Ring positionable about a periphery of a contact pad, semiconductor device components including same, and methods for positioning the ring around a contact pad

Abstract

Dielectric rings to be disposed around contact pads on a surface of a semiconductor device or another substrate and methods of fabricating and disposing the rings on semiconductor devices and other substrates. One or more of the rings may be positioned around the contact pads of a semiconductor device or other substrate before or after solder balls are secured to the contact pads. Upon reflowing the solder balls to connect the semiconductor device face-down to a higher level substrate, the rings prevent the reflowed solder from contacting regions of the surface of the semiconductor device that surround the contact pads thereof. The rings may be preformed structures which are attached to a surface of a semiconductor device or other substrate. Alternatively, the rings can be fabricated on the surface of the semiconductor device or other substrate. A stereolithographic method of fabricating the rings is disclosed.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.