Semiconductor Metal Wiring Bend Chamfering for Passivation Film Integrity

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional semiconductor devices with metal wiring lines face issues of weakened taper profiles and reduced passivation protection film thickness at bends, leading to compromised covering properties and increased risk of cracks and pinholes.

Innovation Solution

The semiconductor device incorporates inside and outside chamfers at bends of metal wiring lines, widening the wiring line width at the inside bend and narrowing it at the outside bend, respectively, to enhance the coating width of resist and increase the film thickness of the passivation protection film, thereby strengthening the taper profile and improving covering properties.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the wiring line width at the bend is narrowed to make angles less acute, then cracks are suppressed, but the coating width of resist becomes narrower and the taper profile weakens

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecrack suppressionVSAvoidtaper profile strength

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies different chamfer configurations to different locations of the bend. The inside chamfer widens the wiring line width at the inside of the bend to strengthen the taper profile, while the outside chamfer narrows the wiring line width at the outside of the bend to suppress cracks. This local differentiation allows each region to be optimized for its specific function.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces asymmetric chamfer structures where the inside chamfer and outside chamfer have different effects on the wiring line width. The inside chamfer adds width while the outside chamfer reduces width, creating an asymmetric modification to the bend geometry that simultaneously addresses both taper profile strength and crack suppression.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #4Asymmetry

2Reliability

If the wiring line width is narrowed, then crack suppression is improved, but the film thickness of the passivation protection film becomes thinner

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecrack suppressionVSAvoidfilm thickness

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLength of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies different chamfer configurations to different locations of the bend. The inside chamfer widens the wiring line width at the inside of the bend to strengthen the taper profile, while the outside chamfer narrows the wiring line width at the outside of the bend to suppress cracks. This local differentiation allows each region to be optimized for its specific function.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces asymmetric chamfer structures where the inside chamfer and outside chamfer have different effects on the wiring line width. The inside chamfer adds width while the outside chamfer reduces width, creating an asymmetric modification to the bend geometry that simultaneously addresses both taper profile strength and crack suppression.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #4Asymmetry

Data Source

PatentUS8884435B2Semiconductor device

Publication Date: 2014.11.11 LAPIS SEMICON CO LTD

AI summary

There is provided a semiconductor device including: a metal wiring line formed on a semiconductor substrate; an inside chamfer provided only at the inside of a bend in the metal wiring line, widening the wiring line width at the inside of the bend; and a protection film covering the metal wiring line.