An integrated circuit structure includes an alignment bump and an active electrical connector. The alignment bump includes a first non-solder metallic bump. The first non-solder metallic bump forms a ring encircling an opening therein. The active electrical connector includes a second non-solder metallic bump. A surface of the first non-solder metallic bump and a surface of the second non-solder metallic bump are substantially coplanar with each other.

A method includes forming a conductive pad over an interconnect structure of a wafer, forming a capping layer over the conductive pad, forming a dielectric layer covering the capping layer, and etching the dielectric layer to form an opening in the dielectric layer. The capping layer is exposed to the opening. A wet-cleaning process is then performed on the wafer. During the wet-cleaning process, a top surface of the capping layer is exposed to a chemical solution used for performing the wet-cleaning process. The method further includes depositing a conductive diffusion barrier extending into the opening, and depositing a conductive material over the conductive diffusion barrier.

A semiconductor structure includes a multi-level interconnect structure, a passivation layer, a barrier layer, and a pad layer. The passivation layer is above the multi-level interconnect structure. The barrier layer lines an inner sidewall of the passivation layer, a top surface of the passivation layer and a top surface of a conductive line of the multi-level interconnect structure. The barrier layer includes a first layer, a second layer, a third layer, and a fourth layer. The first layer is in a nano-crystalline phase. The second layer is above the first layer and in an amorphous phase. The third layer is above the second layer and in a polycrystalline phase. The fourth layer is above the third layer and in a nano-crystalline phase. The pad layer is above the barrier layer.

A semiconductor structure includes a multi-level interconnect structure, a passivation layer, a barrier layer, and a pad layer. The passivation layer is above the multi-level interconnect structure. The barrier layer lines an inner sidewall of the passivation layer, a top surface of the passivation layer and a top surface of a conductive line of the multi-level interconnect structure. The barrier layer includes a first layer, a second layer, a third layer, and a fourth layer. The first layer is in a nano-crystalline phase. The second layer is above the first layer and in an amorphous phase. The third layer is above the second layer and in a polycrystalline phase. The fourth layer is above the third layer and in a nano-crystalline phase. The pad layer is above the barrier layer.

The present technique relates to a solid-state image pickup element and an electronic apparatus each of which enables a pad to be formed in a shallow position while reduction of a quality of a back side illumination type solid-state image pickup element is suppressed. The solid-state image pickup element includes a pixel substrate in which a light condensing layer for condensing incident light on a photoelectric conversion element, a semiconductor layer in which the photoelectric conversion element is formed, and a wiring layer in which a wiring and a pad for outside connection are formed are laminated on one another, and at least a part of a first surface of the pad is exposed through a through hole completely extending through the light condensing layer and the semiconductor layer. The present technique, for example, can be applied to a back side illumination type CMOS image sensor.

A resistive element includes: a semiconductor substrate; a lower insulating film deposited on the semiconductor substrate; a resistive layer deposited on the lower insulating film; an interlayer insulating film covering the resistive layer; a pad-forming electrode deposited on the interlayer insulating film, and including a first edge portion connected to one edge portion of the resistive layer and a second edge portion opposite to the first edge portion to be in electrical Schottky contact with the semiconductor substrate; a relay wire having one edge connected to another edge portion of the resistive layer to form an ohmic contact to the semiconductor substrate; and a counter electrode provided under the semiconductor substrate, wherein the resistive element uses a resistance value between the pad-forming electrode and the counter electrode.

A resistive element includes: a semiconductor substrate; a lower insulating film deposited on the semiconductor substrate; a resistive layer deposited on the lower insulating film; an interlayer insulating film covering the resistive layer; a pad-forming electrode deposited on the interlayer insulating film, and including a first edge portion connected to one edge portion of the resistive layer and a second edge portion opposite to the first edge portion to be in electrical Schottky contact with the semiconductor substrate; a relay wire having one edge connected to another edge portion of the resistive layer to form an ohmic contact to the semiconductor substrate; and a counter electrode provided under the semiconductor substrate, wherein the resistive element uses a resistance value between the pad-forming electrode and the counter electrode.

Various embodiments of the present disclosure are directed towards a semiconductor device structure including a bump structure overlying a bond pad. The bond pad is disposed over a semiconductor substrate. An etch stop layer overlies the bond pad. A buffer layer is disposed over the bond pad and separates the etch stop layer and the bond pad. The bump structure includes a base portion contacting an upper surface of the bond pad and an upper portion extending through the etch stop layer and the buffer layer. The base portion of the bump structure has a first width or diameter and the upper portion of the bump structure has a second width or diameter. The first width or diameter being greater than the second width or diameter.

In order to prevent cracks from occurring at the corners of semiconductor dies after the semiconductor dies have been bonded to other substrates, an opening is formed adjacent to the corners of the semiconductor dies, and the openings are filled and overfilled with a buffer material that has physical properties that are between the physical properties of the semiconductor die and an underfill material that is placed adjacent to the buffer material.

In order to prevent cracks from occurring at the corners of semiconductor dies after the semiconductor dies have been bonded to other substrates, an opening is formed adjacent to the corners of the semiconductor dies, and the openings are filled and overfilled with a buffer material that has physical properties that are between the physical properties of the semiconductor die and an underfill material that is placed adjacent to the buffer material.