Abstract: Bumping a substrate having a metal layer thereon may include forming a barrier layer on the substrate including the metal layer and forming a conductive bump on the barrier layer. Moreover, the barrier layer may be between the conductive bump and the substrate, and the conductive bump may be laterally offset from the metal layer. After forming the conductive bump, the barrier layer may be removed from the metal layer thereby exposing the metal layer while maintaining a portion of the barrier layer between the conductive bump and the substrate. Related structures are also discussed.

Abstract: A liquid prime mover can be used to position a component on a substrate. For example, a liquid material can be provided on the substrate adjacent the component such that the component has a first position relative to the substrate. A property of the liquid material can then be changed to move the component from the first position relative to the substrate to a second position relative to the substrate. Related structures are also discussed.

Abstract: A second substrate is positioned relative to a first substrate having phase-changeable bumps, such as solder bumps, between them, wherein the second substrate has a first face adjacent the first substrate, a second face remote from the first substrate, and at least one edge wall between the first and second faces. The phase-changeable bumps are liquefied to establish an equilibrium position of the first and second substrates relative to one another. At least a portion of the second face is pushed away from the equilibrium position towards the first substrate, to a new position, without applying external force to the first face other than spring forces of the phase-changeable bumps that are liquefied, and without applying external force to any edge wall. Thus, only spring forces of the phase-changeable bumps that are liquefied oppose the pushing. The phase-changeable bumps that are liquefied then are solidified, to maintain the new position.

Abstract: Solder bumps are fabricated by plating a first solder layer on an underbump metallurgy, plating a second solder layer having higher melting point than the first solder layer on the first solder layer and plating a third solder layer having lower melting point than the second solder layer on the second solder layer. The structure then is heated to below the melting point of the second solder layer but above the melting point of the first solder layer and the third solder layer, to alloy at least some of the first solder layer with at least some of the underbump metallurgy and to round the third solder layer. Accordingly, a trilayer solder bump may be fabricated wherein the first and third layers melt at lower temperatures than the second solder layer, to thereby round the outer surface of the solder bump and alloy the base of the solder bump to the underbump metallurgy, while allowing the structure of the intermediate layer to be preserved.

Abstract: Microelectronic packages include a first microelectronic substrate, a second microelectronic substrate that is oriented at an acute angle relative to the first microelectronic substrate, and first solder bumps between the first and second microelectronic substrates, adjacent an edge of the second microelectronic substrate, that connect the second microelectronic substrate to the first microelectronic substrate and that are confined to within the edge of the second microelectronic substrate. The edge of the second microelectronic substrate is adjacent the vertex of the acute angle. A third microelectronic substrate also may be provided on the first microelectronic substrate that laterally overlaps the second microelectronic substrate. Second solder bumps connect the third microelectronic substrate to the first microelectronic substrate. The second and third microelectronic substrates may be oriented parallel to one another at the acute angle relative to the first microelectronic substrate.