A semiconductor chip includes a device layer on a substrate, the device layer including a plurality of semiconductor devices; a wiring structure and a lower inter-wiring dielectric layer each on the device layer, the lower inter-wiring dielectric layer surrounding the wiring structure and having a lower permittivity than silicon oxide; an upper inter-wiring dielectric layer arranged on the lower inter-wiring dielectric layer; an isolation recess arranged along an edge of the substrate, the isolation recess formed on side surfaces of the lower and upper inter-wiring dielectric layers and having a bottom surface at a level equal to or lower than that of a bottom surface of the lower inter-wiring dielectric layer; and a cover dielectric layer covering the side surfaces of the lower and upper inter-wiring dielectric layers and the bottom surface of the isolation recess.

During electro-oxidative metal removal on a semiconductor substrate, the substrate having a metal layer is anodically biased and the metal is electrochemically dissolved into an electrolyte. Metal particles (e.g., copper particles when the dissolved metal is copper) can inadvertently form on the surface of the substrate during electrochemical metal removal and cause defects during subsequent semiconductor processing. Contamination with such particles can be mitigated by preventing particle formation and/or by dissolution of particles. In one implementation, mitigation involves using an electrolyte that includes an oxidizer, such as hydrogen peroxide, during the electrochemical metal removal. An electrochemical metal removal apparatus in one embodiment has a conduit for introducing an oxidizer to the electrolyte and a sensor for monitoring the concentration of the oxidizer in the electrolyte.

During electro-oxidative metal removal on a semiconductor substrate, the substrate having a metal layer is anodically biased and the metal is electrochemically dissolved into an electrolyte. Metal particles (e.g., copper particles when the dissolved metal is copper) can inadvertently form on the surface of the substrate during electrochemical metal removal and cause defects during subsequent semiconductor processing. Contamination with such particles can be mitigated by preventing particle formation and/or by dissolution of particles. In one implementation, mitigation involves using an electrolyte that includes an oxidizer, such as hydrogen peroxide, during the electrochemical metal removal. An electrochemical metal removal apparatus in one embodiment has a conduit for introducing an oxidizer to the electrolyte and a sensor for monitoring the concentration of the oxidizer in the electrolyte.

An integrated circuit device includes a wiring structure, first and second inter-wiring insulating layers, redistributions patterns and a cover insulating layer. The wiring structure includes wiring layers having a multilayer wiring structure and via plugs. The first inter-wiring insulating layer that surrounds the wiring structure on a substrate. The second inter-wiring insulating layer is on the first inter-wiring insulating layer, and redistribution via plugs are connected to the wiring structure through the second inter-wiring insulating layer. The redistribution patterns includes pad patterns and dummy patterns on the second inter-wiring insulating layer. Each patterns has a thickness greater than a thickness of each wiring layer. The cover insulating layer covers some of the redistribution patterns. The dummy patterns are in the form of lines that extend in a horizontal direction parallel to the substrate.

An integrated circuit device includes a wiring structure, first and second inter-wiring insulating layers, redistributions patterns and a cover insulating layer. The wiring structure includes wiring layers having a multilayer wiring structure and via plugs. The first inter-wiring insulating layer that surrounds the wiring structure on a substrate. The second inter-wiring insulating layer is on the first inter-wiring insulating layer, and redistribution via plugs are connected to the wiring structure through the second inter-wiring insulating layer. The redistribution patterns includes pad patterns and dummy patterns on the second inter-wiring insulating layer. Each patterns has a thickness greater than a thickness of each wiring layer. The cover insulating layer covers some of the redistribution patterns. The dummy patterns are in the form of lines that extend in a horizontal direction parallel to the substrate.

The present invention relates to an electronic module. In particular, to an electronic module which includes one or more components embedded in an installation base. The electronic module can be a module like a circuit board, which includes several components, which are connected to each other electrically, through conducting structures manufactured in the module. The components can be passive components, microcircuits, semiconductor components, or other similar components. Components that are typically connected to a circuit board form one group of components. Another important group of components are components that are typically packaged for connection to a circuit board. The electronic modules to which the invention relates can, of course, also include other types of components.

A semiconductor device includes first and second conductive parts, a first bonding wire connecting the first and second conductive parts and having a non-flat portion between opposite ends thereof so that a portion between the opposite ends is away from the first and second conductive parts, a case having a housing space to accommodate the first and second conductive parts, including a sidewall having first to fourth lateral faces surrounding the housing space to form a rectangular shape in a plan view, and a cover disposed on the sidewall, a sealing member filling the case to seal the first bonding wire, and a first stress relaxer for relieving a stress in the first bonding wire. The first bonding wire extends from the second lateral face toward the fourth lateral face, and the first stress relaxer is positioned between the first bonding wire and the first lateral face.

A semiconductor device includes first and second conductive parts, a first bonding wire connecting the first and second conductive parts and having a non-flat portion between opposite ends thereof so that a portion between the opposite ends is away from the first and second conductive parts, a case having a housing space to accommodate the first and second conductive parts, including a sidewall having first to fourth lateral faces surrounding the housing space to form a rectangular shape in a plan view, and a cover disposed on the sidewall, a sealing member filling the case to seal the first bonding wire, and a first stress relaxer for relieving a stress in the first bonding wire. The first bonding wire extends from the second lateral face toward the fourth lateral face, and the first stress relaxer is positioned between the first bonding wire and the first lateral face.

Devices and techniques including process steps make use of recesses in conductive interconnect structures to form reliable low temperature metallic bonds. A fill layer is deposited into the recesses prior to bonding. First conductive interconnect structures are bonded at ambient temperatures to second metallic interconnect structures using direct bonding techniques, with the fill layers in the recesses in one or both of the first and second interconnect structures.

A method includes bonding a second package component to a first package component, bonding a third package component to the first package component, attaching a dummy die to the first package component, encapsulating the second package component, the third package component, and the dummy die in an encapsulant, and performing a planarization process to level a top surface of the second package component with a top surface of the encapsulant. After the planarization process, an upper portion of the encapsulant overlaps the dummy die. The dummy die is sawed-through to separate the dummy die into a first dummy die portion and a second dummy die portion. The upper portion of the encapsulant is also sawed through.