An integrated circuit structure includes a substrate with a circuit region thereon and a copper interconnect structure disposed on the substrate. The copper interconnect structure includes an uppermost copper layer covered by a dielectric layer. An aluminum pad layer is provided on the dielectric layer. A metal layer is provided on the circuit region and is located between the uppermost copper layer and the aluminum pad layer.

A reliability prediction method includes: calculating a change of each of a plurality of alloy phases at a bonding portion between an electrode pad and a bonding wire; setting a generation of a metal oxide phase caused by a corrosion reaction, based on an initial crack structure of the bonding portion; calculating an elastic strain energy at each of specified portions of the bonding portion; setting a progress of a crack, based on the elastic strain energy at each of the specified portions; and predicting a lifetime of the semiconductor device, based on a length of the crack due to the progress of the crack.

A silicon carbide semiconductor device, including a semiconductor substrate containing silicon carbide, a bonding wire, and a surface electrode of an aluminum alloy containing silicon, the surface electrode being provided on a surface of the semiconductor substrate, and having a joint portion to which the bonding wire is bonded. The surface electrode has a plurality of silicon nodules formed therein, which include a number of the silicon nodules formed in the joint portion. One of the number of the silicon nodules is of a dendrite structure, and is included at an area percentage of at least 10% relative to a total area of the number of the silicon nodules in the joint portion.

A semiconductor device includes: a semiconductor layer including a semiconductor substrate and an epitaxial layer of a first conductivity type formed on the semiconductor substrate; a surface electrode containing at least one selected from the group consisting of an aluminum alloy and aluminum and formed on the semiconductor layer; and an impurity region of a second conductivity type formed on a surface layer portion of the epitaxial layer and forming a pn junction with the epitaxial layer, wherein the surface electrode includes a Schottky portion that is in contact with a surface of the semiconductor layer and forms a Schottky junction with the epitaxial layer.

Disclosed embodiments include a semiconductor chip including a semiconductor substrate having a top surface with a top connection pad disposed therein, and a protection insulation layer comprising an opening therein, the protection insulation layer not covering at least a portion of the top connection pad, on the semiconductor substrate. The protection insulation layer may include: a bottom protection insulation layer, a cover insulation layer comprising a side cover part that covers at least a portion of a side surface of the bottom protection insulation layer and a top cover part disposed apart from the side cover part to cover at least a portion of a top surface of the bottom protection insulation layer. The protection insulation layer may further include a top protection insulation layer on the top cover part.

A bonding method of package components and a bonding apparatus are provided. The method includes: providing at least one first package component and a second package component, wherein the at least one first package component has first electrical connectors and a first dielectric layer at a bonding surface of the at least one first package component, and the second package component has second electrical connectors and a second dielectric layer at a bonding surface of the second package component; bringing the at least one first package component and the second package component in contact, such that the first electrical connectors approximate or contact the second electrical connectors; and selectively heating the first electrical connectors and the second electrical connectors by electromagnetic induction, in order to bond the first electrical connectors with the second electrical connectors.

A semiconductor package and a fabrication method of the semiconductor package are disclosed. First and second redistribution layer patterns are formed on a semiconductor substrate including a chip region and a scribe lane region to provide a bonding pad portion and an edge pad portion, respectively. A polymer pattern is formed to reveal the bonding pad portion and a portion of the edge pad portion. A dicing line is set on the scribe lane region. A stealth dicing process is performed along the dicing line to separate a semiconductor chip including the bonding pad portion from the semiconductor substrate. The semiconductor chip is disposed on a package substrate. A bonding wire is formed to connect the bonding pad portion to the package substrate. The bonding wire is supported by an edge of the polymer pattern to be spaced apart from the revealed portion of the edge pad portion.

A semiconductor structure includes a supporting layer including a pad area; and a groove formed in the pad area of the supporting layer, wherein a bottom width of the groove is greater than a top width of the groove; and a pad disposed in the pad area on the supporting layer, wherein the pad is partially embedded in the groove. This structure can help to release the bonding pressure during the wire bonding process. When the pad is squeezed out, it can enter the air cavity, which can prevent the protective layer from being lifted up or cracked, and avoid the pad from overflowing. At the same time, the bonding wire squeezed into the air cavity during bonding process increases the contact area between the pad and the supporting layer, thereby enhancing the stability of the overall structure.

A molded semiconductor package includes: a semiconductor die attached to a substrate, the semiconductor die having a bond pad at a first side of the semiconductor die which faces away from the substrate and an insulating layer covering the first side; an electrical conductor attached to a part of the bond pad exposed by an opening in the insulating layer; a mold compound encasing the semiconductor die; and an electrically insulative material filling the opening in the insulating layer and sealing the part of the bond pad exposed by the opening in the insulating layer. The electrically insulative material separates the mold compound from the part of the bond pad exposed by the opening in the insulating layer. A corresponding method of producing the molded semiconductor package also is described.

An electronic component includes a semiconductor device including a semiconductor die including a first surface, the first surface including a first metallization structure and edge regions surrounding the first metallization structure, a second surface opposing the first surface and including a second metallization structure, and side faces extending between the first surface and the second surface, wherein the edge regions of the first surface and portions of the side faces are covered by a first polymer layer, wherein the electronic component further includes a plurality of leads and a plastic housing composition, wherein the first metallization structure is coupled to a first lead and the second metallization structure is coupled to a second lead of the plurality of leads.