Methods for bonding substrates used, for example, in substrate-level packaging, are provided herein. In some embodiments, a method for bonding substrates includes: performing electrochemical deposition (ECD) to deposit at least one material on each of a first substrate and a second substrate, performing chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) on the first substrate and the second substrate to form a bonding interface on each of the first substrate and the second substrate, positioning the first substrate on the second substrate so that the bonding interface on the first substrate aligns with the bonding interface on the second substrate, and bonding the first substrate to the second substrate using the bonding interface on the first substrate and the bonding interface on the second substrate.

The present application discloses a method for fabricating semiconductor device with a stress relief structure. The method includes providing a substrate, forming an intrinsically conductive pad above the substrate, and forming a stress relief structure above the substrate and distant from the intrinsically conductive pad.

The present application discloses a method for fabricating semiconductor device with a stress relief structure. The method includes providing a substrate, forming an intrinsically conductive pad above the substrate, and forming a stress relief structure above the substrate and distant from the intrinsically conductive pad.

A process for producing an electrical contact with a first metal layer and at least one second metal layer on a silicon carbide substrate includes removing at least some of the carbon residue by a cleaning process, to clean the first metal layer. The first metal layer and/or the at least one second metal layer may be generated by sputtering deposition.

A process for producing an electrical contact with a first metal layer and at least one second metal layer on a silicon carbide substrate includes removing at least some of the carbon residue by a cleaning process, to clean the first metal layer. The first metal layer and/or the at least one second metal layer may be generated by sputtering deposition.

Provided is a semiconductor device including a plurality of substrates that is stacked, each of the substrates including a semiconductor substrate and a multi-layered wiring layer on the semiconductor substrate, the semiconductor substrate having a circuit with a predetermined function formed thereon. Bonding surfaces between at least two substrates among the plurality of substrates have an electrode junction structure in which electrodes on the respective bonding surfaces are in direct contact with each other. The electrode junction structure is for electrical connection between the two substrates. In at least one of the two substrates, at least one of the electrode constituting the electrode junction structure or a via for connection of the electrode to a wiring line in the multi-layered wiring layer has a structure in which a protective film for prevention of diffusion of an electrically-conductive material constituting the electrode and the via is inside the electrically-conductive material.

Provided is a semiconductor device including a plurality of substrates that is stacked, each of the substrates including a semiconductor substrate and a multi-layered wiring layer on the semiconductor substrate, the semiconductor substrate having a circuit with a predetermined function formed thereon. Bonding surfaces between at least two substrates among the plurality of substrates have an electrode junction structure in which electrodes on the respective bonding surfaces are in direct contact with each other. The electrode junction structure is for electrical connection between the two substrates. In at least one of the two substrates, at least one of the electrode constituting the electrode junction structure or a via for connection of the electrode to a wiring line in the multi-layered wiring layer has a structure in which a protective film for prevention of diffusion of an electrically-conductive material constituting the electrode and the via is inside the electrically-conductive material.

After finishing of the front side CMOS manufacturing process, the silicon wafer is permanently bonded with its front side onto a carrier wafer. The carrier wafer is a high resistivity silicon wafer or a wafer of a dielectric or of a ceramic material. The silicon substrate of the device wafer is thinned from the back side such that the remaining silicon thickness is only a few micrometers. In the area dedicated to a spiral inductor, the substrate material is entirely removed by a masked etching process and the resulting gap is filled with a dielectric material. A spiral inductor coil is formed on the backside of the wafer on top of the dielectric material. The inductor coil is connected to the CMOS circuits on the front side by through-silicon vias.

After finishing of the front side CMOS manufacturing process, the silicon wafer is permanently bonded with its front side onto a carrier wafer. The carrier wafer is a high resistivity silicon wafer or a wafer of a dielectric or of a ceramic material. The silicon substrate of the device wafer is thinned from the back side such that the remaining silicon thickness is only a few micrometers. In the area dedicated to a spiral inductor, the substrate material is entirely removed by a masked etching process and the resulting gap is filled with a dielectric material. A spiral inductor coil is formed on the backside of the wafer on top of the dielectric material. The inductor coil is connected to the CMOS circuits on the front side by through-silicon vias.

Representative implementations of techniques and devices are used to reduce or prevent conductive material diffusion into insulating or dielectric material of bonded substrates. Misaligned conductive structures can come into direct contact with a dielectric portion of the substrates due to overlap, especially while employing direct bonding techniques. A barrier interface that can inhibit the diffusion is disposed generally between the conductive material and the dielectric at the overlap.