Metal Interconnect Structure with a Side Wall Spacer that Protects an ARC Layer and a Bond Pad From Corrosion and Method of Forming the Metal Interconnect Structure
AssigneeNational Semiconductor Corporation
InventorRodney L. Hill
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A metal interconnect structure, which includes a bond pad, an overlying anti-reflective coating layer, an overlying passivation layer, and an opening that exposes a top surface of the bond pad, eliminates corrosion resulting from the anti-reflective layer being exposed to moisture during reliability testing by utilizing a side wall spacer in the opening that touches the side wall of the passivation layer, the side wall of the anti-reflective coating layer, and the top surface of the bond pad.
Claims20
A metal interconnect structure comprising:
- a conductive bond pad having a top surface;
- an anti-reflective coating layer that touches the top surface of the conductive bond pad, the anti-reflective coating layer having a top surface;
- a passivation layer that touches the top surface of the anti-reflective coating layer;
- an opening that exposes a side wall of the passivation layer, a side wall of the anti-reflective coating layer, and the top surface of the conductive bond pad;
- and
- a side wall spacer that touches the side wall of the passivation layer, the side wall of the anti-reflective coating layer, and the top surface of the metal pad, the side wall spacer having a lower width that is substantially larger than an upper width.
A method of forming a metal interconnect structure, the metal interconnect structure including a conductive bond pad and an anti-reflective coating layer that touches a top surface of the conductive bond pad, the method comprising:
- forming a passivation layer that touches a top surface of the anti-reflective coating layer;
- forming an opening that exposes a side wall of the passivation layer, a side wall of the anti-reflective coating layer, and the top surface of the conductive bond pad;
- and
- forming a side wall spacer that touches the side wall of the passivation layer, the side wall of the anti-reflective coating layer, and the top surface of the conductive bond pad, the side wall spacer having a lower width that is substantially larger than an upper width.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.