International Business Machines Corporation

Richard E Gegenwarth

Christopher Vincent Jahnes

Jeffrey F Roeder

Madhav Datta

Henry Atkinson Nye, Iii

Birendra N Agarwala

Michael A Russak

Anthony F Arnold

Patrick M Miller

A method of making integrated circuit chip to substrate connections first deposits a blanket layer of CrCu over a completed wafer which has terminal vias etched in the final insulator. Then PbSn solder is electrolytically plated through a photoresist mask. After the plating is done, the resist is removed and the Cu is etched using the solder dot as a mask, and then the solder dots are melted to form spheroid or ball shapes. Next, a positive photoresist is applied in a manner that distributes the photoresist around the base of the solder balls. The solder balls are then used as a self-aligned exposure mask. Since the photoresist under the balls is not exposed, each ball has a concentric layer of resist at the base after exposure and development. This concentric layer of resist protects the Cu/PbSn interface and is used as the mask for etching excess Cr. The resist is then removed.

Resist protection of ball limiting metal during etch process

Etching processes are disclosed for producing a graded or stepped edge profile in a contact pad formed between a chip passivating layer and a solder bump. The stepped edge profile reduces edge stress that tends to cause cracking in the underlying passivating layer. The pad comprises a bottom layer of chromium, a top layer of copper and an intermediate layer of phased chromium-copper. An intermetallic layer of CuSn forms if and when the solder is reflowed, in accordance with certain disclosed variations of the process. In all the variations, the solder is used as an etching mask in combination with several different etching techniques including electroetching, wet etching, anisotropic dry etching and ion beam etching.

Etching processes for avoiding edge stress in semiconductor chip solder

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Poughkeepsie, NY, United States of America

Richard E Gegenwarth