Semiconductor chip with post-passivation scheme formed over passivation layer

• US 8,004,092 B2
• Filed: 06/04/2008
• Issued: 08/23/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Megica Corporation (Chipbond Technology Corporation)
• Inventors: Lin, Ching-San, Lin, Mou-Shiung, Chou, Chien-Kang, Chou, Chiu-Ming, Lo, Hsin-Jung
• Primary Examiner(s): Chu; Chris C
• Application Number:
  US12/132,626
• Publication Number:
  US 20080265413A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,175 Days
• Field of Search: 257/E23.021, 257/E23.02, 257/E21.508, 257/E23.141, 257/E23.167, 257/780, 257/781, 257/784, 257/737, 257/758, 257/506, 257/786, 438/132, 438/617, 438/612, 438/106, 438/108
• US Class Current: 257/781
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/0231 Manufacturing methods of the redistribution layers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/0401 Bonding areas specifically adapted for bump connectors, e.g. under bump metallisation [UBM]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/04042 Bonding areas specifically adapted for wire connectors, e.g. wirebond pads
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/04073 Bonding areas specifically adapted for connectors of different types
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/05155 Nickel [Ni] as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/05173 Rhodium [Rh] as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/05176 Ruthenium [Ru] as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/05553 being rectangular
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/05572 the external layer extending out of an opening
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/05599 Material
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/05644 Gold [Au] as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/05647 Copper [Cu] as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/05655 Nickel [Ni] as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/05664 Palladium [Pd] as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/05669 Platinum [Pt] as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/05673 Rhodium [Rh] as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/05676 Ruthenium [Ru] as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/1147 using a lift-off mask
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/13099 Material
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/131 with a principal constituent of the material being a metal or a metalloid, e.g. boron [B], silicon [Si], germanium [Ge], arsenic [As], antimony [Sb], tellurium [Te] and polonium [Po], and alloys thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/13144 : Gold [Au] as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/13147 : Copper [Cu] as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/13155 : Nickel [Ni] as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/13164 : Palladium [Pd] as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/13169 : Platinum [Pt] as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/13173 : Rhodium [Rh] as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/13176 : Ruthenium [Ru] as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/45099 : Material
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/4554 : Coating
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48463 : the connecting portion on the bonding area of the semiconductor or solid-state body being a ball bond
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48477 : being a pre-ball (i.e. a ball formed by capillary bonding)
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/4943 : the connecting portions being staggered
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/85051 : Forming additional members, e.g. for "wedge-on-ball", "ball-on-wedge", "ball-on-ball" connections
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/85399 : Material
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/5329 : Insulating materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/05 : of an individual bonding area
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/06 : of a plurality of bonding areas
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/11 : Manufacturing methods for bumps on insulating substrates H01L21/4853
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/13 : of an individual bump connector
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/48 : of an individual wire connector
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/49 : of a plurality of wire connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/73 : Means for bonding being of different types provided for in two or more of groups H01L24/10, H01L24/18, H01L24/26, H01L24/34, H01L24/42, H01L24/50, H01L24/63, H01L24/71
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 : Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00013 : Fully indexed content
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00014 : the subject-matter covered by the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group, being disclosed without further technical details
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01013 : Aluminum [Al]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01014 : Silicon [Si]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01022 : Titanium [Ti]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01024 : Chromium [Cr]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01028 : Nickel [Ni]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01029 : Copper [Cu]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01044 : Ruthenium [Ru]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01045 : Rhodium [Rh]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01046 : Palladium [Pd]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01047 : Silver [Ag]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0105 : Tin [Sn]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01059 : Praseodymium [Pr]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01074 : Tungsten [W]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01078 : Platinum [Pt]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01079 : Gold [Au]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01082 : Lead [Pb]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/014 : Solder alloys
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/05042 : Si3N4
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/10329 : Gallium arsenide [GaAs]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/14 : Integrated circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/15788 : Glasses, e.g. amorphous oxides, nitrides or fluorides
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/19041 : being a capacitor
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/19042 : being an inductor
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/19043 : being a resistor

Abstract

The invention provides a semiconductor chip comprising an interconnecting structure over said passivation layer. The interconnecting structure comprises a first contact pad connected to a second contact pad exposed by an opening in a passivation layer. A metal bump is on the first contact pad and over multiple semiconductor devices, wherein the metal bump has more than 50 percent by weight of gold and has a height of between 8 and 50 microns.

Claims

1. A chip comprising:

a silicon substrate;

a MOS device in or on said silicon substrate;

a first metal layer over said silicon substrate;

a second metal layer over said first metal layer;

a dielectric layer between said first and second metal layers;

a passivation layer over said first and second metal layers and over said dielectric layer, wherein said passivation layer comprises a nitride layer;

a first metal interconnect having a first contact point at a bottom of a first opening in said passivation layer, wherein said first opening is over said first contact point;

a second metal interconnect having a second contact point at a bottom of a second opening in said passivation layer, wherein said second opening is over said second contact point;

a third metal interconnect having a third contact point at a bottom of a third opening in said passivation layer, wherein said third opening is over said third contact point, wherein said first, second and third metal interconnects comprise electroplated copper, wherein said first, second and third contact points are aligned in a first line, wherein said second contact point is between said first and third contact points;

a patterned metal layer on said first, second and third contact points and over said passivation layer, wherein said patterned metal layer comprises a first copper layer having a thickness between 1 and 10 micrometers, wherein said patterned metal layer comprises a metal trace over said passivation layer, and a fourth contact point connected to said second contact point through said metal trace, wherein said fourth contact point is not vertically over said second contact point;

a first metal bump on said patterned metal layer and vertically over said first contact point;

a second metal bump on said fourth contact point; and

a third metal bump on said patterned metal layer and vertically over said third contact point, wherein said first and third metal bumps are aligned in a second line substantially parallel with said first line, wherein said third metal bump comprises a second copper layer directly on said first copper layer, wherein said third metal bump is configured to be connected to a contact pad on a flexible substrate.

2. The chip of claim 1 further comprising a polymer layer on said passivation layer, wherein said patterned metal layer is further on said polymer layer.

3. The chip of claim 2, wherein said polymer layer comprises polyimide.

4. The chip of claim 1, wherein said patterned metal layer further comprises a titanium-containing layer under said first copper layer.

5. The chip of claim 1, wherein said third metal bump further comprises a nickel-containing layer on said second copper layer.

6. The chip of claim 1, wherein said third metal bump further comprises a gold-containing layer over said second copper layer, wherein said gold-containing layer has a height between 1 and 50 micrometers.

7. The chip of claim 1, wherein said third metal bump further comprises a nickel-containing layer on said second copper layer and a gold-containing layer on said nickel-containing layer.

8. The chip of claim 1, wherein said third metal bump further comprises a tin-containing layer over said second copper layer.

9. The chip of claim 1, wherein said third metal bump further comprises a nickel-containing layer over said second copper layer and a tin-containing layer on said nickel-containing layer.

10. A chip comprising:

a silicon substrate;

a MOS device in or on said silicon substrate;

a first metal layer over said silicon substrate;

a second metal layer over said first metal layer;

a dielectric layer between said first and second metal layers;

a passivation layer over said first and second metal layers and over said dielectric layer, wherein said passivation layer comprises a nitride layer;

a first metal interconnect having a first contact point at a bottom of a first opening in said passivation layer, wherein said first opening is over said first contact point;

a second metal interconnect having a second contact point at a bottom of a second opening in said passivation layer, wherein said second opening is over said second contact point;

a third metal interconnect having a third contact point at a bottom of a third opening in said passivation layer, wherein said third opening is over said third contact point, wherein said first, second and third contact points are aligned in a first line, wherein said second contact point is between said first and third contact points;

a patterned metal layer on said first, second and third contact points and over said passivation layer, wherein said patterned metal layer comprises a first copper layer having a thickness between 1 and 10 micrometers, wherein said patterned metal layer comprises a metal trace over said passivation layer, and a fourth contact point connected to said second contact point through said metal trace, wherein said fourth contact point is not vertically over said second contact point;

a first metal bump on said patterned metal layer and vertically over said first contact point, wherein said first metal bump comprises a second copper layer directly on said first copper layer and a gold-containing layer over said second copper layer;

a second metal bump on said fourth contact point;

a third metal bump on said patterned metal layer and vertically over said third contact point, wherein said first and third metal bumps are aligned in a second line substantially parallel with said first line; and

a first polymer layer over said patterned metal layer.

11. The chip of claim 10 further comprising a second polymer layer on said passivation layer, wherein said patterned metal layer is further on said second polymer layer.

12. The chip of claim 11, wherein said second polymer layer comprises polyimide.

13. The chip of claim 10, wherein said patterned metal layer further comprises a titanium-containing layer under said first copper layer.

14. The chip of claim 10, wherein said first metal bump further comprises a nickel-containing layer between said second copper layer and said gold-containing layer.

15. The chip of claim 10, wherein said first and second metal layers comprise electroplated copper.

16. The chip of claim 10, wherein said gold-containing layer has a height between 1 and 50 micrometers.

17. A chip comprising:

a silicon substrate;

a MOS device in or on said silicon substrate;

a first metal layer over said silicon substrate;

a second metal layer over said first metal layer;

a dielectric layer between said first and second metal layers;

a passivation layer over said first and second metal layers and over said dielectric layer, wherein said passivation layer comprises a nitride layer;

a first metal interconnect having a first contact point at a bottom of a first opening in said passivation layer, wherein said first opening is over said first contact point;

a second metal interconnect having a second contact point at a bottom of a second opening in said passivation layer, wherein said second opening is over said second contact point;

a third metal interconnect having a third contact point at a bottom of a third opening in said passivation layer, wherein said third opening is over said third contact point, wherein said first, second and third metal interconnects comprise electroplated copper, wherein said first, second and third contact points are aligned in a first line, wherein said second contact point is between said first and third contact points;

a patterned metal layer on said first, second and third contact points and over said passivation layer, wherein said patterned metal layer comprises a first copper layer having a thickness between 1 and 10 micrometers, wherein said patterned metal layer comprises a first metal trace over said passivation layer, a first contact pad connected to said first contact point through said first metal trace, wherein said first contact pad is not vertically over said first contact point, a second metal trace over said passivation layer, a second contact pad connected to said second contact point through said second metal trace, wherein said second contact pad is not vertically over said second contact point, a third metal trace over said passivation layer, and a third contact pad connected to said third contact point through said third metal trace, wherein said third contact pad is not vertically over said third contact point, wherein said second metal trace passes through a gap between said first and third contact pads;

a first metal bump on said first contact pad, wherein said first metal bump comprises a second copper layer directly on said first copper layer and a gold-containing layer over said second copper layer;

a second metal bump on said second contact pad;

a third metal bump on said third contact pad, wherein said first and third metal bumps are aligned in a second line substantially parallel with said first line; and

a first polymer layer over said patterned metal layer.

18. The chip of claim 17 further comprising a second polymer layer on said passivation layer, wherein said patterned metal layer is further on said second polymer layer.

19. The chip of claim 17, wherein said patterned metal layer further comprises a titanium-containing layer under said first copper layer.

20. The chip of claim 17, wherein said first metal bump further comprises a nickel-containing layer between said second copper layer and said gold-containing layer.

21. A chip comprising:

a silicon substrate;

a MOS device in or on said silicon substrate;

a first metal layer over said silicon substrate;

a second metal layer over said first metal layer, wherein said second metal layer comprises electroplated copper;

a dielectric layer between said first and second metal layers;

a separating layer over said first and second metal layers and over said dielectric layer, wherein said separating layer comprises a nitride layer;

a metal interconnect having a first contact point at a bottom of a first opening in said separating layer, wherein said first opening is over said first contact point;

a patterned metal layer on said first contact point and on said separating layer, wherein there is no polymer layer between said patterned metal layer and said separating layer, wherein said patterned metal layer comprises a first adhesion layer and a copper layer having a thickness between 1 and 10 micrometers over said first adhesion layer;

a polymer layer over said patterned metal layer and over said separating layer, wherein a second opening in said polymer layer is over a second contact point of said patterned metal layer, wherein said second contact point is not vertically over said first contact point, wherein said second contact point is connected to said first contact point through said first opening; and

a metal bump on said second contact point and on a top surface of said polymer layer, wherein said metal bump comprises a second adhesion layer on said second contact point and on said top surface, a copper-containing seed layer on said second adhesion layer, and a copper post having a height between 5 and 250 micrometers on said copper-containing seed layer.

22. The chip of claim 21, wherein said first adhesion layer comprises titanium.

23. The chip of claim 21, wherein said second adhesion layer comprises titanium.

24. The chip of claim 21, wherein said nitride layer comprises silicon nitride.

25. The chip of claim 21, wherein said nitride layer comprises silicon oxynitride.

26. The chip of claim 21, wherein said metal bump further comprises a nickel-containing layer on said copper post.

27. The chip of claim 21, wherein said copper post has a sidewall with a portion not covered by any solder.

28. A chip comprising:

a silicon substrate;

a MOS device in or on said silicon substrate;

a first dielectric layer over said silicon substrate;

a metallization structure over said first dielectric layer, wherein said metallization structure comprises a first metal layer and a second metal layer over said first metal layer;

a second dielectric layer over said first dielectric layer and between said first and second metal layers;

a passivation layer over said metallization structure and over said first and second dielectric layers, wherein a first opening in said passivation layer is over a first contact point of said metallization structure, and said first contact point is at a bottom of said first opening, and wherein a second opening in said passivation layer is over a second contact point of said metallization structure, and said second contact point is at a bottom of said second opening, wherein said passivation layer comprises a nitride layer;

a patterned metal layer on said first and second contact points and over said passivation layer, wherein said patterned metal layer comprises a first metal interconnect connected to said first contact point through said first opening, a second metal interconnect connected to said second contact point through said second opening, and a third metal interconnect between said first and second metal interconnects, wherein said patterned metal layer comprises a first adhesion layer and a third metal layer over said first adhesion layer;

a first metal bump on said first metal interconnect and vertically over said first contact point;

a second metal bump on said second metal interconnect and vertically over said second contact point, wherein there is no metal bump between said first and second metal bumps, wherein said third metal interconnect has a portion between and spaced apart from said first metal interconnect vertically under said first metal bump and said second metal interconnect vertically under said second metal bump; and

a third metal bump aligned with said first and second metal bumps in a line.

29. The chip of claim 28, wherein said first metal layer comprises electroplated copper.

30. The chip of claim 28, wherein said first metal bump comprises a second adhesion layer on said first metal interconnect, a copper-containing seed layer on said second adhesion layer, and a copper layer having a height between 5 and 250 micrometers on said copper-containing seed layer.

31. The chip of claim 28, wherein said third metal layer comprises a copper layer having a thickness between 1 and 10 micrometers over said adhesion layer.

32. The chip of claim 28, wherein a third opening in said passivation layer is over a third contact point of said metallization structure, and said third contact point is at a bottom of said third opening, wherein said patterned metal layer is connected to said third contact point through said third opening.

33. The chip of claim 28, wherein a third opening in said passivation layer is over a third contact point of said metallization structure, and said third contact point is at a bottom of said third opening, wherein said third metal bump is vertically over said third contact point.

34. The chip of claim 28 further comprising a polymer layer over said patterned metal layer.

35. The chip of claim 28, wherein said first metal bump comprises a second adhesion layer on said first metal interconnect, a seed layer on said second adhesion layer, and a gold-containing layer over said seed layer.

36. The chip of claim 28, wherein said first metal bump comprises a solder.

37. The chip of claim 28, wherein said first metal bump comprises a copper layer.

38. The chip of claim 28, wherein said first metal bump comprises a nickel-containing layer.

39. The chip of claim 28 further comprising a polymer layer on said passivation layer, wherein said patterned metal layer is further on said polymer layer.

40. The chip of claim 28, wherein said first metal bump neighbors said second metal bump.

41. The chip of claim 28, wherein said first opening has a largest transverse dimension between 0.1 and 30 micrometers.

42. The chip of claim 28, wherein said nitride layer has a thickness between 0.2 and 1 micrometer.