Patents Represented by Attorney, Agent or Law Firm David D. Bonham, Esq.
  • Integrated circuit resistant to the formation of cracks in a passivation layer
    Patent number: 6630402
    Abstract: In integrated circuits produced by etching and damascene techniques, it is common for cracking to occur in dielectric material surrounding an interconnect metal layer integrated into the device, presumably as a result of the transfer of stresses from the interconnect metal layer to the surrounding dielectric material. The present invention addresses this problem by providing an interconnect metal layer that comprises rounded comers which are believed to reduce the stresses transferred to a surrounding dielectric layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2003
    Assignee: General Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventors: Fwu-Iuan Hshieh, Koon Chong So, John E. Amato