Abstract: The present invention provides a substantially hermetically sealed enclosure about an active device area of a semiconductor substrate. The enclosure is created by forming a guard ring around the active device area on the substrate, and forming a metal panel over and in contact with the guard ring to enclose the active device area. The guard ring is a laminate of metal rings formed from alternating metal filled via rings and metal trace rings. The guard ring is formed on an ohmic contact ring on the surface of the substrate. An annealing process may be used to hermetically seal the guard ring to the ohmic contact ring.

Abstract: The present invention controls attachment of a first semiconductor material, such as a semiconductor die, to a second semiconductor material, such as a bond pad, substrate, or the like. A placement tool is used to pick up the first semiconductor material and move it to a defined position above the top surface of the second semiconductor material. The second semiconductor material will have an adhesive, such as epoxy, applied to its top surface. From the defined position above the second semiconductor material, the placement tool is allowed to fall for an amount of time previously determined to result in an adhesive layer of a defined thickness, within precise tolerances. The adhesive thickness is often referred to as bond line thickness (BLT) when bonding a semiconductor die to a bond pad, substrate, or the like.