Abstract: A magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) etching process uses a sacrifice layer. An MTJ cell structure includes an MTJ stack with a first magnetic layer, a second magnetic layer, and a tunnel barrier layer in between the first magnetic layer and the second magnetic layer, and a sacrifice layer adjacent to the second magnetic layer, where the sacrifice layer protects the second magnetic layer in the MTJ stack from oxidation during an ashing process. The sacrifice layer does not increase a resistance of the MTJ stack. The sacrifice layer can be made of Mg, Cr, V, Mn, Ti, Zr, Zn, or any alloy combination thereof, or any other suitable material. The sacrifice layer can be multi-layered and/or have a thickness ranging from 5 ? to 400 ?. The MTJ cell structure can have a top conducting layer over the sacrifice layer.

Abstract: Methods and associated structures of forming microelectronic devices are described. Those methods may include forming a first layer of magnetic material and at least one via structure disposed in a first dielectric layer, forming a second dielectric layer disposed on the first magnetic layer, forming at least one conductive structure disposed in the second dielectric layer, forming a third layer of dielectric material disposed on the conductive structure, forming a second layer of magnetic material disposed in the third layer of dielectric material and in the second layer of dielectric material, wherein the first and second layers of the magnetic material are coupled to one another.

Abstract: A magnetic memory element includes a pinned layer, a tunneling barrier layer, a free layer and a stabilizing layer. The tunneling barrier layer is disposed on the pinned layer. The free layer is disposed on the tunneling barrier layer. The stabilizing layer is disposed on the free layer.

Abstract: Consistent the present disclosure, a receive circuit is provided that includes a balanced detector portion and a transimpedance amplifier (TIA). The anode of one photodiode is connected to the cathode of the other by a bonding pad, which supplies the sum of the currents generated in each photodiode to an input of the TIA. Thus, the TIA may, for example, have a single input, as opposed to multiple inputs, thereby reducing the number of connections so that the photodiodes and the TIA may be integrated onto a smaller die. In addition, since there are few connections, fewer TIAs are required and differential stages are unnecessary. Power consumption is thus reduced, and, since the photodiode current is fed through one input to the TIA, fewer feedback resistors are required, thereby reducing thermal noise. In addition, since the anode of one photodiode is connected to the cathode of the other, the dark current generated in each flows in opposite directions, and is therefore effectively cancelled out.

Abstract: Example embodiments relate to a three-dimensional image sensor including a color pixel array on a substrate, a distance pixel array on the substrate, an RGB filter on the color pixel array and configured to allow visible light having a first wavelength to pass, a near infrared light filter on the distance pixel array and configured to allow near infrared light having a second wavelength to pass, and a stack type single band filter on the RGB filter and the near infrared light filter and configured to allow light having a third wavelength between the first wavelength and the second wavelength to pass.

Abstract: The present invention discloses an image sensor device and a method for making an image sensor device. The image sensor device comprises an optical pixel and an electronic circuit, wherein the optical pixel includes: a substrate; an image sensor area formed in the substrate; a masking layer formed above the image sensor area, wherein the masking layer is formed during a process for forming the electronic circuit; and a light passage above the masking layer for increasing light sensing ability of the image sensor area.

Abstract: A solid state image sensor includes: a first pixel and a second pixel, each including a light receiving portion; a first color filter formed in an upper part of the first pixel on a first main surface side of a semiconductor substrate; a second color filter formed in an upper part of the second pixel on the first main surface side of the semiconductor substrate; a metal interconnect layer formed on a second main surface side of the semiconductor substrate; and a substrate contact connected to the second main surface of the semiconductor substrate, and provided between the metal interconnect layer and the second main surface. The first color filter mainly transmits first light therethrough, and the second color filter mainly transmits second light therethrough. The second light has a shorter wavelength than that of the first light. The substrate contact is not provided in the first pixel.

Abstract: An insulation is provided in a portion surrounding a light receiving portion in a semiconductor element, and a sealing resin is provided around the insulation, thereby warping the insulation outward when viewed from the light receiving portion to prevent diffuse light from returning to the light receiving portion of the semiconductor element.

Abstract: In a termination structure in which a JTE layer is provided, a level or defect existing at an interface between a semiconductor layer and an insulating film, or a minute amount of adventitious impurities that infiltrate into the semiconductor interface from the insulating film or from an outside through the insulating film becomes a source or a breakdown point of a leakage current, which deteriorates a breakdown voltage.

Abstract: A fuse part in a semiconductor device includes a conductive pattern formed over a substrate, wherein the conductive pattern includes a blowing part and a pad part, making contact with both sides of the blowing part and having a larger thickness than that of the blowing part, a protection layer formed over the substrate having the conductive pattern, and a fuse box formed in the protection layer located on an upper portion of the blowing part, wherein a portion of the protection layer maintains a certain thickness over the blowing part.

Abstract: Provided is a fuse of a semiconductor device that includes a Y type fuse and an insulation layer configured to expose the Y type fuse such that an exposed portion of the Y type fuse has a substantially ‘V’ shape. According to the present invention, metal crack is prevented from occurring in a Y type fuse under a high temperature and high humidity condition of a reliability test so that the reliability and competitiveness of semiconductor devices can be improved.

Abstract: A fuse of a semiconductor device includes a plurality of first conductive patterns, and a plurality of second conductive patterns filling spaces between the first conductive patterns and formed of a material which has a greater specific resistance than the first conductive patterns.

Abstract: A fuse part for a semiconductor device includes an insulation layer configured to cover a conductive pattern over a substrate, a dual fuse configured to include a first pattern and a second pattern that are positioned on the same line over the insulation layer and spaced apart from each other by a certain distance, a protective layer configured to cover the dual fuse and include a first fuse box and a second fuse box that partially expose the first pattern and the second pattern, respectively, and a plurality of plugs configured to penetrate the insulation layer and electrically connect the first and second patterns to the conductive pattern. Herein, the plugs are positioned beneath the first and second fuse boxes.

Abstract: An integrated circuit has a plurality of terminals for making electrical connection to the integrated circuit. At least one device is formed adjacent an outer edge of the integrated circuit. The device includes at least one metal conductor for forming an edge seal for protecting the integrated circuit during die singulation. The device is coupled to one or more functional circuits within the integrated circuit by routing the at least one metal conductor to the one or more functional circuits, the at least one device providing a reactance value to the one or more functional circuits for non-test operational use. The device may be formed as one or more capacitors or as one or more inductors. Various structures may be used for the capacitor and the inductor.

Abstract: An electronic multi-component package is assembled by placing multiple electronic components within multiple openings of a package substrate, then depositing and curing adhesive filler in gaps between the components and the inner peripheries of the openings. Circuit features, including conductive interconnects, are formed by thin-film photolithography over both front and back surfaces of the package substrate. Preformed conductive vias through the package substrate provide electrical connection between circuit features on opposite substrate surfaces. Additional electronic components may be attached to conductive lands on at least one side of the package. The circuit features also include contact pads for external package connections, such as in a ball-grid-array or equivalent structure.

Abstract: A manufacturing method of a semiconductor device includes: forming a wiring in a first interlayer insulating layer in a first region; etching an surface portion of the first interlayer insulating layer in a second region; forming a plurality of opening portions extended below in the etched region; and forming a lower electrode layer, a dielectric layer, and a common upper electrode in each of the plurality of opening portions to form a plurality of capacitance portions. The step of forming the plurality of capacitance portions, includes: forming the common upper electrode so that an upper surface of the first interlayer insulating layer and an upper surface of the common upper electrode approximately lie in the same plane.

Abstract: The present invention describes an ultra High-Density Capacitor design, integrated in a semiconductor substrate, preferably a Si substrate, by using both wafer sides. The capacitors are pillar-shaped and comprise electrodes (930,950) separated by a dielectric layer (940). Via connections (920) are provided in trenches that go through the whole thickness of the wafer.

Abstract: A semiconductor integrated circuit having a diode element includes a diffusion layer which constitutes the anode and two diffusion layers which are provided on the left and right sides of the anode and which constitute the cathode, such that the anode and the cathode constitute the diode. A well contact is provided to surround both the diffusion layers of the anode and cathode. Distance tS between a longer side of the well contact and the diffusion layers of the cathode is shorter, while distance tL between a shorter side of the well contact and the diffusion layers of the anode and cathode is longer (tL>tS). Accordingly, the resistance value between the diffusion layer of the anode and the shorter side of the well contact is larger, so that the current from the diffusion layer of the anode is unlikely to flow toward the shorter side of the well contact.

Abstract: The present invention is a silicon single crystal wafer grown by the Czochralski method, the silicon single crystal wafer in which an wafer entire plane is an N region located outside OSFs which are generated in the form of a ring when thermal oxidation treatment is performed and contains no defect region detected by the RIE process. As a result, a silicon single crystal wafer which belongs to none of a vacancy-rich V region, an OSF region, a Dn region in an Nv region, the Dn region in which a defect detected by the Cu deposition process is generated, and an interstitial silicon-rich I region and can improve the TDDB characteristic which is the time dependent breakdown characteristic of an oxide film more reliably than a known silicon single crystal wafer is provided, and the silicon single crystal wafer is provided under stable production conditions.

Abstract: A laser processing method is provided, which, when cutting a substrate formed with a multilayer part including a plurality of functional devices, makes it possible to cut the multilayer part with a high precision in particular. In a state where a protective tape 22 is attached to the front face 16a of a multilayer part 16, a substrate 4 is irradiated with laser light L while using its rear face 4b as a laser light entrance surface, so as to form a modified region 7 within the substrate 4 along a line to cut, thereby generating a fracture 24 reaching the front face 4a of the substrate 4 from a front-side end part 7a of the modified region 7. Attaching an expandable tape to the rear face 4b of the substrate 4 and expanding it in the state where such a fracture 24 is generated can cut not only the substrate 4 but also the multilayer part 16 on the line to cut, i.e., interlayer insulating films 17a, 17b, with a favorable precision along the line to cut.

Abstract: A dielectric layer is provided. The dielectric layer includes a photo-sensitive polymer or a non-photo-sensitive polymer and an amorphous metal oxide disposed in the photo-sensitive polymer or a non-photo-sensitive polymer.

Abstract: An electronic device comprises an electronic element package and a mounting substrate on which the electronic element package is mounted. The electronic element package has an LGA electrode. The mounting substrate has a through-hole having a conductor which covers an inner wall. The LGA electrode has an area larger than an opening area of the through-hole on a side facing the LGA electrode. The electronic element package is mounted on the mounting substrate so that at least a part of the opening of the through-hole overlaps with the LGA electrode. The LGA electrode and the conductor of the through-hole are electrically connected to a conductive material provided inside the through-hole. In the LGA electrode, at least a part of the region that does not overlap with the opening of the through-hole is joined to the mounting substrate by an adhesive.

Abstract: A leadframe for a leadframe type package includes a chip base, and leads constituting lead lanes. One lead lane includes a pair of first differential signal leads, a pair of second differential signal leads, a pair of third differential signal leads between which and the pair of first differential signal leads is arranged the pair of second differential signal leads, a first power lead arranged between the pair of first and second differential signal leads, a second power lead arranged between the pair of second and third differential signal leads, and a third power lead between which and the second power lead is the pair of third differential signal leads. A voltage provided by the first power lead is less than a voltage provided by the second power lead, and the voltage provided by the second power lead is substantially equal to a voltage provided by the third power lead.

Abstract: A redistributed lead frame for use in a molded plastic semiconductor package is formed from an electrically conductive substrate by a sequential metal removal process. The process includes patterning a first side of the substrate to form an array of lands separated by channels; disposing a first molding compound within those channels; patterning a second side of the substrate to form an array of chip attach sites and routing circuits electrically interconnecting the array of lands and the array of chip attach sites; directly electrically interconnecting input/output pads on a semiconductor device to the chip attach sites; and encapsulating the semiconductor device, the array of chip attach sites and the routing circuits with a second molding compound. This process is particularly suited for the manufacture of chip scale packages and very thin packages.

Abstract: A method includes: mounting a plurality of semiconductor elements on a substrate having wirings; connecting electrically electrodes of the semiconductor elements and the wirings; sealing the semiconductor elements with a resin, which is carried out by bringing a thermal conductor having a concavity and the substrate to be in contact with each other so that the semiconductor elements are positioned within the concavity and by filling the concavity with the resin; and separating respective semiconductor elements 1. In the resin-sealing step, in a state where the thermal conductor is arranged with its concavity facing up and the concavity of the thermal conductor is filled with a liquid resin, the semiconductor elements are clipped in the liquid resin in the concavity and the liquid resin is solidified.

Abstract: A lead frame includes a die pad on which at least one IC chip is mounted, a plurality of leads that electrically connect the IC chip and at least one external element, and a plurality of projections that are formed in at least one edge of the die pad. The projections are used as at least one bonding point that connect with at least one free terminal of the IC chip or as references of positioning when the IC chip is arranged on the die pad.

Abstract: A semiconductor device (100) with two leads (103) of a leadframe (101) extending from opposite directions towards each other, the leads having tips (103b) curled as springs acting to exert pressure force in the direction of the leads, the two curls spaced apart by a distance operable to secure a semiconductor chip; device (100) further has a semiconductor chip (110) with width (115) and sidewalls (112) clamped in the distance between the two curls, the chip secured to the leadframe by the friction based on the pressure force of the curls.

Abstract: A wire short-circuit defect during molding is prevented. A semiconductor device has a tab, a plurality of leads arranged around the tab, a semiconductor chip mounted over the tab, a plurality of wires electrically connecting the electrode pads of the semiconductor chip with the leads, and a molded body in which the semiconductor chip is resin molded. By further stepwise shortening the chip-side tip end portions of the leads as the first edge or side of the principal surface of the semiconductor chip goes away from the middle portion toward the both end portions thereof, and shortening the tip end portions of those of first leads corresponding to the middle portion of the first edge or side of the principal surface which are adjacent to second leads located closer to the both end portions of the first edge or side, the distances between second wires connected to the second leads and the tip end portions of the first leads adjacent to the second leads can be increased.

Abstract: A package structure including a circuit substrate, at least a chip, leads and an encapsulant is provided. The circuit substrate has a first surface, a second surface opposite to the first surface, and contacts disposed on the first surface. The chip is disposed on the second surface of the circuit substrate and electrically connected to the circuit substrate. The said leads are disposed on the periphery of the second surface and surround the chip. Each lead has an inner lead portion and an outer lead portion and is electrically connected to the circuit substrate via the inner lead portion. The encapsulant encapsulates the circuit substrate, the chip and the inner lead portion and exposes the first surface of the circuit substrate and the outer lead portion, wherein the upper surface of the encapsulant and the first surface of the circuit substrate are coplanar with each other.

Abstract: Adequate heat dissipation is essential for semiconductor devices. When a device exceeds a specified junction temperature, the device can be damaged, not perform correctly, or can have a reduced operating life. Semiconductor packages must dissipate heat from the chip to the external environment (i.e. to the PCB, air, etc) to keep the semiconductor device below a certain temperature threshold. For most devices, the most efficient way to dissipate the heat is through the package external I/O connections and into the PCB that it is mounted to. For Ball Grid Array (BGA) packages, the external I/Os are solder balls. Variable pitch packages pose advantages in heat dissipation without introducing significant costs.

Abstract: A semiconductor package has a non-uniform contact arrangement in which clustered contacts (e.g., a group of ground contacts, a group of power contacts, and/or a group of heatslug contacts) are placed closer together than I/O contacts. In one embodiment, I/O contacts near a cluster have a pitch in at least one direction that is larger than other I/O contacts. A local increase in the pitch of I/O contacts may be used to increase the line width and/or spacing of traces that fan out from corresponding pads on a printed circuit board.

Abstract: The invention relates to a flip-chip module with a semiconductor chip with contact posts, wherein the contact posts are connected electrically and mechanically to a substrate. Provided between the substrate and the semiconductor chip is a spacer, which is coupled mechanically to the substrate and/or the semiconductor chip. By this means, thermal stresses in the flip-chip module are absorbed by the spacer and kept away from the semiconductor chip. The invention also relates to a method for the production of a flip-chip module, in which firstly a spacer is located between the semiconductor chip and the substrate, after which the contact posts are soldered to the contact points of the substrate. Through the provision of the spacer the distance between the semiconductor chip and the substrate is set precisely, thereby improving the quality of the soldering points.

Abstract: In a semiconductor device mounted structure in which device electrodes of a semiconductor device and board electrodes of a board are connected to each other via bump electrodes, respectively, and in which a sealing-bonding use resin is placed between the semiconductor device and the board, a void portion is placed at a position corresponding to an edge portion of the semiconductor device in the sealing-bonding use resin. Thus, stress loads generated at corner portions of the semiconductor device due to board flexures for differences in thermal expansion and thermal contraction among the individual members caused by heating and cooling steps in mounting process of the semiconductor device, as well as for mechanical loads after the mounting process, can be absorbed by the void portion and thereby reduced, so that breakdown of the semiconductor device mounted structure is prevented.

Abstract: Disclosed is a semiconductor device that comprises a first insulating film provided on a main face of a semiconductor substrate; a first pedestal provided at a first wiring layer on the first insulating layer; a second insulating film provided on the first wiring layer; and a second pedestal provided at a second wiring layer on the second insulating film, wherein, when the first and second pedestals are projected in a direction perpendicular to the main face onto a plane parallel to the main face, the second pedestal is larger than the first pedestal, and the whole of the first pedestal is disposed at an inside of the second pedestal.

Abstract: A stacked semiconductor device is constructed by stacking in two levels: a lower semiconductor device having a wiring board, at least one semiconductor chip mounted on a first surface of the wiring board and having electrodes electrically connected to wiring by way of a connection means, an encapsulant composed of insulating plastic that covers the semiconductor chip and the connection means, a plurality of electrodes formed overlying the wiring of a second surface of the wiring board, and a plurality of linking interconnects each having a portion connected to the wiring of the first surface of the wiring board and another portion exposed on the surface of the encapsulant; and an upper semiconductor device in which each electrode overlies and is electrically connected to the exposed portions of each of the linking interconnects of the lower semiconductor device.

Abstract: A semiconductor device having redistribution interconnects in the WPP technology and improved reliability, wherein the redistribution interconnects have first patterns and second patterns which are electrically separated from each other within the plane of the semiconductor substrate, the first patterns electrically coupled to the multi-layer interconnects and the floating second patterns are coexistent within the plane of the semiconductor substrate, and the occupation ratio of the total of the first patterns and the second patterns within the plane of the semiconductor substrate, that is, the occupation ratio of the redistribution interconnects is 35 to 60%.

Abstract: The assembly comprises at least one microelectronic chip having two parallel main surfaces and lateral surfaces, at least one of the lateral faces comprising a longitudinal groove housing a wire element having an axis parallel to the longitudinal axis of the groove. The groove is delineated by at least two side walls. The wire element is secured to the chip at the level of a clamping area between at least one bump arranged on one of the side walls, and the side wall of the groove opposite said bump. The clamping area has a smaller height than the diameter of the wire element and a free area is arranged laterally to the bump along the longitudinal axis of the groove. The free area has a height, corresponding to the distance separating the two side walls, that is greater than the diameter of the wire element.

Abstract: A semiconductor construct includes a semiconductor substrate and connection pads provided on the semiconductor substrate. Some of the connection pads are connected to a common wiring and at least one of the remaining of the connection pads are connected to a wiring. The construct also includes a first columnar electrode provided to be connected to the common wiring and a second columnar electrode provided to be connected to a connection pad portion of the wiring.

Abstract: A semiconductor chip package is disclosed. The semiconductor chip package comprises a package substrate having a bottom surface. At least four adjacent ball pads are on the bottom surface, arranged in a first two-row array along a first direction and a second direction. At least four vias are drilled through the package substrate, arranged in a second two-row array, wherein each of the vias in a row of the second two-row array is offset by a first distance along the first direction and a second distance along the second direction from the connecting ball pads in a row of the first two-row array, and each of the vias in the other adjacent row of the second two-row array is offset by the first distance along an opposite direction to the first direction and the second distance along the second direction from the connecting ball pads in the other adjacent row of the first two-row array.

Abstract: A semiconductor package includes a ball grid array (BGA) substrate having integrated metal layer circuitry, a flip chip chip scale module package (CSMP) having a first integrated passive device (IPD), the flip chip chip scale module package attached to the BGA substrate, and an application die attached to the IPD. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor package includes providing a BGA substrate having integrated metal layer circuitry, attaching a flip chip CSMP having a first IPD to the BGA substrate, and attaching an application die to the IPD.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate formed from compound semiconductor material and multiple conductive connecting pads. The connecting pads are symmetrically arranged on a first surface of the semiconductor substrate in an interweaving pattern. Each cleavage plane extending across the first surface of the semiconductor substrate intersects a portion of at least one connecting pad of the plurality of connecting pads.

Abstract: The present invention provides a semiconductor device capable of preventing occurrence of cracking and the like, taking a large area, where wiring and the like that function as elemental devices can be arranged, within a plurality of interlayer insulation films, and reducing production cost. The semiconductor device according to the present invention has a low dielectric constant film having a dielectric constant of not less than 2.7. In the low dielectric constant film and the like, materials (e.g., a first dummy pattern, a second dummy pattern) with a larger hardness than that of the low dielectric constant film are formed at a part under a pad part.

Abstract: A semiconductor device or a memory which includes the same have a line pattern, and a contact plug, the line pattern including a first linear feature to which the contact plug is connected by design, and a second linear feature having a connecting portion and a dummy portion adjacent the location at which the contact plug is electrically connected to the first linear feature. A second contact plug is electrically connected to the connecting portion of the second linear feature of the line pattern. In the case of a misalignment error or the like, the first contact plug may also be electrically connected to the second linear feature of the line pattern but at the dummy portion thereof so as to not create a short circuit in that case. The dummy portion thus allows a sufficiently large process margin to be secured for the contact plug.

Abstract: A method for making a power semiconductor module and a module produced by that method, wherein the module includes a substrate, a connection device and load terminal elements, wherein power semiconductor components are arranged on a conductor track of the substrate and connected to one of the load terminal element by the connection device. The power semiconductor module has auxiliary contact pads which can be connected to an external printed circuit board. The primary production step in this case is cohesively connecting respective first contact areas of the first conductor tracks to at least one second contact area of a power semiconductor component and at least one third contact area of a load terminal element; afterwards, the assemblage composed of at least one power semiconductor component of a connection device and load terminal elements is arranged to form a housing of the power semiconductor module.

Abstract: Disclosed in a semiconductor device including a semiconductor chip including an electrode, a projection electrode, an sealing film for encapsulating the semiconductor chip and the projection electrode, a first wiring lines provided on one surface of the sealing film, which is electrically connected with the electrode and the projection electrode, a second wiring lines provided on the other surface of the sealing film, which is electrically connected with the projection electrode and at least one of a first via hole conductor for electrically connecting the first wiring lines and the projection electrode or a second via hole conductor for electrically connecting the second wiring lines and the projection electrode, and an area of the projection electrode in an interface where the projection electrode and the first via hole conductor contact each other is greater than an area of the first via hole conductor in the interface and an area of the projection electrode in an interface where the projection electrode a

Abstract: The reliability of a semiconductor device having an embedded wire in the lowest layer wire is improved. In a main surface of a semiconductor substrate, MISFETs are formed and over the main surface, insulating films 10, 11 are formed. In the insulating films 10, 11 a contact hole is formed and a plug is embedded therein. Over the insulating film 11 in which the plug is embedded, insulating films 14, 15, 16 are formed and an opening is formed in the insulating films 14, 15, 16 and a wire is embedded therein. The insulating film 15 is an etching stopper film when etching the insulating film 16 in order to form the opening, containing silicon and carbon. The insulating film 11 has a high hygroscopicity and the insulating film 15 has a low moisture resistance, however, by interposing the insulating film 14 therebetween and making the insulating film 14 have a higher density of the number of Si (silicon) atoms than that of the insulating film 11, an electrically weak interface is prevented from being formed.

Abstract: A semiconductor device manufacturing method comprises bonding a semiconductor element onto one surface of a first protective film via an adhesive layer, an electrode being formed in the semiconductor element, the first protective film being disposed on a first base material and including a first via hole, removing the first base material from the first protective film, applying first laser light to the adhesive layer through the first via hole to form a second via hole in the adhesive layer so that the electrode is exposed through the adhesive layer, and forming a metal layer in the second via hole to connect the metal layer to the electrode.

Abstract: The semiconductor device has insulating films 40, 42 formed over a substrate 10; an interconnection 58 buried in at least a surface side of the insulating films 40, 42; insulating films 60, 62 formed on the insulating film 42 and including a hole-shaped via-hole 60 and a groove-shaped via-hole 66a having a pattern bent at a right angle; and buried conductors 70, 72a buried in the hole-shaped via-hole 60 and the groove-shaped via-hole 66a. A groove-shaped via-hole 66a is formed to have a width which is smaller than a width of the hole-shaped via-hole 66. Defective filling of the buried conductor and the cracking of the inter-layer insulating film can be prevented. Steps on the conductor plug can be reduced. Accordingly, defective contact with the upper interconnection layer and the problems taking place in forming films can be prevented.

Abstract: An integrated circuit structure includes a chip including a substrate and a power distribution network. The power distribution network includes a plurality of power through-silicon vias (TSVs) penetrating the substrate, wherein the plurality of power TSVs forms a grid; and a plurality of metal lines in a bottom metallization layer (M1), wherein the plurality of metal lines couples the plurality of power TSVs to integrated circuit devices on the substrate.

Abstract: A method and structure for good adhesion of Intermetallic Compounds (IMC) on Cu pillar bumps are provided. The method includes depositing Cu to form a Cu pillar layer, depositing a diffusion barrier layer on top of the Cu pillar layer, and depositing a Cu cap layer on top of the diffusion barrier layer, where an intermetallic compound (IMC) is formed among the diffusion barrier layer, the Cu cap layer, and a solder layer placed on top of the Cu cap layer. The IMC has good adhesion on the Cu pillar structure, the thickness of the IMC is controllable by the thickness of the Cu cap layer, and the diffusion barrier layer limits diffusion of Cu from the Cu pillar layer to the solder layer. The method can further include depositing a thin layer for wettability on top of the diffusion barrier layer prior to depositing the Cu cap layer.