Semiconductor devices, methods of manufacture thereof, and packaged semiconductor devices are disclosed. A method of forming a device includes forming a conductive trace over a first substrate, the conductive trace having first tapering sidewalls, forming a conductive bump over a second substrate, the conductive bump having second tapering sidewalls and a first surface distal the second substrate, and attaching the conductive bump to the conductive trace via a solder region. The solder region extends from the first surface of the conductive bump to the first substrate, and covers the first tapering sidewalls of the conductive trace. The second tapering sidewalls of the conductive bump are free of the solder region.

In a semiconductor device in which a plurality of semiconductor chips are stacked, performance is enhanced without deteriorating productivity. The semiconductor device has a first semiconductor substrate having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface, a first insulating film formed on the first surface, a first hole formed in the first insulating film and partially extending into the first semiconductor substrate, a second hole formed in the second surface, a first electrode entirely filling the first hole, and a conductive film conformally formed in the second hole. The conductive film is electrically connected to a bottom surface of the first electrode and leaves a third hole in the first semiconductor substrate open. The third hole is configured to receive a second electrode of a second semiconductor substrate.

Semiconductor devices, methods of manufacture thereof, and packaged semiconductor devices are disclosed. In one embodiment, a semiconductor device includes a substrate and conductive traces disposed over the substrate. Each of the conductive traces has a bottom region proximate the substrate and a top region opposite the bottom region. The top region has a first width and the bottom region has a second width. The second width is greater than the first width.

Methods and structures of connecting at least two integrated circuits in a 3D arrangement by a zigzag conductive chain are disclosed. The zigzag conductive chain, acting as a spring or self-adaptive contact structure (SACS) in a wafer bonding process, is designed to reduce bonding interface stress, to increase bonding interface reliability, and to have an adjustable height to close undesirable opens or voids between contacts of the two integrated circuits.

A stacked semiconductor device is provided in the present invention. The stacked semiconductor device includes a first substrate and a second substrate. A first conductive pad is disposed on the first substrate. A conductive pillar contacts the first conductive pad. At least one first barrier layer is disposed inside the conductive pillar. The conductive pillar encapsulates the first barrier layer. The elastic modulus of the first barrier layer is different from the elastic modulus of conductive pillar. A second conductive pad is disposed on the second substrate. A solder bump is disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate. The solder bump electrically connects to the conductive pillar. The conductive pillar can optionally include a truncated cone.

An embodiment bump on trace (BOT) structure includes a contact element supported by an integrated circuit, an under bump metallurgy (UBM) feature electrically coupled to the contact element, a metal ladder bump mounted on the under bump metallurgy feature, the metal ladder bump having a first tapering profile, and a substrate trace mounted on a substrate, the substrate trace having a second tapering profile and coupled to the metal ladder bump through direct metal-to-metal bonding. An embodiment chip-to-chip structure may be fabricated in a similar fashion.

A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device according to the present invention comprises: a bump forming step of forming a bump electrode 100 on a semiconductor chip 1, the bump electrode 100 protruding in a substantially conical shape; a pad forming step of forming a pad electrode 200 on a substrate 10, the pad electrode 200 having a recess 210 with inner lateral surfaces thereof defining a substantially pyramidal shape or a prism shape; a pressing step of pressing the bump electrode 100 and the pad electrode 200 in a direction which brings them closer to each other, with the bump electrode 100 being inserted in the recess 210 so that the central axis of the bump electrode 100 and the central axis of the recess 210 coincide with each other; and an ultrasonic joining step of joining the bump electrode 100 and the pad electrode 200 by vibrating at least one of the bump electrode 100 and the pad electrode 200 using ultrasonic waves.

A spacer structure formed adjacent a solder connection which prevents solder extrusion and methods of manufacture are disclosed. The method includes forming a solder preform connection on a bond pad of a chip. The method further includes forming a spacer structure on sidewalls of the solder preform connection. The method further includes subjecting the solder preform connection to a predetermined temperature to form a solder connection with the spacer structure remaining thereabout.

A chip structure is provided, which includes: a substrate having a plurality of conductive pads formed on a surface thereof; a first copper layer formed on each of the conductive pads; a nickel layer formed on the first copper layer; a second copper layer formed on the nickel layer; and a tin layer formed on the second copper layer, thereby effectively reducing stresses.

The present technology is directed to manufacturing collars for under-bump metal (UBM) structures for die-to-die and/or package-to-package interconnects and associated systems. A semiconductor die includes a semiconductor material having solid-state components and an interconnect extending at least partially through the semiconductor material. An under-bump metal (UBM) structure is formed over the semiconductor material and is electrically coupled to corresponding interconnects. A collar surrounds at least a portion of the side surface of the UBM structure, and a solder material is disposed over the top surface of the UBM structure.