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Journal of Applied Physics

Fabrication of superconducting through-silicon vias with photoresist passivation technique

Xiaoyu Xia, Yuting Sun, Qingyu Wang, Jianwen Xu, Wei Xin, Wenchang Yan, Dong Lan, Yang Yu

Published Jan 15, 2026• 0 citations
Publisher

Abstract

Superconducting through-silicon vias (TSVs), which enable direct signal transmission between circuit layers and reduce spurious coupling, are essential elements in accomplishing a large-scale quantum circuit. However, the widespread adoption of superconducting TSVs has been hindered by fabrication challenges, such as sidewall roughness and complicated process flow. Here, we propose a technique to fabricate superconducting TSVs. With this technique, a single layer of passivated photoresist (PPR) is treated as a hard mask during the Bosch etching process in order to reach an aspect ratio of 20:1 in a 500μm-thick silicon wafer. Compared with other TSV fabrication techniques, using PPR as a hard mask achieves high etching selectivity (80:1), simplifies fabrication process, and yields smooth sidewalls, while remaining compatible with superconducting quantum circuits. To verify superconducting performance, we performed cryogenic measurements on large-diameter TSVs (500μm) that allow uniform aluminum deposition, yielding a critical temperature (TC) of 1.2 K. This technique supports the development of 3D-integrated architectures for superconducting quantum processors, offering a practical pathway toward high-density circuit architectures.

DOI
10.1063/5.0294596

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Superconducting through-silicon vias (TSVs), which enable direct signal transmission between circuit layers and reduce spurious coupling, are essential elements in accomplishing a large-scale quantum circuit. However, the widespread adoption of superconducting TSVs has been hindered by fabrication challenges, such as sidewall roughness and complicated process flow. Here, we propose a technique to fabricate superconducting TSVs. With this technique, a single layer of passivated photoresist (PPR) is treated as a hard mask during the Bosch etching process in order to reach an aspect ratio of 20:1 in a 500μm-thick silicon wafer. Compared with other TSV fabrication techniques, using PPR as a hard mask achieves high etching selectivity (80:1), simplifies fabrication process, and yields smooth sidewalls, while remaining compatible with superconducting quantum circuits. To verify superconducting performance, we performed cryogenic measurements on large-diameter TSVs (500μm) that allow uniform aluminum deposition, yielding a critical temperature (TC) of 1.2 K. This technique supports the development of 3D-integrated architectures for superconducting quantum processors, offering a practical pathway toward high-density circuit architectures.
Increasing circuit complexity within quantum systems based on superconducting qubits necessitates high connectivity while retaining qubit coherence. Classical micro-electronic systems have addressed interconnect density challenges by using 3D integration with interposers containing through-silicon vias (TSVs), but extending these integration techniques to superconducting quantum systems is challenging. Here, we discuss our approach for realizing high-aspect-ratio superconducting TSVs\textemdash 10 μμμm wide by 20 μμμm long by 200 μμμm deep\textemdash with densities of 100 electrically isolated TSVs per square millimeter. We characterize the DC and microwave performance of superconducting TSVs at cryogenic temperatures and demonstrate superconducting critical currents greater than 20 mA. These high-aspect-ratio, high critical current superconducting TSVs will enable high-density vertical signal routing within superconducting quantum processors.
We proposed a simplified through-silicon via (TSV) and backside interconnect process to suppress cavity resonance in superconducting quantum annealing circuits. The conventional process consisted of 13 steps, but in the new process, it was reduced to 11 steps by forming TSVs first, then creating the backside interconnect, and finally thinning the wafer to expose the TSVs. The new process comprised the following steps: (a) deep silicon etching using the Bosch process, (b) hole cleaning to remove the photoresist and fluoropolymer residues, (c) CF4 plasma treatment to reduce sidewall scallop, (d) barrier/seed-layer deposition, (e) copper electroplating for TSV filling, (f) backside chemical mechanical polishing (CMP), (g) formation of the superconducting backside interconnect (Ti-Nb-Ti layer), (h) deposition of a backside protection layer, (i) direct Si/Cu grinding, (j) frontside CMP, and (k) fabrication of the quantum annealing circuit. Using this process, we fabricated TSVs (diameter at backside, 60 μm; depth, 395 μm) with superconducting backside interconnects in a 100-mm high-resistivity silicon wafer. Furthermore, we evaluated the effect of TSVs on cavity resonance through high-frequency measurements of samples with and without TSVs. The results demonstrate that the TSVs and backside interconnect of new process effectively suppress cavity resonance.
The development of superconducting quantum computing has seen a rapid acceleration in recent years. The number of controllable qubits fabricated on-chip has steadily increased in the pursuit of more computational power. 3D integration has become a key enabling technology for the scalability of these larger systems due to the architectural flexibility it offers, mirroring its impact on conventional electronics. As part of this development, superconducting throughsilicon vias (TSVs) have recently emerged as a method of breaking the wiring plane and routing signals through the substrate as well as for other, more novel, applications such as acting as the capacitive component of a new type of superconducting qubit. This thesis will discuss the simulation, fabrication and measurement of superconducting TSVs. Using ANSYS HFSS electromagnetic simulation software, the geometric parameters of TSV-integrated co-planar waveguides were optimised for the transmission of microwave signals. In addition, a TSV-integrated tunable qubit coupler was simulated and the effect of the device’s geometry on the various capacitances within the device, and in turn on the device’s parameters, such as the charging and Josephson energies, was investigated. As a leading cause of signal degradation in electronic devices, crosstalk should be removed from devices as far as possible. Varying the number and arrangement of grounding TSVs was explored as a strategy for the mitigation of crosstalk between adjacent TSVs and it was found that using 4 ground TSVs to shield the signal TSV resulted in a dramatic reduction in crosstalk, with values of S41 <−140dB at 4GHz. For the fabricated samples, a comparison was made of different Bosch etches used to define the TSVs and it was determined that the ICP power and total etch time were highly influential in the degree of sidewall roughness. Methods of sidewall smoothing were also investigated, with KOH wet etching found to offer near atomic-level smoothness. Finally, the fabricated samples were characterised using, among other methods, cryogenic spectroscopy. A novel application of the method of calibrated cryogenic S-parameter measurement to superconducting TSVs is also presented, with the TSV-integrated co-planar waveguide structure under test exhibiting a peak transmission of -1.44dB.
Superconducting through silicon vias are emerging as a key interconnect technology to realise a scalable superconducting quantum computing platform. Integration of semiconductor technology into quantum devices is becoming more common whilst quantum devices are taking advantage of novel combinations of plasma processes and materials to realise more qubits and denser integration. In this letter, plasma processes for fabrication of superconducting niobium nitride TSVs have been developed by means of deep silicon etching, plasma polishing and atomic layer deposition. Key steps were experimentally investigated for their impact on etching and deposition results. The underlying mechanisms have been analysed to optimise the whole process flow. Sidewall topography significantly influenced conformality of niobium nitride deposition into deep features. As a result, high-quality vertical superconducting through silicon vias were obtained with a transition temperature of 10.7 K.
This paper presents the fabrication and electrical characterization of superconducting high-aspect ratio through-silicon vias DC-sputtered with aluminum. Fully conformal and void-free coating of 300 μm-deep and 50 μm-wide vias with Al, a CMOS-compatible and widely available superconductor, was made possible by tailoring a funneled sidewall profile for the axisymmetric vias. Single-via electric resistance as low as 80.44 mQ at room temperature and superconductivity below 1.28 K were measured by a cross-bridge Kelvin resistor structure. This work thus demonstrates the fabrication of functional superconducting interposer layers, suitable for high-density 3D integration of silicon-based quantum computing architectures.