A
semiconductor device of the present invention has (1) an active element provided on a
semiconductor substrate, (2) an interlayer insulating film formed so as to cover the active element, (3) a pad
metal for an
electrode pad which is provided on the interlayer insulating film, (4) a barrier
metal layer which is provided on the active element with the interlayer insulating film therebetween, so that the pad
metal is formed on the barrier metal layer, and (5) an insulating layer having high adherence to the barrier metal layer, the insulating layer being provided between the interlayer insulating film and the barrier metal layer. With this arrangement, the adherence between the barrier metal layer, the insulating film and the interlayer insulating film is surely improved, and even in the case where an external force is applied to the
electrode pad upon bonding or after bonding, the barrier metal layer hardly comes off the part thereunder. Therefore, the breakdown of a level difference compensating film, and the exfoliation of the barrier metal layer from the interlayer insulating film can be prevented, while the
semiconductor device of the area pad structure featuring lower costs, high quality, and high liability is constantly
mass-produced. Besides, the yield of the
semiconductor device is surely improved.