Hermetically sealed semiconductor device
AssigneeTribotech
InventorEarl S. Cain
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A semiconductor device which includes device bonding pads exposed through oxide windows formed in a passivation oxide layer providing electrical connections to the metallized regions, a bonding pad of a different material electrically connected to the device bonding pad through a barrier layer, and a protective layer overlying the edges of said passivation oxide layer in contact with the device to seal the edges of the protective layer and a seal formed at said windows whereby the device is protected against the environment without the necessity of a separate metal or ceramic housing.
Claims23
A semiconductor device which includes a semiconductor body having an upper surface, a lower surface and side surfaces extending between said upper and lower surfaces, said semiconductor body having circuit metallization carried by one or more insulating layers for connection to active regions of said device, and an oxide layer having inner edges defining windows overlying said circuit metallization to expose bonding pad areas of said metallization for connection to said active regions, said oxide layer and said insulating layers having outer edges spaced from said bonding pad areas, the improvement comprising
- a metal layer of a metal which acts as a barrier against migration of corrosion resistant metal formed on and covering said bonding pad areas,
- a protective layer extending over said outer edges of said insulating and oxide layers and in contact with said semiconductor body to seal said outer edges of said insulating and oxide layers and environmentally protect said device, said protective layer having inner edges defining windows at said bonding pad areas,
- a corrosion resistant metal layer formed on said metal layer for connecting to said bonding pad areas through said metal layer and for sealing said inner edges of said protective layer, and
- a bottom protective layer, said protective layer extending over said side surfaces of said semiconductor body to merge with the bottom protective layer to cocoon said device.
A semiconductor device which includes a semiconductor body having upper and lower surfaces and side surfaces extending between said upper and lower surfaces, said semiconductor body having circuit metallization carried by one or more insulating layers for connection to active regions of said device, and an oxide layer having inner edges defining windows overlying said circuit metallization to expose bonding pad areas of said metallization for connection to said active regions, said oxide layer and said insulating layers having outer edges spaced from said bonding pad areas, the improvement comprising
- aluminum bonding pads on said metallization at said bonding pad areas,
- a layer of a metal which acts as a barrier against migration of gold formed on and covering said aluminum bonding pads,
- a protective layer having inner edges defining windows at said bonding pad areas, said protective layer extending over said outer edges of said insulating and oxide layers and contacting said semiconductor body to seal said outer edges of said insulating and oxide layers and environmentally protect said, device,
- sealing means for sealing said inner edges of said oxide layer to environmentally protect said device,
- a gold layer formed on said metal layer for connecting to said bonding pads through said metal layer, and
- a bottom protective layer, said protective layer extending over said side surfaces of said semiconductor body to merge with said bottom protective layer to cocoon the device.
A semiconductor device which includes a semiconductor body having upper and lower surfaces and side surfaces extending between said upper and lower surfaces, said semiconductor body having circuit metallization carried by one or more insulating layers for connection to active regions of said device, and an oxide layer having inner edges defining windows overlying said circuit metallization to expose bond pad areas of said metallization for connection to said active regions, said oxide layer and said insulating layers having outer edges spaced from said bond pad areas, the improvement comprising
- a first metal layer of a metal which acts as a barrier against migration of gold formed on and covering said bond pad areas,
- a protective layer extending over said outer edges of said insulating and oxide layers and in contact with the semiconductor body to seal said outer edges of said insulating and oxide layers and environmentally protect said device, said protective layer having inner edges defining windows at said bond pad areas,
- a gold layer formed on said first metal layer for connecting to said bond pad areas through said metal layer and for sealing said inner edges of said protective layer,
- a second metal layer which acts as a barrier against migration of solder covering said gold layer,
- a solder bond pad formed on said second metal layer, and
- a bottom protective layer, said protective layer extending over said surfaces of said semiconductor body to merge with the bottom protective layer to cocoon the device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.