A method includes forming a metal bump on a top surface of a first package component, forming a solder region on a top surface of the metal bump, forming a protection layer extending on a sidewall of the metal bump, reflowing the solder region to bond the first package component to a second package component, and dispensing an underfill between the first package component and the second package component. The underfill is in contact with the protection layer.

A method includes forming a metal bump on a top surface of a first package component, forming a solder region on a top surface of the metal bump, forming a protection layer extending on a sidewall of the metal bump, reflowing the solder region to bond the first package component to a second package component, and dispensing an underfill between the first package component and the second package component. The underfill is in contact with the protection layer.

A method of manufacturing a semiconductor chip is provided. The method includes: forming a plurality of bonding pads on a semiconductor wafer, sequentially forming an insulating layer and a polishing stop film on the semiconductor wafer to cover the plurality of bonding pads, the insulating layer and the polishing stop film having a plurality of convex portions corresponding to upper portions of the plurality of bonding pads, polishing the plurality of convex portions using the polishing stop film to expose upper surfaces of the plurality of bonding pads, and removing the polishing stop film.

A bonded assembly includes a first semiconductor die and a second semiconductor die. The first semiconductor die includes first metallic bonding pads embedded in first dielectric material layers, the second semiconductor die includes second metallic bonding pads embedded in second dielectric material layers, the first metallic bonding pads are bonded to a respective one of the second metallic bonding pads; and each of the first metallic bonding pads includes a corrosion barrier layer containing an alloy of a primary bonding metal and at least one corrosion-suppressing element that is different from the primary bonding metal.

A bonded assembly includes a first semiconductor die and a second semiconductor die. The first semiconductor die includes first metallic bonding pads embedded in first dielectric material layers, the second semiconductor die includes second metallic bonding pads embedded in second dielectric material layers, the first metallic bonding pads are bonded to a respective one of the second metallic bonding pads; and each of the first metallic bonding pads includes a corrosion barrier layer containing an alloy of a primary bonding metal and at least one corrosion-suppressing element that is different from the primary bonding metal.

A method for fabricating a semiconductor die package includes: providing a semiconductor transistor die, the semiconductor transistor die having a first contact pad on a first lower main face and/or a second contact pad on an upper main face; fabricating a frontside electrical conductor onto the second contact pad and a backside electrical conductor onto the first contact pad; and applying an encapsulant covering the semiconductor die and at least a portion of the electrical conductor, wherein the frontside electrical conductor and/or the backside electrical conductor is fabricated by laser-assisted structuring of a metallic structure.

A method includes forming a metal bump on a top surface of a first package component, forming a solder region on a top surface of the metal bump, forming a protection layer extending on a sidewall of the metal bump, reflowing the solder region to bond the first package component to a second package component, and dispensing an underfill between the first package component and the second package component. The underfill is in contact with the protection layer.

A method includes forming a metal bump on a top surface of a first package component, forming a solder region on a top surface of the metal bump, forming a protection layer extending on a sidewall of the metal bump, reflowing the solder region to bond the first package component to a second package component, and dispensing an underfill between the first package component and the second package component. The underfill is in contact with the protection layer.

Interconnects and methods of fabricating a plurality of interconnects. The method includes depositing a conformal layer of a plating base in each of a plurality of vias, and depositing a photoresist on two portions of a surface of the plating base outside and above the plurality of vias. The method also includes depositing a plating metal over the plating base in each of the plurality of vias, the depositing resulting in each of the plurality of vias being completely filled or incompletely filled, performing a chemical mechanical planarization (CMP), and performing metrology to determine if any of the plurality of vias is incompletely filled following the depositing the plating metal. A second iteration of the depositing the plating metal over the plating base is performed in each of the plurality of vias based on determining that at least one of the plurality of vias is incompletely filled.

An integrated circuit device includes a semiconductor substrate; and a pad region over the semiconductor substrate. The integrated circuit device further includes an under-bump-metallurgy (UBM) layer over the pad region. The integrated circuit device further includes a conductive pillar on the UBM layer, wherein the conductive pillar has a sidewall surface and a top surface. The integrated circuit device further includes a protection structure over the sidewall surface of the conductive pillar, wherein sidewalls of the UBM layer are substantially free of the protection structure, and the protection structure is a non-metal material.