A semiconductor wafer stack and a method of forming a semiconductor device is disclosed. The method includes providing a wafer stack with first and second wafers bonded together. The wafers include edge and non-edge regions, and at least one of the first and second wafers includes devices formed in the non-edge region. The first wafer serves as the base wafer while the second wafer serves as the top wafer of the wafer stack, where the base wafer is wider than the top wafer, providing a step edge of the wafer stack. An edge protection seal is formed on the wafer stack, where first and second layers are deposited on the wafer stack including at the top wafer and step edge of the wafer stack. The portion of the first and second layers on the step edge of the wafer stack forms the edge protection seal which protects the devices in the wafer stack in subsequent processing.

A semiconductor wafer stack and a method of forming a semiconductor device is disclosed. The method includes providing a wafer stack with first and second wafers bonded together. The wafers include edge and non-edge regions, and at least one of the first and second wafers includes devices formed in the non-edge region. The first wafer serves as the base wafer while the second wafer serves as the top wafer of the wafer stack, where the base wafer is wider than the top wafer, providing a step edge of the wafer stack. An edge protection seal is formed on the wafer stack, where first and second layers are deposited on the wafer stack including at the top wafer and step edge of the wafer stack. The portion of the first and second layers on the step edge of the wafer stack forms the edge protection seal which protects the devices in the wafer stack in subsequent processing.

Methods and systems of bonding substrates include disposing a low melting point material and one or more high melting point materials having a higher melting temperature than a melting temperature of the low melting point material between a first substrate and a second substrate to form a substrate assembly including a contacting surface comprising first and second areas; applying a first force at the first area; and applying heat to form a bond layer between the first and second substrates. A first formed porosity of the bond layer is aligned with the first area of the contacting surface. A second formed porosity of the bond layer is aligned with the second area of the contacting surface to which the first force was not applied, and the first formed porosity is different from the second formed porosity.

A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor chip provided inside with a p-n junction, an opaque sealing resin covering a surface of the semiconductor chip, and a functional region arranged between the semiconductor chip and the sealing resin and configured to prevent light, which is generated when a forward current flows through the p-n junction and has a particular wavelength causing deterioration of the sealing resin, from reaching the sealing resin.

A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor chip provided inside with a p-n junction, an opaque sealing resin covering a surface of the semiconductor chip, and a functional region arranged between the semiconductor chip and the sealing resin and configured to prevent light, which is generated when a forward current flows through the p-n junction and has a particular wavelength causing deterioration of the sealing resin, from reaching the sealing resin.

A method for wafer bonding includes: providing a semiconductor wafer having a first main face; fabricating at least one semiconductor device in the semiconductor wafer, wherein the semiconductor device is arranged at the first main face; generating trenches and a cavity in the semiconductor wafer such that the at least one semiconductor device is connected to the rest of the semiconductor wafer by no more than at least one connecting pillar; arranging the semiconductor wafer on a carrier wafer such that the first main face faces the carrier wafer; attaching the at least one semiconductor device to the carrier wafer; and removing the at least one semiconductor device from the semiconductor wafer by breaking the at least one connecting pillar.

A method for wafer bonding includes: providing a semiconductor wafer having a first main face; fabricating at least one semiconductor device in the semiconductor wafer, wherein the semiconductor device is arranged at the first main face; generating trenches and a cavity in the semiconductor wafer such that the at least one semiconductor device is connected to the rest of the semiconductor wafer by no more than at least one connecting pillar; arranging the semiconductor wafer on a carrier wafer such that the first main face faces the carrier wafer; attaching the at least one semiconductor device to the carrier wafer; and removing the at least one semiconductor device from the semiconductor wafer by breaking the at least one connecting pillar.

A semiconductor device has a plurality of interconnected modular units to form a 3D semiconductor package. Each modular unit is implemented as a vertical component or a horizontal component. The modular units are interconnected through a vertical conduction path and lateral conduction path within the vertical component or horizontal component. The vertical component and horizontal component each have an interconnect interposer or semiconductor die. A first conductive via is formed vertically through the interconnect interposer. A second conductive via is formed laterally through the interconnect interposer. The interconnect interposer can be programmable. A plurality of protrusions and recesses are formed on the vertical component or horizontal component, and a plurality of recesses on the vertical component or horizontal component. The protrusions are inserted into the recesses to interlock the vertical component and horizontal component. The 3D semiconductor package can be formed with multiple tiers of vertical components and horizontal components.

A semiconductor device has a plurality of interconnected modular units to form a 3D semiconductor package. Each modular unit is implemented as a vertical component or a horizontal component. The modular units are interconnected through a vertical conduction path and lateral conduction path within the vertical component or horizontal component. The vertical component and horizontal component each have an interconnect interposer or semiconductor die. A first conductive via is formed vertically through the interconnect interposer. A second conductive via is formed laterally through the interconnect interposer. The interconnect interposer can be programmable. A plurality of protrusions and recesses are formed on the vertical component or horizontal component, and a plurality of recesses on the vertical component or horizontal component. The protrusions are inserted into the recesses to interlock the vertical component and horizontal component. The 3D semiconductor package can be formed with multiple tiers of vertical components and horizontal components.

A semiconductor device includes a conductive member having an obverse face, a semiconductor element mounted on the obverse face, and a conductive bonding material disposed between the conductive member and the semiconductor element, to conductively bond the conductive member and the semiconductor element together. The conductive bonding material includes a metal base layer, a first bonding layer, and a second bonding layer. The first bonding layer is disposed between the metal base layer and the semiconductor element, and bonded to the semiconductor element by metal solid-phase diffusion. The second bonding layer is disposed between the metal base layer and the conductive member, and bonded to the conductive member by metal solid-phase diffusion.