Integrated circuit bonding pads including conductive layers with arrays of unaligned spaced apart insulating islands therein and methods of forming same

A bonding pad for an integrated circuit comprising:

• a conductive layer including insulating portions therein;
• a metal bumper layer on the conductive layer and the insulating portions therein, wherein the metal bumper layer is configured to provide protection to the conductive layer from contact by a probe during testing or processing of the integrated circuit;
• and
• an upper bonding pad layer on the metal bumper that is configured to bond with a wire, wherein the metal bumper layer includes insulating islands that are located towards the outer edges of the metal bumper layer.

A bonding pad for an integrated circuit comprising:

• first and second spaced apart conductive layers;
• a third continuous conductive layer between the first and second spaced apart conductive layers and electrically connected to the first and second spaced apart conductive layers;
• and
• an array of spaced apart insulating islands in the third continuous conductive layer in a zig-zag arrangement and extending therethrough such that sidewalls of the array of insulating islands are surrounded by the third continuous conductive layer.

A method of fabricating a bonding pad for an integrated circuit comprising the steps of:

• forming an underlying conductive layer on an integrated circuit substrate;
• forming a continuous conductive layer on the underlying conductive layer and electrically connected thereto, the continuous conductive layer including therein an array of unaligned spaced apart insulating islands that extend therethrough such that sidewalls of the insulating islands are surrounded by the continuous conductive layer;
• and
• forming an overlying conductive layer on the continuous conductive layer and electrically connected thereto.

A bonding pad for an integrated circuit comprising:

• a conductive layer including insulating portions therein;
• a metal bumper means for protecting the conductive layer and the insulating portions therein, wherein the metal bumper means is configured to provide protection to the conductive layer from contact by a probe during testing or processing of the integrated circuit;
• and
• an upper bonding pad layer on the metal means for bumping that is configured to bond with a wire.

A bonding pad for an integrated circuit comprising:

• a conductive layer including insulating portions therein;
• a metal bumper layer on the conductive layer and the insulating portions therein, wherein the metal bumper layer is configured to provide protection to the conductive layer from contact by a test probe during testing of the integrated circuit;
• and
• an upper bonding pad layer on the metal bumper layer that is configured to bond with a wire.