Patent · US Expired

Damascene patterning of barrier layer metal for C4 solder bumps

US7176583B2 · kind B2 · utility

17Cited by
5References
10Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJul 21, 2004
Grant dateFeb 13, 2007
Priority date
Expiry dateFeb 21, 2025

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10T29/49144
  • WIPO fieldSemiconductors
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A system and method for forming a novel C4 solder bump for BLM (Ball Limiting Metallurgy) includes a novel damascene technique is implemented to eliminate the Cu undercut problem and improve the C4 pitch. In the process, a barrier layer metal stack is deposited above a metal pad layer. A top layer of the barrier layer metals (e.g., Cu) is patterned by CMP. Only bottom layers of the barrier metal stack are patterned by a wet etching. The wet etch time for the Cu-based metals is greatly reduced resulting in a reduced undercut. This allows the pitch of the C4 solder bumps to be reduced. An alternate method includes use of multiple vias at the solder bump terminal.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.