A mechanism of a semiconductor structure with composite barrier layer under redistribution layer is provided. A semiconductor structure includes a substrate comprising a top metal layer on the substrate; a passivation layer over the top metal layer having an opening therein exposing the top metal layer; a composite barrier layer over the passivation layer and the opening, the composite barrier layer includes a center layer, a bottom layer, and an upper layer, wherein the bottom layer and the upper layer sandwich the center layer; and a redistribution layer (RDL) over the composite barrier layer and electrically connecting the underlying top metal layer.

A low-resistance thick-wire integrated inductor may be formed in an integrated circuit (IC) device. The integrated inductor may include an elongated inductor wire defined by a metal layer stack including an upper metal layer, middle metal layer, and lower metal layer. The lower metal layer may be formed in a top copper interconnect layer, the upper metal layer may be formed in an aluminum bond pad layer, and the middle metal layer may comprise a copper tub region formed between the aluminum upper layer and copper lower layer. The wide copper region defining the middle layer of the metal layer stack may be formed concurrently with copper vias of interconnect structures in the IC device, e.g., by filling respective openings using copper electrochemical plating or other bottom-up fill process. The elongated inductor wire may be shaped in a spiral or other symmetrical or non-symmetrical shape.

A semiconductor device with a ring structure surrounding a through silicon via (TSV) electrode and a method for forming the same are disclosed. The method includes receiving a substrate including a back side and a front side having a conductor thereon, forming a via hole in the substrate and exposing the conductor, forming a groove extending from the back side into the substrate and surrounding the via hole, forming a first material layer in the via hole, and forming a second material layer in the groove. The groove filled with the second material layer forms the ring structure, while the via hole filled with the first material layer forms the TSV electrode.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a semiconductor device is disclosed. The semiconductor device includes: a substrate having a first region and a second region; a first contact plug on the first region, and a second contact plug on the second region. Preferably, the first contact plug includes a first interfacial layer having a first conductive type and a first work function metal layer having the first conductive type on the first interfacial layer, and the second contact plug includes a second interfacial layer having a second conductive type and a second work function metal layer having the second conductive type on the second interfacial layer.

A baseplate for a semiconductor module comprises at least one elevation. The at least one elevation is formed integrally with the baseplate. The baseplate has a uniform first thickness or a thickness which decreases continuously from the edge regions toward the center and which is increased locally up to a maximum second thickness in the region of each of the at least one elevation.

Provided is a semiconductor device, including: a front-back conduction-type semiconductor element; a front-side electrode formed on the front-back conduction-type semiconductor element; an electroless nickel-containing plating layer formed on the front-side electrode; and an electroless gold plating layer formed on the electroless nickel-containing plating layer, wherein the semiconductor device has a low-nickel concentration layer on a side of the electroless nickel-containing plating layer in contact with the electroless gold plating layer, and wherein the low-nickel concentration layer has a thickness smaller than that of the electroless gold plating layer.

Provided are a semiconductor structure and a method for manufacturing a semiconductor structure. The semiconductor structure includes a semiconductor base, a diffusion barrier layer, and a conductive plug. The semiconductor base is provided with a plug contact hole. A bottom of a sidewall of the plug contact hole is provided with a groove. The diffusion barrier layer is arranged on a wall of the plug contact hole and fills the groove. The conductive plug is arranged on the diffusion barrier layer.

The semiconductor device may include an insulating interlayer on the substrate, the substrate including a contact region at an upper portion thereof, a main contact plug penetrating through the insulating interlayer and contacting the contact region, the main contact plug having a pillar shape and including a first barrier pattern and a first metal pattern, and an extension pattern surrounding on an upper sidewall of the main contact plug, the extension pattern including a barrier material. In the semiconductor device, an alignment margin between the contact structure and an upper wiring thereon may increase. Also, a short failure between the contact structure and the gate electrode may be reduced.

In one embodiment, a semiconductor device includes an insulator. The device further includes a plug provided in the insulator, the plug including a first barrier metal layer and a first conductive layer that is provided on the first barrier metal layer. The device further includes an interconnect provided outside the insulator, the interconnect being provided on the plug and the insulator and including the first barrier metal layer, the first conductive layer and a second conductive layer that is provided on the first conductive layer.

A semiconductor device includes a substrate, a plurality of first conductive patterns disposed on the substrate and a plurality of second conductive patterns disposed on the first conductive patterns. Respective air gaps are disposed between adjacent ones of the first conductive patterns overlying a first region of the substrate, while adjacent ones of the first conductive patterns overlying a second region of the substrate do not have air gaps disposed therebetween. The air gaps may include first air gaps, and the device may further include second air gaps disposed between adjacent ones of the second conductive patterns in the second region. Adjacent ones of the second conductive patterns overlying a second region of the substrate may not have air gaps disposed therebetween.