Structures and methods for reducing corrosion in wire bonds

A semiconductor structure comprising:

• a bond pad, and
• a wire bond coupled to the bond pad, wherein
• the wire bond includes a bond in contact with the bond pad,
• the wire bond includes a coating on a surface of the wire bond;
• and
• a first exposed portion of the wire bond in a selected location, wherein
• the wire bond is devoid of the coating over the selected location of the wire bond, and
• an area of the first exposed portion is at least one square micron.

A semiconductor structure comprising:

• a plurality of bond pads aligned along an edge of the semiconductor structure, and
• a plurality of wire bonds coupled to the plurality of bond pads, wherein
• each of the plurality of wire bonds includes a bond in contact with one of the plurality of bond pads, and
• each of the plurality of wire bonds includes a coating on a respective wire bond surface;
• and
• a plurality of exposed portions within a selected area, wherein
• the selected area spans across the plurality of wire bonds in a direction along the edge of the semiconductor structure,
• each of the plurality of wire bonds includes at least one exposed portion of the plurality of exposed portions, and
• each of the plurality of wire bonds is devoid of the coating over the at least one exposed portion.