Direct hybrid bond pad having tapered sidewall

A method of forming a conductive pad of an element, the method comprising:

• forming a patterned resist layer over at least a portion of a surface of a dielectric layer;
• removing portions of the dielectric layer by etching to form a cavity having an angle between a sidewall of the cavity and the surface of the dielectric layer, the angle being in a range of 110° to 150° such that an opening of the cavity is wider than a floor of the cavity;
• providing a conductive material to at least partially fill the cavity with the conductive material;
• and
• polishing at least the surface of the dielectric layer to prepare at least a portion of a bonding surface of the element for direct bonding to a second element, and to leave the conductive material in the form of a conductive feature having an upper surface defining at least a portion of the bonding surface of the element, a lower surface opposite the upper surface, and a sidewall connecting and extending between the upper surface and the lower surface, wherein an angle between the upper surface and the sidewall is in a range of 30° to 70° such that the upper surface is wider than the lower surface.