Method for pre-migration of metal ions in a semiconductor package
AssigneeSTMicroelectronics S.r.l.
InventorsCraig J. Rotay, John C. Pritiskutch
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Abstract
According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a method of pre-migrating metal ions is disclosed. A metal in a semiconductor configuration is exposed to water and oxygen to yield metal ions. The metal couples a conductor to another material. The metal and the conductor are exposed to an electrical field in such a manner that one or both of the metal and the conductor becomes an anode to a corresponding cathode. The metal ions are then allowed to migrate from the anode to the cathode to form a migrated metal. Finally, a migration inhibitor is applied on top of the migrated metal to prevent further migration.
Claims15
A method of pre-migrating metal ions, the method comprising:
- exposing a metal in a semiconductor configuration to water and oxygen to yield metal ions, the metal operable to couple a conductor to a first material, and the metal being in a first area;
- exposing the metal and the conductor to an electrical field in such a manner that one or both of the metal and the conductor becomes an anode to a corresponding cathode;
- allowing, based on the exposing of the metal in the semiconductor configuration to water, oxygen, and the electrical field, a non-trivial amount of the metal ions to migrate from the anode to the cathode to form a migrated metal;
- applying a migration inhibitor on top of the migrated metal to prevent further migration;
- and
- wherein the exposing of the metal in the semiconductor configuration to water, oxygen, and the electrical field occurs prior to a normal operational use of the metal in the semiconductor configuration.
A method of pre-migrating metal ions, the method comprising:
- exposing a metal in a semiconductor configuration to water and oxygen to yield metal ions, the metal operable to couple a conductor to another material;
- exposing the metal and the conductor to an electrical field in such a manner that one or both of the metal and the conductor becomes an anode to a corresponding cathode;
- allowing, based on the exposing of the metal in the semiconductor configuration to water, oxygen, and the electrical field, a non-trivial amount of the metal ions to migrate from the anode to the cathode;
- and
- wherein the exposing of the metal in the semiconductor configuration to water, oxygen, and the electrical field occurs prior to a normal operational use of the metal in the semiconductor configuration.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.