A semiconductor package includes main pad structures and dummy pad structures between a first semiconductor chip and a second semiconductor chip. The main pad structures include first main pad structures apart from one another on the first semiconductor chip and second main pad structures placed apart from one another on the second semiconductor chip and bonded to the first main pad structures. The dummy pad structures include first dummy pad structures including first dummy pads apart from one another on the first semiconductor chip and first dummy capping layers on the first dummy pads, and second dummy pad structures including second dummy pads apart from one another on the second semiconductor chip and second dummy capping layers on the second dummy pads. The first dummy capping layers of the first dummy pad structures are not bonded to the second dummy capping layers of the second dummy pad structures.

An integrated circuit structure includes an alignment bump and an active electrical connector. The alignment bump includes a first non-solder metallic bump. The first non-solder metallic bump forms a ring encircling an opening therein. The active electrical connector includes a second non-solder metallic bump. A surface of the first non-solder metallic bump and a surface of the second non-solder metallic bump are substantially coplanar with each other.

A semiconductor package includes a semiconductor die including a semiconductor substrate, a strain-sensitive component located within or over a metallization layer of the semiconductor die, wherein a parameter of the strain-sensitive component exhibits a longitudinal shift due to a longitudinal strain and a transverse shift due to a transverse strain, and a mold compound covering the semiconductor die and the strain-sensitive component. The semiconductor package, including the semiconductor die and the mold compound, defines an orthogonal package-induced strain ratio on the strain-sensitive component on the semiconductor die surface. The strain-sensitive component is located such that the longitudinal shift due to package-induced strains offsets the transverse shift due to the package-induced strains.

A semiconductor device according to an embodiment includes a first substrate including a first insulating layer, a first conductive layer provided in the first insulating layer, a first metal layer provided in the first insulating layer, and a second metal layer provided between the first metal layer and the first conductive layer, a linear expansion coefficient of the second metal layer being higher than that of the first metal layer; and a second substrate including a second insulating layer, and a third metal layer provided in the second insulating layer, in contact with the first metal layer. The second substrate contacts with the first substrate.

A bonding pad structure and a method thereof includes: a base metal layer formed on a substrate; first conductive vias arranged in a peripheral region of the base metal layer; an intermediate buffer layer formed above the base metal layer, the intermediate buffer layer spaced from and aligned with the base metal layer, the first conductive vias vertically connecting the base metal layer and the intermediate buffer layer; second conductive vias arranged in a peripheral region of the intermediate buffer layer; a surface bonding layer formed above the intermediate buffer layer, the surface bonding layer spaced from and aligned with the intermediate buffer layer, the second conductive vias vertically connecting the intermediate buffer layer and the surface bonding layer, the intermediate buffer layer comprising a mesh structure, and the first conductive vias and the second conductive vias not vertically aligned with a central region of the intermediate buffer layer.

A bonding pad structure and a method thereof includes: a base metal layer formed on a substrate; first conductive vias arranged in a peripheral region of the base metal layer; an intermediate buffer layer formed above the base metal layer, the intermediate buffer layer spaced from and aligned with the base metal layer, the first conductive vias vertically connecting the base metal layer and the intermediate buffer layer; second conductive vias arranged in a peripheral region of the intermediate buffer layer; a surface bonding layer formed above the intermediate buffer layer, the surface bonding layer spaced from and aligned with the intermediate buffer layer, the second conductive vias vertically connecting the intermediate buffer layer and the surface bonding layer, the intermediate buffer layer comprising a mesh structure, and the first conductive vias and the second conductive vias not vertically aligned with a central region of the intermediate buffer layer.

A front-end method of fabricating nickel plated caps over copper bond pads used in a memory device. The method provides protection of the bond pads from an oxidizing atmosphere without exposing sensitive structures in the memory device to the copper during fabrication.

A front-end method of fabricating nickel plated caps over copper bond pads used in a memory device. The method provides protection of the bond pads from an oxidizing atmosphere without exposing sensitive structures in the memory device to the copper during fabrication.

A semiconductor device includes: a chip; a circuit element formed in the chip; an insulating layer formed over the chip so as to cover the circuit element; a multilayer wiring region formed in the insulating layer and including a plurality of wirings laminated and arranged in a thickness direction of the insulating layer so as to be electrically connected to the circuit element; at least one insulating region which does not include the wirings in an entire region in the thickness direction of the insulating layer and is formed in a region outside the multilayer wiring region in the insulating layer; and at least one terminal electrode disposed over the insulating layer so as to face the chip with the at least one insulating region interposed between the at least one terminal electrode and the chip.

A packaged semiconductor device is provided. The packaged semiconductor device includes a semiconductor die affixed to a package substrate. A conductive connector is affixed to the package substrate. A collar is formed around a perimeter of the conductive connector at a conductive connector to package substrate transition. A reinforcement structure is embedded in the collar. The reinforcement structure substantially surrounds the conductive connector at the conductive connector to package substrate transition.