A microelectronic device is formed by providing a substrate having a recess at a top surface, and a liner layer formed over the top surface of the substrate, extending into the recess. A protective layer is formed over the liner layer, extending into the recess. A CMP process removes the protective layer and the liner layer from over the top surface of the substrate, leaving the protective layer and the liner layer in the recess. The protective layer is subsequently removed from the recess, leaving the liner layer in the recess. The substrate may include an interconnect region with a bond pad and a PO layer having an opening which forms the recess; the bond pad is exposed in the recess. The liner layer in the recess may be a metal liner suitable for a subsequently-formed wire bond or bump bond.

A semiconductor device includes a device layer, a first passivation layer, an aluminum pad, a second passivation layer, an under-ball metallurgy (UBM) pad and a connector. The device layer is disposed over a substrate, wherein the device layer includes a top metal feature. The first passivation layer is disposed over the device layer. The aluminum pad penetrates through the first passivation layer and is electrically connected to the top metal feature. The second passivation layer is disposed over the aluminum pad. The UBM pad penetrates through the second passivation layer and is electrically connected to the aluminum pad. The connector is disposed over the UBM pad. In some embodiments, a first included angle between a sidewall and a bottom of the aluminum pad is greater than a second included angle between a sidewall and a bottom of the UBM pad.

A semiconductor structure includes a substrate having first and second opposing surfaces and a plurality of electrical connections extending between the first and second surfaces. The semiconductor structure also includes one or more interconnect pads having first and second opposing surfaces and one or more sides. The first surface of each one of the interconnect pads is disposed over or beneath select portions of at least the second surface of the substrate and is electrically coupled to select ones of the plurality of electrical connections. The semiconductor structure additionally includes an isolating layer having first and second opposing surfaces and openings formed in select portions of the isolating layer extending between the second surface of the isolating layer and the second surfaces of the interconnect pads. A corresponding method for fabricating a semiconductor structure is also provided.

A power overlay (POL) structure includes a power device having at least one upper contact pad disposed on an upper surface of the power device, and a POL interconnect layer having a dielectric layer coupled to the upper surface of the power device and a metallization layer having metal interconnects extending through vias formed through the dielectric layer and electrically coupled to the at least one upper contact pad of the power device. The POL structure also includes at least one copper wirebond directly coupled to the metallization layer.

A microelectronic device is formed by providing a substrate having a recess at a top surface, and a liner layer formed over the top surface of the substrate, extending into the recess. A protective layer is formed over the liner layer, extending into the recess. A CMP process removes the protective layer and the liner layer from over the top surface of the substrate, leaving the protective layer and the liner layer in the recess. The protective layer is subsequently removed from the recess, leaving the liner layer in the recess. The substrate may include an interconnect region with a bond pad and a PO layer having an opening which forms the recess; the bond pad is exposed in the recess. The liner layer in the recess may be a metal liner suitable for a subsequently-formed wire bond or bump bond.

An integrated circuit package and the method of forming the same are provided. The integrated circuit package may include a first die having a first substrate and a first through via extending through the first substrate, a first gap-fill layer along a sidewall of the first substrate, an isolation layer on a surface of the first substrate and a surface of the first gap-fill layer, a first bonding layer over the isolation layer, and a first bonding pad in the first bonding layer. The isolation layer may overlap an interface between the sidewall of the first substrate and a sidewall of the first gap-fill layer, and may extend on sidewalls of the first through via.

Protection from electrostatic discharge (ESD) events is provided by forming leading points of discharge (LPoD) structures on a semiconductor die or on a composite die. The LPoD structures may comprise an upper protrusion portion on an ESD path metal structure, intermediate metallic material portions, solder material portions having a greater height than normal solder material portions that are not provided with ESD protection, or a elongated metal bar structure. The LPoD structures may be used for anisotropic etch process for forming via cavities, bonding processes using solder material portions, bonding processes using metal-to-metal bonding, and/or solder ball attachment processes.

A semiconductor package includes: a die having a conductive pad at a first side of the die; and a redistribution structure over the first side of the die and electrically coupled to the die. The redistribution structure includes: a first dielectric layer including a first dielectric material; a first via in the first dielectric layer, where the first via is electrically coupled to the conductive pad of the die; and a first dielectric structure embedded in the first dielectric layer, where the first dielectric structure includes a second dielectric material different from the first dielectric material, where the first dielectric structure laterally surrounds the first via and contacts sidewalls of the first via.

A semiconductor including a plurality of structured contacts suitable for forming electrical connections to respective contacts of another semiconductor component, wherein each of said structured contacts comprises a planar contact surface and a plurality of upright tube-shaped structures extending outward from the planar contact surface is disclosed. The tube-shaped structures may be arranged in a regular array on the respective contact surfaces and are produced by a sequence of steps including the patterning of a dielectric layer formed on the front surface of the component, said patterning resulting in openings in said dielectric layer, and the deposition of a conformal layer on said patterned dielectric layer, thereby lining the bottom and sidewalls of the openings. The conformal layer may be removed from the upper surface of the dielectric layer and the material of said layer is removed selectively with respect to the conformal layer, resulting in said tube-shaped structures.

A microelectronic device is formed by providing a substrate having a recess at a top surface, and a liner layer formed over the top surface of the substrate, extending into the recess. A protective layer is formed over the liner layer, extending into the recess. A CMP process removes the protective layer and the liner layer from over the top surface of the substrate, leaving the protective layer and the liner layer in the recess. The protective layer is subsequently removed from the recess, leaving the liner layer in the recess. The substrate may include an interconnect region with a bond pad and a PO layer having an opening which forms the recess; the bond pad is exposed in the recess. The liner layer in the recess may be a metal liner suitable for a subsequently-formed wire bond or bump bond.