A microelectronic device has a pillar connected to an external terminal by an intermetallic joint. Either the pillar or the external terminal, or both, include copper in direct contact with the intermetallic joint. The intermetallic joint includes at least 90 weight percent of at least one copper-tin intermetallic compound. The intermetallic joint is free of voids having a combined volume greater than 10 percent of a volume of the intermetallic joint; and free of a void having a volume greater than 5 percent of the volume of the intermetallic joint. The microelectronic device may be formed using solder which includes at least 93 weight percent tin, 0.5 weight percent to 5.0 weight percent silver, and 0.4 weight percent to 1.0 weight percent copper, to form a solder joint between the pillar and the external terminal, followed by thermal aging to convert the solder joint to the intermetallic joint.

A method includes aligning a first electrical connector of a first package component to a second electrical connector of a second package component. With the first electrical connector aligned to the second electrical connector, a metal layer is plated on the first and the second electrical connectors. The metal layer bonds the first electrical connector to the second electrical connector.

A method includes aligning a first electrical connector of a first package component to a second electrical connector of a second package component. With the first electrical connector aligned to the second electrical connector, a metal layer is plated on the first and the second electrical connectors. The metal layer bonds the first electrical connector to the second electrical connector.

A microelectronic device includes a reflow structure. The reflow structure has a copper-containing member and a solder member, and a barrier layer between them. The barrier layer has metal grains, with a diffusion barrier filler between the metal grains. The metal grains include at least a first metal and a second metal, each selected from nickel, cobalt, lanthanum, and cerium, with each having a concentration in the metal grains of at least 10 weight percent. The diffusion barrier filler includes at least a third metal, selected from tungsten and molybdenum. A combined concentration of tungsten and molybdenum in the diffusion barrier filler is higher than in the metal grains to provide a desired resistance to diffusion of copper. The barrier layer includes 2 weight percent to 15 weight percent of the combined concentration of tungsten, and molybdenum. A bump bond structure and a lead frame package are disclosed.

A microelectronic device includes a reflow structure. The reflow structure has a copper-containing member and a solder member, and a barrier layer between them. The barrier layer has metal grains, with a diffusion barrier filler between the metal grains. The metal grains include at least a first metal and a second metal, each selected from nickel, cobalt, lanthanum, and cerium, with each having a concentration in the metal grains of at least 10 weight percent. The diffusion barrier filler includes at least a third metal, selected from tungsten and molybdenum. A combined concentration of tungsten and molybdenum in the diffusion barrier filler is higher than in the metal grains to provide a desired resistance to diffusion of copper. The barrier layer includes 2 weight percent to 15 weight percent of the combined concentration of tungsten, and molybdenum. A bump bond structure and a lead frame package are disclosed.

An aspect of the present invention provides a metal pillar in a columnar shape formed by cutting a metal wire to a predetermined length. The metal pillar has a burr length of 0.1 to 0.5 ?m on the cutting surface, an electrical conductivity of 11 to 101% IACS, and a Vickers hardness of 150 to 300 HV.

The Cu core ball contains a Cu ball and one or more metal layer for covering a surface of the Cu ball, each layer including one or more element selected from Ni, Co, Fe and Pd. The Cu ball contains at least one element selected from Fe, Ag, and Ni in a total amount of 5.0 or more to 50.0 ppm by mass or lower, S in an amount of 0 ppm by mass or more to 1.0 ppm by mass or lower, P in an amount of 0 ppm by mass or more to less than 3.0 ppm by mass, and remainder of Cu and inevitable impurities. The Cu ball contains purity which is 99.995% by mass or higher and 99.9995% or lower, sphericity which is 0.95 or higher and a diameter of 1 m or more to 1000 m or lower.

A method includes aligning a first electrical connector of a first package component to a second electrical connector of a second package component. With the first electrical connector aligned to the second electrical connector, a metal layer is plated on the first and the second electrical connectors. The metal layer bonds the first electrical connector to the second electrical connector.

A method includes aligning a first electrical connector of a first package component to a second electrical connector of a second package component. With the first electrical connector aligned to the second electrical connector, a metal layer is plated on the first and the second electrical connectors. The metal layer bonds the first electrical connector to the second electrical connector.

A system and method for preventing cracks is provided. An embodiment comprises placing crack stoppers into a connection between a semiconductor die and a substrate. The crack stoppers may be in the shape of hollow or solid cylinders and may be placed so as to prevent any cracks from propagating through the crack stoppers.