Solder bump composition for flip chip

A method for improving a solder bump composition for a flip chip, comprising the steps of:

• providing at least two UBM layers overlying a chip bonding pad including an uppermost UBM layer forming a contact layer for forming a solder bump thereon;
• depositing a solder bump precursor material overlying the contact layer to form a solder column, wherein said solder bump precursor material contains a combination of high lead and eutectic solder regions;
• exposing the sidewalls of the solder column to include the contact layer sidewalls;
• oxidizing the contact layer sidewalls to form a contact layer sidewall oxide at a temperature lower than the melting point of the solder bump precursor material to make the contact layer sidewalls unwettable in a subsequent reflow process;
• and,
• forming a solder bump by reflowing the precursor material to wet the contact layer surface to exclude the contact layer sidewalls,
• whereby the solder bump contains a combination of a layer of high lead solder, with a layer of eutectic solder encompassing the high lead region of the bump, wherein the melting point of the high lead solder is about 300° C. or greater, and the melting point of the eutectic solder is about 180° C.