Guard ring structure and method for forming the same

Abstract

A method for forming a seal ring structure provides a semiconductor substrate having a first doping region formed over a top portion thereof. The method forms a plurality of patterned photoresist layers over the semiconductor substrate, encircling the semiconductor substrate, wherein each of the patterned photoresist layers has a plurality of parallel strip portions extending along a first direction and a plurality of bridge portions formed between the parallel strip portions, and then performs an etching process to a first doping region of the substrate. The method then removes the first doping region not covered by the patterned photoresist layers and forms a plurality of patterned first doping regions. The method then removes the patterned photoresist layers and forms an isolation region between and adjacent to the patterned first doping regions. Finally, the method forms a plurality of interconnect elements over the semiconductor substrate.