Representative techniques and devices, including process steps may be employed to mitigate undesired dishing in conductive interconnect structures and erosion of dielectric bonding surfaces. For example, an embedded layer may be added to the dished or eroded surface to eliminate unwanted dishing or voids and to form a planar bonding surface. Additional techniques and devices, including process steps may be employed to form desired openings in conductive interconnect structures, where the openings can have a predetermined or desired volume relative to the volume of conductive material of the interconnect structures. Each of these techniques, devices, and processes can provide for the use of larger diameter, larger volume, or mixed-sized conductive interconnect structures at the bonding surface of bonded dies and wafers.

Representative techniques and devices, including process steps may be employed to mitigate undesired dishing in conductive interconnect structures and erosion of dielectric bonding surfaces. For example, an embedded layer may be added to the dished or eroded surface to eliminate unwanted dishing or voids and to form a planar bonding surface. Additional techniques and devices, including process steps may be employed to form desired openings in conductive interconnect structures, where the openings can have a predetermined or desired volume relative to the volume of conductive material of the interconnect structures. Each of these techniques, devices, and processes can provide for the use of larger diameter, larger volume, or mixed-sized conductive interconnect structures at the bonding surface of bonded dies and wafers.

A first conductive material having a first hardness is disposed within a recess or opening of a microelectronic component, in a first preselected pattern, and forms a first portion of an interconnect structure. A second conductive material having a second hardness different from the first hardness is disposed within the recess or opening in a second preselected pattern and forms a second portion of the interconnect structure.

Improved bonding surfaces for microelectronics are provided. An example method of protecting a dielectric surface for direct bonding during a microelectronics fabrication process includes overfilling cavities and trenches in the dielectric surface with a temporary filler that has an approximately equal chemical and mechanical resistance to a chemical-mechanical planarization (CMP) process as the dielectric bonding surface. The CMP process is applied to the temporary filler to flatten the temporary filler down to the dielectric bonding surface. The temporary filler is then removed with an etchant that is selective to the temporary filler, but nonreactive toward the dielectric surface and toward inner surfaces of the cavities and trenches in the dielectric bonding surface. Edges of the cavities remain sharp, which minimizes oxide artifacts, strengthens the direct bond, and reduces the bonding seam.

Improved bonding surfaces for microelectronics are provided. An example method of protecting a dielectric surface for direct bonding during a microelectronics fabrication process includes overfilling cavities and trenches in the dielectric surface with a temporary filler that has an approximately equal chemical and mechanical resistance to a chemical-mechanical planarization (CMP) process as the dielectric bonding surface. The CMP process is applied to the temporary filler to flatten the temporary filler down to the dielectric bonding surface. The temporary filler is then removed with an etchant that is selective to the temporary filler, but nonreactive toward the dielectric surface and toward inner surfaces of the cavities and trenches in the dielectric bonding surface. Edges of the cavities remain sharp, which minimizes oxide artifacts, strengthens the direct bond, and reduces the bonding seam.

A semiconductor package includes a substrate, a first semiconductor chip disposed on the substrate, and a second semiconductor chip disposed on a top surface of the first semiconductor chip. The first semiconductor chip includes a conductive pattern disposed on the top surface of the first semiconductor chip and a first protective layer covering the top surface of the first semiconductor chip and at least partially surrounds the conductive pattern. The second semiconductor chip includes a first pad that contacts a first through electrode on a bottom surface of the second semiconductor chip. A second protective layer surrounds the first pad and covers the bottom surface of the second semiconductor chip. A third protection layer fills a first recess defined in the second protective layer to face the inside of the second protective layer. The first protective layer and the third protective layer contact each other.

A semiconductor package includes a substrate, a first semiconductor chip disposed on the substrate, and a second semiconductor chip disposed on a top surface of the first semiconductor chip. The first semiconductor chip includes a conductive pattern disposed on the top surface of the first semiconductor chip and a first protective layer covering the top surface of the first semiconductor chip and at least partially surrounds the conductive pattern. The second semiconductor chip includes a first pad that contacts a first through electrode on a bottom surface of the second semiconductor chip. A second protective layer surrounds the first pad and covers the bottom surface of the second semiconductor chip. A third protection layer fills a first recess defined in the second protective layer to face the inside of the second protective layer. The first protective layer and the third protective layer contact each other.

Various fan-out devices are disclosed. In one aspect, a semiconductor chip device is provided that includes a redistribution layer structure that has plural conductor structures and plural glass interlevel dielectric layers. A glass encapsulant layer is positioned on the redistribution layer structure. A first semiconductor chip and a second semiconductor chip are positioned in the glass encapsulant layer and electrically connected by at least some of the conductor structures. A cap layer is on the encapsulant layer.

Various fan-out devices are disclosed. In one aspect, a semiconductor chip device is provided that includes a redistribution layer structure that has plural conductor structures and plural glass interlevel dielectric layers. A glass encapsulant layer is positioned on the redistribution layer structure. A first semiconductor chip and a second semiconductor chip are positioned in the glass encapsulant layer and electrically connected by at least some of the conductor structures. A cap layer is on the encapsulant layer.

Improved bonding surfaces for microelectronics are provided. An example method of protecting a dielectric surface for direct bonding during a microelectronics fabrication process includes overfilling cavities and trenches in the dielectric surface with a temporary filler that has an approximately equal chemical and mechanical resistance to a chemical-mechanical planarization (CMP) process as the dielectric bonding surface. The CMP process is applied to the temporary filler to flatten the temporary filler down to the dielectric bonding surface. The temporary filler is then removed with an etchant that is selective to the temporary filler, but nonreactive toward the dielectric surface and toward inner surfaces of the cavities and trenches in the dielectric bonding surface. Edges of the cavities remain sharp, which minimizes oxide artifacts, strengthens the direct bond, and reduces the bonding seam.