Seal ring and die corner stress relief pattern design to protect against moisture and metallic impurities

An apparatus in a semiconductor integrated circuit for protecting die corners, said apparatus comprising:

• at least one octangular seal ring having two sides, wherein said at least one octangular seal ring is located at a corner of a die utilized in fabricating a semiconductor integrated circuit;
• a die corner dummy pattern for stress relief;
• wherein said die corner dummy pattern is located at said two sides of said at least one octangular seal ring;
• and
• wherein said die corner dummy pattern comprises a two-dimensional dummy metal mesh pattern, thereby protecting said corner of said die against thermal stress and said semiconductor integrated circuit against moisture and metallic impurities.

A method in a semiconductor integrated circuit for protecting die corners, said method comprising the steps of:

• forming at least one octangular seal ring having two sides, wherein said at least one octangular seal ring is located at a corner of a die utilized in fabricating a semiconductor integrated circuit;
• locating a die corner dummy pattern for stress relief at said two sides of said at least one octangular seal ring;
• and
• configuring said die corner dummy pattern to comprise a two-dimensional dummy metal mesh pattern, thereby protecting said corner of said die against thermal stress and said semiconductor integrated circuit against moisture and metallic impurities.