Abstract: A semiconductor integrated circuit comprises a semiconductor substrate having a via-hole, a front-side-metal layer formed on a top surface of the semiconductor substrate, a seed-metal layer and a backside-metal layer. A bottom surface of an inner surface of the via-hole is at least partially defined by the front-side-metal layer. A surrounding surface of the inner surface of the via-hole is at least partially defined by the semiconductor substrate. The seed-metal layer is formed on the inner surface of the via-hole and a bottom surface of the semiconductor substrate such that the seed-metal layer and the front-side-metal layer are connected. The backside-metal layer is formed on an outer surface of the seed-metal layer. An aspect ratio of the via-hole is greater than or equal to 0.2 and less than or equal to 3, thereby a thickness uniformity of the backside-metal layer is improved.

Abstract: An improved structure for reducing compound semiconductor wafer distortion comprises a contact metal layer and at least one stress balance layer. The contact metal layer is formed on a bottom surface of a compound semiconductor wafer; the at least one stress balance layer is formed on a bottom surface of the contact metal layer, wherein a thermal conductivity of the at least one stress balance layer is greater than or equal to 10 W/m-K. The stress suffered by the compound semiconductor wafer is balanced by the at least one stress balance layer, so that the distortion of the compound semiconductor wafer is reduced.

Abstract: An improved structure for reducing compound semiconductor wafer distortion comprises a contact metal layer and at least one stress balance layer. The contact metal layer is formed on a bottom surface of a compound semiconductor wafer; the at least one stress balance layer is formed on a bottom surface of the contact metal layer, wherein a thermal conductivity of the at least one stress balance layer is greater than or equal to 10 W/m-K. The stress suffered by the compound semiconductor wafer is balanced by the at least one stress balance layer, so that the distortion of the compound semiconductor wafer is reduced.

Abstract: An improved structure for reducing compound semiconductor wafer distortion comprises a contact metal layer, at least one stress balance layer and a die attachment layer. The contact metal layer is formed on a bottom surface of a compound semiconductor wafer; the at least one stress balance layer is formed on a bottom surface of the contact metal layer, wherein the at least one stress balance layer is made of at least one conductive material; the die attachment layer is formed on a bottom surface of the at least one stress balance layer, wherein the die attachment layer is made of conductive material. By locating the at least one stress balance layer between the contact metal layer and the die attachment layer, the stress suffered by the compound semiconductor wafer is balanced so that the distortion of the compound semiconductor wafer is reduced.

Abstract: An improved structure for reducing compound semiconductor wafer distortion comprises a contact metal layer formed on a bottom surface of a compound semiconductor wafer, at least one stress balance layer formed on a bottom surface of the contact metal layer and made of nonconductive material, stress balance layer via holes and a die attachment layer. Each stress balance layer via hole penetrates the stress balance layer. The die attachment layer is made of conductive material, formed on a bottom surface of the stress balance layer and an inner surface of each stress balance layer via hole, and electrically connected with the contact metal layer through the stress balance layer via holes. By locating the stress balance layer between the contact metal layer and the die attachment layer, the stress suffered by the compound semiconductor wafer is balanced so that the distortion of the compound semiconductor wafer is reduced.

Abstract: An improved structure for reducing compound semiconductor wafer distortion comprises a contact metal layer, at least one stress balance layer and a die attachment layer. The contact metal layer is formed on a bottom surface of a compound semiconductor wafer; the at least one stress balance layer is formed on a bottom surface of the contact metal layer, wherein the at least one stress balance layer is made of at least one conductive material; the die attachment layer is formed on a bottom surface of the at least one stress balance layer, wherein the die attachment layer is made of conductive material. By locating the at least one stress balance layer between the contact metal layer and the die attachment layer, the stress suffered by the compound semiconductor wafer is balanced so that the distortion of the compound semiconductor wafer is reduced.

Abstract: An improved structure of backside copper metallization for semiconductor devices and a fabrication method thereof, wherein the improved structure comprises sequentially from top to bottom an active layer, a substrate, a backside metal seed layer, a high-temperature sustaining buffer layer, a backside metal layer and at least one oxidation resistant layer, wherein the backside metal seed layer contains Pd and P, the high-temperature sustaining buffer layer is made of Ni, Ag or Ni alloys, and the backside metal layer is made of Cu. The semiconductor chip using the structure provided by the present invention can sustain high-temperature operations.

Abstract: An improved structure of backside copper metallization for semiconductor devices and a fabrication method thereof, wherein the improved structure comprises sequentially from top to bottom an active layer, a substrate, a backside metal seed layer, a high-temperature sustaining buffer layer, a backside metal layer and at least one oxidation resistant layer, wherein the backside metal seed layer contains Pd and P, the high-temperature sustaining buffer layer is made of Ni, Ag or Ni alloys, and the backside metal layer is made of Cu. The semiconductor chip using the structure provided by the present invention can sustain high-temperature operations.

Abstract: A high breakdown voltage metal-insulator-metal capacitor for compound semiconductor integrated circuit comprises a substrate, an isolation layer, a first metal layer, a dielectric layer, an adhesion layer and a second metal layer. The dielectric layer is formed by alternately stacking plural HfO2 layers and plural SiO2 layers. The thickness of each layer of the plural HfO2 layers is between 30 ? to 100 ? so as to reduce the leakage current, enhance the breakdown voltage and increase the capacitance density of each layer of the plural HfO2 layers. And the total thickness of the dielectric layer is thicker than 500 ? such that the breakdown voltage of the capacitor is higher than 50V.

Abstract: A high breakdown voltage metal-insulator-metal capacitor for compound semiconductor integrated circuit comprises a substrate, an isolation layer, a first metal layer, a dielectric layer, an adhesion layer and a second metal layer. The dielectric layer is formed by alternately stacking plural HfO2 layers and plural SiO2 layers. The thickness of each layer of the plural HfO2 layers is between 30 ? to 100 ? so as to reduce the leakage current, enhance the breakdown voltage and increase the capacitance density of each layer of the plural HfO2 layers. And the total thickness of the dielectric layer is thicker than 500 ? such that the breakdown voltage of the capacitor is higher than 50 V.

Abstract: An electroless plating apparatus and method designed specifically for plating at least one semiconductor wafer are disclosed. The apparatus comprises a container, a wafer holder, an electrolyte supplying unit, and an ultrasonic-vibration unit. The container is provided with at least an inlet and used for containing electrolyte. The wafer holder is provided within the container. The electrolyte supplying unit is used to supply the electrolyte into the container via the inlet. The ultrasonic-vibration unit consisting of at least one frequency ultrasonic transducer is disposed in the container for producing a uniform flow of electrolyte in the container. Thereby, the wafers can be uniformly plated, especially for wafers with fine via-holes or trench structures.

Abstract: An improved structure of backside copper metallization for semiconductor devices and a fabrication method thereof, in which the improved structure comprises sequentially from top to bottom an active layer, a substrate, a backside metal seed layer, at least one thermal expansion buffer layer, a backside metal layer, and at least one oxidation resistant layer, in which the backside metal seed layer is formed of Pd, and the thermal expansion coefficient of the thermal expansion buffer layer is in the range between the thermal expansion coefficients of the backside metal seed layer and of the backside metal layer. The semiconductor chip using the structure provided by the present invention can sustain high-temperature operations.

Abstract: The present invention provides a copper interconnect for III-V compound semiconductor devices, which comprises a metal contact layer and a copper-containing metal layer, in which the metal contact layer is formed of a material selected from a group consisting of Ti/Pd/Cu, Ti/NiV/Cu, TiW/TiWN/TiW/Cu, TiW/TiWN/TiW/Au, TiW/Cu, and TiW/Au, and the copper-containing metal layer comprises a copper layer. The copper-containing metal layer further includes a metal protection layer covering on the copper layer to prevent the copper layer from oxidation. The metal protection layer is formed of Ni/Au, Ni/Pd/Au, NiV/Au, or solder.

Abstract: A method of processing copper backside metal layer for semiconductor chips is disclosed. The backside of a semiconductor wafer, with electronic devices already fabricated on the front side, is first coated with a thin metal seed layer by either electroless plating or sputtering. Then, the copper backside metal layer is coated on the metal seed layer. The metal seed layer not only increases the adhesion between the front side metal layer and the copper backside metal layer through backside via holes, but also prevents metal peeling from semiconductor's substrate after subsequent fabrication processes, which is helpful for increasing the reliability of device performances. Suitable materials for the metal seed layer includes Pd, Au, Ni, Ag, Co, Cr, Pt, or their alloys, such as NiP, NiB, AuSn, Pt—Rh and the likes. The use of Pd as seed layer is particularly useful for the copper backside metal layer, because the Pd layer also acts as a diffusion barrier to prevent Cu atoms entering the semiconductor wafer.

Abstract: An electroless plating apparatus and method designed specifically for plating at least one semiconductor wafer are disclosed. The apparatus comprises a container, a wafer holder, an electrolyte supplying unit, and an ultrasonic-vibration unit. The container is provided with at least an inlet and used for containing electrolyte. The wafer holder is provided within the container. The electrolyte supplying unit is used to supply the electrolyte into the container via the inlet. The ultrasonic-vibration unit consisting of at least one frequency ultrasonic transducer is disposed in the container for producing a uniform flow of electrolyte in the container. Thereby, the wafers can be uniformly plated, especially for wafers with fine via-holes or trench structures.

Abstract: A method of backside metal process for semiconductor electronic devices, particularly of using an electroless plating for depositing a metal seed layer for the plated backside metal film. The backside of a semiconductor wafer, with electronic devices already fabricated on the front side, is first coated with a thin metal seed layer by electroless plating. Then, the backside metal layer, such as a gold layer or a copper layer, is coated on the metal seed layer. The metal seed layer not only increases the adhesion between the front side metal layer and the backside metal layer through backside via holes, but also prevents metal peeling after subsequent fabrication processes. This is helpful for increasing the reliability of device performances. Suitable materials for the metal seed layer includes Pd, Au, Ni, Ag, Co, Cr, Cu, Pt, or their alloys, such as NiP, NiB, AuSn, Pt—Rh and the likes.

Abstract: A method of processing copper backside metal layer for semiconductor chips is disclosed. The backside of a semiconductor wafer, with electronic devices already fabricated on the front side, is first coated with a thin metal seed layer by either electroless plating or sputtering. Then, the copper backside metal layer is coated on the metal seed layer. The metal seed layer not only increases the adhesion between the front side metal layer and the copper backside metal layer through backside via holes, but also prevents metal peeling from semiconductor's substrate after subsequent fabrication processes, which is helpful for increasing the reliability of device performances. Suitable materials for the metal seed layer includes Pd, Au, Ni, Ag, Co, Cr, Pt, or their alloys, such as NiP, NiB, AuSn, Pt—Rh and the likes. The use of Pd as seed layer is particularly useful for the copper backside metal layer, because the Pd layer also acts as a diffusion barrier to prevent Cu atoms entering the semiconductor wafer.

Abstract: A method of backside metal process for semiconductor electronic devices, particularly of using an electroless plating for depositing a metal seed layer for the plated backside metal film. The backside of a semiconductor wafer, with electronic devices already fabricated on the front side, is first coated with a thin metal seed layer by electroless plating. Then, the backside metal layer, such as a gold layer or a copper layer, is coated on the metal seed layer. The metal seed layer not only increases the adhesion between the front side metal layer and the backside metal layer through backside via holes, but also prevents metal peeling after subsequent fabrication processes. This is helpful for increasing the reliability of device performances. Suitable materials for the metal seed layer includes Pd, Au, Ni, Ag, Co, Cr, Cu, Pt, or their alloys, such as NiP, NiB, AuSn, Pt—Rh and the likes.