The present disclosure relates to an integrated circuit. The integrated circuit includes a plurality of interconnects within a dielectric structure over a substrate. A passivation structure is arranged over the dielectric structure. The passivation structure has sidewalls connected to one or more upper surfaces of the passivation structure. A bond pad is arranged directly between the sidewalls of the passivation structure. An upper passivation layer is disposed over the passivation structure and the bond pad. The upper passivation layer extends from over an upper surface of the bond pad to within a recess in the upper surface of the bond pad.

At least one circuit element may be formed on a front side of a ringed substrate, and the ringed substrate may be mounted on a mounting chuck. The mounting chuck may have an inner raised portion configured to receive the thinned portion of the substrate thereon, and a recessed ring around a perimeter of the mounting chuck configured to receive the outer ring of the ringed substrate therein. At least one solder bump may be formed that is electrically connected to the at least one circuit element, while the ringed wafer is disposed on the mounting chuck.

An electronic device includes an electronic element, and a wire bonded to the electronic element. The electronic element includes a bonding pad to which the wire is bonded. The main component of the bonding pad is Al. A metal is mixed in the wire, and the mixed metal is one of Pt, Pd and Au.

A semiconductor device has a first semiconductor die with a base material. A covering layer is formed over a surface of the base material. The covering layer can be made of an insulating material or metal. A trench is formed in the surface of the base material. The covering layer extends into the trench to provide the cantilevered protrusion of the covering layer. A portion of the base material is removed by plasma etching to form a cantilevered protrusion extending beyond an edge of the base material. The cantilevered protrusion can be formed by removing the base material to the covering layer, or the cantilevered protrusion can be formed within the base material under the covering layer. A second semiconductor die is disposed partially under the cantilevered protrusion. An interconnect structure is formed between the cantilevered protrusion and second semiconductor die.

A method of making a semiconductor device includes depositing a second conductive material over a first conductive material, wherein the second conductive material is different from the first conductive material, and the second conductive material defines a redistribution line (RDL). The method further includes depositing a passivation layer over the RDL, wherein depositing the passivation layer comprises forming a plurality of convex sidewalls, and each of the plurality of convex sidewalls extends beyond an edge of the RDL.

A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor part; an electrode selectively provided on the semiconductor part, the electrode being electrically connected to the semiconductor part; and multiple metal layers provided on the electrode. A method of manufacturing the semiconductor device includes selectively forming a first metal layer on the electrode; forming a palladium layer on the first metal layer, the palladium layer covering the first metal layer; forming a second metal layer on the palladium layer, the second metal layer covering the palladium layer; and forming a gold layer directly on the palladium layer by replacing the second metal layer with the gold layer.

Apparatus and associated methods relate to a bond-pad structure having small pad-substrate capacitance for use in high-voltage MOSFETs. The bond-pad structure includes upper and lower polysilicon plates interposed between a metal bonding pad and an underlying semiconductor substrate. The lower polysilicon plate is encapsulated in dielectric materials, thereby rendering it floating. The upper polysilicon plate is conductively coupled to a source of the high-voltage MOSFET. A perimeter of the metal bonding pad is substantially circumscribed, as viewed from a plan view perspective, by a perimeter of the upper polysilicon plate. A perimeter of the upper polysilicon plate is substantially circumscribed, as viewed from the plan view perspective, by a perimeter of the lower polysilicon plate. In some embodiments, the metal bonding pad is conductively coupled to a gate of the high-voltage MOSFET. The pad-substrate capacitance is advantageously made small by this bond-pad structure.

The disclosed subject matter relates to a structure and method to improve bond pad reliability of semiconductor devices. According to an aspect of the present disclosure, a bond pad structure is provided that includes a dielectric layer and at least one bond pad in the dielectric layer, wherein the bond pad has a top surface. A passivation layer has an opening over the bond pad, wherein the opening has sidewalls. A low-k barrier layer is covering the sidewalls of the opening and the top surface of the bond pad. Protective structures are formed over the sidewalls of the opening.

The disclosed subject matter relates to a structure and method to improve bond pad reliability of semiconductor devices. According to an aspect of the present disclosure, a bond pad structure is provided that includes a dielectric layer and at least one bond pad in the dielectric layer, wherein the bond pad has a top surface. A passivation layer has an opening over the bond pad, wherein the opening has sidewalls. A low-k barrier layer is covering the sidewalls of the opening and the top surface of the bond pad. Protective structures are formed over the sidewalls of the opening.

Methods of fabricating a semiconductor device are provided. The method includes providing a plurality of semiconductor devices. The method further includes disposing a dielectric dry film on the plurality of semiconductor devices, wherein the dielectric dry film is patterned such that openings in the patterned dielectric dry film are aligned with conductive pads of each of the plurality of semiconductor devices.