Methods, systems, and apparatuses for preventing corrosion between dissimilar bonded metals. The method includes providing a wafer having a plurality of circuits, each of the plurality of circuits having a plurality of bond pads including a first metal; applying a coating onto at least the plurality of bond pads; etching a hole in the coating on each of the plurality of bond pads to provide an exposed portion of the plurality of bond pads; dicing the wafer to separate each of the plurality of circuits; die bonding each of the plurality of circuits to a respective packaging substrate; and performing a bonding process to bond a second, dissimilar metal to the exposed portion of each of the plurality of bond pads such that the second, dissimilar metal encloses the hole in the coating of each of the plurality of bond pads, thereby enclosing the exposed portion.

Wafers and methods of forming solder balls include forming a final redistribution layer over terminal contact pad on a surface of a wafer. The wafer includes multiple bulk redistribution layers. A hole is etched in the final redistribution layer to expose the terminal contact pad. Solder is injected into the hole using an injection nozzle that is in direct contact with the final redistribution layer. The final redistribution layer is etched back. The injected solder is reflowed to form a solder ball.

A method is provided. The method includes one or more of conditioning one or more die pads of a singular die, applying a nickel layer to the one or more die pads, applying a gold layer over the nickel layer, applying a solder paste over the gold layer, applying one or more solder balls to the solder paste, and mating the one or more solder balls to one or more bond pads of another die, a printed circuit board, or a substrate.

A semiconductor structure includes a conductive structure over a first passivation layer. The semiconductor structure further includes a second passivation layer over the conductive structure and the first passivation layer. The second passivation layer includes a first oxide film extending along a top surface of the first passivation layer, sidewalls and a top surface of the conductive structure, wherein a top surface of the first oxide film is planar. The second passivation layer further includes a second oxide film over a top surface of the first oxide film and a top surface of the conductive structure, wherein a top surface of the second oxide film is planar. The second passivation layer further includes a third oxide film extending along a top surface of the second oxide film, the sidewalls and the top surface of the conductive structure, wherein a top surface of the third oxide film is curved.

Various embodiments provide a semiconductor device, including a final metal layer having a top side and at least one sidewall; and a passivation layer disposed over at least part of at least one of the top side and the at least one sidewall of the final metal layer; wherein the passivation layer has a substantially uniform thickness.

A semiconductor device according to an embodiment comprises a substrate, an epitaxial layer on the substrate, and a cluster including a plurality of particles disposed on the epitaxial layer, the particles being disposed to be apart from each other, and contacting the epitaxial layer.

A chip package is provided. The chip package may include at least one chip, an exposed metal region and a metal protection layer structure over the exposed metal region and configured to protect the metal region from oxidation. The protection layer structure includes a low-temperature deposited oxide, and a hydrothermally converted metal oxide layer over the protection layer structure.

A method is provided. The method includes one or more of conditioning one or more die pads of a singular die, applying a nickel layer to the one or more die pads, applying a gold layer over the nickel layer, applying a solder paste over the gold layer, applying one or more solder balls to the solder paste, and mating the one or more solder balls to one or more bond pads of another die, a printed circuit board, or a substrate.

A chip package is provided. The chip package may include at least one chip, an exposed metal region and a metal protection layer structure over the exposed metal region and configured to protect the metal region from oxidation. The protection layer structure includes a low-temperature deposited oxide, and a hydrothermally converted metal oxide layer over the protection layer structure.

A method of manufacturing a semiconductor element according to the present disclosure includes an element forming step (S1) of forming, on an underlying substrate (11), a semiconductor element (15) connected to the underlying substrate (11) via a connecting portion (13b) and including an upper surface (15a) inclined with respect to a growth surface of the underlying substrate (11), a preparing step (S2) of preparing a support substrate (16) including an opposing surface (16c) facing the underlying substrate (11), a bonding step (S3) of pressing the upper surface (15a) of the semiconductor element (15) against the opposing surface (16c) of the support substrate (16) and heating the upper surface (15a) to bond the upper surface (15a) of the semiconductor element (15) to the support substrate (16), and a peeling step (S4) of peeling the semiconductor element (15) from the underlying substrate (11).