A method of improving electrical interconnections between two electrical elements is made available by providing a meta-material overlay in conjunction with the electrical interconnection. The meta-material overlay is designed to make the electrical signal propagating via the electrical interconnection to act as though the permittivity and permeability of the dielectric medium within which the electrical interconnection is formed are different than the real component permittivity and permeability of the dielectric medium surrounding the electrical interconnection. In some instances the permittivity and permeability resulting from the meta-material cause the signal to propagate as if the permittivity and permeability have negative values. Accordingly the method provides for electrical interconnections possessing enhanced control and stability of impedance, reduced noise, and reduced loss. Alternative embodiments of the meta-material overlay provide, the enhancements for conventional discrete wire bonds whilst also facilitating single integrated designs compatible with tape implementation.

A wire comprising a wire core with a surface, the wire core having a coating layer superimposed on its surface, wherein the wire core itself consists of: (a) pure silver consisting of (a1) silver in an amount in the range of from 99.99 to 100 wt.-% and (a2) further components in a total amount of from 0 to 100 wt.-ppm or (b) doped silver consisting of (b1) silver in an amount in the range of from >99.49 to 99.997 wt.-%, (b2) at least one doping element selected from the group consisting of calcium, nickel, platinum, palladium, gold, copper, rhodium and ruthenium in a total amount of from 30 to <5000 wt.-ppm and (b3) further components in a total amount of from 0 to 100 wt.-ppm, or (c) a silver alloy consisting of (c1) silver in an amount in the range of from 89.99 to 99.5 wt.-%, (c2) at least one alloying element selected from the group consisting of nickel, platinum, palladium, gold, copper, rhodium and ruthenium in a total amount in the range of from 0.5 to 10 wt.-% and (c3) further components in a total amount of from 0 to 100 wt.-ppm, or (d) a doped silver alloy consisting of (d1) silver in an amount in the range of from >89.49 to 99.497 wt.-%, (d2) at least one doping element selected from the group consisting of calcium, nickel, platinum, palladium, gold, copper, rhodium and ruthenium in a total amount of from 30 to <5000 wt.-ppm, (d3) at least one alloying element selected from the group consisting of nickel, platinum, palladium, gold, copper, rhodium and ruthenium in a total amount in the range of from 0.5 to 10 wt.-% and (d4) further components in a total amount of from 0 to 100 wt.-ppm, wherein the at least one doping element (d2) is other than the at least one alloying element (d3), wherein the individual amount of any further component is less than 30 wt.-ppm, wherein the individual amount of any doping element is at least 30 wt.-ppm, wherein all amounts in wt.-% and wt.-ppm are based on the total weight of the core, and wherein the coating layer is a double-layer comprised of a 1 to 1000 nm inner layer of gold and an adjacent 0.5 to 100 nm thick outer layer of palladium or a double-layer comprised of a 0.5 to 100 nm thick inner layer of palladium and an adjacent >200 to 1000 nm thick outer layer of gold.

A wire comprising a wire core with a surface, the wire core having a coating layer superimposed on its surface, wherein the wire core itself consists of: (a) pure silver consisting of (a1) silver in an amount in the range of from 99.99 to 100 wt.-% and (a2) further components in a total amount of from 0 to 100 wt.-ppm or (b) doped silver consisting of (b1) silver in an amount in the range of from >99.49 to 99.997 wt.-%, (b2) at least one doping element selected from the group consisting of calcium, nickel, platinum, palladium, gold, copper, rhodium and ruthenium in a total amount of from 30 to <5000 wt.-ppm and (b3) further components in a total amount of from 0 to 100 wt.-ppm, or (c) a silver alloy consisting of (c1) silver in an amount in the range of from 89.99 to 99.5 wt.-%, (c2) at least one alloying element selected from the group consisting of nickel, platinum, palladium, gold, copper, rhodium and ruthenium in a total amount in the range of from 0.5 to 10 wt.-% and (c3) further components in a total amount of from 0 to 100 wt.-ppm, or (d) a doped silver alloy consisting of (d1) silver in an amount in the range of from >89.49 to 99.497 wt.-%, (d2) at least one doping element selected from the group consisting of calcium, nickel, platinum, palladium, gold, copper, rhodium and ruthenium in a total amount of from 30 to <5000 wt.-ppm, (d3) at least one alloying element selected from the group consisting of nickel, platinum, palladium, gold, copper, rhodium and ruthenium in a total amount in the range of from 0.5 to 10 wt.-% and (d4) further components in a total amount of from 0 to 100 wt.-ppm, wherein the at least one doping element (d2) is other than the at least one alloying element (d3), wherein the individual amount of any further component is less than 30 wt.-ppm, wherein the individual amount of any doping element is at least 30 wt.-ppm, wherein all amounts in wt.-% and wt.-ppm are based on the total weight of the core, and wherein the coating layer is a double-layer comprised of a 1 to 1000 nm inner layer of gold and an adjacent 0.5 to 100 nm thick outer layer of palladium or a double-layer comprised of a 0.5 to 100 nm thick inner layer of palladium and an adjacent >200 to 1000 nm thick outer layer of gold.

Semiconductor devices and methods of manufacture thereof are disclosed. In some embodiments, a method includes forming a contact pad over a semiconductor device. A passivation material is formed over the contact pad. The passivation material has a thickness and is a type of material such that an electrical connection may be made to the contact pad through the passivation material.

Semiconductor devices and methods of manufacture thereof are disclosed. In some embodiments, a method includes forming a contact pad over a semiconductor device. A passivation material is formed over the contact pad. The passivation material has a thickness and is a type of material such that an electrical connection may be made to the contact pad through the passivation material.

A semiconductor device having a leadframe including a pad (101) surrounded by elongated leads (110) spaced from the pad by a gap (113) and extending to a frame, the pad and the leads having a first thickness (115) and a first and an opposite and parallel second surface; the leads having a first portion (112) of first thickness near the gap and a second portion (111) of first thickness near the frame, and a zone (114) of reduced second thickness (116) between the first and second portions; the second surface (112a) of the first lead portions is coplanar with the second surface (111a) of the second portions. A semiconductor chip (220) with a terminal is attached the pad. A metallic wire connection (230) from the terminal to an adjacent lead includes a stitch bond (232) attached to the first surface of the lead.

A semiconductor device having a leadframe including a pad (101) surrounded by elongated leads (110) spaced from the pad by a gap (113) and extending to a frame, the pad and the leads having a first thickness (115) and a first and an opposite and parallel second surface; the leads having a first portion (112) of first thickness near the gap and a second portion (111) of first thickness near the frame, and a zone (114) of reduced second thickness (116) between the first and second portions; the second surface (112a) of the first lead portions is coplanar with the second surface (111a) of the second portions. A semiconductor chip (220) with a terminal is attached the pad. A metallic wire connection (230) from the terminal to an adjacent lead includes a stitch bond (232) attached to the first surface of the lead.

A sensor chip package assembly and an electronic device having the sensor chip package assembly are disclosed, where the sensor chip package assembly includes: a metal substrate (100) which has a bonding pad region (11) and a placement region (12), the bonding pad region having a plurality of metal bonding pads (13); a sensor chip (200) which is located on an upper surface of the metal substrate, and the sensor chip having a plurality of sensor chip bonding pads (21); an electrical connection assembly (300) which electrically connects a metal bonding pad and a sensor chip bonding pad; and a packaging material cover (400) which covers the metal substrate, the sensor chip and the electrical connection assembly, where any two adjacent metal bonding pads are spaced in an insulated manner by the packaging material cover.

A sensor chip package assembly and an electronic device having the sensor chip package assembly are disclosed, where the sensor chip package assembly includes: a metal substrate (100) which has a bonding pad region (11) and a placement region (12), the bonding pad region having a plurality of metal bonding pads (13); a sensor chip (200) which is located on an upper surface of the metal substrate, and the sensor chip having a plurality of sensor chip bonding pads (21); an electrical connection assembly (300) which electrically connects a metal bonding pad and a sensor chip bonding pad; and a packaging material cover (400) which covers the metal substrate, the sensor chip and the electrical connection assembly, where any two adjacent metal bonding pads are spaced in an insulated manner by the packaging material cover.

A noble metal-coated silver bonding wire for ball bonding wire includes a noble metal coating layer on a core material made of pure silver or a silver alloy, wherein the wire contains at least one sulfur group element, the noble metal coating layer includes at least one palladium layer, the total palladium content relative to the entire wire is not less than 0.01 mass % and not more than 5.0 mass %, and the total sulfur group element content relative to the entire wire is not less than 0.1 mass ppm and not more than 100 mass ppm.