Abstract: An object is to realize a hermetically sealed package which ensures long-term airtightness inside the package by sealing using a substrate, or a sealing structure for reducing destruction caused by pressure from the outside. A frame of a semiconductor material is provided over a first substrate, which is bonded to a second substrate having a semiconductor element so that the semiconductor element is located inside the frame between the first substrate and the second substrate. The frame may be formed using, as frame members, two L-shaped semiconductor members in combination or four or more stick semiconductor members in combination.

Abstract: A package of microelectromechanical system (MEMS) microphone is suitable for being mounted on a printed circuit board. The package has a cover and at least one MEMS microphone. The cover has an inner surface and a conductive trace disposed thereon. The MEMS microphone is mounted on the inner surface of the cover and electrically connected to the conductive trace, and has an acoustic pressure receiving surface. When the cover is mounted on the printed circuit board, the cover and the printed circuit board construct an acoustic housing which has at least one acoustic hole passing through the cover or the printed circuit board, and the conductive trace on the inner surface of the cover is electrically connected to the printed circuit board.

Abstract: Provided are a wafer level package and a wafer level packaging method, which are capable of performing an attaching process at a low temperature and preventing contamination of internal devices. In the wafer level package, a device substrate includes a device region, where a device is formed, and internal pads on the top surface. The internal pads are electrically connected to the device. A cap substrate includes a getter corresponding to the device on the bottom surface. A plurality of sealing/attaching members are provided between the device substrate and the cap substrate to attach the device substrate and the cap substrate and seal the device region and the getter. The sealing/attaching members are formed of polymer. A plurality of vias penetrate the cap substrate and are connected to the internal pads.

Abstract: A method of bonding of germanium to aluminum between two substrates to create a robust electrical and mechanical contact is disclosed. An aluminum-germanium bond has the following unique combination of attributes: (1) it can form a hermetic seal; (2) it can be used to create an electrically conductive path between two substrates; (3) it can be patterned so that this conduction path is localized; (4) the bond can be made with the aluminum that is available as standard foundry CMOS process. This has the significant advantage of allowing for wafer-level bonding or packaging without the addition of any additional process layers to the CMOS wafer.

Abstract: A microstructured component with microsensors or other active mircrocomponent is provided. The microstructured component includes a substrate and at least one housing arranged on the substrate with one or more active microstructures situated on it.

Abstract: In a method and system for fabricating a semiconductor device (100) having a package-on-package structure, a base laminate substrate (BLS) (110) is formed to include a base center portion (112) and a peripheral portion (114) separated by a barrier element (120). The barrier element (120) forms a peripheral wall (118) to surround the base center portion (112). A frame shaped top laminate substrate (TLS) (130) is disposed over the peripheral portion (114) of the BLS (110). The TLS (130) has an open top center portion (132) matching the base center portion (112) surrounded by the peripheral wall (118) to form a cavity (140). A plurality of conductive bumps (150) each disposed between a top contact pad (134) of the TLS and a base contact pad (116) of the peripheral portion (114) of the BLS (110) are formed to provide electrical and mechanical coupling therebetween. The barrier element (120) forms a seal between the cavity (140) and the plurality of conductive bumps (150).

Abstract: Die stacking systems and methods are disclosed. In an embodiment, a die has a surface that includes a passivation area, at least one conductive bond pad area, and a conductive stacked die receiving area sized to receive at least a second die.

Abstract: A stacked package structure and fabrication method thereof are disclosed, including providing a substrate having a plurality of stackable solder pads formed on surface thereof for allowing at least one semiconductor chip to be electrically connected to the substrate; forming an encapsulant for encapsulating the semiconductor chip and further exposing the stackable solder pads from the encapsulant, thus forming a lower-layer semiconductor package; forming conductive bumps on at least one stackable solder pad by means of wire bonding such that at least one upper-layer semiconductor package can be mounted via solder balls on the conductive bumps and the stackable solder pads of the lower-layer semiconductor package to form a stacked package structure, wherein, stacking height of the solder balls and the conductive bumps is greater than height of the encapsulant of the lower-layer semiconductor package, thus, when stacking fine pitch semiconductor packages or when warps occur to the upper-layer semiconductor pack

Abstract: A multi-ported CAM cell in which the negative effects of increased travel distance have been substantially reduced is provided. The multi-ported CAM cell is achieved in the present invention by utilizing three-dimensional integration in which multiple active circuit layers are vertically stack and vertically aligned interconnects are employed to connect a device from one of the stacked layers to another device in another stack layer. By vertically stacking multiple active circuit layers with vertically aligned interconnects, each compare port of the multi-port CAM can be implemented on a separate layer above or below the primary data storage cell. This allows the multi-port CAM structure to be implemented within the same area footprint as a standard Random Access Memory (RAM) cell, minimizing data access and match compare delays. Each compare match line and data bit line has the length associated with a simple two-dimensional Static Random Access Memory (SRAM) cell array.

Abstract: A semiconductor package using a chip-embedded interposer substrate is provided. The chip-embedded interposer substrate includes a chip including a plurality of chip pads; a substrate having the chip mounted thereon and including a plurality of redistribution pads for redistributing the chip pads; bonding wires for connecting the chip pads to the redistribution pads; a protective layer having via holes for exposing the redistribution pads while burying the chip and the substrate; and vias connected to the redistribution pads through the via holes. The semiconductor package including chips of various sizes is fabricated using the chip-embedded interposer substrate.

Abstract: An electronic device requires an electronic component to be mounted for the purpose of static shielding. The mounting of such an electronic component raises a problem of avoiding thermal stresses and cracks generated due to the difference between the coefficients of linear expansion of component materials. A positioning recess, a joining-substance thickness ensuring recess, a joining-substance thickness ensuring projection, etc. are formed in a combined manner in an electronic component mount portion of each of leads, whereby spreading of cracks generated in the joining substance can be suppressed and reliability can be improved. Filling a sealing material so as to seal and restrain the electronic component mounted in the electronic component mount portion without leaving voids contributes to further suppressing spreading of cracks generated in the joining substance and ensuring more improved reliability of the joining substance.

Abstract: An electronic system is provided including forming a substrate having a radiating patterned pad, mounting an electrical device having an external interconnect over the radiating patterned pad with the external interconnect offset from the radiating patterned pad, and aligning the external interconnect with the radiating patterned pad.

Abstract: Various methods and apparatus for semiconductor packing are disclosed. In one aspect, a method of manufacturing is provided that includes coupling first ends of plural conductor pins to a first surface of a semiconductor chip package substrate. A layer is formed on the first surface that engages and resists lateral movement of the conductor pins while leaving second ends of the conductor pins exposed.

Abstract: Some embodiments include methods of assembling integrated circuit packages in which at least two different conductive layers are formed over a bond pad region of a semiconductor die, and in which a conductive projection associated with an interposer is bonded through a gold ball to an outermost of the at least two conductive layers. The conductive layers may comprise one or more of silver, gold, copper, chromium, nickel, palladium, platinum, tantalum, titanium, vanadium and tungsten. In some embodiments, the bond pad region may comprise aluminum, an inner of the conductive layers may comprise nickel, an outer of the conductive layers may comprise gold, the conductive projection associated with the interposer may comprise gold; and the thermosonic bonding may comprise gold-to-gold bonding of the interposer projection to a gold ball, and gold-to-gold bonding of the outer conductive layer to the gold ball. Some embodiments include integrated circuit packages.

Abstract: A semiconductor device, in which a semiconductor element is mounted on one side of a circuit board that is made up from an insulating layer and a wiring layer, includes metal posts provided on the side of said circuit board on which said semiconductor element is mounted; and a sealing layer provided on the side of said circuit board on which said semiconductor element is mounted such that said semiconductor element is covered and such that only portions of said metal posts are exposed.

Abstract: An integrated circuit package system is provided including attaching an external interconnect on a tape; attaching a backside element on the tape adjacent to the external interconnect; attaching an integrated circuit die with the backside element, the backside element is on a first passive side of the integrated circuit die; connecting a first active side of the integrated circuit die and the external interconnect; and forming a first encapsulation over the integrated circuit die with the backside element exposed.

Abstract: A semiconductor package includes a substrate having contacts, and a discrete component on the substrate in electrical communication with the contacts. The package also includes a semiconductor die on the substrate in electrical communication with the contacts, and a die attach polymer attaching the die to the substrate. The die includes a recess, and the discrete component is contained in the recess encapsulated in the die attach polymer. A method for fabricating the package includes the steps of: attaching the discrete component to the substrate, placing the die attach polymer on the discrete component and the substrate, pressing the die into the die attach polymer to encapsulate the discrete component in the recess and attach the die to the substrate, and then placing the die in electrical communication with the discrete component. An electronic system includes the semiconductor package mounted to a system substrate.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a first substrate having a first surface for mounting an electronic component and a second surface substantially parallel to the first surface. The first substrate includes a first region for mounting the electronic component, a second region including a plurality of first communication units for transmitting and receiving signals to and from a second substrate, input-output circuits disposed on the first region or the second region, the input-out circuits corresponding to the first communication units, and a control circuit for controlling input to and output from the input-output circuits disposed on the first region or the second region of the first substrate. Each of the input-output circuits includes an output circuit for outputting a signal to a second communication unit of the second substrate corresponding to the first communication unit and an input unit for receiving a signal sent from the corresponding second communication unit.

Abstract: This invention is related to an improvement in the structure of a fastener which includes a rod and a sleeve, wherein the rod has a flat top for depression and a rod body extending downwardly from the flat top to form three stepped portions. The upper end of the rod body is provided with a circular groove. The sleeve is formed with a through hole and a flange close to its upper end. The inner side of the sleeve is provided above the flange with a first engaging section engageable with the circular groove of the rod. The sleeve is provided with a second engaging section below the flange and a third engaging section at the lower end thereof. By means of the engagement between the circular groove of the rod and the first engaging section of the sleeve, the rod will be prevented from detaching from the sleeve. The second and third engaging sections are used for preventing the fastener from disengaging from a workpiece.

Abstract: In a semiconductor device and a method of forming the same, the semiconductor device comprises: a first insulating layer on an underlying contact region of the semiconductor device, the first insulating layer having an upper surface; a first conductive pattern in a first opening through the first insulating layer, an upper portion of the first conductive pattern being of a first width, an upper surface of the first conductive pattern being recessed relative to the upper surface of the first insulating layer so that the upper surface of the first conductive pattern has a height relative to the underlying contact region that is less than a height of the upper surface of the first insulating layer relative to the underlying contact region; and a second conductive pattern contacting the upper surface of the first conductive pattern, a lower portion of the second conductive pattern being of a second width that is less than the first width.

Abstract: A semiconductor module includes a first metal foil; an insulating sheet mounted on a top surface of the first metal foil; at least one second metal foil mounted on a top surface of the insulating sheet; at least one semiconductor device mounted on the second metal foil; and a resin case for surrounding the first metal foil, insulating sheet, second metal foil, and semiconductor device. A bottom end of a peripheral wall of the resin case is located above a bottom surface of the first metal foil. A resin is provided inside the resin case to fill the inside of the resin case. The bottom surface of the first metal foil and the resin form a flat bottom surface so that the flat bottom surface contacts an external mounting member.

Abstract: Provided is a semiconductor device which is small in size and in which the deformation of leads is prevented at the time of wire-bonding. The semiconductor device includes: an island; a semiconductor element mounted on the bottom surface of the island; leads provided close to the island; and a sealing resin for integrally sealing these constituents. Moreover, in the semiconductor device according to the present invention, electrodes on the semiconductor element are bonded to the leads provided adjacent to a side of the island, the side not provided with leads which extends continuously from the island.

Abstract: A conductive bump structure for an integrated circuit (IC) structure comprises a passivation layer, such as a silicon oxide/silicon nitride stack, that is formed on an upper surface of each of the conductive contact pads (e.g. Al pads) of the IC. A plurality of openings extend through the passivation layer to expose areas of the upper surface of the contact pad. The openings are larger in the longitudinal dimension than in the lateral dimension. A conductive bump, preferably comprising gold (Au), is formed on the passivation layer to extend through the openings in the passivation and into electrical contact with the exposed upper surface areas of the contact pad.

Abstract: In a method and system for transferring at least one of power and ground signal between a die and a package base of a semiconductor device, a connector is formed there between. The connector, which is disposed above the die attached to the package base, includes a center pad electrically coupled to the die by a plurality of conductive bumps and a finger extending outward from the center pad towards the package base. The finger is electrically coupled to the package base by a conductive pad. A plurality of bond wires are formed to electrically couple the package base and the die. A resistance of a conductive path via the connector is much less than a resistance of a conductive path via any one of the plurality of bond wires to facilitate an efficient transfer of the at least one of power and ground signal.

Abstract: A bump structure including at least one contact pad, at least one first polymer bump, at least one second polymer bump, and a conductive layer is provided. The contact pad is disposed on a substrate, and the first polymer bump is also disposed on the substrate. The second polymer bump is disposed on the substrate and is connected to the first polymer bump. The conductive layer covers the first polymer bump and electrically connects the contact pad.

Abstract: A semiconductor substrate having on its surface an electrode of a semiconductor device and a pattern unit is prepared. A copper plate is formed provided with a first principle surface having a bump and a second principle surface, opposite to the first principle surface, having a trench. By adjusting the position of the copper plate so that a pattern unit and the corresponding trench have a predetermined positional relation, the bump and the electrode are aligned, the first principle surface of the copper plate and a semiconductor substrate are pressure-bonded via an insulating layer, and the bump and the electrode become connected electrically while the bump penetrating the insulating layer. A predetermined rewiring pattern is formed on the side of the second principle surface.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device includes: when bonding a bump of an IC chip to a bonding position of a wiring pattern that is formed on an insulating film base member and has a surface covered by a plating layer, forming a plating layer around the bonding position among the wiring pattern at least in an outer peripheral section of a peeled surface of a portion of the wiring pattern peeled from the film base member.

Abstract: A chip assembly includes a semiconductor chip, a bump and an external circuit. The semiconductor chip includes a semiconductor substrate, a transistor in and on the semiconductor substrate, multiple dielectric layers over the semiconductor substrate, a metallization structure over the semiconductor substrate, wherein the metallization structure is connected to the transistor, and a passivation layer over the metallization structure, over the dielectric layers and over the transistor. The bump is connected to the metallization structure through an opening in the passivation layer, wherein the bump includes an adhesion/barrier layer and a gold layer over the adhesion/barrier layer. The external circuit can be connected to the bump using a tape carrier package (TCP), a chip-on-film (COF) package or a chip-on-glass (COG) assembly.

Abstract: A semiconductor package with a semiconductor chip having under bump metallizations (UBMs) on a first surface and a substrate having open vias. The substrate is attached to the semiconductor chip with the UBMs in alignment with the open vias. An encapsulant surrounds the semiconductor chip and the substrate and a conductor fills the open vias to form external package connections. A method of forming a semiconductor package having external package connections includes providing a semiconductor chip having under bump metallizations (UBMs) on a first surface; attaching the first surface of the semiconductor chip to a substrate, the UBMs of the semiconductor chip being in alignment with open vias formed in the substrate; encapsulating the semiconductor chip and the substrate; and filling with open vias with a conductor to form the external package connections.

Abstract: In accordance with the objectives of the invention a new method is provided for the creation of metal bumps over surfaces of I/O pads. Contact pads are provided over the surface of a layer of dielectric. The aluminum of the I/O pads, which have been used as I/O pads during wafer level semiconductor device testing, is completely or partially removed over a surface area that is smaller than the surface area of the contact pad using methods of metal dry etching or wet etching. The contact pad can be accessed either by interconnect metal created in a plane of the contact pad or by via that are provided through the layer of dielectric over which the contact pad has been deposited. The process can be further extended by the deposition, patterning and etching of a layer of polyimide over the layer of passivation that serves to protect the contact pad.

Abstract: Provided are methods of fabricating a circuit board and a semiconductor package, and a circuit board and a semiconductor package fabricated using the methods. The circuit board comprises: a lower wiring pattern disposed on an upper surface of a resin substrate comprising a filler; a resin layer disposed on the lower wiring pattern; an upper wiring pattern comprising a bonding pad disposed on the resin layer; and a passivation layer comprising an upper opening exposing the bonding pad. The resin substrate comprises a substrate opening exposing a lower surface of the lower wiring pattern.

Abstract: An electronic device includes: at least one electronic chip comprising a first coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE); and a carrier including a top surface connected to the bottom surface of the chip by solder bumps. The carrier further includes a second CTE that approximately matches the first CTE, and a plurality of through vias from the bottom surface of the carrier to the top surface of the carrier layer. Each through via includes a collar exposed at the top surface of the carrier, a pad exposed at the bottom surface of the carrier, and a post disposed between the collar and the pad. The post extends thorough a volume of space.

Abstract: A conductor-dielectric interconnect structure is fabricated by providing a structure comprising a dielectric layer having a patterned feature therein; depositing a plating seed layer on the dielectric layer in the patterned feature; depositing a sacrificial seed layer on the plating seed layer in the via; reducing the thickness of the sacrificial seed layer by reverse plating; and plating a conductive metal on the sacrificial seed layer in the patterned feature. Also provided is a dielectric layer having a via therein; a plating seed layer on the dielectric layer in the patterned feature; and a discontinuous sacrificial seed layer located in the patterned feature.

Abstract: The method includes providing a patterned structure in a process chamber, where the patterned structure contains a micro-feature formed in a dielectric material and a contact layer at the bottom of the micro-feature, and depositing a metal carbonitride or metal carbide film on the patterned structure, including in the micro-feature and on the contact layer. The method further includes forming an oxidation-resistant diffusion barrier by increasing the nitrogen-content of the deposited metal carbide or metal carbide film, depositing a Ru film on the oxidation-resistant diffusion barrier, and forming bulk Cu metal in the micro-feature. A semiconductor contact structure is described.

Abstract: A method for forming a conductive structure of sub-lithographic dimension suitable for FEOL and BEOL semiconductor fabrication applications. The method includes forming a topographic feature of silicon-containing material on a substrate; forming a dielectric cap on the topographic feature; applying a mask structure to expose a pattern on a sidewall of the topographic feature, the exposed pattern corresponding to a conductive structure to be formed; depositing a metal at the exposed portions of the sidewall and forming one or more metal silicide conductive structures at the exposed sidewall portions; removing the dielectric cap layer; and removing the silicon-containing topographic feature. The result is the formation of one or more metal silicide conductor structures formed for a single lithographically defined feature. In example embodiments, the formed metal silicide conductive structures have a high aspect ratio, e.g., ranging from 1:1 to 20:1 (height to width dimension).

Abstract: A semiconductor device (10) comprises a substrate (11), a semiconductor layer (12), an insulation film (13), a protective film (15), a source electrode (21), a drain electrode (22), a gate electrode (23). The semiconductor device (10) comprises a protective film (15) formed so as to cover at least an upper surface of the insulation film (13). This enables preventing aluminum contained in the source electrode (21) and the drain electrode (22) from reacting with material contained in the insulation film (13). Accordingly, the increase of the resistance of the electrode and the increase of current collapse are prevented. Accordingly, the semiconductor device (10) has a satisfactory electric performance characteristics.

Abstract: A BOAC/COA of a semiconductor device is manufactured by forming a conductive pad over a semiconductor device, forming a passivation oxide film over the semiconductor device including the conductive pad, forming an oxide film over the entire surface of the conductive pad and the passivation oxide film, forming an oxide film pattern defining a bond pad region on the conductive pad, sequentially forming a barrier film and a metal seed layer over the oxide film pattern, the passivation oxide film and the conductive pad, forming a metal layer over the metal seed layer, planarizing the metal layer exposing the oxide film pattern and portions of the barrier film and the metal seed layer, and removing the oxide film pattern by an etching process.

Abstract: A metal interconnection of semiconductor device and method for fabricating the same is provided. The semiconductor device can include a semiconductor substrate formed with device structures such as transistors. An interlayer dielectric layer can be formed on the semiconductor substrate with a metal interconnection formed therethrough. A spacer can be formed on at least a portion of a sidewall of the metal interconnection. A diffusion barrier can be formed on an upper surface of the metal interconnection.

Abstract: The invention includes an electrically conductive line, methods of forming electrically conductive lines, and methods of reducing titanium silicide agglomeration in the fabrication of titanium silicide over polysilicon transistor gate lines. In one implementation, a method of forming an electrically conductive line includes providing a silicon-comprising layer over a substrate. An electrically conductive layer is formed over the silicon-comprising layer. An MSixNy-comprising layer is formed over the electrically conductive layer, where “x” is from 0 to 3.0, “y” is from 0.5 to 10, and “M” is at least one of Ta, Hf, Mo, and W. An MSiz-comprising layer is formed over the MSixNy-comprising layer, where “z” is from 1 to 3.0. A TiSia-comprising layer is formed over the MSiz-comprising layer, where “a” is from 1 to 3.0.

Abstract: A semiconductor device comprises a first insulating film formed on a semiconductor substrate, a first metal pattern formed on the first insulating film, a second insulating film formed on the first metal pattern, a second metal pattern formed on the second insulating film, and a third metal pattern formed in the second insulating film and connecting between the first metal pattern and the second metal pattern. The third metal pattern is a single continuous structure, and the principal orientation axes of crystals of a metal constituting the third metal pattern are parallel to the principal surface of the semiconductor substrate.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device has forming, in a dielectric film, a first opening and a second opening located in the first opening, forming a first metal film containing a first metal over a whole surface, etching the first metal film at a bottom of the second opening using a sputtering process and forming a second metal film containing a second metal over the whole surface, and burying a conductive material in the second opening and the first opening.

Abstract: A device fabricated using a multi-layered wafer that has an embedded etch mask adapted to map a desired device structure onto an adjacent (poly)silicon layer. Due to the presence of the embedded mask, it becomes possible to delay the etching that forms the mapped structure in the (poly)silicon layer until a relatively late fabrication stage. As a result, flatness of the (poly)silicon layer is preserved for the deposition of any necessary over-layers, which substantially obviates the need for filling the voids created by the structure formation with silicon oxide.

Abstract: Methods of forming a contact structure in a semiconductor device include providing a semiconductor substrate including active regions and word lines crossing the active regions. A first interlayer dielectric layer is formed on the semiconductor substrate. Direct contact plugs are formed extending through the first interlayer dielectric layer to contact selected ones of the active regions. Bit line structures are formed on the first interlayer dielectric layer and crossing the word lines that are coupled to the selected ones of the active regions by the direct contact plugs. A second interlayer dielectric layer is formed on the semiconductor substrate including the bit line structures. Barrier patterns are formed extending in parallel with bit line structures and into the second interlayer dielectric layer. Mask patterns are formed overlying an entirety of top surfaces of the direct contact plugs on the second interlayer dielectric layer and the bit line structures.

Abstract: The present invention provides an enhanced interconnect structure with improved reliability. The inventive interconnect structure has enhanced mechanical strength of via contacts provided by embedded metal liners. The embedded metal liners may be continuous or discontinuous. Discontinuous embedded metal liners are provided by a discontinuous interface at the bottom of the via located within the interlayer dielectric layer.

Abstract: Interconnect dual damascene structure are fabricated by depositing on a layer of at least one dielectric, a mask forming layer for providing the via-level mask layer of the dual damascene structures; creating an elongated via pattern in the via-level mask layer; depositing a layer of line-level dielectric and creating a line pattern through the layer of line-level dielectric, and transferring the line pattern through the projected intersection of the elongated via-level pattern and of the line-level pattern thereby generating an aligned dual damascene structure. A conductive liner layer is deposited in the dual damascene structure followed by filling the dual damascene structure with a conductive fill metal to form a set of metal lines. The metal and liner layers are planarized.

Abstract: The present invention extends the above referenced continuation-in-part application by in addition creating high quality electrical components, such as inductors, capacitors or resistors, on a layer of passivation or on the surface of a thick layer of polymer. In addition, the process of the invention provides a method for mounting discrete electrical components at a significant distance removed from the underlying silicon surface.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a first metal foil, an insulating sheet mounted on an upper surface of the first metal foil main, at least one second metal foil mounted on the insulating sheet, at least one solder layer mounted on the at least one second metal foil, and at least one semiconductor element mounted on the at least one second metal foil through the at least one solder layer. The at least one semiconductor has a thickness of 50 ?m or greater and less than 100 ?m.

Abstract: According to one aspect of the invention, a method of constructing a memory array is provided. An insulating layer is formed on a semiconductor wafer. A first metal stack is then formed on the insulating layer and etched to form first metal lines. A polymeric layer is formed over the first metal lines and the insulating layer. A puddle of smoothing solvent is then allowed to stand on the wafer. The smoothing solvent is then removed. After the smoothing solvent is removed, the polymeric layer has a reduced surface roughness. A second metal stack is then formed on the polymeric layer and etched to form second metal lines.

Abstract: A semiconductor device and method is disclosed. In one embodiment, the method includes placing a first semiconductor over an electrically conductive carrier. The first semiconductor is covered with a molding compound. A through hole is formed in the molding compound. A first material is deposited in the through hole.

Abstract: A structure and process are provided that are capable of reducing the occurrence of discontinuities within the metallization, such as voiding or seams, formed during electroplating at the edges of semiconductor metallization arrays. The structure includes a metallization bar located around the periphery of the array. The process employs the structure during electroplating.