Method for fabricating an integrated circuit device

A method for fabricating an integrated circuit device, comprising:

• providing a substrate;
• forming an integrated circuit area on said substrate, said integrated circuit area comprising a dielectric stack;
• forming a seal ring in said dielectric stack and around a periphery of said integrated circuit area;
• forming a trench around said seal ring and exposing a sidewall of said dielectric stack, wherein said trench is disposed within a scribe line;
• forming a moisture blocking layer on said sidewall of said dielectric stack, thereby sealing a boundary between two adjacent dielectric films in said dielectric stack, wherein said moisture blocking layer is a composite layer comprising a silicon oxide layer and a silicon nitride layer on the silicon oxide layer;
• performing an anisotropic etching process to etch said moisture blocking layer, thereby forming a moisture blocking spacer in said trench;
• and
• depositing an inter-layer dielectric (ILD) film on said dielectric stack and said moisture blocking spacer, wherein said trench is filled with said ILD film and said moisture blocking spacer.