# US 10,312,204 B2 · System and method for an improved interconnect structure > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,312,204 B2 - Document ID: US10312204B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/055,768 - Filed: 2018-08-06 - Published: 2018-12-27 - Granted: 2019-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2013-03-12 - Assignees: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd. - Applicants: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd. - Inventors: Hsien-Wei Chen; Hao-Yi Tsai; Mirng-Ji Lii; Chen-Hua Yu; Tsung-Yuan Yu - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10312204B2 ## CPC - H10W 20/47: comprising two or more dielectric layers having different properties, e.g. different dielectric constants - H10W 20/056: {by filling conductive material into holes, grooves or trenches} - H10W 70/095: {of vias therein} - H10W 72/071: {Connecting or disconnecting} - H10W 74/016: {using moulds} - H10W 74/017: {Auxiliary layers for moulds, e.g. release layers or layers preventing residue} - H10W 74/147: {the encapsulations being multilayered} - H10W 20/4405: {the principal metal being aluminium} - H10W 20/4421: {the principal metal being copper} - H10W 20/4432: {the principal metal being a noble metal, e.g. gold} - H10W 20/4441: {the principal metal being a refractory metal} - H10W 20/49: Adaptable interconnections, e.g. fuses or antifuses - H10W 70/05: of insulating or insulated package substrates, or of interposers, or of redistribution layers (manufacture or treatment of leadframes H10W70/04) - H10W 70/65: Shapes or dispositions of interconnections - H10W 70/66: Conductive materials thereof - H10W 72/012: {of bump connectors, dummy bumps or thermal bumps} - H10W 72/01257: {by reflowing} - H10W 72/01271: {Cleaning, e.g. oxide removal or de-smearing} - H10W 72/019: {of bond pads} - H10W 72/07236: {Soldering or alloying} - H10W 72/244: {relative to underlying supporting features, e.g. bond pads, RDLs or vias} - H10W 72/252: {comprising solid metals or solid metalloids, e.g. PbSn, Ag or Cu} - H10W 72/283: {Reinforcing structures, e.g. bump collars} - H10W 72/29: Bond pads specially adapted therefor - H10W 72/90: Bond pads, in general - H10W 72/922: {Bond pads being integral with underlying chip-level interconnections} - H10W 72/9223: {with redistribution layers [RDL]} - H10W 72/923: {Bond pads having multiple stacked layers} - H10W 72/9415: {relative to the surface, e.g. recessed, protruding} - H10W 72/952: {comprising metals or metalloids, e.g. PbSn, Ag or Cu} - H10W 74/00: Encapsulations, e.g. protective coatings - H10W 90/722: {between stacked chips} - H10W 90/724: {between a chip and a stacked insulating package substrate, interposer or RDL} - H10W: GENERIC PACKAGES, INTERCONNECTIONS, CONNECTORS OR OTHER CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 ## Abstract Presented herein are an interconnect structure and method for forming the same. The interconnect structure includes a contact pad disposed over a substrate and a connector disposed over the substrate and spaced apart from the contact pad. A passivation layer is disposed over the contact pad and over connector, the passivation layer having a contact pad opening, a connector opening, and a mounting pad opening. A post passivation layer including a trace and a mounting pad is disposed over the passivation layer. The trace may be disposed in the contact pad opening and contacting the mounting pad, and further disposed in the connector opening and contacting the connector. The mounting pad may be disposed in the mounting pad opening and contacting the opening. The mounting pad may be separated from the trace by a trace gap, which may optionally be at least 10 μm. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method comprising: providing a contact pad and a connector over a substrate, the substrate having a major surface; forming an insulating layer over the contact pad and the connector, the insulating layer having a first opening over the contact pad, a second opening over the connector, and a third opening over the connector; forming a trace over the insulating layer, the trace extending through the first opening to the contact pad and through the second opening to the connector, a first portion of the trace extending along a top surface of the insulating layer in a direction parallel to the major surface of the substrate; forming a mounting pad on the connector, the mounting pad extending through the third opening, the connector being electrically interposed between the trace and the mounting pad; forming a mounting structure on the connector; and disposing a molding compound over the trace and around the mounting structure. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the mounting pad extends over an upper surface of the insulating layer. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the mounting structure comprises a solder material. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the forming the trace and forming the mounting pad are performed simultaneously. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the mounting structure extends along a sidewall of the mounting pad. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the molding compound contacts the top surface of the insulating layer. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the molding compound is interposed between the mounting pad and the trace. ### Claim 8 A method comprising: providing a contact pad and a connector over a substrate, the substrate having a major surface; forming an insulating layer over the contact pad and the connector, the insulating layer having a first opening over the contact pad, a second opening over the connector, and a third opening over the connector; forming a trace over the insulating layer, the trace extending through the first opening to the contact pad and through the second opening to the connector, a first portion of the trace extending along a top surface of the insulating layer in a direction parallel to the major surface of the substrate; forming a mounting pad on the connector, the mounting pad extending through the third opening, the connector being electrically interposed between the trace and the mounting pad; forming a mounting structure on the connector; and disposing a molding compound over the trace and around the mounting structure, wherein the forming the trace and forming the mounting pad are performed simultaneously, and wherein the molding compound is interposed between the mounting pad and the trace. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the mounting pad extends over an upper surface of the insulating layer. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the mounting structure comprises a solder material. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the mounting structure extends along a sidewall of the mounting pad. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the molding compound contacts the top surface of the insulating layer. ### Claim 13 A method comprising: providing a contact pad and a connector over a substrate, the substrate having a major surface; forming an insulating layer over the contact pad and the connector, the insulating layer having a first opening over the contact pad, a second opening over the connector, and a third opening over the connector; forming a trace over the insulating layer, the trace extending through the first opening to the contact pad and through the second opening to the connector, a first portion of the trace extending along a top surface of the insulating layer in a direction parallel to the major surface of the substrate; forming a mounting pad on the connector, the mounting pad extending through the third opening, the connector being electrically interposed between the trace and the mounting pad; forming a mounting structure on the connector; and disposing a molding compound over the trace and around the mounting structure, wherein the forming the trace and forming the mounting pad are performed simultaneously, and wherein the mounting pad extends over an upper surface of the insulating layer. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the mounting structure comprises a solder material. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the mounting structure extends along a sidewall of the mounting pad. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the molding compound contacts the top surface of the insulating layer. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the molding compound is interposed between the mounting pad and the trace.