A semiconductor structure and methods for the creation of solder bumps configured to carry a signal and solder bumps configured for ground planes and/or mechanical connections as well as methods for increasing reliability of a chip package generally include formation of multiple sized bump bonds on under bump metallization patterns and/or pads of the same dimension. The signal carrying solder bumps are larger in terms of diameter and bump height than solder bumps configured for ground plane and/or mechanical connections.

A semiconductor structure and methods for the creation of solder bumps configured to carry a signal and solder bumps configured for ground planes and/or mechanical connections as well as methods for increasing reliability of a chip package generally include formation of multiple sized bump bonds on under bump metallization patterns and/or pads of the same dimension. The signal carrying solder bumps are larger in terms of diameter and bump height than solder bumps configured for ground plane and/or mechanical connections.

A semiconductor structure includes a first contact pad over a passivation layer, wherein the first contact pad is in a circuit region. The semiconductor structure further includes a plurality of second contact pads over the passivation layer, wherein each second contact pad of the plurality of second contact pads is in a non-circuit region. The semiconductor structure further includes a first buffer layer over the first contact pad and over a first second contact pad of the plurality of second contact pads. The semiconductor structure further includes a second buffer layer over the first buffer layer, the first contact pad, the first second contact pad and a portion of a second second contact pad of the plurality of second contact pads, wherein the second buffer layer exposes a portion of the second second contact pad of the plurality of second contact pads.

A semiconductor device may include a bond pad/probe pad pair that includes a bond pad and a probe pad positioned to be adjacent to each other to form an L shape. The device may also include a through-silicon via (TSV) pad positioned to be at least partially or entirely inside the recess area of the L shape. The bond pad and the probe pad may each have an opening, and at least a portion of the opening of the bond pad may extend into a portion of the opening of the probe pad. The arrangement of the bond pad, the probe pad and the TSV may be implemented in a wafer-on-wafer (WOW) that includes multiple stacked wafers. A method of fabricating the TSV may include etching the stacked wafers to form a TSV opening that extends through the multiple wafers, and filling the TSV opening with conductive material.

Semiconductor packages with pass-through clock traces and associated devices, systems, and methods are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a semiconductor device includes a package substrate including a first surface having a plurality of substrate contacts, a first semiconductor die having a lower surface attached to the first surface of the package substrate, and a second semiconductor die stacked on top of the first semiconductor die. The first semiconductor die includes an upper surface including a first conductive contact, and the second semiconductor die includes a second conductive contact. A first electrical connector electrically couples a first one of the plurality of substrate contacts to the first and second conductive contacts, and a second electrical connector electrically couples a second one of the plurality of substrate contacts to the first and second conductive contacts.

Semiconductor packages with pass-through clock traces and associated devices, systems, and methods are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a semiconductor device includes a package substrate including a first surface having a plurality of substrate contacts, a first semiconductor die having a lower surface attached to the first surface of the package substrate, and a second semiconductor die stacked on top of the first semiconductor die. The first semiconductor die includes an upper surface including a first conductive contact, and the second semiconductor die includes a second conductive contact. A first electrical connector electrically couples a first one of the plurality of substrate contacts to the first and second conductive contacts, and a second electrical connector electrically couples a second one of the plurality of substrate contacts to the first and second conductive contacts.

A hybrid bonded structure including a first integrated circuit component and a second integrated circuit component is provided. The first integrated circuit component includes a first dielectric layer, first conductors and isolation structures. The first conductors and the isolation structures are embedded in the first dielectric layer. The isolation structures are electrically insulated from the first conductors and surround the first conductors. The second integrated circuit component includes a second dielectric layer and second conductors. The second conductors are embedded in the second dielectric layer. The first dielectric layer is bonded to the second dielectric layer and the first conductors are bonded to the second conductors.

A method includes performing a first light-exposure and a second a second light-exposure on a photo resist. The first light-exposure is performed using a first lithograph mask, which covers a first portion of the photo resist. The first portion of the photo resist has a first strip portion exposed in the first light-exposure. The second light-exposure is performed using a second lithograph mask, which covers a second portion of the photo resist. The second portion of the photo resist has a second strip portion exposed in the second light-exposure. The first strip portion and the second strip portion have an overlapping portion that is double exposed. The method further includes developing the photo resist to remove the first strip portion and the second strip portion, etching a dielectric layer underlying the photo resist to form a trench, and filling the trench with a conductive feature.

A method includes performing a first light-exposure and a second a second light-exposure on a photo resist. The first light-exposure is performed using a first lithograph mask, which covers a first portion of the photo resist. The first portion of the photo resist has a first strip portion exposed in the first light-exposure. The second light-exposure is performed using a second lithograph mask, which covers a second portion of the photo resist. The second portion of the photo resist has a second strip portion exposed in the second light-exposure. The first strip portion and the second strip portion have an overlapping portion that is double exposed. The method further includes developing the photo resist to remove the first strip portion and the second strip portion, etching a dielectric layer underlying the photo resist to form a trench, and filling the trench with a conductive feature.

A semiconductor device includes a substrate, a plurality of pads disposed over the substrate, and a solder mask disposed over the substrate. The substrate includes a pair of first edges parallel to each other, a pair of second edges orthogonal to the pair of first edges, and a center point. The solder mask includes four recess portions exposing an entire top surface and sidewalls of four of the pads in four corners of the regular array, and a plurality of second recess portions exposing a portion of a top surface of other pads in the regular array. A pad size of the four pads in the four corners of the regular array exposed through the first recess portions and a pad size of the other pads exposed through the second recess portions are the same.