Semiconductor dies including ultra-thin wafer backmetal systems, microelectronic devices containing such semiconductor dies, and associated fabrication methods are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method for processing a device wafer includes obtaining a device wafer having a wafer frontside and a wafer backside opposite the wafer frontside. A wafer-level gold-based ohmic bond layer, which has a first average grain size and which is predominately composed of gold, by weight, is sputter deposited onto the wafer backside. An electroplating process is utilized to deposit a wafer-level silicon ingress-resistant plated layer over the wafer-level Au-based ohmic bond layer, while imparting the plated layer with a second average grain size exceeding the first average grain size. The device wafer is singulated to separate the device wafer into a plurality of semiconductor die each having a die frontside, an Au-based ohmic bond layer, and a silicon ingress-resistant plated layer.

Layer structures for making direct metal-to-metal bonds at low temperatures and shorter annealing durations in microelectronics are provided. Example bonding interface structures enable direct metal-to-metal bonding of interconnects at low annealing temperatures of 150° C. or below, and at a lower energy budget. The example structures provide a precise metal recess distance for conductive pads and vias being bonded that can be achieved in high volume manufacturing. The example structures provide a vertical stack of conductive layers under the bonding interface, with geometries and thermal expansion features designed to vertically expand the stack at lower temperatures over the precise recess distance to make the direct metal-to-metal bonds. Further enhancements, such as surface nanotexture and copper crystal plane selection, can further actuate the direct metal-to-metal bonding at lowered annealing temperatures and shorter annealing durations.

Layer structures for making direct metal-to-metal bonds at low temperatures and shorter annealing durations in microelectronics are provided. Example bonding interface structures enable direct metal-to-metal bonding of interconnects at low annealing temperatures of 150° C. or below, and at a lower energy budget. The example structures provide a precise metal recess distance for conductive pads and vias being bonded that can be achieved in high volume manufacturing. The example structures provide a vertical stack of conductive layers under the bonding interface, with geometries and thermal expansion features designed to vertically expand the stack at lower temperatures over the precise recess distance to make the direct metal-to-metal bonds. Further enhancements, such as surface nanotexture and copper crystal plane selection, can further actuate the direct metal-to-metal bonding at lowered annealing temperatures and shorter annealing durations.

An electronic component including a pad electrode provided on a wiring electrode and a Au bump provided on the pad electrode, wherein the uppermost layer of the wiring electrode is a first Ti layer, the uppermost layer of the pad electrode is a Au layer, and the thickness of the first Ti layer in at least a portion on which the Au bump is superposed in plan view is greater than the thickness of at least a portion of the first Ti layer in a portion on which the Au bump is not superposed in plan view.

An electronic component including a pad electrode provided on a wiring electrode and a Au bump provided on the pad electrode, wherein the uppermost layer of the wiring electrode is a first Ti layer, the uppermost layer of the pad electrode is a Au layer, and the thickness of the first Ti layer in at least a portion on which the Au bump is superposed in plan view is greater than the thickness of at least a portion of the first Ti layer in a portion on which the Au bump is not superposed in plan view.

In a described example, a method includes: forming a metal layer on a backside surface of a semiconductor wafer, the semiconductor wafer having semiconductor dies spaced apart by scribe lanes on an active surface of the semiconductor wafer opposite the backside surface; forming a layer with a modulus greater than about 4000 MPa up to about 8000 MPa over the metal layer; mounting the backside of the semiconductor wafer on a first side of a dicing tape having an adhesive; cutting through the semiconductor wafer, the metal layer, and the layer with a modulus greater than about 4000 MPa up to about 8000 MPa along scribe lanes; separating the semiconductor dies from the semiconductor wafer and from one another by stretching the dicing tape, expanding the cuts in the semiconductor wafer along the scribe lanes between the semiconductor dies; and removing the separated semiconductor dies from the dicing tape.

In a described example, a method includes: forming a metal layer on a backside surface of a semiconductor wafer, the semiconductor wafer having semiconductor dies spaced apart by scribe lanes on an active surface of the semiconductor wafer opposite the backside surface; forming a layer with a modulus greater than about 4000 MPa up to about 8000 MPa over the metal layer; mounting the backside of the semiconductor wafer on a first side of a dicing tape having an adhesive; cutting through the semiconductor wafer, the metal layer, and the layer with a modulus greater than about 4000 MPa up to about 8000 MPa along scribe lanes; separating the semiconductor dies from the semiconductor wafer and from one another by stretching the dicing tape, expanding the cuts in the semiconductor wafer along the scribe lanes between the semiconductor dies; and removing the separated semiconductor dies from the dicing tape.

A metal film, a manufacturing method of the metal film, semiconductor device, and a manufacturing method of semiconductor device are provided with high crack resistance (higher hardness) during wire bonding. The Metal film has first metal crystal grains, and the second metal crystal grains. Each of the first metal crystal grains has dislocations. Each of the second metal crystal grains has no dislocations. The number of the first metal crystal grains having the dislocations is larger than the number of the second metal crystal grains having no dislocations.

Advanced flat metals for microelectronics are provided. While conventional processes create large damascene features that have a dishing defect that causes failure in bonded devices, example systems and methods described herein create large damascene features that are planar. In an implementation, an annealing process creates large grains or large metallic crystals of copper in large damascene cavities, while a thinner layer of copper over the field of a substrate anneals into smaller grains of copper. The large grains of copper in the damascene cavities resist dishing defects during chemical-mechanical planarization (CMP), resulting in very flat damascene features. In an implementation, layers of resist and layers of a second coating material may be applied in various ways to resist dishing during chemical-mechanical planarization (CMP), resulting in very flat damascene features.

Advanced flat metals for microelectronics are provided. While conventional processes create large damascene features that have a dishing defect that causes failure in bonded devices, example systems and methods described herein create large damascene features that are planar. In an implementation, an annealing process creates large grains or large metallic crystals of copper in large damascene cavities, while a thinner layer of copper over the field of a substrate anneals into smaller grains of copper. The large grains of copper in the damascene cavities resist dishing defects during chemical-mechanical planarization (CMP), resulting in very flat damascene features. In an implementation, layers of resist and layers of a second coating material may be applied in various ways to resist dishing during chemical-mechanical planarization (CMP), resulting in very flat damascene features.