There is provided a copper bonding wire that exhibits a favorable bondability even when a scrub at the time of bonding is reduced. The copper bonding wire is characterized in that when a sum of percentages of Cu, Cu.sub.2O, CuO and Cu(OH).sub.2 on a surface of the wire as measured by X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) is defined as 100%, Cu[II]/Cu[I] which is a ratio of a total percentage of CuO and Cu(OH).sub.2 (Cu[II]) corresponding to bivalent Cu to a percentage of Cu.sub.2O (Cu[I]) corresponding to monovalent Cu falls within a range from 0.8 to 12.

A reliability prediction method includes: calculating a change of each of a plurality of alloy phases at a bonding portion between an electrode pad and a bonding wire; setting a generation of a metal oxide phase caused by a corrosion reaction, based on an initial crack structure of the bonding portion; calculating an elastic strain energy at each of specified portions of the bonding portion; setting a progress of a crack, based on the elastic strain energy at each of the specified portions; and predicting a lifetime of the semiconductor device, based on a length of the crack due to the progress of the crack.

An assembly includes an integrated circuit chip and a plate with at least one heat removal channel arranged between the chip and the plate. Metal sidewalls are formed to extend from one surface of the chip to an opposite surface of the plate. The assembly is encapsulated in a body that includes an opening extending to reach the channel. The plate may be one of an interposer, an integrated circuit chip, a support of surface-mount type, or a metal plate.

A reliability prediction method includes: calculating a change of each of a plurality of alloy phases at a bonding portion between an electrode pad and a bonding wire; setting a generation of a metal oxide phase caused by a corrosion reaction, based on an initial crack structure of the bonding portion; calculating an elastic strain energy at each of specified portions of the bonding portion; setting a progress of a crack, based on the elastic strain energy at each of the specified portions; and predicting a lifetime of the semiconductor device, based on a length of the crack due to the progress of the crack.

An assembly includes an integrated circuit chip and a plate with at least one heat removal channel arranged between the chip and the plate. Metal sidewalls are formed to extend from one surface of the chip to an opposite surface of the plate. The assembly is encapsulated in a body that includes an opening extending to reach the channel. The plate may be one of an interposer, an integrated circuit chip, a support of surface-mount type, or a metal plate.

Reliable microstrip routing arrangements for electronics components are described. In an example, a semiconductor apparatus includes a semiconductor die having a surface with an integrated circuit thereon coupled to contact pads of an uppermost metallization layer of a semiconductor package substrate by a plurality of conductive contacts. A plurality of discrete metal planes is disposed at the uppermost metallization layer of the semiconductor package substrate, each metal plane located, from a plan view perspective, at a corner of a perimeter of the semiconductor die. Microstrip routing is disposed at the uppermost metallization layer of the semiconductor package substrate, from the plan view perspective, outside of the perimeter of the semiconductor die.

An assembly is made of an integrated circuit chip and a plate. At least one channel is arranged between the chip and the plate. The channel is delimited by metal sidewalls at least partially extending from one surface of the chip to an opposite surface of the plate. The assembly is encapsulated in a body that includes an opening extending to reach the channel. The plate may be one of an interposer, an integrated circuit chip, a support of surface-mount type, or a metal plate.

There is provided a copper bonding wire that exhibits a favorable bondability even when a scrub at the time of bonding is reduced. The copper bonding wire is characterized in that when a sum of percentages of Cu, Cu.sub.2O, CuO and Cu(OH).sub.2 on a surface of the wire as measured by X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) is defined as 100%, Cu[II]/Cu[I] which is a ratio of a total percentage of CuO and Cu(OH).sub.2 (Cu[II]) corresponding to bivalent Cu to a percentage of Cu.sub.2O (Cu[I]) corresponding to monovalent Cu falls within a range from 0.8 to 12.