A member for a solid-state image pickup device having a bonding plane with no gaps and a method for manufacturing the same are provided. The manufacturing method includes the steps of providing a first substrate provided with a photoelectric converter on its primary face and a first wiring structure, providing a second substrate provided with a part of a peripheral circuit on its primary face and a second wiring structure, and performing bonding so that the first substrate, the first wiring structure, the second wiring structure, and the second substrate are disposed in this order. In addition, at least one of an upper face of the first wiring structure and an upper face of the second wiring structure has a concave portion, and a conductive material forms a bottom face of the concave portion.

Representative implementations of techniques and methods include chemical mechanical polishing for hybrid bonding. The disclosed methods include depositing and patterning a dielectric layer on a substrate to form openings in the dielectric layer, depositing a barrier layer over the dielectric layer and within a first portion of the openings, and depositing a conductive structure over the barrier layer and within a second portion of the openings not occupied by the barrier layer, at least a portion of the conductive structure in the second portion of the openings coupled or contacting electrical circuitry within the substrate. Additionally, the conductive structure is polished to reveal portions of the barrier layer deposited over the dielectric layer and not in the second portion of the openings. Further, the barrier layer is polished with a selective polish to reveal a bonding surface on or at the dielectric layer.

A method for forming a direct hybrid bond and a device resulting from a direct hybrid bond including a first substrate having a first set of metallic bonding pads, preferably connected to a device or circuit, capped by a conductive barrier, and having a first non-metallic region adjacent to the metallic bonding pads on the first substrate, a second substrate having a second set of metallic bonding pads capped by a second conductive barrier, aligned with the first set of metallic bonding pads, preferably connected to a device or circuit, and having a second non-metallic region adjacent to the metallic bonding pads on the second substrate, and a contact-bonded interface between the first and second set of metallic bonding pads capped by conductive barriers formed by contact bonding of the first non-metallic region to the second non-metallic region.

A representative device includes a patterned opening through a layer at a surface of a device die. A liner is disposed on sidewalls of the opening and the device die is patterned to extend the opening further into the device die. After patterning, the liner is removed. A conductive pad is formed in the device die by filling the opening with a conductive material.

The present disclosure is directed to method for preparing a semiconductor apparatus having a plurality of bonded semiconductor devices formed by a fusion bonding technique. The method includes operations of forming a first semiconductor device having a first conductive portion, a first dielectric portion adjacent to the first conductive portion, and a depression at an upper surface of the first conductive portion; forming a second semiconductor device having a second conductive portion and a second dielectric portion adjacent to the second conductive portion; disposing the first semiconductor device and the second semiconductor device in a manner such that the first conductive portion faces the second conductive portion; and expanding at least one of the first conductive portion and the second conductive portion to fill the depression.

Devices and techniques include process steps for preparing various microelectronic components for bonding, such as for direct bonding without adhesive. The processes include providing a first bonding surface on a first surface of the microelectronic components, bonding a handle to the prepared first bonding surface, and processing a second surface of the microelectronic components while the microelectronic components are gripped at the handle. In some embodiments, the processes include removing the handle from the first bonding surface, and directly bonding the microelectronic components at the first bonding surface to other microelectronic components.

A semiconductor device includes a first substrate having an attaching surface on which first electrodes and a first insulating film are exposed, an insulating thin film that covers the attaching surface of the first substrate, and a second substrate which has an attaching surface on which second electrodes and a second insulating film are exposed and is attached to the first substrate in a state in which the attaching surface of the second substrate and the attaching surface of the first substrate are attached together sandwiching the insulating thin film therebetween, and the first electrodes and the second electrodes deform and break a part of the insulating thin film so as to be directly electrically connected to each other.

A semiconductor device according to an embodiment includes a low-adhesion film, a pair of substrates, and a metal electrode. The low-adhesion film has lower adhesion to metal than a semiconductor oxide film. The pair of substrates is provided with the low-adhesion film interposed therebetween. The metal electrode passes through the low-adhesion film and connects the pair of substrates, and includes, between the pair of substrates, a part thinner than parts embedded in the pair of substrates. A portion of the metal electrode embedded in one substrate is provided with a gap interposed between the portion and the low-adhesion film on the other substrate.

Disclosed herein is a semiconductor device, including: a first substrate including a first electrode, and a first insulating film configured from a diffusion preventing material for the first electrode and covering a periphery of the first electrode, the first electrode and the first insulating film cooperating with each other to configure a bonding face; and a second substrate bonded to and provided on the first substrate and including a second electrode joined to the first electrode, and a second insulating film configured from a diffusion preventing material for the second electrode and covering a periphery of the second electrode, the second electrode and the second insulating film cooperating with each other to configure a bonding face to the first substrate.

A semiconductor device includes a first substrate having an attaching surface on which first electrodes and a first insulating film are exposed, an insulating thin film that covers the attaching surface of the first substrate, and a second substrate which has an attaching surface on which second electrodes and a second insulating film are exposed and is attached to the first substrate in a state in which the attaching surface of the second substrate and the attaching surface of the first substrate are attached together sandwiching the insulating thin film therebetween, and the first electrodes and the second electrodes deform and break a part of the insulating thin film so as to be directly electrically connected to each other.