A semiconductor structure is provided. A first semiconductor device includes a first conductive layer formed over a first substrate; a first etching stop layer formed over the first conductive layer, and the first etching stop layer is in direct contact with the first conductive layer. A first bonding layer is formed over the first etching stop layer, and a first bonding via is formed through the first bonding layer and the first etching stop layer. The semiconductor structure includes a second semiconductor device. The second semiconductor device includes a second bonding layer formed over the second etching stop layer and a second bonding via formed through the second bonding layer and a second etching stop layer. A bonding structure between the first substrate and the second substrate, and the bonding structure includes the first bonding via bonded to the second bonding via.

Various embodiments of the present disclosure are directed towards a semiconductor structure (e.g., an integrated circuit (IC) die) comprising an enhanced cap layer for pad oxidation prevention, as well as a method for forming the IC die. An interconnect pad overlies a substrate at a top of an interconnect structure, and a bond structure overlies and extends from a surface of the interconnect pad. A cap layer and an etch stop layer overlie the surface around the bond structure. Further, the cap layer separates the etch stop layer from the interconnect pad and is soft. Soft may for example, refer to a hardness less than silicon nitride and/or less than the etch stop layer. Because the cap layer is soft, a probe may be pushed through the cap layer to the interconnect pad for testing without first forming a pad opening exposing the interconnect pad.

A method of manufacturing a high quality a semiconductor device, includes loading a substrate comprising a conductive film and an insulating film into a process chamber. The insulating film is formed around the conductive film to expose the conductive film. A process gas, which comprises a component that reacts with a desorbed gas generated from the insulating film is supplied into the process chamber which causes a protective film to be selectively formed on the insulating film.

A pad electrode such that a conductive film is used as the pad electrode in a semiconductor device has an object of preventing Al corrosion and improving Au bonding wire durability. A semiconductor device according to the invention includes a conductive film of Al or having Al as a main component on which a signal processing circuit and a pad electrode portion are formed, a metal film formed on the conductive film, and a protective film formed on the metal film, wherein a metal film region in which atoms derived from the metal film are implanted is formed on a surface of the conductive film exposed by an opening formed in one portion of the protective film and the metal film, and adopted as the pad electrode.

A packaged semiconductor device is made by forming a conductive pad on an external surface of an integrated circuit device, forming a passivation layer over the conductive pad, removing a portion of the passivation layer over a bond area on the conductive pad, forming a sacrificial anode around a majority of a periphery surrounding the bond area, forming a conductive bond in the bond area, and forming an encapsulating material around the conductive bond and an exposed portion of the sacrificial anode.

A method of forming solder bumps includes preparing a substrate having a surface on which a plurality of electrode pads are formed, forming a resist layer on the substrate, the resist layer having a plurality of openings, each of the openings being aligned with a corresponding electrode pad of the plurality of electrode pads, forming a conductive pillar in each of the openings of the resist layer, forming conductive layers to cover at least side walls of the resist layer in the openings to block gas emanating from the resist layer, filling molten solder in each of the openings in which the conductive layers has been formed and removing the resist layer.

A device comprises a first chip comprising a first connection pad embedded in a first dielectric layer and a first bonding pad embedded in the first dielectric layer, wherein the first bonding pad comprises a first portion and a second portion, the second portion being in contact with the first connection pad and a second chip comprising a second bonding pad embedded in a second dielectric layer of the second chip, wherein the first chip and the second chip are face-to-face bonded together through the first bonding pad the second bonding pad.

An interposer according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a base layer having opposite first and second surfaces, a wiring structure on the first surface of the base layer, an interposer protective layer disposed on the second surface of the base layer and having a pad recess with a lower surface of the interposer protective layer positioned at a first vertical level and a bottom surface of the pad recess positioned at a second vertical level that is higher than the first vertical level, an interposer pad of which a portion fills the pad recess of the interposer protective layer and the remaining portion protrudes from the interposer protective layer, and an interposer through electrode extending through the base layer and the interposer protective layer to the interposer pad, the interposer through electrode electrically connecting the wiring structure to the interposer pad.

A method comprises depositing a first dielectric layer over a first chip comprising a plurality of first active circuits and a first connection pad, patterning the first dielectric layer to form a first opening, filling the first opening to form a connector in contact with the first connection pad, depositing a second dielectric layer over the first dielectric layer, patterning the second dielectric layer to form a second opening over the connector, filling the second opening to form a first bonding pad in contact with the connector, stacking a second chip on the first chip, wherein the second chip comprises a plurality of second active circuits and a second bonding pad and bonding the first chip and a second chip together to form a stacked semiconductor device through applying a hybrid bonding process to the first bonding pad and the second bonding pad.

A method of forming solder bumps includes preparing a substrate having a surface on which a plurality of electrode pads are formed, forming a resist layer on the substrate, the resist layer having a plurality of openings, each of the openings being aligned with a corresponding electrode pad of the plurality of electrode pads, forming a conductive pillar in each of the openings of the resist layer, forming conductive layers to cover at least side walls of the resist layer in the openings to block gas emanating from the resist layer, filling molten solder in each of the openings in which the conductive layers has been formed and removing the resist layer.