Passivation layer stack for stress reduction on a semiconductor die and methods for making the same

A method of forming a device structure, comprising:

• forming semiconductor devices and metal interconnect structures formed within dielectric material layers over a semiconductor substrate;
• forming a passivation layer stack comprising a first dielectric diffusion barrier layer, a silicate glass layer, a second dielectric diffusion barrier layer, and a polymer layer;
• forming die bump structures through the passivation layer stack;
• dicing a wafer including the passivation layer stack, the dielectric material layers, and the semiconductor substrate along dicing channels into a plurality of semiconductor dies;
• bonding a semiconductor die selected from the plurality of semiconductor dies to a packaging structure using an array of solder material portions;
• and
• applying an underfill material portion between the semiconductor die and the packaging structure around the array of solder material portions directly on a portion of the passivation layer stack that is present in the semiconductor die.

A device structure comprising:

• a semiconductor die comprising a semiconductor substrate, semiconductor devices located on the semiconductor substrate, metal interconnect structures formed within dielectric material layers, and a passivation layer stack comprising a first dielectric diffusion barrier layer, a silicate glass layer, a second dielectric diffusion barrier layer, and a polymer layer;
• die bump structures vertically extending through the passivation layer stack and electrically connected to a subset of the metal interconnect structures, wherein the passivation layer stack comprises a first frame-shaped horizontal surface located in a peripheral region and vertically offset relative to a distal horizontal surface of the polymer layer that laterally surrounds the die bump structures;
• a packaging structure comprising package bump structures that are bonded to the die bump structures through an array of solder material portions;
• and
• an underfill material portion laterally surrounding the array of solder material portions and contacting the first frame-shaped horizontal surface and the distal horizontal surface.