board: The techniques used to attach a semiconductor die to a semiconductor substrate, such as a printed circuit board.  
         [0005]     Glob Top: A glob of encapsulant material (usually epoxy or silicone or a combination thereof) surrounding a semiconductor die or portion thereof in a COB assembly.  
         [0006]     Wire Bonding: Conductive wires attached between a semiconductor die and a circuit board or leadframe to form an electrical connection therebetween.  
         [0007]     TAB—Tape Automated Bonding: Conductive traces are formed on a dielectric film such as a polyimide (the structure also being termed a “flex circuit”), and the film is precisely placed to electrically connect a semiconductor die and a circuit board or leadframe through the conductive traces. Multiple connections are simultaneously effected.  
         [0008]      FIGS. 14 and 15  illustrate exemplary COB assemblies  200  each comprising a semiconductor die  202  back-bonded with an adhesive layer  204  to a semiconductor substrate  206 . The semiconductor die  202  is in electrical communication with the semiconductor substrate  206  through electrical elements extending between bond pads  208  on the semiconductor die  202  and traces  212  on the semiconductor substrate  206 . The electrical elements are generally bond wires  214 , as illustrated in  FIG. 14 , or TAB connections  216 , as illustrated in  FIG. 15 .  
         [0009]     In wire bonding, as illustrated in  FIG. 14 , a plurality of bond wires  214  is attached, one at a time, to each bond pad  208  on the semiconductor die  202  and extends to a corresponding lead or trace  212  on the semiconductor substrate  206 . The bond wires are generally attached through one of three industry-standard wirebonding techniques: ultrasonic bonding—using a combination of pressure and ultrasonic vibration bursts to form a metallurgical cold weld; thermocompression bonding—using a combination of pressure and elevated temperature to form a weld; and thermosonic bonding—using a combination of pressure, elevated temperature, and ultrasonic vibration bursts.  
         [0010]     With TAB, as illustrated in  FIG. 15 , TAB connectors  216  (generally metal leads carried on an insulating tape, such as a polyimide) are attached to each bond pad  208  on the semiconductor die  202  and to a corresponding lead or trace  212  on the semiconductor substrate  206 .  
         [0011]     An encapsulant  218 , such as a plastic resin, is generally used to cover the bond wires  214  ( FIG. 14 ) and TAB connectors  216  ( FIG. 15 ) to prevent contamination, aid mechanical attachment of the assembly components, and increase long-term reliability of the electronics with reasonably low-cost materials.  
         [0012]     An exemplary technique of forming the encapsulant  218  is molding and, more specifically, transfer molding. In the transfer molding process (and with specific reference to COB die assemblies), after the semiconductor die  202  is attached to the semiconductor substrate  206  (e.g., FR-4 printed circuit board) and electrical connections made (by wire bonding or TAB) to form a die assembly, the die assembly is placed in a mold cavity in a transfer molding machine. The die assembly is thereafter encapsulated in a thermosetting polymer which, when heated, reacts irreversibly to form a highly cross-linked matrix no longer capable of being re-melted. Additionally, another common manner of forming encapsulants for COB assemblages is “glob top” polymeric encapsulation. Glob top encapsulation can be applied by dispensing suitably degassed material from a reservoir through a needle-like nozzle onto the die assembly.  
         [0013]     The thermosetting polymer of transfer molding generally is comprised of three major components: an epoxy resin, a hardener (including accelerators), and a filler material. Other additives such as flame retardants, mold release agents and colorants are also employed in relatively small amounts. Furthermore, glob top encapsulation can comprise a non-linear thixotropic material that also includes fillers to achieve the desired degree of thixotropy.  
         [0014]     While many variations of the three major components are known in the art, the present invention focuses on the filler materials employed and their effects on the active semiconductor die surfaces and corresponding semiconductor substrate surfaces.  
         [0015]     Filler materials are usually a form of fused silica, although other materials such as calcium carbonates, calcium silicates, talc, mica and clays have been employed for less rigorous applications. Powdered fused quartz is currently the primary filler used in encapsulants. Fillers provide a number of advantages in comparison to unfilled encapsulants. For example, fillers reinforce the polymer and thus provide additional package strength, enhance thermal conductivity of the package, provide enhanced resistance to thermal shock, and greatly reduce the cost of the polymer in comparison to its unfilled state. Fillers also beneficially reduce the coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) of the composite material by about fifty percent in comparison to the unfilled polymer, resulting in a CTE much closer to that of the silicon or gallium arsenide die. Filler materials, however, also present some recognized disadvantages, including increasing the stiffness of the plastic package, as well as the moisture permeability of the package.  
         [0016]     Two problems encountered in transfer molding are bond wire sweep and connection detachment. Bond wire sweep occurs in wire bonded packages wherein the encapsulant material, which is injected into the mold under pressure, deforms the bond wires which can cause shorting. Connection detachment can occur in either TAB connections  216  or bond wires  214 , wherein stresses created by the pressurized encapsulant material result in the detachment of the TAB connections  216  or bond wires  214  from either the bond pad  208  or the trace  212 .  
         [0017]     To alleviate this problem and to reduce the thickness of the semiconductor assembly, as illustrated in  FIG. 16 , a technique of face-down attachment of a semiconductor die  232  onto a semiconductor substrate  234  with an adhesive tape  236  has been developed. With this technique, the semiconductor substrate  234  has an opening  238  therethrough with electrical connections  240  (shown as bond wires) extending through the opening  238  to connect the bond pads  242  on an active surface  262  of the semiconductor die  232  to the traces  244  on an active surface  250  of the semiconductor substrate  234 . The adhesive tape  236  used in these assemblies is generally narrow and does not extend to an edge  246  of the semiconductor die  232 , resulting in exterior voids  248 , and does not extend to an edge  252  of the opening  238 , resulting in interior voids  254 . The opening  238  is filled and the electrical connections  240  are covered with a glob top material  256  injected into the opening  238 , as shown in  FIG. 17 . Thus, the electrical connections  240  are protected from bond wire sweep and connection detachment. As shown in  FIG. 18 , an encapsulant material  258  is molded over the semiconductor die  232 .  
         [0018]     Unfortunately, a significant disadvantage of using glob top materials and encapsulant materials having filler particles is the potential for damage to the active surface  262  of the semiconductor die  232  and/or a back surface  264  of the semiconductor substrate  234  resulting from the lodging or wedging of filler particles  266  between the semiconductor die active surface  262  and the semiconductor substrate back surface  264 , as shown in  FIGS. 19 and 20 .  
         [0019]     As shown in  FIG. 19 , which is an enlarged view of the inset  19  of  FIG. 17 , if filler particles  266  are used in the glob top material  256 , the filler particles  266  may be jammed between the semiconductor die active surface  262  and the semiconductor substrate back surface  264  within the interior void  254 . Furthermore, as shown in  FIG. 20 , which is an enlarged view of the inset  20  of  FIG. 18 , if filler particles  266  are used in the encapsulant material  258 , the filler particles  266  may also be jammed between the semiconductor die active surface  262  and the semiconductor substrate back surface  264  within the exterior void  248  due to non-uniform polymer flow patterns and flow imbalances of the encapsulant material  258  in the mold cavity during transfer molding. The jammed filler particles  266  place the semiconductor die active surface  262  and the semiconductor substrate back surface  264  under residual stress at the points of contact with the jammed filler particles  266 . The particles may then damage or crack the semiconductor die active surface  262  and/or the semiconductor back surface  264  when the assembly is stressed (i.e., mechanically, thermally, electrically, etc.) during post-encapsulation handling and testing. This damage can result in failure of the semiconductor assembly, alteration of the performance characteristics, and/or, if the damage is not immediately detected, unanticipated shortening of device life.  
         [0020]     While it is possible to employ a lower volume of filler particles  266  in the encapsulant material  258  to reduce the potential for the filler particles  266  lodging or wedging, a drastic reduction in filler volume raises costs of the polymer to unacceptable levels. Additionally, while the size of the filler particles  266  may be reduced to reduce the potential for the filler particles  266  lodging or wedging, currently available filler technology imposes certain limitations as to practical beneficial reductions in particle size and in the shape of the filler particles  266 . Furthermore, while it is desirable that filler particles  266  be of generally spherical shape, it has thus far proven impossible to eliminate non-spherical flakes or chips which when jammed between the semiconductor die active surface  262  and the semiconductor back surface  264  are more prone to damage the semiconductor die active surface  262  and/or the semiconductor back surface  264 . Moreover, an underfilling could be used to seal the interior voids  254  and the exterior voids  248 . However, such underfilling would be prohibitively expensive.  
         [0021]     The problem of semiconductor assembly damage due to jammed filler particles  266  in association with assembly stressing (i.e., mechanically, thermally, electrically, etc.) during post-encapsulation handling and testing will continue to worsen as ongoing advances in design and manufacturing technology provide increasingly thinner conductive, semiconductive, and dielectric layers. The resulting semiconductor assemblies will be more susceptible to stressing due to the minimal strength provided by the minute widths, depths and spacings of the constituent elements of the semiconductor assemblies. Thus, with increasing stress susceptibility, the semiconductor assemblies are more prone to damage from jammed filler particles  266 .  
         [0022]     In addition to solving the problems associated with filler particle  266  lodging and damage, it is desirable to improve the ability to visually inspect for proper attachment of the semiconductor die  232  to the semiconductor substrate  234  (i.e., inspect for misaligned or missing adhesive tape  236 ). Prior art COB die assemblies have been unsuccessful, not only in preventing damage due to the filler particles  266 , as explained above, but also in providing an eye point for enhanced visual inspection (generally by a computerized optical detection apparatus) of the proper attachment of the semiconductor die  232  to the semiconductor substrate  234  prior to encapsulation.  
         [0023]     This lack of proper inspection is generally due to the use of narrow adhesive tape  236  which does not extend to an edge  246  of the semiconductor die  232 , nor to an edge  252  of the opening  238 , as shown in  FIGS. 14-18  and as discussed above. The use of such narrow adhesive tape  236  makes visual inspection of the proper tape attachment extremely difficult, because inspection must be made by looking longitudinally between the semiconductor die  232  and the semiconductor substrate  234  along the respective attachment surfaces where spacing is microscopic. Visual inspection cannot be made looking vertically either (i.e., looking upward through the opening  238  or downward at the semiconductor substrate back surface  264 ) because the adhesive tape  236  is enclosed between the semiconductor die  232  and the semiconductor substrate  234 . Furthermore, the use of narrow adhesive tape  236  also limits the contact surface area available for semiconductor die  232  to semiconductor substrate  234  adhesion and attachment.  
         [0024]     Furthermore, it is desirable to increase or enhance the stability of the semiconductor assembly in order to reduce or eliminate localized stress failures occurring during encapsulation. These failures can cause subsequent cracking. Semiconductor assembly stability, in the past, has been approached from the perspective of improving adhesives employed with carrier films, rather than by sealing the gaps or spaces between the semiconductor substrate and the semiconductor die.  
         [0025]     U.S. Pat. No. 5,733,800 issued Mar. 31, 1998 to Moden (“the Moden patent”) discloses a “leads over chip” (LOC) die assembly, wherein a seal between a leadframe and a die is created by underfill material introduced into and extending between the bonding location of the die and the edge of the die. However, the Moden patent relates to an LOC assemblage which utilizes a narrow tape segment and requires the added expense of introducing underfill material in between the leadframe and the semiconductor die in order to seal the gap or space proximate the tape segment. In addition, the use of LOC assemblages, as in the Moden patent, does not create the type of visual inspection problems discussed above and inherent in COB assemblages because tape segments can be viewed when looking between leads of the leadframe.  
         [0026]     Additionally, U.S. Pat. No. 5,466,888 issued Nov. 14, 1995 to Beng et al. (“the Beng patent”) discloses a LOC semiconductor device utilizing an electrically insulating film interposed between the leads and the chip for strengthening adherence of the film to packaging material and to the chip. However, as with the Moden patent, the Beng patent relates to a LOC assemblage.  
         [0027]     From the foregoing, the prior art has neither provided for visual die assembly inspection, nor recognized the stress phenomenon associated with encapsulant materials having filler particles with COB assemblies. Thus, it can be appreciated that it would be advantageous to develop a semiconductor assembly and a technique to fabricate the same which eliminate potential damage due to filler particles and allow for pre-encapsulation semiconductor die to semiconductor substrate attachment and sealing visual inspection.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0028]     The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for preventing damage to a semiconductor assembly due to encapsulation filler particles causing damage to the semiconductor die active surface and/or to a corresponding substrate surface. The present invention also provides a semiconductor assembly which allows for visual inspection of the semiconductor die to semiconductor substrate attachment.  
         [0029]     One embodiment of the present invention comprises a semiconductor die assembly including a semiconductor substrate having an opening defined therethrough and a semiconductor die having a plurality of electrical connection areas, such as bond pads and hereinafter referred to as “bond pads,” on an active surface thereof. The semiconductor die is attached to the semiconductor substrate such that the bond pads are aligned with the semiconductor substrate opening. The semiconductor die is attached to the semiconductor substrate with an adhesive tape which preferably extends proximate an edge of the semiconductor die and proximate an edge of the semiconductor substrate opening. Such an adhesive tape configuration maximizes the contact area between the semiconductor die and the semiconductor substrate. This increased contact area assists in preventing the semiconductor die from flexing, twisting, or bending away from the semiconductor substrate, thus reducing or eliminating localized stress failures occurring during subsequent molding processes.  
         [0030]     Electrical connections are then attached between the semiconductor die bond pads and traces on an active surface of the semiconductor substrate through the semiconductor substrate opening. The semiconductor substrate opening is filled and the electrical connections are covered with a glob top material injected into the opening. The adhesive tape extending proximate the semiconductor substrate opening edge substantially prevents glob top material from residing between the semiconductor die active surface and the semiconductor substrate back surface, thereby virtually eliminating previously discussed problems associated with filler particles used in the glob top material.  
         [0031]     An encapsulant material is molded over the semiconductor die and the glob top material. Again, the adhesive tape extending proximate the semiconductor die edge substantially prevents encapsulant material from residing between the semiconductor die active surface and the semiconductor substrate back surface, thereby eliminating previously discussed problems associated with filler particles used in the encapsulant material.  
         [0032]     In another embodiment of the present invention, the adhesive tape is extended past the semiconductor substrate opening edge to provide a detectable surface within the semiconductor substrate opening. The adhesive tape detectable surface can be visually detected through the semiconductor substrate opening. Thus, a visual inspection system may be used to detect the presence and/or misalignment of the adhesive tape. Thus, a conductive tape can be sized and configured both to prevent filler particle lodging and to allow for visual detection of the presence and/or misalignment of the adhesive tape. It is, of course, understood that the adhesive tape may also extend past the semiconductor die edge.  
         [0033]     In another embodiment of the present invention, the adhesive tape includes a carrier film which carries the first adhesive layer on a first planar surface of the carrier film and a second adhesive layer on a second planar surface of the carrier film. The first adhesive layer and the second adhesive layer are preferably different adhesives. The use of differing adhesives compensates for the disparity in thermal expansion values typically existing between semiconductor substrates and semiconductor dice. For example, the first adhesive layer may be used to attach the carrier film to the semiconductor die active surface, wherein the first adhesive layer would be selected to accommodate the coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE), adhesion, and modulus properties of the semiconductor die. The second adhesive layer may be used to attach the carrier film to the semiconductor substrate back surface, wherein the second adhesive layer would be selected to accommodate the CTE, adhesion, and modulus properties of the semiconductor substrate. Additionally, the adhesive tape may include only the first adhesive layer laminated with the second adhesive layer without the use of a carrier film. Such a configuration is acceptable so long as the configuration prevents filler particle penetration, as described above. Furthermore, the first adhesive layer and the second adhesive layer could be of varying thicknesses as needed or required for a specific semiconductor assembly.  
         [0034]     Additionally, at least one fillet can be created at the junction between an adhesive layer and the semiconductor die active surface and/or the semiconductor substrate. Filleting of the adhesive layers is caused by flow of the material in the adhesive layers during attachment of the semiconductor die to the semiconductor substrate by processes known in the art, such as heating processes, which causes the adhesive layers to momentarily flow out from the space between the semiconductor die and the carrier film and out from the space between the carrier film and the semiconductor substrate, and thereafter solidify. The degree of filleting can be manipulated by varying the thickness of the adhesive layers. Such filleting of the adhesive layers accords additional protection against the possibility of filler particles lodging or wedging between the adhesive layers and the semiconductor die and/or the semiconductor substrate.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0035]     While the specification concludes with claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming that which is regarded as the present invention, the advantages of this invention can be more readily ascertained from the following description of the invention when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:  
         [0036]      FIG. 1  is a cross-sectional side view of an intermediate semiconductor assembly of the present invention;  
         [0037]      FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional side view of an adhesive tape material according to the present invention;  
         [0038]      FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional side view of an intermediate semiconductor assembly including bond wire connections according to the present invention;  
         [0039]      FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional side view of an intermediate semiconductor assembly including TAB connections according to the present invention;  
         [0040]      FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional side view of an intermediate semiconductor assembly including a glob top encapsulation according to the present invention;  
         [0041]      FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional side view of a semiconductor assembly shielded by an encapsulation material according to the present invention;  
         [0042]      FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional side view of an intermediate semiconductor assembly including an extended adhesive tape according to the present invention;  
         [0043]      FIG. 8  is a cross-sectional side view of inset  8  of  FIG. 7  according to the present invention;  
         [0044]      FIG. 9  is a bottom plan view along line  9 - 9  of  FIG. 7  of an intermediate semiconductor assembly according to the present invention;  
         [0045]      FIG. 10  is a cross-sectional side view of another intermediate semiconductor assembly including an extended adhesive tape according to the present invention;  
         [0046]      FIG. 11  is a cross-sectional side view of an embodiment of filleting of the adhesive layers according to the present invention;  
         [0047]      FIG. 12  is a cross-sectional side view of another embodiment of filleting of the adhesive layers according to the present invention;  
         [0048]      FIG. 13  is a cross-sectional side view of yet another embodiment of filleting of the adhesive layers according to the present invention;  
         [0049]      FIGS. 14 and 15  are cross-sectional side views of prior art back bonded semiconductor assemblies;  
         [0050]      FIG. 16  is a cross-sectional side view of a prior art intermediate semiconductor assembly;  
         [0051]      FIG. 17  is a cross-sectional side view of the prior art intermediate semiconductor assembly of  FIG. 16  having a glob top encapsulation;  
         [0052]      FIG. 18  is a cross-sectional side view of the prior art intermediate semiconductor assembly of  FIG. 17  shielded by an encapsulation material;  
         [0053]      FIG. 19  is a cross-sectional side view of inset  19  of  FIG. 17 ; and  
         [0054]      FIG. 20  is a cross-sectional side view of inset  20  of  FIG. 18 . 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0055]      FIGS. 1-13  illustrate various views of semiconductor assemblies according to the present invention. It should be understood that the illustrations are not meant to be actual views of any particular semiconductor assembly, but are merely idealized representations which are employed to more clearly and fully depict the present invention than would otherwise be possible. Additionally, elements common between  FIGS. 1-13  retain the same numerical designation.  
         [0056]      FIG. 1  illustrates an embodiment of an intermediate semiconductor die assembly  100  according to the present invention, wherein a semiconductor die  102 , such as those known in the art, extends over and is attached to a semiconductor substrate  104  having an opening  106  defined therein. The semiconductor substrate  104  can be an FR- 4  printed circuit board, a ceramic substrate or other known substrates including multiple layered substrates. In addition, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the use of one substrate per die assembly.  
         [0057]     For purposes of illustration, the semiconductor die  102  can comprise memory devices, such as dynamic random access memory (DRAM) and static random access memory (SRAM), and other semiconductor devices wherein COB assemblies are used.  
         [0058]     Adhesive tape  108  is positioned between the semiconductor die  102  and the semiconductor substrate  104  on opposing sides of the semiconductor substrate opening  106 , thereby attaching an active surface  112  of the semiconductor die  102  to a back surface  114  of the semiconductor substrate  104 . The adhesive tape  108  is preferably a planar dielectric or insulative carrier film  116  having a first adhesive layer  118  on a first planar surface  122  of the carrier film  116  and a second adhesive layer  124  on a second planar surface  126  of the carrier film  116 , as shown in  FIG. 2 .  
         [0059]     Referring back to  FIG. 1 , the adhesive tape  108  (shown generally as a width) preferably extends proximate an edge  128  of the semiconductor die  102  and proximate an edge  132  of the semiconductor substrate opening  106 . Such a configuration of the adhesive tape  108  maximizes the contact area between the semiconductor die  102  and the semiconductor substrate  104 . This increased contact area assists in preventing the semiconductor die  102  from flexing, twisting, or bending away from the semiconductor substrate  104 , thus reducing or eliminating localized stress failures occurring during subsequent molding processes.  
         [0060]     The semiconductor die active surface  112  is aligned such that at least one bond pad  134  is aligned with the semiconductor substrate opening  106 . As shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , electrical connections  136  (shown as bond wires in  FIG. 3  and TAB connections in  FIG. 4 ) are then attached between the semiconductor die bond pads  134  and traces  138  (which are in electrical communication with electrical components either internal or external to the semiconductor substrate  104 ) on an active surface  142  of the semiconductor substrate  104  through the semiconductor substrate opening  106 .  
         [0061]     The semiconductor substrate opening  106  is filled and the electrical connections  136  are covered with a glob top material  144  injected into the opening  106 , as shown in  FIG. 5 . The adhesive tape  108  extending proximate the semiconductor substrate opening edge  132  substantially prevents glob top material  144  from residing between semiconductor die active surface  112  and the semiconductor substrate back surface  114 , thereby virtually eliminating problems associated with filler particles used in the glob top material  144 . Thus, the electrical connections  136  are protected from bond wire sweep and connection detachment by the glob top material  144 .  
         [0062]     As shown in  FIG. 6 , an encapsulant material  146  is molded over the semiconductor die  102 . It is, of course, understood that the encapsulant material  146  could be a glob top material applied over the semiconductor die  102  and that the encapsulant material could also be molded to encase the glob top material  144 . Again, the adhesive tape  108  extending proximate the semiconductor die edge  128  substantially prevents encapsulant material  146  from residing between semiconductor die active surface  112  and the semiconductor substrate back surface  114 , thereby eliminating problems associated with filler particles used in the encapsulant material  146 .  
         [0063]     In another embodiment of the present invention, the adhesive tape  108  is extended past the semiconductor substrate opening edge  132 , as shown in  FIG. 7 , to provide a detectable surface  152  within the semiconductor substrate opening  106 , as shown in  FIG. 8  (an enlargement of inset  8  of  FIG. 7 ). As shown in  FIG. 9  (a view along line  9 - 9  of  FIG. 7 ), the adhesive tape detectable surface  152  can be visually detected through the semiconductor substrate opening  106 . Thus, a visual inspection system may then be used to detect the presence and/or misalignment of the adhesive tape  108 . Thus, an adhesive tape  108  can be sized and configured both to prevent filler particle lodging, described above, and to allow for visual detection of the presence and/or misalignment of the adhesive tape  108 . It is, of course, understood that the adhesive tape  108  may also extend past the semiconductor die edge  128 , as shown in  FIG. 10 , with visual inspection being conducted viewing the semiconductor substrate back surface  114 .  
         [0064]     Referring to  FIG. 2 , an embodiment of the adhesive tape  108  includes the carrier film  116 , such as Upilex® (UBE Industries, Ltd., Ube City, Japan), Kapton® (E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Co., Midland, Mich., USA), or other such films, which carries the first adhesive layer  118  on a first planar surface  122  of the carrier film  116  and a second adhesive layer  124  on a second planar surface  126  of the carrier film  116 . The first adhesive layer  118  and the second adhesive layer  124  are preferably different adhesives. The use of differing adhesives compensates for the disparity in thermal expansion values typically existing between semiconductor substrates and semiconductor dice. For example, the first adhesive layer  118  may be used to attach the carrier film  116  to the semiconductor die active surface  112 , wherein the first adhesive layer  118  would be selected to accommodate the coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE), adhesion, and modulus properties of the semiconductor die  102 , such as a high Tg thermoplastic adhesive. The second adhesive layer  124  may be used to attach the carrier film  116  to the semiconductor substrate back surface  114 , wherein the second adhesive layer  124  would be selected to accommodate the CTE, adhesion, and modulus properties of semiconductor substrate  104 , such as a low Tg thermoset adhesive. Additionally, the adhesive tape  108  may include only the first adhesive layer  118  laminated with the second adhesive layer  124  without the use of a carrier film (not shown) by processes known in the art. Such a configuration is acceptable so long as the configuration prevents filler particle penetration, as described above. Furthermore, the first adhesive layer  118  and the second adhesive layer  124  could be of varying thicknesses as needed or required for a specific semiconductor assembly. Preferably, the overall adhesive tape thickness is between about 80 and 200 μm so as to electrically insulate and attach the semiconductor die  102  to the semiconductor substrate  104 .  
         [0065]     Additionally, at least one fillet can be created at the junction between an adhesive layer and the semiconductor die active surface  112  and/or the semiconductor substrate  104 .  FIG. 11  illustrates the adhesive tape  108  extending past the semiconductor die edge  128 , wherein a first fillet  156  is formed from the first adhesive layer  118  and a second fillet  158  is formed from the second adhesive layer  124 .  FIG. 12  illustrates the adhesive tape  108  extending past the semiconductor substrate opening edge  132 , wherein a third fillet  162  is formed from the first adhesive layer  118  and a fourth fillet  164  is formed from the second adhesive layer  124 .  FIG. 13  illustrates the adhesive tape  108  extending just short of the semiconductor die edge  128  due to a slight misalignment of the adhesive tape, wherein a fillet  166  composed of a portion of the first adhesive layer  118  and a portion of the second adhesive layer  124  is formed. Such a fillet formation can compensate for slight adhesive tape  108  misaligments by filling any potential voids between the semiconductor die  102  and the semiconductor substrate  104 .  
         [0066]     Filleting of the adhesive layers is caused by flow of the material in the adhesive layers during attachment of the semiconductor die  102  to the semiconductor substrate  104  by processes known in the art, such as heating processes, which cause the adhesive layers  1   18 ,  124  to momentarily flow out from the space between the semiconductor die  102  and the carrier film  116  and out from the space between the carrier film  116  and the semiconductor substrate  104 , and thereafter solidify. The degree of filleting can be manipulated by varying the thickness of the adhesive layers. Such filleting of the adhesive layers accords additional protection against the possibility of filler particles lodging or wedging between the adhesive layers and the semiconductor die  102  and/or the semiconductor substrate  104 .  
         [0067]     Having thus described in detail preferred embodiments of the present invention, it is to be understood that the invention defined by the appended claims is not to be limited by particular details set forth in the above description, as many apparent variations thereof are possible without departing from the spirit or scope thereof.
An apparatus and method for preventing damage to tape attachment semiconductor assemblies due to encapsulation filler particles causing damage to a semiconductor die active surface and/or to a corresponding semiconductor substrate surface by providing an adhesive tape which extends across areas of contact between the semiconductor die active surface and the semiconductor substrate. The present invention also includes extending the adhesive tape beyond the areas of contact between the semiconductor die active surface and the semiconductor substrate to provide a visible surface of visual inspection of proper adhesive tape placement.