One aspect of this disclosure is a power amplifier module that includes a power amplifier on a substrate and a semiconductor resistor on the substrate. The power amplifier includes a bipolar transistor having a collector, a base, and an emitter. The collector has a doping concentration of at least 310.sup.16 cm.sup.3 at an interface with the base. The collector also has at least a first grading in which doping concentration increases away from the base. The semiconductor resistor includes a resistive layer that that includes the same material as a layer of the bipolar transistor. Other embodiments of the module are provided along with related methods and components thereof.

One aspect of this disclosure is a power amplifier module that includes a power amplifier on a substrate and a semiconductor resistor on the substrate. The power amplifier includes a bipolar transistor having a collector, a base, and an emitter. The collector has a doping concentration of at least 310.sup.16 cm.sup.3 at an interface with the base. The collector also has at least a first grading in which doping concentration increases away from the base. The semiconductor resistor includes a resistive layer that that includes the same material as a layer of the bipolar transistor. Other embodiments of the module are provided along with related methods and components thereof.

A semiconductor device according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a wire electrically connecting a die pad and a semiconductor chip mounted on the die pad to each other, and an encapsulation body encapsulating the semiconductor chip. The die pad includes a wire-bonding region to which the wire is connected and a through hole penetrating through the die pad in a thickness direction. The wire-bonding region is covered by a metal film partially covering the die pad. The through hole is formed at a position overlapping the metal film. The encapsulation body includes a first portion formed over the die pad, a second portion formed under the die pad, and a third portion buried in the through hole of the die pad, wherein the first portion and the second portion of the encapsulation body are connected with each other via the third portion.

The bonding wire being a Pd-coated copper bonding wire includes: a copper core material; and a Pd layer and containing a sulfur group element, in which with respect to the total of copper, Pd, and the sulfur group element, a concentration of Pd is 1.0 mass % to 4.0 mass % and a total concentration of the sulfur group element is 50 mass ppm or less, and a concentration of S is 5 mass ppm to 2 mass ppm, a concentration of Se is 5 mass ppm to 20 mass ppm, or a concentration of Te is 15 mass ppm to 50 mass ppm or less. A wire bonding structure includes a Pd-concentrated region with the concentration of Pd being 2.0 mass % or more relative to the total of Al, copper, and Pd near a bonding surface of an Al-containing electrode of a semiconductor chip and a ball bonding portion.

To improve the reliability of a semiconductor device. The semiconductor device includes a plurality of wiring layers formed on a semiconductor substrate, a pad formed on an uppermost wiring layer of the plurality of wiring layers, a surface protection film which includes an opening on the pad and is made of an inorganic insulating film, a rewiring formed on the surface protection film; a pad electrode formed on the rewiring, and a wire connected to the pad electrode. The rewiring includes a pad electrode mounting portion on which the pad electrode is mounted, a connection portion which is connected to the pad, and an extended wiring portion which couples the pad electrode mounting portion and the connection portion, and the pad electrode mounting portion has a rectangular shape when seen in a plan view.

To improve the reliability of a semiconductor device. The semiconductor device includes a plurality of wiring layers formed on a semiconductor substrate, a pad formed on an uppermost wiring layer of the plurality of wiring layers, a surface protection film which includes an opening on the pad and is made of an inorganic insulating film, a rewiring formed on the surface protection film; a pad electrode formed on the rewiring, and a wire connected to the pad electrode. The rewiring includes a pad electrode mounting portion on which the pad electrode is mounted, a connection portion which is connected to the pad, and an extended wiring portion which couples the pad electrode mounting portion and the connection portion, and the pad electrode mounting portion has a rectangular shape when seen in a plan view.

There is provided a bonding wire for a semiconductor device including a coating layer having Pd as a main component on a surface of a Cu alloy core material and a skin alloy layer containing Au and Pd on a surface of the coating layer, the bonding wire further improving 2nd bondability on a Pd-plated lead frame and achieving excellent ball bondability even in a high-humidity heating condition. The bonding wire for a semiconductor device including the coating layer having Pd as a main component on the surface of the Cu alloy core material and the skin alloy layer containing Au and Pd on the surface of the coating layer has a Cu concentration of 1 to 10 at % at an outermost surface thereof and has the core material containing either or both of Pd and Pt in a total amount of 0.1 to 3.0% by mass, thereby achieving improvement in the 2nd bondability and excellent ball bondability in the high-humidity heating condition. Furthermore, a maximum concentration of Au in the skin alloy layer is preferably 15 at % to 75 at %.

This disclosure relates to a mobile device with a transmission line for a radio frequency (RF) signal. The transmission line includes a bonding layer having a bonding surface, a barrier layer proximate the bonding layer, a diffusion barrier layer proximate the barrier layer, and a conductive layer proximate the diffusion barrier layer. The barrier layer and the diffusion barrier layer are configured to prevent conductive material from the conductive layer from entering the bonding layer. The diffusion barrier layer has a thickness sufficiently small such that a radio frequency signal is allowed to penetrate the diffusion barrier layer and propagate in the conductive layer.

This disclosure relates to a mobile device with a transmission line for a radio frequency (RF) signal. The transmission line includes a bonding layer having a bonding surface, a barrier layer proximate the bonding layer, a diffusion barrier layer proximate the barrier layer, and a conductive layer proximate the diffusion barrier layer. The barrier layer and the diffusion barrier layer are configured to prevent conductive material from the conductive layer from entering the bonding layer. The diffusion barrier layer has a thickness sufficiently small such that a radio frequency signal is allowed to penetrate the diffusion barrier layer and propagate in the conductive layer.

Package-On-Package (PoP) structures that includes stud bulbs is provided. According to an embodiment, a POP structure includes a first substrate, stud bulbs, a die, a second substrate, and electrical connectors. The stud bulbs are coupled to a first surface of the first substrate. The die is attached to the first surface of the first substrate. The electrical connectors are coupled to the second substrate, and respective ones of the electrical connectors are coupled to respective ones of the stud bulbs.