US Patent 10199354 Die sidewall interconnects for 3D chip assemblies

A stacked-chip assembly including an IC chip or die that is electrically interconnected to another chip and/or a substrate by one or more traces that are coupled through sidewalls of the chip. Electrical traces extending over a sidewall of the chip may contact metal traces of one or more die interconnect levels that intersect the chip edge. Following chip fabrication, singulation may expose a metal trace that intersects the chip sidewall. Following singulation, a conductive sidewall interconnect trace formed over the chip sidewall is to couple the exposed trace to a top or bottom side of a chip or substrate. The sidewall interconnect trace may be further coupled to a ground, signal, or power rail. The sidewall interconnect trace may terminate with a bond pad to which another chip, substrate, or wire lead is bonded. The sidewall interconnect trace may terminate at another sidewall location on the same chip or another chip.