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.

In a semiconductor device according to an embodiment, a first connection wiring layer and a second connection wiring layer are bonded such that a first surface and a second surface face each other and a first electrode and a second electrode are in contact with each other, wherein the first electrode includes a first barrier metal film provided in a first trench and containing Ti, and a first conductive film provided in the first trench via the first barrier metal film and containing polycrystalline Cu, the second electrode includes a second barrier metal film provided in a second trench and containing Ti, and a second conductive film provided in the second trench via the second barrier metal film and containing polycrystalline Cu, and Ti and O are present on a bonding surface between the first electrode and the second electrode.

A method of forming a semiconductor device for improving an electrical connection. The semiconductor device includes a top metal layer. A protective dielectric layer is formed over the top metal layer. A sintering operation is performed while the top metal layer is covered by the protective dielectric layer. After the sintering operation, the protective dielectric layer is patterned to expose areas on the top metal layer for bond pads of the semiconductor device. A bond pad cap is formed on the top metal layer where exposed by the protective dielectric layer.

A method is disclosed for electrically bonding a first semiconductor component to a second semiconductor component, both components including arrays of contact areas. In one aspect, prior to bonding, layers of an intermetallic compound are formed on the contact areas of the second component. The roughness of the intermetallic layers is such that the intermetallic layers include cavities suitable for insertion of a solder material in the cavities, under the application of a bonding pressure, when the solder is at a temperature below its melting temperature. The components are aligned and bonded, while the solder material is applied between the two. Bonding takes place at a temperature below the melting temperature of the solder. The bond can be established only by the insertion of the solder into the cavities of the intermetallic layers, and without the formation of a second intermetallic layer.

Wafer-level packaging method and package structure are provided. In an exemplary method, first chips are bonded to the device wafer. A first encapsulation layer is formed on the device wafer, covering the first chips. The first chip includes: a chip front surface with a formed first pad, facing the device wafer; and a chip back surface opposite to the chip front surface. A first opening is formed in the first encapsulation layer to expose at least one first chip having an exposed chip back surface for receiving a loading signal. A metal layer structure is formed covering the at least one first chip, a bottom and sidewalls of the first opening, and the first encapsulation layer, followed by an alloying treatment on the chip back surface and the metal layer structure to form a back metal layer on the chip back surface.

A semiconductor device package includes a substrate, a silicon (Si) or silicon carbide (SiC) semiconductor die, and a metal layer on a surface of the semiconductor die. The metal layer includes a bonding surface that is attached to a surface of the substrate by a die attach material. The bonding surface includes opposing edges that extend along a perimeter of the semiconductor die, and one or more non-orthogonal corners that are configured to reduce stress at an interface between the bonding surface and the die attach material. Related devices and fabrication methods are also discussed.

A contact pad includes a solder-wettable porous network (310) which wicks the molten solder (130) and thus restricts the lateral spread of the solder, thus preventing solder bridging between adjacent contact pads.

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.

Methods and semiconductor devices for bonding a first semiconductor device to a second semiconductor device include forming metal pads including a textured microstructure having a columnar grain structure at substantially the same angular direction from the top surface to the bottom surface. The textured crystalline microstructures enables the use of low temperatures and low pressures to effect bonding of the metal pads. Also described are methods of packaging and semiconductor devices.