# US 2014/0154864 A1 · Crack stop structure and method for forming the same

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- Number: US 2014/0154864 A1
- Document ID: US20140154864A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 14/172,919
- Filed: 2014-02-05
- Published: 2014-06-05
- Earliest claimed: 2011-08-21
- Assignees: Nanya Technology Corporation
- Applicants: Nanya Technology Corp.
- Inventors: Tse-Yao Huang; Yi-Nan Chen; Hsien-Wen Liu
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140154864A1

## CPC

- H10W 10/014: {using trench refilling with dielectric materials, e.g. shallow trench isolations}
- H10W 10/17: formed using trench refilling with dielectric materials, e.g. shallow trench isolations
- H10W 42/00: Arrangements for protection of devices (arrangements for thermal protection H10W40/00)
- H10W 42/121: {protecting against mechanical damage (H10W76/00, H10W74/00 take precedence)}
- H10W: GENERIC PACKAGES, INTERCONNECTIONS, CONNECTORS OR OTHER CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10

## Abstract

The present invention in a first aspect proposes a semiconductor structure with a crack stop structure. The semiconductor structure includes a matrix, an integrated circuit and a scribe line. The matrix includes a scribe line region and a circuit region. The integrated circuit is disposed within the circuit region. The scribe line is disposed within the scribe line region and includes a crack stop trench which is disposed in the matrix and adjacent to the circuit region. The crack stop trench is parallel with one side of the circuit region and filled with a composite material in the form of a grid to form a crack stop structure.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for forming a crack stop structure in a scribe line, comprising:
providing a substrate comprising a scribe line region and a circuit region;
forming an integrated circuit within said circuit region;
forming a first layer embedded in said substrate, wherein said first layer is partially disposed within said scribe line region;
forming an interlayer dielectric layer disposed on said substrate and covering said integrated circuit and said first layer;
forming a second layer embedded in said interlayer dielectric layer, wherein said second layer is partially disposed within said scribe line region;
forming an intermetal dielectric layer disposed on said interlayer dielectric layer and covering said second layer;
removing said interlayer dielectric layer and said intermetal dielectric layer which are disposed within said scribe line region to form a crack stop trench; and
filling said crack stop trench with a dielectric material to form a crack stop structure.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method for forming a crack stop structure in a scribe line of claim 1, wherein said dielectric material comprises at least one of a porous low k material, polyimide, silicon oxide, silicon nitride and silicon oxynitride.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method for forming a crack stop structure in a scribe line of claim 1, wherein said crack stop trench has a width at least one tenth of that of said scribe line.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method for forming a crack stop structure in a scribe line of claim 1, wherein said first layer within said scribe line region has an orientation vertical to that of said second layer within said scribe line region to form a metal grid.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method for forming a crack stop structure in a scribe line of claim 1, wherein said first layer within said scribe line region and said second layer within said scribe line region are arranged together in the form of a check board.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method for forming a crack stop structure in a scribe line of claim 1, further comprising:
forming a test pad disposed within said scribe line region so that said crack stop trench is disposed between said test pad and said circuit region.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method for forming a crack stop structure in a scribe line of claim 1, further comprising:
forming a guard ring surrounding said integrated circuit.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method for forming a crack stop structure in a scribe line of claim 1, wherein removing said interlayer dielectric layer and said intermetal dielectric layer further comprises:
removing a shallow trench isolation disposed in said substrate.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method for forming a crack stop structure in a scribe line of claim 1, further comprising:
forming a side crack stop trench by removing said interlayer dielectric layer and said intermetal dielectric layer; and
filling said side crack stop trench with said dielectric material to form a side crack stop structure.